Trace Adkins is Country Music’s renaissance man. An author, actor, singer, songwriter, reality TV star, husband and father, the towering entertainer does it all and does it well. Ever since he debuted in 1996 with the Platinum Capitol Records Nashville album Dreamin’ Out Loud, Adkins has proven to be one of Country Music’s most consistent hitmakers with songs “Every Light in the House,” “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” and “I’m Tryin.’” “You’re Gonna Miss This” garnered Adkins two CMA Awards nominations — Single, produced by Frank Rogers and Music Video, directed by Peter Zavadil. The No. 1 hit also earned a Song nomination for songwriters Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller. This past year, Adkins stepped beyond his comfort zone to compete on Donald Trump’s reality NBC-TV show “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Though his slow Southern drawl caused some to underestimate the Louisiana native, Adkins was a formidable competitor and one of the final two contestants, battling for the title against Piers Morgan. Adkins’ daughter Brianna suffers from severe food allergies and his participation on the show raised money and awareness for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Adkins is the National Honorary Chair of the Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward a Cure.
Voted Country’s Sexiest Man by the readers of Country Weekly, Adkins has had an extremely busy year. He appeared in two films, including his recent role as the Angel of Death in David Zucker’s satirical comedy “An American Carol.” He recently taped a “CMT Crossroads” TV special with veteran rockers .38 Special. In September, he completed his second USO tour, entertaining troops in the Persian Gulf, before returning to the states and hitting the road with Alan Jackson this fall on the “Good Time Tour.” Adkins’ latest single, “Muddy Water,” is currently climbing the charts; the video features actor Stephen Baldwin. The gospel-tinged track previews Trace Adkins X, his tenth album, due in stores Nov. 25.
With the release of his self-titled debut album in 2005, Jason Aldean quickly established himself as one of Country Music’s most promising young talents. The Platinum Jason Aldean spawned hit singles including the vibrant rural anthem “Hicktown,” the picturesque ode to the plight of American farmers “Amarillo Sky” and “Why,” the poignant ballad and No. 1 hit. Proving that initial success was no fluke, Aldean released his sophomore album Relentless in 2007. The album went Gold and yielded the hits “Johnny Cash” and “Laughed Until We Cried.”
The Macon, Ga., native began his love affair with music early in life. He grew up listening to Alabama, George Strait and Hank Williams Jr. He began performing at 14 and by 15 was part of the house band at the popular Macon nightspot Nashville South. After high school, he started touring the Southeast, but his first big break came when Nashville music publisher Michael Knox saw him perform at the Buckboard in Atlanta and signed him to a publishing deal with Warner-Chappell. The young singer/songwriter moved to Music City in November 1998 when he was just 21. After a couple of false starts with record label deals that never came to fruition, Aldean signed with Broken Bow Records, thus setting in motion the chain of events that have led to his current success, including a New Artist nomination.
They say good things come to those who wait. Rodney Atkins is living proof. Though the East Tennessee native signed with Curb Records in 1997, it was nearly a decade before he struck pay dirt. His debut album Honesty, yielded a Top 5 single with the title track, but it was his 2006 album If You’re Going Through Hell that has made Atkins a bonafide Country
star. The Platinum album spawned four No. 1 singles — the title tune, “Watching You,” “These Are My People” and “Cleaning This Gun (Come on In Boy).” According to Billboard, “If You’re Going Through Hell” was the most played song of the year in 2006 and “Watching You” achieved the same feat in 2007.
It’s been an impressive rise to stardom for a man with humble beginnings. As a baby, he was placed at the Holsten Methodist Home for Children in Greeneville, Tenn. Two different couples took him home and planned on adopting the infant, but brought him back because he was too hard to care for due to health problems. The Atkins family took him home, nursed him to health and later enthusiastically supported
their young son’s musical aspirations.
This year has been hectic as Atkins spent time on the road, opening shows for Brad Paisley, and working on his highly anticipated third album. Success may have been a long time coming, but the New Artist nominee is enjoying the ride.
Rarely has an act in any musical genre challenged the status quo as creatively as Big & Rich. Ever since they rode onto the scene with their Platinum 2004 Warner Bros. Records debut album Horse of a Different Color, Big Kenny and John Rich have charted their own unique course in Country Music, and along the way have introduced such unique talents as Cowboy Troy, James Otto and Gretchen Wilson, courtesy of the MuzikMafia.
Though widely known for such foot-stomping party anthems as “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” and “Comin’ to Your City,” the Vocal Duo nominee has proven equally successful with more poignant fare such as “8th of November” and “Lost in This Moment.” Warner Bros. recently released the Big & Rich Super Galactic Fan Pak, a live CD/DVD collection.
In addition to their collaborative efforts, both Big & Rich have stepped outside the duo this year to pursue other endeavors. Big Kenny and his wife, Christiev, traveled to the Sudan to raise awareness of the crisis in that country and filmed the documentary “Bearing Light: A Journey to Sudan.” Rich, who served as a judge on the most recent season of NBC-TV’s “Nashville Star,” is working on a solo album.
Brooks & Dunn have taken their fans many places during their acclaimed career, from boot scootin’ fun at the local honky tonk to an introspective ride down a red dirt road. The duo’s most recent destination is Cowboy Town, a musical adventure co-produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero that has landed them in the Album of the Year category.
