It was such a hit last year that it'll happen again tomorrow night. During the ABC broadcast of "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock," several country artists will be tweeting their observations and behind-the-scenes stories. Be sure to be following Julianne Hough (@JulianneHough), Lady Antebellum( @ladyantebellum), Reba (@Reba), Tim McGraw (@TimMcGrawArtist), Blake Shelton (@BlakeShelton), Keith Urban (@KeithUrban), and Zac Brown Band (@ZacBrownBand) on Twitter for the CMA Tweet-N-Greet tomorrow night from 8-11 eastern.
Some of the CMA nominations were announced today, and Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum have the early lead. In three categories, Miranda is competing with herself - for single of the year, song of the year and for music video of the year, she's nominated for "The House That Built Me" and "White Liar." Here are the nominations announced this morning. The rest will be revealed tomorrow morning on Good Morning America.
New Artist
Luke Bryan
Easton Corbin
Jerrod Niemann
Chris Young
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Group
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn
Joey & Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Single of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer.)
"A Little More Country Than That"
Easton Corbin
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
"Hillbilly Bone"
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Producer: Scott Hendricks
"Need You Now"
Lady Antebellum
Producers: Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum
"The House That Built Me"
Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
"White Liar"
Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Song of the Year
(Award goes to songwriter.)
"A Little More Country Than That"
Songwriters: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress and Wynn Varble
"Need You Now"
Songwriters: Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Josh Kear
"The House That Built Me"
Songwriters: Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin
"Toes"
Songwriters: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, John Driskell Hopkins and Shawn Mullins
"White Liar"
Songwriters: Miranda Lambert and Natalie Hemby
Music Video
(Award goes to artist and director.)
"Hillbilly Bone"
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Director: Roman White
"Need You Now"
Lady Antebellum
Director: David McClister
"The House That Built Me"
Miranda Lambert
Director: Trey Fanjoy
"Water"
Brad Paisley
Director: Jim Shea
"White Liar"
Miranda Lambert
Director: Chris Hickey
Musician
Paul Franklin -- Steel Guitar
Dann Huff -- Guitar
Brent Mason -- Guitar
Mac McAnally -- Guitar
Randy Scruggs -- Guitar
The show will air live November 10th and will be hosted by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.
And now we know why Robin Roberts was at the Brad Paisley stadium show in Massachussetts - footage from that will be part of her pre-CMA Award special, "In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville." Featured along with Brad Paisley will be Carrie Underwood and an inside peek at the homes of some of country's biggest stars. The special airs November 9th, the night before the CMA's.
Zac Brown Band has a new cd coming out, and here's what they have to say about it, straight from the horses' mouths!
Daniel Pritzker wrote the hit song "Lover, Lover." Jerrod Niemann took the song to the top spot on the country charts, and Daniel was very appreciative. How appreciative? So much so that he gave Jerrod the guitar that "Lover, Lover" was written on - a 1957 Gibson J-185 guitar, very vintage and very valuable. Jerrod quipped, "I said, 'Thank you,' and 'Are you crazy?' I do not deserve this guitar. If he asks for it back, I'd definitely give to him because it's just that awesome of a guitar. But in the meantime, I'm going to be picking and grinning and giggling and whatever else you do with a guitar that is worth more than your car."
Trace Adkins will have a double-disc greatest hits package out this fall. Look for "The Definitive Greatest Hits: Til The Last Shot's Fired" on October 12th.
If you either missed Taylor Swift's half-hour special and her video premier last Friday night or you just want to see it again, you're in luck - CMT has the full episode on line.
Congrats to Blake Shelton, whose "All About Tonight" is #1 again for the third week in a row. Oh, and that part of the song about red Gatorade being a hangover cure? Blake says it really works, and I'm guessing he'd know!
Merle Haggard is on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight, and Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert are on Good Morning America tomorrow, announcing the CMA nominees. Then tomorrow night, it's "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" on ABC.
The tweet of the day is from Martina McBride: "Found out 2day that there really is no way 2 b glamorous while n the dr.s office getting a physical. Starting w/ all the questions..not cute"
