The nominations for the CMA Music Awards were announced yesterday and there are four artists with five nominations each: Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift. The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band each have four nominations, with additional nominations in the songwriter category for Kimberly Perry of the Band Perry and Coy Bowles and Zac Brown of the Zac Brown Band. The awards will be handed out on November 9th on ABC, with Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood hosting the event again this year. Here's the list:
Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban
Single of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“A Little Bit Stronger”
Sara Evans
Produced by Tony Brown
RCA Nashville
“Colder Weather”
Zac Brown Band
Produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown
Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records
“Don’t You Wanna Stay”
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
Produced by Michael Knox
Broken Bow Records
“Honey Bee”
Blake Shelton
Produced by Scott Hendricks
Warner Bros. Nashville
“If I Die Young”
The Band Perry
Produced by Paul Worley
Republic Nashville
Album of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
All About Tonight
Blake Shelton
Produced by Scott Hendricks
Warner Bros. Nashville
My Kinda Party
Jason Aldean
Produced by Michael Knox
Broken Bow Records
Speak Now
Taylor Swift
Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift
Big Machine Records
This Is Country Music
Brad Paisley
Produced by Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville
You Get What You Give
Zac Brown Band
Produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown
Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records
Song of the Year (Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“Colder Weather”
Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey, and Coy Bowles
“Dirt Road Anthem”
Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford
“If I Die Young”
Kimberly Perry
“Mean”
Taylor Swift
“You and Tequila”
Matraca Berg and Deana Carter
Female Vocalist of the Year
Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban
New Artist of the Year
The Band Perry
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Thompson Square
Chris Young
Vocal Group of the Year
The Band Perry
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo of the Year
The Civil Wars
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Thompson Square
Musical Event of the Year (Award goes to each Artist)
“As She’s Walking Away”
Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records
“Coal Miner’s Daughter”
Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert
Columbia Records Nashville
“Don’t You Wanna Stay”
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
Broken Bow Records
“Old Alabama”
Brad Paisley featuring Alabama
Arista Nashville
“You and Tequila”
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
BNA Records
Musician of the Year
Sam Bush – Mandolin
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Dann Huff – Guitar
Mac McAnally – Guitar
Music Video of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Director)
“Honey Bee”
Blake Shelton
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“If I Die Young”
The Band Perry
Directed by David McClister
“Mean”
Taylor Swift
Directed by Declan Whitebloom
“Old Alabama”
Brad Paisley featuring Alabama
Directed by Jim Shea
“You and Tequila”
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
Directed by Shaun Silva
Well, it looks like they snuck this one in during a holiday weekend. Randy Houser married his fiance, Jessa Lee Yantz, last Friday in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. According to People Magazine, 20 friends and family members were on had to witness the marriage, for which the couple wrote their own vows. Seems like only yesterday we were talking about the astonishing 300-diamond ring he gave her. They got engaged in July, so didn't waste any time in pulling the trigger on a life together.
Eric Church is touring with Toby Keith, and when they're not on stage, they're huddled up on a bus, writing. According to Eric, “We’ve been threatening to do it for a while and it’s a neat thing to just pop up on his bus and write.” He'd like to record one of the songs they collaborated on, but says he wouldn't be too upset if Toby beats him to it.
Dierks Bentley's "Miles and Music for Kids" Nashville ride happens on October 16th, and includes the Eli Young Band, Colt Ford and Josh Thompson. There'll be more artists announced between now and then, and the ride and concert benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt. Dierks will do a Chicago ride on October 9th.
Taylor Swift's "Speak Now Help Now" tornado benefit concert on May 21st raised three quarters of a million dollars. Taylor has earmarked $150.000 of that to give to Tuscaloosa schools to help restock supplies and materials lost during the April tornadoes.
"CMT Insider Special Edition: 2011 CMA Awards Nominations" will air today at 11:30am Eastern tme. The 30-minute special features in-depth coverage of all of the nominations, artists and the awards show itself.
The tweet of the day is from Chris Young: "Literally got woken up by my phone ringing. Not a morning person. But then I found out I'm nominated for CMA New Artist. So I was ok with it"