Hard work and creative vision have defined the Vocal Duo nominee's multi-Platinum career. Brooks & Dunn made their debut in 1991 with the Arista Nashville album Brand New Man, which spawned four hit singles and has been certified six-times Platinum. Since then they have become a fixture on radio with hits “Hard Workin’ Man,” “My Maria,” “Neon Moon,” “Red Dirt Road,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Lost and Found” and “Believe.” The duo has won more CMA Awards than any other act in history, claiming 19 trophies, including a record-setting 14 wins in the Vocal Duo category.
Brooks & Dunn fans recently got a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life on the road thanks to the GAC-TV special “Cowboy Town.” In addition to their musical pursuits, Brooks is host of ABC Radio’s weekly “American Country Countdown” and is co-owner of Arrington Vineyards, a winery south of Nashville. Dunn is also known for his museum quality collection of Russian art.
Some professionals reach the top of their game and then give in to the urge to coast awhile and rest on their laurels, but "complacency" has never been a word in Kenny Chesney’s vocabulary. It’s that dedication to making the best music he can and giving fans 110 percent in his live shows that fuels Chesney’s continued success. Chesney is the reigning Entertainer of the Year — an honor he’s captured three times. He leads the list of CMA Awards nominees this year, garnering an impressive seven nods including Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album for Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, which he co-produced with Buddy Cannon, Single and Music Video for “Don’t Blink,” directed by Shaun Silva, and twice for Musical Event — one with Reba McEntire for “Every Other Weekend” and another for “Shiftwork” with George Strait.
The Luttrell, Tenn., native recently celebrated his 15th No. 1 single and wrapped up another highly successful tour, which included shows at 14 NFL stadiums. This trek marks the seventh year that Chesney has played to more than a million fans. Chesney also co-produced Willie Nelson’s critically acclaimed Moment of Forever album. Chesney’s new BNA Records album Lucky Old Sun, features The Wailers, a duet with Nelson on the title track and duets with Dave Matthews on “I’m Alive” and Mac McAnally on “Down the Road.”
Simply stated: When people think of the Dobro, they think of Jerry Douglas. Few if any other musicians are more synonymous with an instrument. It’s a reputation Douglas has earned during a lifetime of creative innovation, both as a solo artist and as a member of Alison Krauss + Union Station.
A native of Warren, Ohio, the Musician nominee has played on more than 1,600 albums by artists including Ray Charles, Emmylou Harris, Phish, Paul Simon, John Fogerty, Nanci Griffith, Elvis Costello and James Taylor. Nicknamed “Flux” by Ricky Skaggs because of the speed of his playing, Douglas is also an acclaimed producer who has worked with the Del McCoury Band, Maura O'Connell, the Nashville Bluegrass Band and Jesse Winchester.
Douglas’ latest album Glide on Koch Records was released in August and marks his 12th solo album. The album features nine instrumental compositions and two tracks with vocal performances by Rodney Crowell and Travis Tritt. Douglas has thrice been awarded the Musician honor (2002, 2005, 2007). The National Endowment for the Arts awarded Douglas a National Heritage Fellowship in 2004. Most recently he was the Artist-In-Residence at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. During Douglas’ final Hall of Fame performance, he was joined by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. “When you're moving here, thinking you’re going to change the world,” said Brooks, “we all want to mean to our gift what you have come to mean to yours.”
Few artists have left a more lasting creative footprint on the American musical landscape than the Eagles. If you ask just about any Country act to cite their influences, they’ll name the Eagles, a fact that was celebrated on Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles, a multi-artist compilation that won Album of the Year in 1994. Their unique sound and innovative songwriting helped define American rock music even as they shaped the Country genre. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, they have the unique distinction of having the top-selling album in U.S. history with Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975.
Last year the Eagles released Long Road Out of Eden, their first album of all new studio material in 28 years, thus adding a potent new chapter to the legacy of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmit and Joe Walsh. The initial single, “How Long,” penned by J.D. Souther, reunited the Eagles with Country radio and their performance on last year’s CMA Awards was a much-anticipated highlight of the show. Though Henley received a 1993 Vocal Event nomination with Trisha Yearwood for “Walkaway Joe,” this year marks the Eagles’ first CMA Awards nomination in more than 30 years with a nod in the Vocal Group category. Not content to rest on their considerable laurels, the Eagles have been touring this year in support of Long Road Out of Eden.
The current success of Emerson Drive is proof that you can’t keep a good band down. The talented group — lead vocalist Brad Mates, guitarist Danick Dupelle, drummer Mike Melancon, fiddler David Pichette and keyboardist Dale Wallace — first rose to prominence in their native Canada under the name 12 Gauge before moving to Nashville and signing a record label deal with DreamWorks. Their debut single, “I Should Be Sleeping,” propelled them into the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the group was on their way. Their second single, “Fall into Me,” also hit the Top 5 and the group landed the coveted spot opening Shania Twain’s “Up! Tour.”
After that initial success came a season of change. DreamWorks closed its doors, but the band found a new label home at Midas Records. With producers Josh Leo and Country Music Hall of Fame member Teddy Gentry (of Alabama) at the helm, Emerson Drive crafted their comeback album Countrified. The album featured “Moments,” a career-defining No. 1 single that has placed the band back at the forefront of today’s Country Music scene. This year they are enjoying their second nomination in the Vocal Group category.
James Stroud called him “a master at his instrument” and Mark Knopfler said, “he seems to get better all the time.” A Who’s Who of artists, producers and executives all sing the praises of steel guitarist Paul Franklin.
