When Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley appeared on Good Morning America Wednesday morning to announce the final five category nominees for this year's upcoming Country Music Association Awards (CMAs), chances are the former 2003 Nashville Star third-place finalist-turned country music superstar had no idea she was about to break a country music record. Thanks in part to her huge 2009 hit, White Liar, Lambert walked away with nine nominations, a new record for any female artist in the history of the CMAs.
Lambert's astounding nods not only lead the 2010 nominations, but land her squarely in the record books tying classic country icon Merle Haggard who scored nine nominations back in 1970. Only Alan Jackson has ever received more nominations, with 10 mentions in 2002.
As for other nominees, Lady Antebellum wasn't even a close second having received five nominations, including nods for Entertainer(s) of the Year and Album of the Year.
While Miranda surely deserves the accolades, a look at the nominations reveals a few surprises. Among them: why was her soon to be hubby, Blake Shelton nominated for the rediculous song Hillbilly Bone? Other surprises involve those missing from key categories. Neither Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire nor Carrie Underwood received an Entertainer of the Year nod. However, all three are in the running for Female Vocalist of the Year, alongside Lambert.
Also missing for this year's nominees as far as I'm concerned are Laura Bell Bundy, who should have been mentioned in the Best New Artist category and Tim McGraw, whose Southern Voice was his most thoughtful release in years.

The 2010 CMA Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Area on November 10, 2010.

The full list of nominees is as follows:
 
Entertainer of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
Zac Brown Band
 
Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
 
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban
 
Album of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
Need You Now
Lady Antebellum
Produced by Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum
Capitol Records Nashville
 
Play On
Carrie Underwood
Produced by Mark Bright and Max Martin
19 Recordings Limited/Arista Nashville
 
Revolution
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia Nashville
 
Twang
George Strait
Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville
 
Up On The Ridge
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Jon Randall Stewart
Capitol Records Nashville
 
Musical Event of the Year
(Award goes to each Artist)
“Bad Angel”
Dierks Bentley featuring Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson
Capitol Records Nashville
 
“Can’t You See”
Zac Brown Band featuring Kid Rock
Southern Ground/Atlantic Records
 
“Hillbilly Bone”
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Reprise Records
 
 “I’m Alive”
Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews
BNA Records
 
“Till The End”
Alan Jackson with Lee Ann Womack
Arista Nashville
 
Previously Announced in Nashville:
 
New Artist of the Year
Luke Bryan
Easton Corbin
Jerrod Niemann
Chris Young
Zac Brown Band
 
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
 
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
 
Single of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“A Little More Country Than That”
Easton Corbin
Produced by Carson Chamberlain
Mercury Nashville
 
“Hillbilly Bone”
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Produced by Scott Hendricks
Reprise Records
 
“Need You Now”
Lady Antebellum
Produced by Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum
Capitol Records Nashville
 
 “The House That Built Me”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia Nashville
 
“White Liar”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia Nashville
 
Song of the Year
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“A Little More Country Than That”
Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, and Wynn Varble
 
“Need You Now”
Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Josh Kear
 
“The House That Built Me”
Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin
 
“Toes”
Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, John Driskell Hopkins, and Shawn Mullins
 
“White Liar”
Miranda Lambert and Natalie Hemby
 
Music Video of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Director)
“Hillbilly Bone”
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Directed by Roman White
 
“Need You Now”
Lady Antebellum
Directed by David McClister
 
“The House That Built Me”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
 
“Water”
Brad Paisley
Directed by Jim Shea
 
“White Liar”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Chris Hicky
 
Musician of the Year
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Dann Huff – Guitar
Brent Mason – Guitar
Mac McAnally – Guitar
Randy Scruggs – Guitar