Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

CMA 2012: Live Blog

Thursday, November 1st, 2012

Winners

Entertainer: Blake Shelton

Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist: Blake Shelton

Vocal Group: Little Big Town

New Artist: Hunter Hayes

Vocal Duo: Thompson Square

Musician: Mac McAnally

Album: Eric Church, Chief

Single: Little Big Town, “Pontoon”

Song:  Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton, “Over You”

Musical Event: Tim McGraw & Kenny Chesney, “Feel Like a Rock Star”

Video:  Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”

LIVE BLOG

9:59 I enjoyed Shelton’s acceptance speech, nodding to his “other” jobs but maintaining his commitment to the genre. And hey, at least it wasn’t Jason Aldean. Thanks SO much for sticking with us, everyone; we promise to iron out the technical difficulties come spring award season. -TS

9:57 Say what? -TS

9:57 Entertainer of the Year: Blake Shelton

9:56 Here we go. An always-glowing Reba McEntire and Tim Allen presenting Entertainer of the Year to … -TS

9:49 Willie Nelson starts singing “On the Road Again,” and it’s like a big sigh of country relief. -TS

9:40 This Willie tribute is pretty solid so far, methinks.  I’m liking Tim and Faith’s take on “Good Hearted Woman.” -BF

9:47 Faith Hill and Tim McGraw singing onstage together for the first time in a while. Very cute. -TS

9:46 Huge ditto to that last comment, Tara. -BF

9:45 I typically would not expect Hillary Scott to fare well on a Patsy Cline classic, but I daresay she acquitted herself nicely on that. -BF

9:43 If they stop winning every damn award, I think there’s still hope they’ll be inspired to step up their game, Ben. -TS

9:43 It’s lovely to hear Lady Antebellum singing a truly great song for once.  It makes me think of what could have been :( -BF

9:42 This is the soulful, organic Lady A I used to love. But Willie’s all like, who are these peeps? -TS

9:42 “If there’s a Mt. Rushmore for country music [Willie's] on it.”  Totally agree, Brad! -BF

9:36 It’s nice to hear Miranda say some kind words for her fellow nominees.  It almost feels like a subtle antidote to all the Carrie – Taylor – Miranda fanwar nonsense. -BF

9:34 Lambert says she doesn’t necessarily deserve the award. I tend to agree, but since this is the night of retroactive awards (Little Big Town), whatevs. Love that she personally acknowledged every single female in the category. -TS

9:34 Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert

9:33 The ABC star cameos generally bug me, but at least they’ve mostly dialed back on that this year, and this one is somewhat country music-related. Panetierre needs to turn off the fake Southern drawl. -BF

9:33 The ladies of “Nashville” presenting the Female Vocalist of the Year award to … -TS

9:31 I would take “Wanted” over this as well. -BF

9:30 I don’t love “El Cerrito Place,” but I would have preferred to hear it over “Come Over.” -BF

9:28 Kenny Chesney singing his previous boring single. Reader poll: What’s better – “Come Over” or “Wanted”? I vote the latter. -TS

9:21 Repeat Male Vocalist of the Year win for a tipsy Blake Shelton. Expected. He had a solid year, I’ll admit. -TS

9:20 Male Vocalist of the Year: Blake Shelton

9:20 I would have liked to hear a little more of Vince, but Kelly nailed it.  Plus this actually has some country flair to it.  Is that a steel guitar I hear? This is definitely in the running for my favorite performance of the night. -BF

9:17 Hey, I can actually hear Kelly’s vocals! -BF

9:16 And K. Clarkson’s stylist is still MIA. But if those aren’t two of the greatest voices of our generation… -TS

9:15 I’m hoping that her Female Vocalist nod (unwarranted though it may be) will give Kelly a nudge toward finally making that country album. -BF

9:11 I almost forgot about the K. Clarkson / Vince Gill performance. Stoked, y’all. -TS

9:08 Oh my… I just about rocketed out of my chair when they announced the Little Big Town win! -BF

9:06 And Lady A goes down. Very happy for Little Big Town. -TS

9:06 Vocal Group of the Year: Little Big Town

9:06  Ben:  Not Lady A, not Lady A, not Lady A… -BF

9:05 Definitely one of my favorite Underwood singles in recent memory.  It’s just so COOL. -BF

9:05 Ouch. Underwood did not nail that falsetto. But the rest of the performance was solid, per usual. Kind of glad “Blown Away” has run its performance course. -TS

9:03 So far this is actually sounding better than I expected.  The vocals are coming through pretty well, but then again, this is Carrie we’re talking about. -BF

8:59 Side note – I’m still trying to decide how much I like “Nashville,” but this version of “Telescope” is stellar. -TS

8:56 I want to be excited about Carrie’s performance of “Blown Away,” but all I can think about is how lousy the sound is going to be. -BF

8:51 Kind of wish that could have stayed an acoustic performance. -BF

8:50 I really do think there’s something special about “Southern Comfort Zone.” This acoustic version drives that home for me. -TS

2012 CMA Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

Sunday, October 28th, 2012

While the rest of the country fixates on “Nashville,” the 46th annual Country Music Association Awards air live from Music City with equal drama and ridiculousness November 1 at 7 p.m. CST. The CU staff picked and predicted the awards below. Chime in with your thoughts, and check back for our live blog on Thursday night!

Entertainer of the Year 

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean – Dan, Ben, Kevin
  
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift – Jonathan, Tara, Leeann

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Kevin
  
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift – Tara, Leeann

Dan: I’ll probably never be able to fully embrace Aldean, but his impact on the genre remains undeniable, and once in a while he releases something like “Fly Over States” that lends some dimension to his hick-rock formula.

Tara: “Fly Over States” will land on my best-of-2012 list (I’m as surprised as you are), but I just can’t get behind Jason Aldean’s overall brand of country, regardless of his impact. That leaves me with Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift, and only the latter put out music to match her star in the eligibility period. Boring category.

Ben: Sadly, this category just keeps getting harder and harder for me to care about.  I could still see Swift taking it, but an Aldean victory is almost certain to happen sooner or later, and I’m thinking this could be his year.  Blake’s turn will come eventually, but not until after Aldean has had his.

Jonathan: Aldean has yet to release anything I’ve liked even a little bit, but this award has increasingly turned into Nashville’s way to say “thank you” to whoever is bringing the most cash back to Music Row, so Aldean is likely due for a pat on the back. On some level, Shelton’s heightened media presence is its own reward, but he’s the most likely spoiler here, since pop crossover stars like Swift rarely pull off repeat wins.

Kevin: Should win: Carrie Underwood. But since she’s not nominated, I’ll go with Jason Aldean, who has been the biggest country artist this past year. I expect he’ll win, too.

Leeann: While it’s completely baffling to me that Jason Aldean has taken off as he has, I wouldn’t be shocked if he won this award. I, however, feel that it’s far more likely that Taylor Swift will win again.

Female Vocalist of the Year 

Should Win:

• Kelly Clarkson
• Miranda Lambert – Leeann
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin
  

Will Win:

• Kelly Clarkson
• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin
  
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift – Leeann
• Carrie Underwood

Tara: I still believe Underwood’s best is yet to come, but she deserves respect from the industry and critics alike for taking the kind of creative, thematic and interpretive risks she took with Blown Away. Maybe come next year she’ll have more influence; this year, the award is still Lambert’s to lose. (And shout out to homegirl Clarkson, who may have no place in this category, but who gave us the best cover of “Go Rest High On That Mountain” that I’ve ever heard.)

Ben: In my perfect world, Carrie Underwood’s solid new music (which was released within this year’s eligibility period) would nab her the trophy.  Miranda had the most radio success this year, and will almost surely emerge victorious, but I simply can’t endorse the idea of rewarding her for releasing two singles that were easily the worst duds of her career.  Footnote:  Country radio seriously needs to start supporting more female artists.

Jonathan: I adore Kelly Clarkson, and, based upon nearly a decade’s worth of concert performances, I’d argue that she has the best taste in country material of any of the women nominated, and I look forward to the day when she finally records a proper country album. But her nomination here is absurd. Fortunately, she’s not really in the running to win. This likely comes down to Lambert and Underwood. In the past, I’ve championed Lambert for her fearless artistic vision, and I’ve been highly critical of Underwood’s grossly over-praised and over-rewarded output. But, this year, I’d prefer to see Underwood recognized for what is far and away her career-best work than to see Lambert win for what is quite obviously her worst. I doubt the voters will agree.

Dan: Ditto the others, pretty much. Underwood’s taste in material has deepened, but what excites me most is that her interpretive abilities have, too. I never used to feel comfortable with those comparisons to the Trishas and Connies of the world. Now I do.

Kevin: It’s all been said. Underwood’s reached new heights of artistry while still maintaining her commercial relevance. I’d call her one of the best,  but that would imply there’s anyone else in her league right now.

Leeann: Miranda Lambert is still my favorite out of these choices and Kelly Clarkson’s nomination is still confusing to me. I think the award is a toss up between Taylor and Carrie in all actuality though.

Male Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin
  
• Blake Shelton – Leeann
• Keith Urban

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan – Dan
• Eric Church – Kevin
• Blake Shelton – Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann
• Keith Urban

Tara: Unlike last year’s crop of men, these five at least put out memorable if not entirely thoughtful material in the eligibility period. But Church is the only one who’s had a consistent vision, and what a difference that makes. I don’t see the voters dethroning Shelton, though.

Ben: I expect that the CMA is going to continue shoving the whole “Blake and Miranda are the new Tim and Faith!” idea down our throats, but Eric Church made the best music of the field by far, and country radio finally decided to get on board with it.  Eric Church deserves this.