Success in the music industry came early to Franklin who recorded his first million-selling album — Nice to be With You — at 16 in Detroit with the pop group Gallery. In 1972, he moved from Detroit to Nashville to play pedal steel guitar with Barbara Mandrell. In the late ’70s, he recorded and toured with Mel Tillis and the late Jerry Reed. However, tiring of road life, he decided to quit touring in 1981 and focus strictly on session work. Since then, he’s contributed his talents to projects by Sting, Alan Jackson, Megadeth, George Strait, Barbra Streisand and Shania Twain. The Musician nominee has also been responsible for introducing a bass steel guitar known as the Baritone Steel and the Pedabro, built and patented by Franklin’s father. The unique long narrow box instrument with 10 strings nicknamed The Box by Mac McAnally, looks and plays like a steel, but sounds like a hybrid of the Dobro.
“Paul’s technical command of the steel guitar is matched only by his soul, which makes for a very creative musician,” said Rodney Crowell.
During his distinguished career Andy Griffith has been awarded numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. However, this year, thanks to his young friend Brad Paisley, the 82-year-old actor may be adding a CMA Award to his collection. Griffith appears with Paisley in the Jim Shea and Peter Tilden directed video for the No. 1 hit “Waitin’ On a Woman,” which has earned him a nod in the Music Video category.
Born in Mount Airy, N.C., Griffith’s career has spanned decades and includes many facets, including writing, directing, singing and of course, acting. Well known for such signature roles as the lead character in “Matlock” and “The Andy Griffith Show,” the acclaimed actor originally intended to be a preacher when he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1949. However, his interest in the arts led him to a performing career and by 1955, he was starring on Broadway. In the decades
since, he’s proven to be one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile talents.
Paisley still finds it hard to believe America’s beloved icon is in his video. “Holy cow!” said Paisley. “Having been to his house several times and getting to know him and his wife has been something I never thought I’d get to do. It’s beyond my wildest expectations.”
One of Nashville’s most creative and versatile producers, Dann Huff moves effortlessly from veteran rock band Bon Jovi to acclaimed Christian artist Rebecca St. James to top- selling Country acts including Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban. In every instance, the affable producer manages to bring the best out of each artist under his care. In addition to his work as a producer, the Musician nominee is also an acclaimed singer, songwriter and guitarist. Born into a musical family, Huff used to accompany his father — noted conductor/arranger Ronn Huff — to sessions when he was only a child. At 9, he began playing guitar and by high school, he had joined a band. He later moved to Los Angeles and by the time he was 20 had formed the pioneering Christian rock band Whiteheart. After two albums, Huff left to pursue session work and became a highly sought-after guitarist, recording with Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Kenny Loggins, Madonna, Smokey Robinson, Barbra Streisand and Whitesnake. He took another turn as an artist when he and his brother, David, formed the band Giant and scored the hit “I’ll See You in My Dreams.”
Since moving back to Nashville in the early ’90s, Huff has earned a reputation as one of the industry’s most innovative producers and gifted guitarists, with two Musician wins. His talents have shaped the music of Trace Adkins, Faith Hill, Jewel, Lonestar and LeAnn Rimes, among others.
This year is a big year for Alan Jackson. Not only did the award-winning singer/songwriter celebrate his 50th birthday in October, he also reached an impressive career milestone — selling 50 million albums. “It’s 50 times better than that first million,” Jackson commented.
Jackson is one of only six Country artists to have sold 50 million albums or more. The accomplishment was recognized with a summer party in Nashville that drew longtime friends, industry executives and fellow artists such as Trace Adkins, Jack Greene, Jimmy C. Newman and Mel Tillis, who helped the self-effacing entertainer celebrate the achievement.
According to an interesting statistic compiled by his record label Arista Nashville, if you laid 50 million CDs end-to-end between Nashville and Jackson's hometown, Newnan, Ga., you'd have 20 lines of discs running from here to there. If those lines were side-by-side, they'd cover a one-lane road between the two cities. It’s obvious Jackson has come a long way from his humble beginnings in Newnan. He’s scored 33 No. 1 hits and 14 albums have been certified Platinum or multi-Platinum, including A Lot About Livin’ (And A Little ‘Bout Love) and Greatest Hits Volume II which are both six-times Platinum. Jackson, the CMA Awards’ most nominated artist with 79 nods, wrote all 17 songs on his current album Good Time, produced by Keith Stegall and nominated for Album of the Year. The title-track is nominated for Song and Music Video, directed by Trey Fanjoy. Jackson, a Male Vocalist nominee, is currently touring with Trace Adkins.
Some artists become synonymous with certain genres of music, and you’d be hard pressed to mention bluegrass without hearing someone express their enthusiasm for the lovely voice of Alison Krauss. Though she regularly performs with her famed band, Union Station, Krauss has developed a reputation as a creatively adventurous soul who doesn’t shy away from interesting collaborations. Her most recent is Raising Sand, a 2007 album with Robert Plant that yielded “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On),” earning Krauss and Plant a nomination in the Musical Event category.
Krauss began pursuing a career in music very early in life, taking classical violin lessons when she was just 5. Her interests shifted to bluegrass and by age 14, she had begun recording. She signed to Rounder Records in 1985 and two years later released her first solo album when she was 16. She joined Union Station and released her first album with the band in 1989.
