ABC news anchor Robin Roberts, center, congratulates Darius Rucker
and Lee Ann Womack on their respective CMA nods following their
appearance on the Sept. 9, 2009, Good Morning America broadcast.
(Photo credit: ABC/Ida Mae Astute)
From established country stars, such as Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn, to newcomers Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band and Randy Houser, the 2009 finalists for the annual Country Music Association Awards ran the gamut, with more crossover appeal than ever before.
Country artists Rucker and Lee Ann Womack, in a live Sept. 9, 2009, announcement on Good Morning America, delivered news of this year's top CMA artist nominees, with some expected top contenders as well as a string of first-timers in the mix.
According to a report from the CMA, about a quarter of this year's CMA finalists are "fresh faces," while the remainder are familiar faces and voices in the annual country-awards contest that's considered the genre's most prestigious contest by many.
Brad Paisley, the 2008 Male Vocalist of the Year, scored big at this summer's CMT Awards, and it looks like the 43rd Annual CMA Awards will be no exception for him. Paisley came out the leading nomination-grabber in this year's CMA Awards contest with seven (not the originally reported six) nods after the CMA--in a Sept. 10 press release--apologized for neglecting to include him in the Musical Event of the Year category, along with duet partner Keith Urban, for "Start A Band."
In turn, Urban landed five CMA nods this year, while a select few each garnered a quartet of nominations; namely, first-time artist nominees Jamey Johnson and Zac Brown (the man and his self-titled band), as well as George Strait and Taylor Swift. Interestingly, the 19-year-old songstress is the lone female in the running for Entertainer of the Year this time around, and if she defies her skeptics and takes it home on awards day, Nov. 11, she'll be the first female to do so since Shania Twain scored the prize in 1999.
The following is an overview, by category, of the finalists in this year's CMA Awards, which will be broadcast live on ABC-TV from Nashville's Sommet Center, with Paisley and Carrie Underwood, the reigning 2008 CMA Female Vocalist, serving as co-hosts for a second year.
- Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban
- Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood
- Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Keith Urban
- New Artist of the Year
Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band
- Vocal Group of the Year
Eagles, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, Zac Brown Band
- Vocal Duo of the Year
Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Joey + Rory, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland
- Single of the Year (Award goes to artist and producer)
"Chicken Fried" by Zac Brown Band, produced by Keith Stegall, Atlantic Records
"I Run To You" by Lady Antebellum, produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley, Capitol Nashville
"In Color" by Jamey Johnson, produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys, Mercury Nashville
"People Are Crazy" by Billy Currington, produced by Carson Chamberlain and Currington, Mercury Nashville
"Then" by Brad Paisley, produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois, Arista Nashville
- Album of the Year (Award goes to artist and producer)
American Saturday Night by Brad Paisley, produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois, Arista Nashville
Defying Gravity by Keith Urban, produced by Dann Huff and Urban, Capitol Records Nashville
Fearless by Taylor Swift, produced by Nathan Chapman and Swift, Big Machine Records
Love On The Inside by Sugarland, produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles, Mercury Nashville
That Lonesome Song by Jamey Johnson, produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys, Mercury Nashville
- Song of the Year (Award goes to songwriter)
"Chicken Fried," written by Zac Brown/Wyatt Durrette
"I Told You So," written by Randy Travis
"In Color," written by Jamey Johnson/Lee Thomas Miller/James Otto
"People Are Crazy," written by Bobby Braddock/Troy Jones
"Then," written by Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Ashley Gorley
- Musical Event of the Year (Award goes to each artist)
"Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire, Arista Nashville
"Down The Road" by Kenny Chesney (with Mac McAnally), Blue Chair Records, LLC & BNA Records
"Everything But Quits" by Lee Ann Womack (duet with George Strait), MCA Nashville
"I Told You So" by Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis, 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville
"Old Enough," by The Raconteurs featuring Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe, Third Man Records/Warner Bros. Records
"Start A Band" by Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, Arista Nashville
- Music Video of the Year (Award goes to artist and director)
"Boots On" by Randy Houser, directed by Eric Welch
"Love Story" by Taylor Swift, directed by Trey Fanjoy
"People Are Crazy" by Billy Currington, directed by The Brads
"Start A Band" by Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban), directed by Jim Shea
"Troubadour" by George Strait, directed by Trey Fanjoy
- Musician of the Year
Eddie Bayers, drums; Paul Franklin, steel guitar; Dann Huff, guitar; Brent Mason, guitar; Mac McAnally, guitar
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