Jonathan: Church is the only one of the five who has released any strong material during the eligibility period, though I generally remain a fan of Urban’s. It’s hard to see either of those two men winning, though. Urban’s past his commercial peak, and Church is still too divisive a persona. I also think Aldean’s vocal limitations play against him here – see Chesney, Kenny, and his track record in Male Vocalist races – especially since he’s likely to be recognized elsewhere. That leaves Crest WhiteStrips to take on Shelton. I think Shelton gets another win before Bryan’s inevitable coronation here.

Dan: CMA has developed a bad habit of just voting for the incumbent. But Bryan has the most momentum right now, so what the hey; I’ll mix things up and call it Crest Whitestrips 2012.

Kevin: Gonna go out on a limb and say the best one takes it home this year. They’ve got to be itching to finally acknowledge Eric Church, right? Right???

Leeann: Blake Shelton has had a good year. I suppose he has a good, high profile chance of being rewarded for it.

Vocal Group of the Year 

Should Win:

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town – Kevin
• Zac Brown Band – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann

Will Win:

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum – Dan, Ben, Leeann
• Little Big Town – Jonathan, Tara, Kevin
  
• Zac Brown Band

Dan: Little Big Town’s album is too new, but their sudden momentum could power them to a spoiler win here anyway, depending on who Capitol gets behind. I’ll support them come ACM time; for now, give Zac Brown Band their freakin’ due.

Tara: Zac Brown Band and Little Big Town both put out stellar new music; the only major difference is timing. I support a ZBB win but won’t be disappointed if/when the “Pontoon”-fueled LBT steals this from the most complacent group in country music.

Ben: Zac Brown Band should win.  Lady Antebellum will win. Déjà vu?

Jonathan: As much as logic points to another indefensible win for the most useless act in popular music, and as much as I want to see Zac Brown Band finally earn their long-overdue recognition, I’m calling this one an upset for the also-long-overdue Little Big Town. That karaoke video for “Pontoon” showed off just how deeply likedthey are by their peers, and now that they have the commercial stats, I think that that pervasive goodwill gives them the edge here.

Kevin: I think the red-hot momentum of Little Big Town could put them over the top. Zac Brown Band’s been my pick for a couple of years, but I really think they’re just treading water at this point.

Leeann: Zac Brown Band is far and away my favorite group of the nominees here, but Little Big Town’s talent is undeniable. I’d be happy if either of them won. I’m afraid Lady A will still win though.

Vocal Duo of the Year

Should Win:

• Big & Rich
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland
• The Civil Wars – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin, Leeann
  
• Thompson Square

Will Win:

• Big & Rich
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland – Leeann
• The Civil Wars  – Kevin
• Thompson Square – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara

Ben: Because The Civil Wars are good.

Jonathan: Per usual: Merge this category with Vocal Group to trim the fat. The only act here deserving of the recognition is the one with the longest of long-shots to win.

Dan: La la la.

Tara: So pointless.

Kevin: I’m going out on another limb, this time by thinking that the whole “massive commercial success without radio” thing will give the Civil Wars a Mavericks-style victory. I’d honestly rather be wrong in my predictions than be depressed before the show even airs.

Leeann: I don’t think Sugarland has had a particularly active year, but I think they might still win based on name recognition.

New Artist of the Year

Should Win:

• Lee Brice – Ben, Tara, Leeann
• Brantley Gilbert
• Hunter Hayes – Dan, Kevin
  
• Love and Theft
• Thompson Square

Will Win:

• Lee Brice
• Brantley Gilbert – Dan, Ben, Jonathan
• Hunter Hayes – Kevin, Leeann, Tara
• Love and Theft
• Thompson Square

Dan: Since none of these artists do it for me, I’d shrug it over to the technically skilled Hayes, who I think could be interesting in the future if he challenges himself to become more than a one-man boy-band. As Sawyer Brown and Keith Urban have proven, sometimes an artist earns their win in this category retroactively.

Tara: Hunter Hayes needs to rein it in a bit, but his chops have potential. Lee Brice needs to find better material, but his performances are believable. “Hard To Love” is one of my favorite guilty pleasures of the year, so I guess I’ll go with the latter?

Ben: Lee Brice strikes me as having the most potential of these nominees, but right now, I think the Brantley Gilbert virus has already spread too far.

Jonathan: Absolutely not.

Kevin: Hunter Hayes is the musical equivalent of those memes that show cats doing people things. He’s putting out real country music, and it’s adorable! All joking aside, I’m pulling for real country music wherever I can find it. Hayes is all I’ve got to work with here.

Leeann: I’m really not fond of any of these choices.

Album of the Year

Should Win:

• Luke Bryan, Tailgates and Tanlines
• Eric Church, Chief – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin, Leeann
  
• Miranda Lambert, Four the Record
• Dierks Bentley, Home
• Lady Antebellum, Own the Night

Will Win:

• Luke Bryan, Tailgates and Tanlines
• Eric Church, Chief – Dan, Kevin
  
• Miranda Lambert, Four the Record – Ben, Tara
  
• Dierks Bentley, Home
• Lady Antebellum, Own the Night – Jonathan, Leeann

Dan: Everyone but Bentley’s got a shot, but my hopeful guess is that this is where the CMA will reward Church.

Tara: Chief and Four the Record both made big impressions on me last year, but only the former has held up with time. I’ll be optimistic and predict the CMA will reward its reigning Female Vocalist of the Year over its reigning Group of the Year. (I still can’t get over Own the Night winning a Grammy, y’all. Unbelievable.)

Ben: Church’s Chief is head-and-shoulders above the rest of the field, but my gut is still predicting a Lambert and Shelton sweep, though there’s still a chance the voters may decide to reward that dreadful Lady A album instead.

Jonathan: Bright side: This is the last major “Album of the Year”-type award Own the Night is eligible to win. Downside: This is the last major “Album of the Year”-type award Own the Night will win, at the expense of far more deserving competition.

Kevin:  I think Chief really made an impression, and I’m betting it was enough of one to win.

Leeann: I  reflexively assume Lady A will win this award at this point, but I’m hoping for a Dierks Bentley or Eric Church win. Dierks Bentley’s album is quality and I feel Eric Church’s album is interesting and fresh.

Song of the Year

Should Win:

• “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Will Hoge and Eric Paslay – Dan, Jonathan, Tara
• “God Gave Me You” – Dave Barnes
• “Home” – Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson and Brett Beavers – Kevin, Leeann
• “Over You” – Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton
• “Springsteen” – Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell – Ben

Will Win:

• “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Will Hoge and Eric Paslay – Dan, Tara
• “God Gave Me You” – Dave Barnes – Leeann
• “Home” – Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson and Brett Beavers
• “Over You” – Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton – Ben, Jonathan
  
• “Springsteen” – Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell  – Kevin

Dan: I think I’m just being optimistic, but maybe the earnest Hoge/Paslay story of struggling for an artistic life will resonate with enough music-industry vets to overcome the bait-ishness of “Over You” and “Home.” Maybe?

Tara: I’d be fine with three of these five winning — and would even argue that, as a composition, “God Gave Me You” is solid — but “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” has the most soul. I’m not entirely sure where the votes will fall on this one, but maybe pop culture’s spotlight on Nashville will mean a win for the songwriters’ anthem?

Ben: I can’t picture this going to anyone but Lambert and Shelton. If the CMA intends to keep working this ridiculous power-couple nonsense, they have created a golden opportunity here, and I highly doubt the song’s awfulness will be any hindrance.

Jonathan: If knowing a song’s tragic backstory is a requirement for finding “meaning” in that song, then its songwriters have failed.

Kevin: I’m hoping the CMA voters sing Shelton and Lambert’s song back to them when filling out their ballots, and pick the strongest singer-songwriter in this race. Bentley’s cut is my personal favorite.

Leeann: I just have a feeling that the bland love song will win, but I’m hoping that the thoughtful  ”Home” will prove me wrong.

Single of the Year 

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem” – Kevin
• Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”
• Dierks Bentley, “Home” – Leeann
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
• Eric Church, “Springsteen” – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem” – Kevin
• Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You” – Ben, Leeann
• Dierks Bentley, “Home” – Dan, Jonathan, Tara
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
• Eric Church, “Springsteen”

Dan: Feels like a toss-up, actually. I’d figure “Home” and “Springsteen” to duke it out, but remember that year when “I Saw God Today” randomly won?

Tara: “Home”’s graceful approach to patriotism is lovely and especially appreciated during this infuriating election season, but the song itself lacks spark. “Springsteen” is the better all-around record, and I think it’ll hold up with time, which is a lot more than I can say about the remaining three songs in the category.

Ben: I think “Springsteen” is going to be the song with the most staying power.

Jonathan: As fine a single as “Springsteen” is, I just can’t see the CMA rallying behind a song inspired by the Boss, especially not in an election year. Bentley’s thoughtful and relatively subtle brand of patriotism seems like a far safer bet.

Kevin: I think that Aldean’s track is the coolest sounding record of the five. Surface pleasures will suffice.

Leeann: Please not “Dirt Road Anthem”!

Musical Event of the Year 

Should Win:

• ”Dixie Highway”- Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band
• ”Feel Like a Rock Star” – Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
• ”Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” – Willie Nelson featuring Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson – Dan, Jonathan, Tara
• ”Safe and Sound” – Taylor Swift featuring the Civil Wars – Ben, Kevin, Leeann
  
• ”Stuck on You” – Lionel Richie and Darius Rucker

Will Win:

• ”Dixie Highway”- Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band
• ”Feel Like a Rock Star” – Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw – Ben, Jonathan, Leeann
• ”Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” – Willie Nelson featuring Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson
• ”Safe and Sound” – Taylor Swift featuring the Civil Wars – Dan, Kevin, Tara
  
• ”Stuck on You” – Lionel Richie and Darius Rucker

Dan: “Roll Me Up” is a little hoot. But “Safe and Sound” had a higher profile, and it gives CMA a chance to be like, “See? We do appreciate the Civil Wars!”