In the years since, Krauss has created an enviable body of work and along the way, earned numerous accolades, including seven CMA Awards. The Female Vocalist nominee joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1993 at the age of 21. In addition to her work as an artist, she’s also a respected producer who has helmed projects for the Cox Family, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire and Nickel Creek. Next up, Rounder is releasing “A Hundred Miles or More: Live from the Tracking Room,” a DVD featuring duets with Brad Paisley, James Taylor and John Waite.
It’s only taken two short years for Capitol Records Nashville trio Lady Antebellum to earn a coveted spot on the slate of nominees for New Artist and Vocal Group. It all started in the summer of 2006 when Hillary Scott (daughter of Linda Davis and Lang Scott) met Charles Kelley (brother of Josh Kelley) at a Nashville music venue. She recognized him from his MySpace page and introduced herself. They immediately hit it off and decided to get together and write. Kelley had recently moved to Nashville and invited longtime friend Dave Haywood, whom he’d met at Riverside Middle School in Augusta, Ga., to move from Georgia so they could pursue music together.
From the moment Scott began collaborating with Kelley and Haywood, there was obvious musical chemistry. The trio began performing together around Nashville, earning a devoted following. Jim Brickman became a fan and invited them to sing on his 2007 single, “Never Alone,” which climbed to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. Lady Antebellum signed with Capitol and hit the Country charts with first single “Love Don’t Live Here” from their self-titled debut album, which was released last spring. Since then the group has stayed busy opening shows for Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner and Carrie Underwood.
From incendiary up-tempo hits “Kerosene” and “Gunpowder & Lead,” to poignant ballads such as the current single, “More Like Her,” Miranda Lambert has established herself as a versatile young talent with enviable songwriting skills and a unique, passionate voice. The Texas native’s first time in the national spotlight came when she appeared as a contestant on “Nashville Star” in 2003. She placed third in the competition and soon after signed a deal with Epic Records. Her Kerosene album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and went Platinum.
Moving over to the Columbia Nashville record label, Lambert released Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in 2007 and served up the hit singles “Famous in a Small Town” and “Gunpowder & Lead,” nominated for Single of the Year and produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke. An energetic live performer, Lambert has opened tours for Toby Keith, George Strait and Keith Urban. This fall, Lambert, who’s nominated for the second consecutive year in the Female Vocalist category, embarked on a co-headlining tour with boyfriend Blake Shelton. “For obvious reasons, Miranda and I have wanted to tour together for a while now. We wanted to do something special that nobody else can pull off,” said Shelton. “The result is a unique show packed full of music and energy that will leave people wondering what the hell is going to happen next.”
Weathering a barrage of challenges that might have made some artists abandon their dreams, Little Big Town has persevered to become one of Country Music’s most acclaimed vocal groups. Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild met at Alabama’s Samford University. The aspiring vocalists moved to Nashville and in 1998 recruited Jimi Westbrook. Phillip Sweet joined the group the following year and Little Big Town’s line up was complete.
They inked a short-lived deal with Mercury Records before moving to the Monument roster, releasing their self-titled debut album. The group’s real breakthrough came in 2005 when they signed with Equity Records. “Boondocks,” the first single from The Road to Here, climbed to the Top 10 on the charts and was followed by the Top 5 hit “Bring it on Home.” The album was certified Platinum and the talented foursome became Country Music’s latest success story and two-time Vocal Group nominee.
That story continues with the band’s move to Capitol Records Nashville, which re-released their second Equity set, A Place to Land this fall with four added tracks, including “Life in a Northern Town,” a live collaboration with Sugarland and Jake Owen and nominated in the Musical Event category. “We want the world to hear this music,” said Schlapman. “It’s our heart and soul. It’s who we are and we put so much of ourselves into it. It’s how we tell the story of our lives.”
For a guitar player’s first ever recording session to be with the legendary Chet Atkins, it would seem life couldn’t get much better, but for Brent Mason that was just the inaugural step in an amazing musical journey that includes 14 Musician nominations. Born in Van Wert, Ohio, Mason taught himself to play guitar by the time he was 5. Though he dreamed of a career in music, he got a job at a tool box factory after high school. While using a riveting machine, Mason riveted a hole completely through his thumb. The incident prompted him to leave the factory and move to Nashville.
Atkins saw him play at a Music City club and was so impressed he took the young musician under his wing and invited him to play on his 1985 album Stay Tuned. It was Mason’s first studio recording. Twelve years later, Atkins last recorded work would be with Mason on “My Little Ballerina,” a track from Mason’s Hot Wired album.
Mason, who is also a singer and songwriter, is best known for his extraordinary prowess on the guitar. He’s played on albums by Trace Adkins, Alabama, Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Randy Travis, Shania Twain, Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood, as well as numerous commercials, film soundtracks and TV shows.
“Mac writes like he’s the love child of William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor,” said Jimmy Buffett as he inducted Mac McAnally into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007. “His music is the background music of my life.”
McAnally’s induction is among the many highlights in a distinguished career that has won him accolades as a musician, producer, songwriter and artist. A native of Belmont, Miss., McAnally holds the distinction of being the first artist David Geffen signed to Geffen Records, preceding Elton John and John Lennon on the roster.
