I think he should’ve been nominated for Male Vocalist and maybe Entertainer, but he doesn’t have a legit beef for Single and Song. He’s been nominated for Single four times and Song three times, more than most singer-songwriters could hope for. I fail to see the Single or Song that CMA unfairly overlooked. “Get Drunk and Be Somebody”, “A Little Too Late” and “Big Blue Note” were not big enough (or good enough) to be nominated.

He was left off the ballot this year, but was nominated 27 times since 2000. Bitching about being nominated this year just makes him look petty.

“I won song of the year honors tonight,” Toby told me exclusively. “I wrote the most-performed song of this year. Why am I not nominated by the CMA in any category?” Toby pointed to his BMI trophy and continued, “No entertainer of the year nomination. No male vocalist. No single or song or album nomination. The most performed song of the year? I just don’t understand.” – Toby Keith speaking at the BMI awards

He’s right, of course. The fans adore Keith, but the critics and insiders are not wild about him. and they make up the CMA’s 6000 members.

I am glad that I am not the only one who thinks Carrie Underwood is a bland bore. I think it’s a shame that she is the ‘best new thing’ out of country music these days.

Sara Evans is so awesome. I think she’s just entered in a new phase of her career and we are going to see her do much more edgy stuff.

Overall, this awards show confirmed the sorry state of country music today. Ditto, ditto on Kelly Willis. You know, she was signed by a Nashville label many years ago but was not comfortable with the way they were promoting her (probably as a sexpot) and the kind of music they were pushing her to do. I’m actually glad that she’s in Texas making music that is actually distinctive and good. I’m not sure that would be true if she were as famous as Faith Hill.

Host
Brooks and Dunn are terrible (again) . Bring back Vince Gill

Hall of Fame
Although the presentations this year were better than those of a few years ago when artists such as Carl Smith were given short-shrift , they are still miles behind what they were years ago. That said, I especially liked Harold Bradley’s comments concerning some of the other great members of the Nashville “A ” Team. Sonny James was worth more than a short clip of “Young Love” . Sonny, who suffers from spastic dysphonia (the same illness that short-circuited Johnny Bush’s career), can barely speak anymore. Sometimes wrongly accused of being a “covers artist” , Sonny wrote three of his #1 records and discovered several of his other hits from previously unknown songs. Kristofferson has never been at ease in front of the camera, and this time was no exception

Performances
Rascal Flatts and Miranda Lambert’s performances were definitely sub-par as was that of George Strait. The others were okay – typical awards show quality performances, meaning neither as good as the recods nor the usual live show performances.

My picks – well I got some of them right but not enough to matter. As they say at Wrigley Field , “Wait ’til next year”

K

- I missed the first five minutes, but did we actually make it all the way through a country music awards show without a dig against The Dixie Chicks?

- There isn’t a worse singer recording in any genre of popular music than Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts. Ashlee Simpson comes closer to holding pitch than he does, and he uses more melisma than Christina Aguilera.

- Kenny Chesney gives Levox a run for his money, though. At least someone had the good sense to turn his guitarist’s mic levels way up…

- That was the best performance I’ve seen out of Dierks Bentley. Those 300 days on the road last year have done him a world of good, performance-wise.

- Note to Martina McBride: You are not Mother Theresa, and cities that get blown away by hurricanes can’t be rebuilt on glorynotes, liberal guilt, and wishes. And here I thought she’d never record anything more shameless than “God’s Will.” Standing O!

- I chalk up Faith Hill’s reaction to Carrie Underwood’s upset win for Female Vocalist– mock or genuine outrage, either way– to recognizing that she’d been traded in for a younger, even blander robot.

- The idea that the only way Kelly Willis gets to perform on the CMAs is as Hill’s back-up singer is appalling. Willis should have Hill’s entire career– she’s just as gorgeous (like Hill, she’s been named one of PEOPLE magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People”), but she actually sings as though she’s singing in a language she understands and she doesn’t choose to sing songs that sound like things Celine Dion would record.

- Was Kris Kristofferson drunk? Not that he hasn’t earned the right to be, but still.

- Looks like Jessica Harp (the “Wrecker” who isn’t Michelle Branch and her ridiculous bandana) had her make-up gun set to whore.

- Billy Ray’s daughter could’ve also advised him to lose the soulpatch. Just sayin’. Especially since he already made fun of the mullet himself on his new album.

- That makes two years running that Miranda Lambert has the most exciting performance. More’s the pity she still can’t crack the top 10 at radio.

- Vince Gill’s performance was killer, too. But I’m still not shelling out $40 for your new CD, Vince. Unless you actually consider replacing Brooks & Dunn as CMA hosts next year. Then we’ll see what we can negotiate.