Tara: Every song but “Roll Me Up” feels like it’s lacking something (in Chesney/McGraw’s case, taste), but I think “Safe and Sound” will have enough commercial clout to nab this one.

Ben:  While I’m always happy to see some Alan Jackson love, “Dixie Highway” just doesn’t match the simple charm of Jackson and ZBB’s previous collaboration.  “Safe and Sound” is just such a cool, haunting record – one that brings out the best in both of the acts involved.  But since “Feel Like a Rock Star” has the biggest names attached, I think it’s an easy call that it’s going to win.

Jonathan:“Safe and Sound” is my favorite track here, but not necessarily because it’s a great collaboration. “Roll Me Up,” on the other hand, is a fun standalone cut that feels like a real event, and I appreciate the self-awareness with which the artists toy with their public personas. But it’s hard to imagine more conservative voters being on-board with the phrase, “CMA award winner Snoop Dogg.” The Chesney and McGraw duet quite rightfully bricked at radio, but it’s still the most likely winner here on star power alone.

Kevin: “Safe and Sound” succeeded in pushing the most  mainstream of artists into an alternative country sound without sacrificing the identity of the duo that helped her get there. Plus it actually worked as a theme song to a movie that didn’t exactly lend itself to easy theming.

Leeann: I’d be fine with any of these except for the one that will probably win.

Music Video of the Year

Should Win:

• Eric Church, “Springsteen” – Dan, Ben, Tara, Kevin
  
• Kenny Chesney, “Come Over”
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”

Will Win:

• Eric Church, “Springsteen”
• Kenny Chesney, “Come Over”
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You” – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Kevin
  
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”

Dan: The “Springsteen” video is pretty neato. Oh well.

Tara: The video for “Springsteen” is haunting. I dig it.

Jonathan: The Twilight-hued video for “Over You” is every bit as narrativeless, cloying, and shallow as the song itself, so I’m just going to pretend this is a retroactive win for “Kerosene.”

Kevin:  (…Goes to YouTube to watch videos for first time…) Lambert, you had me until the horse. I’m going with Church, mostly because it reminds me of my own childhood and also Poltergeist for some reason.

Musician of the Year 

Should Win:

• Sam Bush – Jonathan, Kevin
  
• Paul Franklin – Ben, Leeann
  
• Dann Huff
• Brent Mason
• Mac McAnally

Will Win:

• Sam Bush
• Paul Franklin
• Dann Huff – Jonathan, Kevin
  
• Brent Mason
• Mac McAnally – Ben, Leeann

Ben: It’s Paul Franklin’s turn… and it has been for years now.

Jonathan: It’s not as cool as Chris Thile’s winning a MacArthur Fellowship, but Sam Bush’s nomination for his extraordinary mandolin work is my favorite thing on the entire CMA ballot this year.

Kevin: I can’t vote against the mandolin. I just can’t.

Leeann: I continue to root for the steel guitar.

2012 CMA Nominations

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

The list of nominees for the 46th annual Country Music Association Awards has been released.  Eric Church had a big breakthrough this past year, and such is reflected in the nominee list – Church leads the pack with five nominations.  Power couple Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert follow with four each, including a shared Song of the Year nod for their co-write “Over You.”

What’s your take on this year’s field of CMA nominees? Whose nominations were deserved, and whose were not? Who got snubbed? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

The live presentation airs Thursday, November 1 at 8pm Eastern on ABC-TV.  The Country Universe Staff Picks & Predictions will be released the week of the show.  Feel free to join us on show night for some live-blogging fun!

Entertainer of the Year 

• Jason Aldean
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift

Who’s in:  Kenny Chesney
Who’s out:  Keith Urban

No real surprises here.  This year we swapped out Urban for Chesney, but all of these nominees have been here at least once before.

Female Vocalist of the Year

• Kelly Clarkson
• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

Who’s in:  Kelly Clarkson
Who’s out:  Sara Evans

Well, I was hoping for some new blood in this category, and that’s definitely what I got.  Pop crossover star Kelly Clarkson scores her first nomination in the Female Vocalist field, displacing Sara Evans.  There will likely be some amount of upset over Clarkson receiving such an accolade, as she had one #21-peaking country hit in the past year with “Mr. Know It All,” but has yet to release a full-length country album.  And…that makes her one of the top five leading female vocalists in the country format?  Okay…

Male Vocalist of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Blake Shelton
• Keith Urban

Who’s in:  Luke Bryan, Eric Church
Who’s out:  Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley

Bryan and Church’s recent career strides are rewarded with their first nominations in the always-competitive Male Vocalist race.

Vocal Group of the Year

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s in:  Eli Young Band
Who’s out:  Rascal Flatts (!!!)

Eli Young Band scores a pair of huge radio hits, and thus squeezes out a former staple of the Vocal Group race.

Vocal Duo of the Year

• Big & Rich
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland
• The Civil Wars
• Thompson Square

Who’s in:  Big & Rich, Love and Theft
Who’s out:  Montgomery Gentry, Steel Magnolia

New Artist of the Year

• Lee Brice
• Brantley Gilbert
• Hunter Hayes
• Love and Theft
• Thompson Square

Who’s in:  Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, Love and Theft
Who’s out:  The Band Perry (won), Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Chris Young (So, everyone except Thompson Square)

Album of the Year (Awarded to artist and producer)

• Luke Bryan, Tailgates and Tanlines
  Produced by Jeff Stevens and Mark Bright
• Eric Church, Chief
  Produced by Jay Joyce
• Miranda Lambert, Four the Record
  Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf
• Dierks Bentley, Home
  Produced by Brett Beavers, Luke Wooten, and Jon Randall Stewart
• Lady Antebellum, Own the Night
  Produced by Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum

Song of the Year (Awarded to songwriters)

• Eli Young Band, “Even if It Breaks Your Heart”
  Written by Will Hoge and Eric Paslay
• Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”
  Written by Dave Barnes
• Dierks Bentley, “Home”
  Written by Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson and Brett Beavers
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
  Written by Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton
• Eric Church, “Springsteen”
  Written by Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell

Single of the Year (Awarded to artist and producer)

• Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem”
  Produced by Michael Knox
• Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”
  Produced by Scott Hendricks
• Dierks Bentley, “Home”
  Produced by Brett Beavers and Luke Wooten
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
  Produced by Jay Joyce
• Eric Church, “Springsteen”
  Produced by Jay Joyce

Musical Event of the Year

• Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band, ”Dixie Highway”
•  Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, ”Feel Like a Rock Star”
•  Willie Nelson featuring Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson, ”Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”
•  Taylor Swift featuring the Civil Wars, ”Safe and Sound”
•  Lionel Richie and Darius Rucker, ”Stuck on You”

Music Video of the Year (Awarded to artist and director)

• Eric Church, “Springsteen”
  Directed by Peter Zavadil
• Kenny Chesney, “Come Over”
  Directed by Shaun Silva
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
  Directed by Trey Fanjoy
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
  Directed by Declan Whitebloom
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”
  Directed by Michael Salomon

Musician of the Year

Sam Bush
Paul Franklin
Dann Huff
Brent Mason
Mac McAnally

CMA Live Blog 2011

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

THE WINNERS

Entertainer:  Taylor Swift

Female Vocalist:  Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist:  Blake Shelton

New Artist:  The Band Perry

Vocal Group:  Lady Antebellum

Vocal Duo:  Sugarland

Song:  “If I Die Young” – Kimberly Perry

Single:  The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”

Music Video:  Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

Musical Event:  Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”

Musician:  Mac McAnally

Correct Prediction Tally:

9:  Tara

6:  Ben, Dan

5:  Jonathan, Kevin, Leeann

10:02 – It’s been fun.  Thanks for being my live blog buddy this year, Leeann!

10:00 – Leeann:  Thank you for reading and participating. And thanks especially to Ben for doing such a great job of leading the live blog this year.

9:59 – Thanks for joining us, y’all!  This was so much fun!  See you at the ACMs!

9:59 – I’m happy for Taylor.  I love how she acts like a happy little kid.

9:58 – Leeann:  I think Brad and Carrie did pretty well this year. Brad stepped it up this year by not seeming as stiff and Carrie’s actually been decent to good all along.

9:58 – Tara wins the correct production tally by a landslide with nine correct predictions.

9:57 – Leeann:  Okay, I’m totally tuning in for CMA Country Christmas.

9:55 – ENTERTAINER:  Taylor Swift

9:55 – Leeann:  Whoa, Entertainer already? Will they end early?

9:54 – Carrie’s dress was AWFUL.

9:52 – I so want to see that new Dolly Parton movie.  Not that I expect it to be good.

9:49 – “Seriously??”  Miranda is so cute.  Nice little acceptable speech.  You can tell she genuinely did not expect this.  Taylor looked a little disappointed though.

9:48 – Leeann:  Aw yes…Country music’s power couple. Glad they don’t seem as tumultuous as past power couples though.

9:47  - FEMALE VOCALIST:  Miranda Lambert

9:47 – Will it be Miranda?

9:46 – Oh gosh, now they’re plugging Revenge too.

9:42 – I’d like to muster up more enthusiasm for Faith Hill’s return, but a OneRepublic cover was so not what I was hoping to hear from her right now, especially with it having been so long since she’s released any new music.  She’s singing well though.