Alabama, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Linda Rondstadt and Hank Williams Jr., are among the artists who have enlisted the Musician nominee to either play guitar and/or contribute harmony vocals to their albums. As a producer, he’s worked with Buffett, Little Feat, Sawyer Brown and Ricky Skaggs, among others. He’s also a longtime member of Buffett’s famed Coral Reefer Band and has written several songs with Buffett, including the title track to his License to Chill album. A gifted artist in his own right, McAnally recently re-mastered three of his best-loved albums: Nothing but the Truth, Simple Life and Live and Learn.
A four-time winner of the Female Vocalist honor (1999, 2002-2004) which ties her with Reba McEntire for the greatest number of victories in that category, Martina McBride’s soaring soprano has been the vehicle for many of Country Music’s most memorable hits. From her buoyant 1993 breakthrough single “My Baby Loves Me” to such landmark musical statements as “Independence Day” and “Anyway,” McBride has consistently delivered music that is both entertaining and emotionally compelling.
Born in tiny Medicine Lodge, Kan., the Female Vocalist nominee began her love affair with music at age 7 while singing in her family’s band. After a semester of college, she left to pursue music full-time and moved to Nashville in 1990. She paid her dues selling T-shirts on the road for Garth Brooks before landing a deal with RCA Records, later hitting the road with Brooks again as his opening act. Since then she’s sold 16 million albums and scored hits on both the Country and pop charts.
In recent years, the gifted vocalist has opted to produce her own projects, including her ninth studio album Waking Up Laughing, an 11-song journey of love, loss, redemption and ultimately, happiness. “If you have ever woken yourself up laughing, you know it’s the most incredible feeling,” said McBride. “As a title, I thought it fit the music; it’s positive and it’s a great message to send out to the world.”
Few artists have covered more creative territory more successfully than Reba McEntire. As an actress she’s starred in films, on Broadway and on television, with her popular sitcom “Reba.” Her four Female Vocalist Awards ties her with Martina McBride for the greatest number of victories in that category. McEntire’s also one of only a handful of female artists to have won the Entertainer title and has garnered 46 nominations, more than any other female artist in the 42-year history of the CMA Awards. She’s nominated this year in the Musical Event category with Kenny Chesney for “Every Other Weekend.” McEntire has sold more than 55 million albums and charted 31 No. 1 singles. The Oklahoma native, who has her own clothing line and bedding collection, is currently touring with Kelly Clarkson on the “2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour,” one of the hottest concert tickets this year. In October, MCA Nashville released 50 Greatest Hits, a three-CD set of McEntire classics.
McEntire was honored with the Golden Note Award during the 46th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards ceremony in October. “Reba is one of Country Music’s greatest artists — as an actress and as a strong and assertive vocalist who understands and beautifully conveys the emotional shadings of the lyrics she sings,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman. “She has applied her talent to performing on the Broadway stage and as the star of a hit television series, she has received critical and public acclaim. At the same time, she remains true to Country Music, adored by millions of fans more than three decades after her first chart hit. We are delighted to honor Reba with the ASCAP Golden Note Award, which she so richly deserves.”
“We’ve always been consistent about choosing songs that deal with the working class, songs people can identify with,” said Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry. “We’ve stayed true to that.”
That simple, heartfelt philosophy of making music that resonates with everyday people has proven to be a highly successful path for Montgomery Gentry. The Vocal Duo nominee began this musical journey in their native Kentucky where Eddie Montgomery and his brother, John Michael, performed with Gentry in a band called Young Country. When John Michael left the group to embark on a solo career, Montgomery and Gentry pursued other musical endeavors. Gentry went solo and won the Jim Beam National Talent Contest in 1994, opening for Tracy Byrd, Patty Loveless and other acts before reuniting with Montgomery to form Montgomery Gentry.
Now celebrating their 10th year in Country Music, Montgomery Gentry has garnered numerous accolades, including the Vocal Duo honor in 2000. They’ve charted more than 20 hits singles, becoming staples on Country radio with hits including “My Town,” “Hell Yeah,” “Something to Be Proud Of,” “Some People Change” and their most recent chart topper “Back When I Knew It All.” In addition to their musical accomplishments, the duo is well known for their charitable endeavors. Both are on the board of the T. J. Martell Foundation. Gentry supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Montgomery works with Camp Horsin’ Around, a camp for chronically and terminally ill children.
The son of an Army drill sergeant, James Otto spent his childhood moving around from Washington to North Dakota to Alabama, but the one constant in his early nomadic upbringing was music. His grandfather was a self-taught musician who played in local clubs. His father taught him a few chords on the guitar and Otto began dreaming of a career in Country Music. He served a stint in the U. S. Navy, stationed in Guam for two years while docking in more than 20 countries, before moving to Nashville to pursue his dreams.
His commanding voice and songwriting skills caught the attention of Mercury Nashville which released Days of Our Lives, Otto’s critically acclaimed debut album. Exiting the Mercury roster after one album, he became part of Big & Rich’s famed MuzikMafia, which led to a deal with Raybaw, an imprint of Warner Bros. Records.
Otto began a two-year creative journey that also enlisted his brother-in-law Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts as a producer and co-writer. His new album Sunset Man, features Otto’s first No. 1 single “Just Got Started Lovin’ You.” Otto wrote nine of the 11 songs on the album, revealing his depth not only as a stand out vocalist, but also a seasoned writer.
The New Artist nominee made his acting debut on the big screen — his music led to a speaking and performing role as a member of the House Band in the film “Road House 2: Last Call.”
