The 40th annual Country Music Association awards show is tonight in Music City. Brooks and Dunn are hosting the show for a third straight year. They are tied with Brad Paisley each with six CMA nominations.
Paisley’s song featuring Dolly Parton, “When I Get Where I’m Going,” is up for Single, Video and Musical Event of the Year. Paisley is also nominated for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, and his CD “Time Well Wasted” is nominated in the Album of the Year category. He has 33 all-time nominations. That’s more than legends Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Conway Twitty.
Ronnie Dunn actually has seven nominations as a co-writer of “Believe,” which is up for Single of the Year. Brooks and Dunn are the reigning Vocal Duo of the Year and are up for that honor again. Plus they’re competing for Entertainer of the Year; Album of the Year for “Hillbilly Deluxe;” Single and Music Video for “Believe;” and Musical Event for their current single “Building Bridges.”
Brooks and Dunn’s competition for Entertainer of the Year includes Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban. The duo has 22 Number one hits and
more than 30 million albums sold worldwide.
Keith Urban is looking to repeat as CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. He’s also up for Single of the Year with “Better Life.” Urban won’t be at the awards as he’s being treated at a Nashville rehab center. Also vying for the Male Vocalist award– Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley.
Could this be Carrie Underwood’s year at the CMA Awards? She’s up for four nominations including Female Vocalist of the Year. Also up for that award are Faith Hill, Sara Evans, Martina McBride and Gretchen Wilson. Underwood is also up for Single and Video of the Year and the Horizon Award.
Miranda Lambert didn’t win in the “Nashville Star” competition, but she’s on a roll now. She’s up for the CMA Horizon Award again. Other nominees are Carrie
Underwood, Little Big Town, Sugarland and Josh Turner. The award celebrates the breakthrough of an emerging artist.
Bon Jovi is having no trouble crossing over from rock to country music. In the Musical Event of the Year category, he’s nominated with Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles for
their collaboration on “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” Sheryl Crow picked up a nod for adding guest vocals, along with Vince Gill, on Brooks and Dunn’s “Building Bridges.”
Richie McDonald of Lonestar says he’d demand “a recount” if his group won the CMA Vocal Group of the Year award tonight. There’s a lot of stiff competition with
Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Alison Krauss and Union Station all nominated for the award. Lonestar’s last CMA win was in 2001.
The Single of the Year goes to the artist and the producer. Brooks and Dunn’s “Believe” is up for Single of the Year. Other contenders include “Better Life” by
Keith Urban; “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood; “Summertime” by Kenny Chesney; and “When I Get Where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley, featuring Dolly Parton.
The Album of the Year competitors include “Hillbilly Deluxe” by Brooks and Dunn; “Me and My Gang” by Rascal Flatts; “Precious Memories” by Alan Jackson; “The Road and the Radio” by Kenny Chesney; and Brad Paisley’s “Time Well Wasted.”
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