9:42 – Leeann:  Fun that Carrie Underwood gets to introduce Faith Hill.

9:40 – The Glen Campbell tribute is easily the show’s best moment.  I suppose I could add a qualifying “…so far,” but I just might not.

9:34 – Leeann:  Not to be a total sap, but this takes on a certain significance for me because mygrandfather died from Alzheimer’s last month. He used to be the bass singer in a barber shop quartet, but he had to stop early on in the disease.

9:35 – My seven-year-old sister says “Is this still the CMA Awards?  ‘Cause it looks really old.”

9:32 – Leeann:  So far, the tribute is even more than I hoped it would be.

9:32 – I’m digging the retro vibe of this performance. (My parents are watching with me andsinging along)

9:29 – Leeann:  I have high hopes for the Campbell tribute. Yeah! There’s Vince Gill. I miss him as host.

9:29 – The Glen Campbell tribute.  This… is… beautiful.

9:28 – I heard it too, Leeann!  We’d better pinch ourselves just in case.

9:26 – Leeann:  Hark! Can it be that I heard them say that Vince Gill would be coming up soon?

9:25 – Am I the only one who, as soon as Martina McBride performs, immediately has to check @DrunkenMartina’s Twitter feed?  I can’t believe she’s not tweeting anything right now.

9:20 – Oh gosh, it’s Martina (“One of the greatest femalve vocalists of all time”) with the cancer song.  She is really beating this into the ground.  I’m getting tired of this song.

9:19 – Tara takes the lead with seven correct predictions!

9:18 – MALE VOCALIST:  Blake Shelton

9:17 – Hasn’t Reese Witherspoon presented this award before?

9:17 – Leeann:  Why, oh why does Jason Aldean always have to be so arena rock?

9:14 – Jason Aldean with “Tattoos On This Town.”  One of his more interesting songs, methinks, not that “Dirt Road Anthem” is difficult to top.

9:11 – Leeann:  Yes, the McCreery song was  actually tolerable.

9:07 – Pleasantly surprised to see McCreery singing what I thought was one of the most tolerable songs on his album.  Thank goodness it’s not “The Trouble with Girls.”

9:06 – NEW ARTIST:  The Band Perry

9:05 – Presented by Lauren Alaina and Jake Owen?  Are they randomly drawing presenter names out of a hat?

9:03 – Brad and Carrie singing “Remind Me.”  They’re turning in a pretty good engaged performance.  A bit too loud, but so is everything except Chesney and Potter.

9:02 – Checking in with the correct prediction tally (I hope I added this up right).  It looks like me, Dan, and Tara tied for the lead with four, followed by Jonathan and Leeann with two, and Kevin with one.

8:56:  That Chesney win was quite a surprise.  Not a single one of us predicted it.  Glad to see ”Tequila” get some recognition though.

8:55: – MUSIC VIDEO:  Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

8:54 – There’s Kristian, faithfully standing off to the side.  This performance is okay, but The Band Perry was better, IMO.

8:52 – Sugarland with Matt Nathanson.  (Gasp) Was that a steel guitar I just heard?

8:50 – FAIL.

8:50 – VOCAL GROUP:  Lady Antebellum

8:49 – Oh LeAnn Rimes… that dress… oh no…

8:48 – I think so too.  But I like how the mid-song breakdown sounds live.

8:47 – Leeann:  I still think the fireflies verse is odd.

8:47 – With that mouth full of teeth, Kimberly looks like she could be a blonde Osmond.

8:46 – The Band Perry.  Hey, totally sounds like country music!  What are we watching again?

8:36 – He starts singing with Rascal Flatts, and stops sounding country.  Surprise.

8:34 – Aww, Tim McGraw’s singing along!

8:34 – Yay for Little Big Town!  Sounding awesome as usual.

8:33 – And the award for Most Audible Steel Guitar of the Night goes to… Lionel Richie. #Irony

8:31 – …And we have the requisite Little Jimmy Dickens cameo!  As Little Justin Bieber.  This I did not see coming, but it’s hilarious.  “It Ain’t My Baby, Baby” – Ha!

8:25 – Whoa, Detroit’s Edwards and Lee won a Radio Personality award.  I actually used to listen to them.  Back when I lived in Michigan.  And listened to radio.

8:24 – Ditto to that, Leeann.  I really enjoyed the simplicity of that performance.  Thank God he didn’t do “Reality” instead, though.

8:24 – Leeann:  I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone with Kenny Chesney and Eric Church being among my favorite performances so far

8:23 – First performance to have me actually starting to sing along, though Church came fairly close.

8:21 – Ah, “You and Tequila.”  This I can totally take. (LOL, Leeann)

8:19 – Crud!  My prediction hot streak comes to a grinding halt.  I had Swift pegged for this.

8:18 – ALBUM:  Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party

8:18 – Leeann:  Ha about Miss Piggy, Ben. You sound like an old man now. It’s his birthday today, btw, y’all!

8:17 – From the comments:  “Miss Piggy being there made my night. Anyone who doesn’t like The Muppets is a bad person.” – Brian :)

8:15 – Lady A is owning the night.  Bathroom break, anyone?

8:14:  “Hi-yah!”  Hilarious.

8:13 – Miss Piggy.  I heart Miss Piggy.  Even though she’ll never be the same without Frank Oz.

8:08 – MUSICIAN:  Mac McAnally

8:06 – Dumb as the song is, I find myself involuntarily bobbing my head to it.  Help.

8:05 – Joy.  Luke Bryan in a twanged-up spoof of Flashdance.

8:04 – Did Carrie recycle that dress from the video shoot for “Cowboy Casanova”?

8:01 – I don’t recognize the song, but I daresay this is one of Taylor’s less-grating live performances.

8:00 – Am I the only one half-expecting Taylor Swift to rip off that pink sweater halfway through the song?

7:59 – I just happened to pop over to the Engine 145 live blog, and I must say, Karlie and Juli are hot tonight!

7:54 – Chris Young.  Why “Voices”??  Why not “Tomorrow”??

7:52 – Shawna has a pretty voice, but other than that, I get nothing out of “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.”

7:51 – If so, Leeann, I’ll just have to turn my badge in along with yours.  The performance had an infectious energy to it.

7:50 – Leeann:  Is it wrong for me to think that the Eric church performances is one of the better performances of the night? Do I need to turn in my critic badge?

7:49 – Eric Church’s shades just kill me.  How bright can it be in there?  You’d think he’d gone blind.

7:48 – “Outlaw” Eric Church singing “Drink In My Hand.”  This song was made for a live setting.

7:47 – So I knew it was never going to the Civil Wars.  But I can dream, right?

7:46 – VOCAL DUO:  Sugarland (Surpise!  Not)

7:45 – ABC is wasting no opportunities plugging their programming here.  Do these award presenters even like country music?

7:43 – Enter country legend Natasha Bedingfield singing with Rascal Flatts.  Wearing a roll of pink fuzzy carpet, no less.

7:41 – Still worth noting that this is one of the few times in recent years when Kenny’s recorded an award-worthy song.  Gotta love Matraca Berg and Deana Carter.

7:40 – Leeann:  Oops!! That’s right about song of the year. My bad.

7:38 – Agreed, Leeann!

7:37 – Leeann:  Zac Brown Band doing “Georgia”is a highlight, as their performances tend to be at these things.

7:36 – (Song of the Year goes to songwriters, not artists)

7:35 – Leeann:  Good for the Band Perry, but it’s probably the first time I’d been pulling for Chesney to win an award.

7:32 – SONG:  Kimberly Perry, “If I Die Young”

7:32 – Kellie Pickler – always presenting, never receiving.

7:20 – Still don’t like the lyrics of “Baggage Claim,” but I’m finding myself digging the arrangement, and Miranda sure is sounding good tonight.

7:28 – “So, Carrie, been reading anything interesting lately?”  “Nope!”  HA!

7:22 – Sara Evans and the acrobats.  I did not see that coming.  I really like this song though.

7:22 – From the comments:  “i think keith was not supposed to perform because he is having surgery, something about his throat.” – Andie (Good point)

7:19 – Leeann:  Keith isn’t sounding as good as normal tonight to me.

7:18 – We’re at dress number two for the Carrie Count (I think).  At my house we always guess how many outfit changes she’ll do.  My guess this year is eight.

7:18 – Keith Urban with “You Gonna Fly.”  Not my favorite song of his, but it just keeps growing on me.

7:15 – Yo, if Leeann and I are boring you (hope not), be sure to check out the live blogs over at Roughstock and Engine 145!  Or check ‘em out just because.

7:13 – I approve!

7:12 – SINGE:  The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”

7:11 – Leeann:  Brad does seem less nervous this year so far.

7:10 – Ooooh, no supper for Brad tonight!

7:09 – Leeann:  The Tim and Faith Barbie skit was kinda funny.

7:08 – The Tim and Faith Barbie bit was hilarious.

7:07 – Leeann:  They haven’t cared about Hank in years, but now they’re showing their support?

7:06 – I did not see the Hank cameo coming.  Cute though.

7:05 – Leeann:  Hmmm…the​y’re really getting political on Hank’s side?

7:05 – Okay, I am laughing my butt off at this Hank, Jr. parody.  “You can’t compare the president to Hitler!”

7:03 – Overall a pretty good performance.  Now here come Brad and Carrie!

7:03 – Leeann:  Blake sounds better here than on the recording.

7:02 – And here comes country legend Kenny Loggins.

7:01 – How about turning up that mic a bit?