Life doesn’t always turn out the way we plan; sometimes it turns out even better. Just ask Jake Owen. The Florida native grew up dreaming of being a professional golfer until an injury derailed those early aspirations and paved the way for a whole new life. While recuperating from a water skiing accident in college, he borrowed a neighbor’s guitar to pass the time and taught himself to play. Not long after, Owen landed a gig playing at a nearby club and discovered a new direction for his life. Just nine hours short of getting his degree, he moved to Nashville and started pursuing a career in Country Music. He began networking and writing songs, and less than two years after moving to Music City had landed a deal with RCA Records.
His debut album Startin’ With Me introduced fans to Owen’s smooth, evocative voice and songwriting skills. His first single, “Yee Haw,” climbed into the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and his second single, the album’s title track became Owen’s first Top 10 hit. The young artist has been on tour with Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. While touring with Little Big Town and Sugarland, the three acts began performing a cover of British pop act The Dream Academy’s “Life in a Northern Town.” The song began getting unsolicited airplay on Country radio, and has earned the newcomer his first CMA Awards nomination in the Musical Event category.
A triple threat as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, Brad Paisley will be adding another title to his prestigious resume as co-host of “The 42nd Annual CMA Awards” with Carrie Underwood. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to host the CMA Awards. We’re going to have a good time — start to finish,” said Paisley, who holds the title of reigning Male Vocalist of the Year and is nominated for four CMA Awards including Entertainer, Male Vocalist and Song for the self-penned “Letter to Me.”
A native of West Virginia, Paisley moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University and paid his dues with internships at ASCAP, Atlantic Records and The Fitzgerald-Hartley Company before inking a deal with Arista Nashville. Since the release of his 1999 debut album Who Needs Pictures, the talented young artist has scored 12 No. 1 singles and earned nine CMA Awards, including Male Vocalist, Horizon, Album of the Year for Time Well Wasted, three Music Video and three Musical Event. Paisley has sold more than 10 million albums and Pollstar ranked his “Bonfires and Amplifiers Tour” as the No. 2 Country tour in total attendance last year.
On Nov. 4, Paisley issued his new album Play. Primarily an instrumental effort, the amazing collection also includes vocal duets with Andy Griffith, B.B. King, the late Buck Owens, Keith Urban and Steve Wariner. “Start a Band,” his collaboration with Urban is currently climbing the charts. “Waitin’ on a Woman” appears as a bonus track on the album and features Griffith speaking, as he did in the nominated Music Video, directed by Jim Shea and Peter Tilden. Paisley and wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, recently announced that 21-month old son William Huckleberry will have a sibling in April.
For those who watched the 2007 CMA Awards, one of the most memorable moments was Kellie Pickler’s emotional performance of the autobiographical hit “I Wonder,” a poignant
song that explored her feelings about her mother abandoning her as a child. Pickler’s riveting performance received a standing ovation and was a highlight of the young artist’s career. Pickler’s career has been in fast-forward ever since the North Carolina native first gained acclaim as a contestant on FOX-TV’s “American Idol.”
Pickler’s vocal ability combined with her sense of humor and Southern charm made her a standout on the fifth season of the TV competition, and earned her a sixth place finish on the show. “I’ve always been comfortable in front of people,” said Pickler. “I’ve always been the joker, the class clown. Music and laughter is how I deal with everything. I’d rather laugh about it than cry about it.”
That honesty and emotional vulnerability informed her 19 Recordings/ BNA Records debut album Small Town Girl. The project featured three Top 15 singles — “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind” — and was certified Gold. Pickler’s self-titled sophomore album hit the streets in September, preceded by her latest single “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful.” This is Pickler’s second year to be nominated in the New Artist category.
A native of West Bromwich, England, Robert Plant is a rock music icon whose career has spanned decades. Well known as the legendary frontman for Led Zeppelin as well as his innovative solo work, Plant added an interesting new chapter to his musical legacy with Raising Sand, a collaboration with bluegrass legend Alison Krauss. Plant’s distinctive rock voice intertwines with Krauss’ lovely, pure vocals to create an engaging musical chemistry. The critically acclaimed Rounder Records album earned Plant his first CMA Awards nomination in the Musical Event category for "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On).” Plant and Krauss took their creative partnership on the road this year with a successful tour that drew capacity crowds and earned rave reviews.
“There’s such romance in contrast. It was a real life-changing experience,” Krauss said of recording Raising Sand with Plant. Produced by T Bone Burnett, the Platinum album featured a collection of contemporary and vintage classics as well as a handful of tunes from each artist’s solo catalog and took both artists outside their comfort zones. “When we got 75 percent of the way down the line, I realized we’d created something I never could have dreamt of,” Plant said.
Ever since their self-titled debut album was released in 2000, Rascal Flatts’ career has been on an incredible upward trajectory. Nominated in the Vocal Group category — an Award they’ve won five consecutive years — Rascal Flatts has sold 17 million albums. In 2006, they were the top-selling artist among all genres of music, the first time in 15 years that a Country act achieved that feat. They’ve charted 22 singles, including nine No. 1 hits and 17 Top 10 hits. In October, Lyric Street Records released Rascal Flatts Greatest Hits Vol. 1 commemorating the group’s phenomenal success.
The trio’s musical journey began near Columbus, Ohio, where second cousins Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus grew up in a musical family. DeMarcus moved to Nashville in 1992 and landed his first record deal as part of a Christian group, East to West. He persuaded LeVox to give up his day job and move to Nashville. DeMarcus met Oklahoma native Joe Don Rooney while they were both performing in Chely Wright’s band. One night when DeMarcus and LeVox were performing in Nashville’s Printer Alley, they invited Rooney to sit in and there was an immediate musical chemistry. “We just want to make the best music we can,” said DeMarcus, “and I think we’ve been surprised ourselves with how much the fans have loved what we’ve done. It’s incredible how much we’ve been blessed.”
When it comes to career longevity and sheer presence at Country radio, George Strait is indeed the King. The talented Texan has won 18 CMA Awards, including five Male Vocalist trophies, two Entertainer honors and he’s taken home the Album prize four times. Strait has 75 career CMA Awards nominations, trailing only Alan Jackson, whose total is 79. This year Strait received five nominations for Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album for Troubadour which he co-produced with Tony Brown, Single for “I Saw God Today” and Musical Event with Kenny Chesney on “Shiftwork.” The writers of Strait’s hit “I Saw God Today,” Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby, picked up a Song nomination. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, he holds the record for scoring more No. 1 singles in Billboard than any other artist, with 56 chart toppers to his credit. According to the RIAA, Strait has sold 67 million albums and is the 10th best-selling recording artist in the United States.
By now the story of his rise to stardom is a familiar one. While serving in the U.S. Army, he began playing with Rambling Country, an Army-sponsored group. When his military stint was up, he returned to Texas and joined the Ace in the Hole Band. MCA Nashville signed Strait and his first single, “Unwound,” rocketed into the Top 10 in the spring of 1981. Through the years, he’s been one of Country Music’s most consistent hitmakers, a feat that has continued with his 37th album Troubadour, which was released in April and debuted at No. 1 on both the all genre Billboard Top 200 chart and the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. In October, MCA released Classic Christmas which features some of Strait’s favorite holiday songs.
Jennifer Nettles is also nominated for Song of the Year
CMA’s reigning Vocal Duo has come a long way in a few short years. Signed to Mercury Nashville in 2004, Sugarland exploded on the Country Music scene with the hit “Baby Girl” from their debut album Twice the Speed of Life. Originally a trio comprised of Kristian Bush, Kristen Hall (who exited in 2006) and lead vocalist Jennifer Nettles, Sugarland followed their initial hit with three more singles from their multi-Platinum debut album: “Something More,” “Just Might (Make Me Believe)” and “Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good).”
Prior to joining forces as Sugarland, Bush was part of the duo Billy Pilgrim and Nettles fronted the Jennifer Nettles Band, a popular outfit on the Georgia music scene. Both amassed valuable stage experience and polished their songwriting talents, skills that have served them well as Sugarland. The duo has become one of Country Music’s most successful new acts and their five nominations include their first in the Entertainer category. Their sophomore multi-Platinum album Enjoy the Ride, spawned the No. 1 hit singles “Want To” and “Settlin’.” “Everyday America,” which became the theme song for ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America,” and the emotionally-riveting ballad “Stay,” written by Nettles and nominated for Song, Single and Music Video directed by Shaun Silva, also became hits for the duo.
Last summer, they released their third album Love on the Inside, which went Platinum, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, produced the No. 1 hit “All I Want to Do” and features “Life in a Northern Town,” a live performance with Little Big Town and Jake Owen, nominated in the Musical Event category.
Who can forget the moment during last year’s CMA Awards when Taylor Swift proudly clutched her Horizon Award trophy during her acceptance speech and proclaimed it the highlight of her senior year? The teenage artist’s innocent charm combined with her potent songwriting skills has made her an industry phenomenon whose youthful appeal has attracted a younger audience into the Country Music fold. The Pennsylvania native decided at a young age she wanted a music career and persuaded her parents to move to Nashville. She landed a publishing deal with Sony/ ATV at only 14. A label deal with Big Machine Records followed, and by the summer of 2006 her debut single, “Tim McGraw,” was climbing the charts. Her self-titled debut album went double Platinum and spawned five hit singles, including “Teardrops on My Guitar,” “Our Song” (which spent six weeks at No. 1), “Picture to Burn” and “Should’ve Said No.”
Swift’s sophomore album Fearless, was released Nov. 11, preceded by the hit single “Love Story.” Swift is the first Country artist chosen by Music Choice as their BIG! Artist of the Month and will be featured on the digital cable music outlet during the month of November. Swift, nominated for the first time in the Female Vocalist category, also hosted Premiere Radio Networks CMA Awards Preview Special featuring music and interviews with CMA Awards nominees.
With his warm, resonant voice, Josh Turner is one of the most distinctive young talents in County Music. Turner began singing in his church choir and formed a gospel quartet called Thankful Hearts, but the young artist felt himself increasingly drawn to Country Music. “Growing up, traditional Country Music was always where my heart was at,” said Turner, “because those songs were speaking about the life that I was living in rural South Carolina. It was all about love and work and life and just the everyday stuff that people go through. It has always made me feel good.”
Turner signed with MCA Nashville in 2003. His debut album Long Black Train, went Platinum and produced a No. 1 hit for the self-penned title track. His second album Your Man, went double Platinum and served up two multi-week No. 1 singles — the title track and “Would You Go With Me.” Everything is Fine was released in 2007 and yielded the No. 2 single “Firecracker” and “Another Try,” nominated for Musical Event with Trisha Yearwood. Turner made his acting debut as George Beverly Shea in the Billy Graham biopic “Billy: The Early Years.” He also contributes “Almost Persuaded” to the film’s soundtrack.