7:00 – Blake Shelton opens the show with “Footloose.”  I can hardly find him among all those dancers!

2011 CMA Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions

Monday, November 7th, 2011

It’s that time of year again!  The time when we all dutifully tune in to the CMA Awards show, raise our eyebrows at the “What the heck are they doing here?” award presenters, and afterwards complain about how totally un-country the whole show was.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I can’t wait.

We’re pleased to share the Country Universe staff picks for this year’s CMA Awards, as well as our predictions of who the winners will be.  This year we have some highly competitive categories in which predicting the winners is quite difficult, leading to some significantly divergent picks among our writing staff.  Agree?  Disagree?  Join in the discussion in the comment thread below, and let us know.

The CMA Awards telecast will air on Wednesday, November 9, 8pm Eastern on ABC-TV.  We will be live blogging the show here at Country Universe, so do be sure to drop by and join in the fun!

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean – Kevin
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift - Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Tara
• Keith Urban

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton - Dan, Leeann, Jonathan
• Taylor Swift – Ben, Kevin, Tara
  
• Keith Urban

Dan: I can imagine anyone but Urban taking it, but I like Jonathan’s logic.

Ben:  It’s hard to bet on the Entertainer award going to a female artist, but it seems Swift has undoubtedly had the biggest year of all the nominees.  Her album sold like hotcakes, and produced a trio of killer radio singles, while she topped that off with her Speak Now tour.  That combination should bag her this year’s top prize.

Leeann: Paisley could take it again, but my money’s on the CMA wanting to give it to fresh blood this year. Taylor Swift is who probably actually deserves it, however.

Jonathan:   Paisley is probably the most logical pick, but he didn’t figure as heavily into the nominations this year as he could have, so I’m wondering if the voters have cooled on him as much as the crew here at CU have of late. Swift’s live show should be a factor in this category, but she has a whole lot of gender bias to overcome, and there seems to be at least something of a backlash against her in the country community post-Fearless. Which leaves the ubiquitous Shelton, who has been something of a new “Everywhere Man” for the genre over the past year.

Kevin:  I think Swift will win because she had the highest profile year.  But I think Aldean defines the genre in 2011, for better or for worse.  Mostly worse.

Tara: As I’ve said before, this is the most appropriate way for the voters to reward Swift’s monster success, and for the first time at the CMAs, I truly feel she deserves this award. I’m particularly impressed with the way she continues to cultivate her relationship with her fans. I just hope the voters don’t pair this award with the FVOTY award.

Male Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean - Dan, Ben
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Keith Urban - Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean – Dan, Ben
  
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton - Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• Keith Urban

Dan:  Aldean’s not my thing, but he’s the biggest guy in the field by an unignorable margin. More than anything, I think the indie Broken Bow Records deserves props for building their flagship artist so well.

Ben:  I’m largely indifferent to this particular field of nominees (save possibly Keith Urban), but Aldean’s massive success should most likely nab him his first Male Vocalist trophy.

Leeann: Again, I think it’s Shelton’s night to sweep in order to shake things up this year. He and Urban have the strongest voices in the category anyway.

Jonathan:  Urban’s the only one of the lot who has released even one single I’ve liked in the past year, so he’d get my vote. Aldean has the commercial clout, sure, but quality has to count for something, right? Voters have looked at the word “Vocalist” in the category name and have passed over Chesney for years, and I wonder if they’ll do the same to Aldean here. I’m thinking yes.

Kevin: Urban’s the one who I can stand to listen to. But if Shelton was able to win last year, I don’t see how he loses this year. Not post-Voice and “Honey Bee.”

Tara: It makes me sad that I can’t find a solid reason to support Urban or Paisley, both of whom I used to feel passionately about. And in all honesty, I can’t find a solid reason to support any of these guys, based on their output during the eligibility period. I’m going to blindly back Urban –who, despite being “Urban-lite” these days, is at least consistent– and predict that Shelton’s amped public profile will give him the edge with voters.

Female Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Sara Evans – Kevin
• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift – Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan
• Carrie Underwood – Tara

Will Win:

• Sara Evans
• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift - Ben
  
• Carrie Underwood

Dan:  Come ACM season, I’ll be all for Lambert; Pistol Annies and Four The Record prove she’s using her new commercial powers nobly. But I like Swift’s performances on Speak Now, and that album just applies more to this awards cycle.

Ben:  Swift is the overall strongest contender, but I could see voters seizing the opportunity to recognize Evans, who released a new album and had a number one single during the eligibility period.  I wouldn’t rule Lambert out either, though she didn’t have as strong a year as she did in 2010.  But I doubt this will be Underwood’s year, and McBride’s was essentially a filler nomination, so I’d say it’s down to Swift, Evans, and Lambert. (But, like Dan, I will totally be Team Miranda when the ACMs roll around)

Leeann: I reflexively say Lambert should win, but Swift has had the best year and will likely win as a result. I won’t be heart broken if Lambert takes it though.

Jonathan:  There’s a part of me that would vote for Lambert on principle and out of loyalty, but I can’t argue with a simple mathematical inequality: “Back to December,” “Mean,” and “Sparks Fly” > “Only Prettier,” “Heart Like Mine” and “Baggage Claim.” Had her label been campaigning harder that she’s never won this award, Evans could’ve been a bigger threat here, but Lambert’s ongoing momentum should carry her to a repeat win.

Kevin: Can this power couple nonsense be derailed?  Probably not, so while I’d rather see Swift get it over Lambert, I’m doubtful it would happen. My real fantasy would be for the only non-winner, Sara Evans, to take it.  For prosperity’s sake, and for actually putting out a great single that I failed to realize was great until it was already a hit.

Tara: This is a tough one for me. Lambert’s worked the genre like no other female has this past year and a half, but the singles she’s released in the eligibility period have been so-so. Swift’s put out some solid material, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to support her winning a vocalist award. And then there’s Underwood, who’s been relatively quiet on the radio front, but whose stunning performance of “How Great Thou Art” back in April went viral and serves as a reminder of what I firmly believe is one of the finest voices in the genre. I’m going with my gut and backing Underwood, but I think the voters will reward Lambert again, which is fine with me.

Vocal Duo of the Year

Should Win:

• The Civil Wars – Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square

Will Win:

• The Civil Wars
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland - Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• Thompson Square

Dan:  Seriously, why not the Civil Wars? They’ve sold about as many albums (200,000-ish) as everyone besides Sugarland without the support of a major label. Not to mention they just made the most interesting music.

Ben:  I’m supporting the Civil Wars on principle, but it’s a no-brainer that Sugarland’s hot streak is not over yet.

Leeann: I love The Civil Wars. The end.

Jonathan:  Yet more evidence that this category should be merged with Vocal Group of the Year to cut the deadweight. Though the Civil Wars getting in instead of the JaneDear Girls is a nice testament to the fact that the CMAs, every so often, can exercise good taste and discretion.

Kevin:  Sugarland’s album was atrocious.  The Civil Wars are in the running for my favorite set of the year.  Easy call for me.

Tara: Can Sugarland hurry up and release a new, redeeming album, please?

Vocal Group of the Year

Should Win:

• The Band Perry
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band – Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  

Will Win:

• The Band Perry
• Lady Antebellum – Tara
• Little Big Town
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band - Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin
  

Dan:  Lady A were between albums. Some variety this year, please.

Ben:  It’ hard to bet against Lady Antebellum, but the Zac Brown band gave us a strong album and two of the year’s most memorable hit singles (“As She’s Walking Away” and “Colder Weather”), and I predict that they will be rewarded justly.

Leeann: Zac Brown Band has a good chance with the best music in the category, but Lady A just might not be out yet.

Jonathan:  Little Big Town’s brilliant “Little White Church” should’ve put them back in the mix for good, but they really botched the single releases from their album and are right back to being also-rans. The Band Perry will settle for the “New Artist” award as a consolation prize this year, which leaves Lady A and Zac Brown Band to duke it out. In terms of the quality of their output, Zac Brown Band has Lady A dead to rights, but is that enough to stop the trio’s awards-show juggernaut? Let’s hope so.

Kevin:  Zac Brown Band is the only option both realistic and palatable.

Tara: This is the first of these categories that I feel strongly about this year. Based on the strength of You Get What You Give, Zac Brown Band deserves to nab this award, hands down. But I’ll go against my co-bloggers here and guess that Lady Antebellum still has the industry wrapped around its finger.

New Artist of the Year

Should Win:

• The Band Perry - Ben
  
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church - Leeann, Jonathan
• Thompson Square
• Chris Young – Dan, Kevin, Tara
  

Will Win:

• The Band Perry – Ben, Jonathan, Tara
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church – Dan, Leeann, Kevin
• Thompson Square
• Chris Young

Dan: Church seems the most likely to have a long, interesting career and probably deserves the win. I just don’t want to encourage “Homeboy,” I guess.

Ben:  Thompson Square and The Band Perry are the only two nominees whom I would still consider “new” artists, and I think The Band Perry beats Thompson Square any day.  Bryan, however, did reach a new level of stardom over the past year, so he stands a good chance at wining nonetheless.

Leeann: While it’s strange that with three albums Church is still in the New Artist category, it’s probably that same reason that he should win the award, not to mention that he had the strongest album of the nominees in the past year.

Jonathan:  Young’s the best singer in the field, but his material is still too inconsistent in quality for me to get on board with him. Church, on the other hand, finally made good on his early promise and his considerable hype with Chief and would be a deserving winner, as would the uneven but still pretty good The Band Perry. As the only nominee with any other nominations, they have to be considered the slight favorites over Crest WhiteStrips.

Kevin:  I think Church’s big breakthrough happened close enough to the voting window to give him a slight edge.  I’d like to see Chris Young get the boost from a win.

Tara: Of all the nominees, I’m the most excited for Chris Young’s future in country music – his vocal talent is tremendous, and even though it falls right outside of the eligibility period, Neon is one of my favorite releases of this year. Based on their other major nominations, though, I think The Band Perry will take this.

Album of the Year

Should Win:

• Blake Shelton, All About Tonight
• Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party
• Taylor Swift, Speak Now - Ben, Kevin
  
• Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give - Dan, Leeann, Jonathan, Tara

Will Win:

• Blake Shelton, All About Tonight
• Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party – Dan, Leeann, Jonathan, Tara
• Taylor Swift, Speak Now – Ben, Kevin
  
• Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give

Dan: Here’s a logical place to acknowledge Aldean, though I hope voters think twice about it.

Ben:  In my book, Swift and the Zac Brown Band are the only truly worthy winners (and I’m still scratching my head over why a Blake Shelton “Six Pak” was even nominated in the first place).  To me, the most intriguing thing about Swift is that she really does seem to get a little better and a little deeper with each album.  Speak Now is her crowning achievement to date, and in my opinion, the best album on this ballot.

Leeann: It hurts my heart to think it, but Jason Aldean’s big year will likely earn him the award for best album, even though numbers isn’t how such an award should be selected.

Jonathan:  Speak Now is Swift’s strongest album, but, “Mean” notwithstanding, it’s also her most unabashedly pop album. And song-for-song, I still think You Get What You Give is slightly better. But Aldean has been a steady seller, and he’s big enough that he has to win one of the major awards, and this one’s his best bet.

Kevin:  “All songs composed by Taylor Swift” impressed the heck out of me, not the least of which because the songs were far better than her earlier work.  Zac Brown Band’s a close second for me.

Tara: Speak Now is solid, but You Get What You Give is the better example of how to move this genre forward, with its delicious yet reverent mishmash of influences. But I think this is where the voters will recognize the often overlooked commercial success of Jason Aldean.

Single of the Year

Should Win:

• Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
• Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”- Leeann, Tara
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
• Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee”
• The Band Perry, “If I Die Young” – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Kevin
  

Will Win:

• Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
• Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” - Jonathan, Tara
• Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee” - Kevin
• The Band Perry, “If I Die Young” - Dan, Ben, Leeann

Dan: It’d be heartening to see The Band Perry’s risky, rootsy release get its due. Plus: the single alone is 3x Platinum, better than any of its competitors can claim.

Ben:  “Colder Weather” and “If I Die Young” are the two strongest competitors, but for me, a cool folksy arrangement puts the latter over the edge.

Leeann: This is tough. I can actually see any of these singles winning, but I have a good feeling about “If I Die Young”, though I’d love to see “Colder Weather” prove me wrong.

Jonathan:  This one’s actually a tough call, since all five of the singles are big radio hits and everyone here has multiple nominations. “If I Die Young” is the best-produced single of the lot, but I’m predicting that Kelly Clarkson’s endless likability gives the edge to her duet with Aldean.

Kevin:  Love the Band Perry record most, followed by Sara Evans.  But this is the CMA awards, and Shelton managed to be both completely vanilla and namedrop Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn.

Tara: If I better understood the story in “If I Die Young,” I might be able to get behind it, but I think “Colder Weather” is the more memorable single. It’s my favorite kind of country ballad – killer vocals, gripping melody and palpable emotion. I see the fiery Aldean / Clarkson collaboration taking this one, though. (By the way, dude, “Honey Bee” – really CMA?)

Song of the Year

Should Win:

• “Colder Weather” – Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey & Coy Bowles
• “Dirt Road Anthem” – Brantley Gilbert & Colt Ford
• “If I Die Young” – Kimberly Perry – Dan, Tara
• “Mean” – Taylor Swift - Jonathan, Kevin
  
• “You and Tequila” – Matraca Berg & Deana Carter - Ben, Leeann
  

Will Win:

• “Colder Weather” – Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey & Coy Bowles
• “Dirt Road Anthem” – Brantley Gilbert & Colt Ford
• “If I Die Young” – Kimberly Perry - Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara
• “Mean” – Taylor Swift - Kevin
  
• “You and Tequila” – Matraca Berg & Deana Carter – Leann

Dan:  “If I Die Young” is a flawed composition, but it’s still the most striking and strange one here, and that’s worth something.

Ben:  I never though I’d see a CMA Song of the Year field in which Matraca Berg and Deana Carter would compete against Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert.  I would so love to see Berg and Carter win the award.  I might tend to be slightly biased when it comes to Matraca Berg, but I think “Tequila” is a fine composition on its own merits, and a worthy winner indeed.  Still, my gut predicion is that Perry will grab the trophy instead.

Leeann: “Mean” is probably my favorite song in terms of production and melody, but “You and Tequila” is the best song of the nominees.

Jonathan:  Berg is a treasure and I like Carter well enough, so it’s nice to see their names on the ballot again, but “You and Tequila” isn’t either of their best compositions. Here’s the thing about “Mean”: What doesn’t work about the song has everything to do with the fact that it shows the extent to which Swift still hasn’t fully figured out her artistic persona. But in terms of melody and overall construction as a stand-alone song? It’s the class of the field. As Dan said, “If I Die Young” is flawed, but it also has a lot going for it and will be a fine, worthy winner when it inevitably takes this.

Kevin: I love “You and Tequila”, but it’s an old song.  I’m glad Chesney rediscovered it, but I can’t see it as this year’s Song of the Year.  I think “Mean” is the best of the bunch, with the music as clever as the lyrics.

Musical Event of the Year

Should Win:

• “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson – Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow & Miranda Lambert
• “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
• “Old Alabama” – Brad Paisley with Alabama
• “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter

Will Win:

• “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson – Kevin, Tara
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow & Miranda Lambert
• “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson – Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan
• “Old Alabama” – Brad Paisley with Alabama
• “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter

Dan:  The Single nod for Jason and Kelly suggests they have the edge here. But my heart echoes a resounding “Go on, son.”

Ben:  “As She’s Walking Away” is just so effortlessly charming that it would easily be my first pick, but the cross-genre appeal – and bonus Clarkson star power – of “Don’t You Wanna Stay” make it the most likely winner.  The fact that “Don’t You Wanna Stay” is also nominated for Single (which “As She’s Walking Away” sadly isn’t) suggests a likely victory in this category.

Leeann: How can I not pull for the Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson when I have a chance? I’m pretty confident that the drama, cross genre appeal, and, yup, the drama again, make “Don’t You Want to Stay” the sure bet though.

Jonathan:  “As She’s Walking Away” is one of the purest and truest duets in years, and it could pull some votes from the more traditionalist voters, but the Aldean and Clarkson single just has too much firepower to lose here.

Kevin:  If this doesn’t go to Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson, then I no longer understand how CMA voters think.

Music Video of the Year

Should Win:

• Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee”
• The Band Perry, “If I Die Young” – Dan
• Taylor Swift, “Mean” – Ben, Kevin, Tara
  
• Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, “Old Alabama”
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

Will Win:

• Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee” - Ben
• The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”
• Taylor Swift, “Mean”
• Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, “Old Alabama” - Dan, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

Dan: It’s my least favorite Paisley video ever, though.

Ben:  Swift’s “Mean” is my personal favorite among these nominees, but I’m expecting that voters will show some Shelton love instead.

Jonathan:  Paisley has to win something, right? And this also gives the voters a chance to honor some beloved genre vets.

Kevin: I think the video splicing tricks will give Paisley and Alabama an additional edge.  Of the five clips, “Mean” is the one I like the most.

Musician of the Year

Should Win:

• Paul Franklin (steel guitar) - Dan, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Kevin, Tara
  
• Dann Huff (guitar)
• Brent Mason (guitar)
• Mac McAnally (guitar)
• Randy Scruggs (guitar)

Will Win:

• Paul Franklin (steel guitar) - Leeann, Jonathan
• Dann Huff (guitar)
• Brent Mason (guitar)
• Mac McAnally (guitar) – Dan, Ben, Kevin, Tara
  
• Randy Scruggs (guitar)

Dan: Default underdog support.

Ben:  I would love to see this go to the steel guitar man (and preferably not to Dann Huff), but Mac McAnally tends to be the favorite here.

Leeann: I want the steel guitar to represent this year. So, I’ll will it to happen.

Jonathan:  Franklin’s the only nominee who hasn’t won previously, and being regarded as long overdue eventually helped McAnally score his first win, leading to his current three-year hot streak.

Kevin:  I’ll be rooting for Paul Franklin until he finally wins, but I won’t believe that he’ll win until he finally does.

Tara: What Ben and Kevin said.

2011 CMA Nominations

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

It’s always interesting to see how music industry awards reflect (or don’t reflect) larger narratives in the industry itself.

If you’re interested in the narratives behind this year’s CMAs, look no further than the two men who’ve made the biggest strides on the ballot: Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean. Both show up in Entertainer and Male Vocalist, plus Album and Single, plus assorted other stuff. But the marketing approaches that have gotten them there are vastly different.

Shelton’s is the traditional wisdom: cover all media ground with an inoffensive product until the people buy in. So he’s a core act at radio; he’s on a popular TV show (The Voice); he hosted the ACMs; he was in a ton of magazines for his marriage; he Twitters a lot.

Then there’s the Aldean approach: make a distinct product, generate enough radio support to plant the seeds, then go straight to the fans, tour relentlessly, build up word-of-mouth – let the industry come to you. I think it’s the more effective approach, personally. Look at Eric Church, who has a fraction of Shelton’s ubiquity but beat him in first-week album sales and is still beating him cumulatively - no TV spotlights, no gossip mags, no Twitter.