It’s a long way from Checotah, Okla., to co-hosting the CMA Awards, and for Carrie Underwood — to borrow the title of her 19 Recordings/Arista/Arista Nashville sophomore album produced by Mark Wright and nominated for Album of the Year — it’s been a wild Carnival Ride. It all began with “American Idol” and Underwood’s win in season four of the FOX-TV show. Since then she’s become the most successful artist to emerge from the star-making vehicle. Her 2005 debut album Some Hearts has sold more than 7 million copies. Underwood has sold nearly 10 million albums in less than three years. She’s been equally successful at Country radio with nine No. 1 hits.
Underwood has received nine CMA Awards nominations since her first nod in 2006. Of those nominations, she has won four Awards, including two wins in the Female Vocalist category, the Horizon Award and Single for “Before He Cheats.” This fall Underwood has been headlining her “Carnival Ride Tour” with stops in 51 cities. Underwood fans got an early Christmas gift when a special holiday edition of Carnival Ride, hit Wal-Mart shelves in October featuring a second disc with five holiday tunes.
The Female Vocalist nominee is hosting Country Music’s Biggest Night with Brad Paisley. “I am so excited to host the CMA Awards, a show I grew up watching, and am so thrilled to spend this night with the fans and Brad,” said Underwood. “It’s going to be a party!”
Five-time CMA Awards winner Keith Urban knows the value of hard work, perseverance and timing. Urban picked up his first CMA Awards trophy in 2001 and has since won the Male Vocalist Award three times (2004, 2005, 2006) as well as the Entertainer prize in 2005 and he’s nominated in both categories this year. But the talented singer/songwriter/guitarist could hardly be classified as an overnight success. He began his career at Australia’s Tamworth Music Festival and made his recording bow in 1991 with a self-titled debut album that placed four singles on the Australian charts.
In 1992, he moved to the United States, working as a session guitarist before launching The Ranch. The trio released one album on Capitol Records Nashville before disbanding. In 1999, Urban made his solo American debut with a Platinum self-titled album that produced his first chart-topping single “But for the Grace of God.” He followed with the triple Platinum album Golden Road in 2002 and quadruple Platinum album Be Here in 2004. Subsequent albums have earned further accolades and added to the lengthy list of hit singles, chronicled on 2007’s Greatest Hits: 18 Kids, which Capitol updated to 19 Kids this year with the addition of his latest hit “You Look Good in My Shirt.” Urban is currently climbing the charts with “Start a Band,” a duet with his pal Brad Paisley from Paisley’s Play album. But beyond hit singles, accolades and awards, 2008 will always be special to Urban as the year he and wife Nicole Kidman welcomed daughter Sunday Rose.
During their brief but productive creative union as The Wreckers, Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp took the Country Music community by storm with a fresh sound that reflected both their appreciation for the genre’s traditions as well as their hit-making pop sensibilities. The duo’s Maverick/Warner Bros. 2006 Gold debut album Stand Still, Look Pretty produced the No. 1 single “Leave the Pieces,” the Top 10 track “My Oh My” and helped The Wreckers earn three Vocal Duo nominations.
Prior to forming The Wreckers, Branch and Harp both enjoyed solo careers. Branch had established herself as a successful young singer/songwriter when her 2001 Maverick debut album The Spirit Room, went Platinum. Harp had been about to sign a solo record deal when she and Branch formed The Wreckers, and put that on hold while the duo recorded their debut album and toured in support of the release. Despite The Wreckers success, both Branch and Harp opted to return to solo status. Harp is working on her solo Warner Bros. debut album. Branch is also working on a new project. As their swan song, Warner Bros. released Way Back Home: Live from New York City late last year. The CD/DVD was recorded at New York’s Bowery Ballroom in 2007 and features material from Stand Still, Look Pretty as well as two new tunes — “Same Truck, Different Loser” and “Damn That Radio.”
As a two-time Female Vocalist honoree, everyone recognizes Trisha Yearwood as one of Country Music’s most successful female vocalists, but this year people learned something new about Yearwood. The girl can cook. Yearwood collaborated with her mother, Gwen, and sister, Beth, on a cookbook — Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen (Recipes From My Family to Yours) — that was published last April and topped The New York Times Best Sellers List. The book features recipes for such Southern favorites as fried chicken, blackberry cobbler and stuffed pork chops. The three women embarked on a promotional tour in support of the book and shared their culinary secrets on a variety of major TV outlets.
Successful author is just the latest of Yearwood’s many accomplishments. The Monticello, Ga., native burst on the Country Music scene in 1991 with the No. 1 single “She’s in Love with the Boy.” Her MCA Nashville self-titled debut album sold more than 2 million copies, making her the first female Country artist to have her debut certified Platinum. Since then she’s earned a total of six Platinum albums and 19 Top 10 hits. Her career has been shaped by hits “How Do I Live,” “Wrong Side of Memphis,” “Perfect Love,” “Walkway Joe” (featuring Don Henley) and “Thinkin’ About You.” In 2007, she left the MCA roster to sign with Big Machine Records, releasing Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love and re-establishing herself as one of the Country format’s leading ladies. She and Josh Turner are nominated in the Musical Event category for “Another Try."