And look at how many acts on this ballot started on indie labels. Aldean, Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Thompson Square, the freaking Civil Wars. Major-label power still matters, but it seems to mean less all the time. Media saturation still matters, but it seems to mean less all the time. Music is the only thing that always counts, and even the highly political CMAs are starting to have trouble ignoring it.

Just my thoughts, anyway. What say you to this list?

Entertainer

• Jason Aldean
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban

Who’s In: Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift

Who’s Out: Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band

Male Vocalist

• Jason Aldean
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Keith Urban

Who’s In: Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney

Who’s Out: Dierks Bentley, George Strait

Female Vocalist

• Sara Evans
• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

Who’s In: Sara Evans

Who’s Out: Reba McEntire

Vocal Duo

• The Civil Wars
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square

Who’s In: The Civil Wars, Thompson Square

Who’s Out: Brooks & Dunn (historical moment!), Joey + Rory

Vocal Group

• The Band Perry
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s In: Nobody

Who’s Out: Nobody

New Artist

• The Band Perry
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Thompson Square
• Chris Young

Who’s In: The Band Perry, Eric Church, Thompson Square

Who’s Out: Easton Corbin, Jerrod Niemann, Zac Brown Band (won)

Notes: Bryan and Young are both on their second nominations here, but for once there’s no obvious frontrunner. Thompson Square pick up the category-filler nom from Jerrod Niemann. This reminds me: where has Easton Corbin gone?

Album

• Blake Shelton, All About Tonight
• Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party
• Taylor Swift, Speak Now
• Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give

Notes: Shelton’s is a low-selling EP. Uhhh.

Single

• Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
• Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
• Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee”
• The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”

Song

• “Colder Weather” – written by Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey, and Coy Bowles
• “Dirt Road Anthem” – written by Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford
• “If I Die Young ” – written by Kimberly Perry
• “Mean” – written by Taylor Swift
• “You and Tequila” – written by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter

Notes: Nice to see there are still some Matraca Berg fans out there amid the Brantley Gilbert ones. Interestingly, Swift’s first nomination in this category.

Musical Event

• “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert
• “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
• “Old Alabama” – Brad Paisley with Alabama
• “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter

Notes: I’m troubled by the fact that “Don’t You Wanna Stay” is nominated for Single and “As She’s Walking Away” isn’t.

Music Video

• “Honey Bee” – Blake Shelton
• “If I Die Young” – The Band Perry
• “Mean” – Taylor Swift
• “Old Alabama” – Brad Paisley featuring Alabama
• “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter

Notes: The worst Brad Paisley video ever to be nominated here, I think.

Musician

• Paul Franklin
• Dann Huff
• Brent Mason
• Mac McAnally
• Randy Scruggs

Who’s In: Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas

Who’s Out: Brent Mason, Randy Scruggs

.

Related Posts

Blake Shelton, Superstar?

2010 CMA Nominations

CMA Live Blog 2010

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

WINNERS:

Entertainer: Brad Paisley

Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist: Blake Shelton

Vocal Duo: Sugarland

Album: Miranda Lambert, Revolution

Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum

New Artist: Zac Brown Band

Song: “The House That Built Me” – Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin

Single: Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Music Video: Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me”

Musical Event: Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone”

Musician: Mac McAnally

Correct Prediction Tally:

9: Dan,Tara

8: Leeann

7: Kevin

LIVE BLOG:

10:59 Brad deserved it last year, got it this year. Carrie deserved it this year, will hopefully get it next year. When the history list is written though, nobody’s gonna care which year they won in, just that they were acknowledged. So a good end to an okay night. – KC

10:58 Very, very pleased! And what a sweet, sincere moment. – TS

10:57 You know, I’m kind of relieved. Granted, Brad gave possibly the worst performance of the night and is generally not someone I like much, but I just didn’t feel like having to listen to a bunch of whining tomorrow about Miranda or Lady A or someone winning. – DM

10:57 Pretty much the best acceptance speech for this category since…Shania Twain in 1999? Or maybe Garth Brooks in 1991? – KC

10:53 Entertainer: Brad Paisley

10:49 Miranda’s inability to pretend to be enthusiastic about silly stuff cracks me up. – DM

10:48 Kind of falls somewhere in between all the performances tonight, I guess. Plus, Vince makes any song country stronger. Yeah. I said that. -TS

10:47 Gwenyth sounds great so far, but wtf with the creepy limp-fingers guitar-playing? Just grab the mic. – DM

10:46 So. Gwyneth Paltrow on the CMA Awards. Don’t know what to say about that. – KC

10:43 Man, weird how stuff shakes out, isn’t it? I remember seeing Miranda’s first video for the lame “Me and Charlie Talking,” knowing nothing about her, and thinking she’d be out of a record deal within a year. Who’d have thought? – DM

10:37 Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

10:36 Loretta Lynn on Female Vocalist of the Year: “we’ve kept it with the girls, haven’t we?” – DM

10:36 Fun Fact: Loretta Lynn was the first woman to win Entertainer of the Year.  Sissy Spacek was the first woman to win Album of the Year. – KC

10:36 I don’t even particularly like this song, but it is such a breath of fresh air tonight. It’s just nice to hear some country phrasin’, ya know? -TS

10:35 Um, Loretta Lynn is holding up better than Sissy Spacek. – KC

10:35 Called it. – DM

10:34 We’re into the tribute version of “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and Miranda’s come out sounding good. I didn’t see if they showed Loretta in the audience, but if they didn’t, betcha she comes out and sings a bit. – DM

10:33 Boo! Miranda sang “born”, not “borned.” – KC

10:32 Yeah, I kind of just feel nothing. – DM

10: 31 Meh. – KC

10:30 Thirty minutes left in the show, and I’m overall pretty unimpressed. How about the rest of y’all? – TS

10:26 Still, he could be doing almost any other song from this album and I would be enjoying it even more. – DM

10:24 …and possibly everything else. -TS

10: 24 OK, you can already tell Dierks Bentley is going to be the coolest performance of the night. At least in camera angles. – DM

10:23 With Dierks Bentley going home empty handed this year, and Jamey Johnson significantly under-performing last year, I’m wondering if the traditional voting bloc doesn’t have much pull anymore.  Or has label consolidation just made it harder for the bloc to have a large impact? – KC

10:21 Crazy perceptive Carrie fans, did she seem really nervous to you, too? -TS

10:21 I do love Mama Underwood in the video for this song. Soft spot. – DM

10:20 Not the best vocal performance I’ve heard from her. Not by a long shot. – KC

10:20 Can we get a shot of Mama Underwood, please? – TS

10:19 Carrie, I know I said I liked the “spirit”-y background vocals on “Mama’s Song,” but you didn’t have to go all The Shining with ‘em at the beginning. – DM

10:18 Not a big fan of the two performances per night thing, but can’t think of anybody who I’d particularly want to hear that would have a shot at a performance, so it’s hard to care. – KC

10:12 What’s up with all the blond curls these days? It looks like a Shirley Temple convention up in here.  – KC

10:12 Country music revelations: the boys Perry don’t sang that good. – DM

10:10 Somewhere, Collin Raye, Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt, Clay Walker, Tracy Byrd, and countless other platinum-selling male acts of days gone by are not pleased. – KC

10:09 WOW. And he’s the lowest-selling of the bunch! – DM

10:09 Wow. Shocked, really. -TS

10:08 Wow. First real surprise of the evening.

10:08 Male Vocalist: Blake Shelton

10:06 Oh, Lady A. Such a sincere attempt, but such a misguided attempt. -TS

10:05 This is like the soundtrack to a department store coma. – DM

10:04 I see…no reason to question my mediocre assessment of Lady Antebellum. – KC

9:58 “It’s been a wonderful few weeks for us of actually having music to promote. We’re proud to be your Vocal Duo of the Last Few Weeks.” – DM

9:57 So I’m getting left in the dust in the prediction derby, as Tara takes the lead! – KC

9:55 Vocal Duo: Sugarland

9:55 Cue the “WTF?” ABC presenters. But yay, JoAnna Garcia! – TS

9:54 I love Paisley for his wit and intelligence. This makes me sad. -TS

9:54 You know what was way, way better? Sugarland’s “Very Last Country Song.” But no, they’re prancing around in tutus. So we only have Brad’s take. Sigh. – KC

9:53 Ahhhh, so THAT’s what “Too Country” sounds like without Bill Anderson to make it good. – DM

9:51 SO SICK of the straw man. I’ve never met a person in my life who doesn’t have pride and respect for fallen soldiers. – KC

9:50 I think it’s a lovely jingle. – KC

9:49 Fighting the urge to instantly hate this song based on the fact that it falls under the “I’M COUNTRY!!!!” category. But…it’s Brad. What do I do? -TS

9:44 I can see that someone making you get out of the car and walk home. – KC

9:43 Ha! Much as I don’t think Kid Rock belongs on this show, I’m kind of weirdly enjoying this “Born Free” thing. I can see myself laying drunkenly in someone’s backseat singing this. – DM

9:42 Every year, there are more and more people on the CMA Awards that yell at me. Why have I angered y’all so much? – KC

9:40 See…this is where we insert Clay Walker. -TS

9:38 Perfect. -TS

9:38 YEAH BOYYY ALL CAPS FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT!!! – DM

9:37 Album: Miranda Lambert, Revolution

9:36 I WANT LITTLE BIG TOWN TO HARMONICALLY PRESENT ALL THE AWARDS NEXT YEAR AND I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OF IT – DM

9:36 NEW RULE: Taylor Swift writes, Little Big Town sings.

9:35 I’m personally glad just because for a few years there it seemed like Kelly might have lost some of her voice. If she did, she’s hiding it well now. – DM

9:35 Dear God. THAT is what singing is, stupids. – DM

9:35 And Kelly outsings almost everyone so far. Take that, Borchetta. -TS

9:32 Although…I guess it’s not a terrible song by Jason’s standards. By KC’s is another story. -TS

9:32 Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean duet. Be still my heart. -TS

9:30 Having Jeff Gordon be Brad Paisley’s doppelganger would be funnier if Jeff hadn’t given the skit away on the Black Carpet. Fool. – DM

9:27 I heard a song off the new Reba album called “The Day She Got Divorced” on XM yesterday. It was goooood. – KC

9:26 That wasn’t a very good performance, but she did well on it in some CMT live performance earlier this year. And I’m sure the album performance will be better, too. – DM

9:25 How is it that Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Reba McEntire – in that order – and the age appropriateness is going in reverse? – KC

9:25 I don’t. I didn’t like that at all. I wanted to, though. -TS

9:24 I think I get what this song is fundamentally getting at, but I’ve always found the lyrics kind of muddled. I like Reba (bring “McEntire” back!) on it, though. – DM

9:22 Ok, “If I Were a Boy” always creeps me out. Anyone? -TS

9:21 Man, I don’t know. I still enjoy the Keith Urban ear candy, but I just feel like he’s been running on autopilot since the final catharsis that was Love, Pain and the whole crazy thing. – DM

9:19 Shout out to Leeann for making me appreciate this song! -TS

9:10 Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum

9:08 No reggae breakdown, no peace! Not that I have any reason to worry after that intro. – DM

9:07 Oh snap. This is ridiculous. But I freakin’ love this song. – TS

9:06 Sugarland done lost their minds. – KC

9:05 Anyone see her mouth “what” just before the curtain fell?! Ha! I want to know what that was! – DM

9:05 The thing that bugs me about Taylor is that she changes her singing accent so often, even if it’s subtle. Like…which one is it? – TS

9:05 Taylor S. doing her Taylor L. song. Somehow this performance is really “whatever,” and not just because the vocal is so weak. It’s like she’s already graduated from the CMAs and is just here as a formality. – DM

9:04 Fun Fact – The “snow” falling around Taylor Swift is actually Rascal Flatts on the rafters, shaking out their hair gel. – KC

9:02 Spotted: Blair Waldorf at the…CMA Awards? -TS

9:01 He did release it as a single. He confirmed on the red carpet. – TS

8:58 Since we’re talking about the upcoming Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson duet in the comments: if he does release that as a single, which it sounds like he will, it’ll instantly become my second-favorite Aldean single after “Amarillo Sky.” – DM

8:54 Man, I’m just saying: Kenny Chesney’s football thing is starting to weird me out. I’d feel the same If Laura Bell Bundy kept releasing songs that referred to how awesome and life-changing high school theatre was, and I actually DID that. – DM

8:51 Wow, that was a cool set! – KC

8:50 How can you not get warm fuzzies inside when Alan Jackson starts singing in this song? It’s like seeing an old friend. -TS

8:49 Dude, I’m actually for this Zac Brown Band/Alan Jackson performance. This song has really grown on me. – DM

8:46 Wouldn’t it be nice to see Clay Walker back at these shows? He put out two great singles and one decent album this year. Just sayin’. -TS

8:44 New Artist: Zac Brown Band

8:43 From the Comments: “Does Jimmy Dickens live in Brad Paisley’s dressing room?” – Canadian Boy

8:40 Except, he sounds kind of off tonight. Is it just me? – TS

8:40 George Strait, you sing too pretty for Hallmark. – DM

8:39 Don’t like the song, but amazed at the irony that he sounds out of breath.  – KC

8:38 Is Carrie wearing a wedding cake? -TS

8:38 Totally agree, Dan. (Shocker!) – TS

8:37 I wasn’t sure how “That’s the Way the World Goes ‘Round” was gonna work out here, but I actually dug it. Makes more of an impression live than the sly “Only Prettier” would have. – DM

8:34 MIRANDA RAWK! MIRANDA SMASH! – DM

8:33 Agree with Ben from the comments: “All About Tonight” was a big hit, but a well-staged “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” tonight could have deepened his image some. – DM

8:29 I don’t like the song either, but Blake sounds terrific. I’ve always been on the verge of BS fandom, just waiting for some slightly better songs. – DM

8:28 Not that there’s anything too bad about Shelton or his music, but his Male Vocalist nomination reminds me of Terri Clark and Sara Evans being up for Female Vocalist in the mid-2000′s. They didn’t so much work up to it as back up into it. – KC

8:27 I swear “All About Tonight” is like air to me. I get absolutely nothing out of it. -TS

8:26 Maybe I’m a cornball, but I want full versions of these parody songs. Extraneous Paisley comments omitted plzthx. – DM

8:24 So deserved. And happy birthday to Miranda! – TS

8:22 Song: “The House That Built Me” – Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin

8:21 Man, Tara and I never agree on this stuff! – DM

8:20 Vintage Flatts: great song, mediocre performance. I’ll take it. -TS

8:19 Rascal Flatts sounding more controlled on “Why Wait” than they have in quite some time. If I liked the song, I’d be onboard. – DM

8:18 Rascal Flatts song isn’t as bad as they’ve been, but I still say Faith Hill did this better.

8:13 And Dan and Tara move ahead in the prediction count!  First time in CMA history that an artist wins Single of the Year twice in a row.

8:12  SINGLE: “Need You Now”, Lady Antebellum

8:11 A gay joke on the CMAs that isn’t completely offensive? Gotta be the Gwenyth. – DM

8:10 …OK, I’ll give him that one. That was pretty funny. – DM

8:10 I find this Lady A/Lady Gaga thing way too amusing. Maybe because I’ve had so many friends make the same mistake. Including my lovely mom. -TS

8:09 I would by a Brad Paisley Lady Gaga cover album. – KC

8:08 I say this as not a big fan of either of them: Carrie is way, way funnier than Brad. – DM

8:07 Disturbing and hilarious McGraw picture.-TS

8:06 Vince Gill ribbing Julia Roberts ’94 > Brad Paisley ribbing Gwyneth Paltrow ’10

8:05 he return of the Brad/Carrie musical parodies! Yessss. – DM

8:04 Never liked this song, but Carrie’s performances really have evolved. +10 for Keith Urban banjo breakdown. – DM

8:03 Cursing “Undo It” right now for stealing this song’s single spotlight. – TS

8:03 Nice to hear Urban rocking the banjo again. Well, it would be, if I could actually hear it. – KC

8:01 Underwood is rocking it out. Gonna be a loud night, I think. – KC

8:00 Crossing my fingers for the sweet “Single Ladies” ad lib that Carrie does when she sings this on tour. – TS

8:00 Ooo, Transformers-inspired new CMA logo. – DM

7:55 Let’s hope Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t as country as it gets tonight.  – KC

2010 CMA Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions

Monday, November 8th, 2010

CMA 2010: Female Trouble

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

It’s pretty rare that the CMA nominations garner much attention outside of the country music press, but the always excellent Whitney Pastorek at Entertainment Weekly has a lengthy article trying to rationalize the exclusion of Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift from the Entertainer category.

It’s amazing that in a year where a record was set for the most nominations by a female artist, there can still be a valid accusation of gender bias among the nominations.  Women have been poorly represented in the Entertainer category for pretty much the entire history of the CMA Awards.  Even when you include duos or groups with female members, there have never been more than two out of five nominees that are women.

Never. Think about that for a minute. If this category’s nominees are to be considered reliable, the CMA is essentially saying that there has never been a time in the past 44 years that more than two of the genre’s top five acts have been female, and in the past decade, there’s never been more than one.

Why is this coming to a head this year, when it’s been a problem all along?  Because there is no rational argument that exists, in this era of decreased record sales and economic downturn, for the exclusion of Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift from this category.  Ironically, the inclusion of another female artist – Miranda Lambert – makes the oversight even more obvious.  By any historical standard for this category, Lambert would be jockeying for fourth or fifth place, at best.

With all due respect to Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, their success this year would not get them into this category if they were women. Yet two women who have far exceeded them this year by every measurable standard, two women who are more immediately recognizable and widely beloved than Paisley and Urban have ever been, are left off of the list.

There’s a bias here, and it’s hurting the credibility of the CMA. How is it possible that acts long past their prime, like Brooks & Dunn or Vince Gill, were still getting Entertainer nominations regularly, yet superstars like Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift only made the cut once?  Has there truly been no woman besides Reba McEntire in the last 25 years who has been one of the five top entertainers more than once?

Even if you strain your reason to justify Swift’s exclusion because she was a little less visible during the last three months of the eligibility period, the Underwood snub is the most blatantly unfair this category has seen since the days of Shania Twain, who somehow only earned one nomination while she was absolutely destroying the competition at an international level that has never been matched.

Perhaps the voting methodology of the CMA awards, which allows voters to pick up to five nominees in each category, has exacerbated the “token female” dilemma.  I don’t know, and I really don’t care. Because in an era where even the ACM Awards are showing better taste than the CMA’s, the flagship organization of country music needs to address its female trouble while it still has a single shred of credibility left.

2010 CMA Nominations

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Last month, I suggested an infusion of new blood at the CMA Awards. They’ve exceeded even my wildest expectations, rejecting the usual nominees in nearly every race.  Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, and Dierks Bentley have quite a bit to celebrate, but this year’s awards belong to Miranda Lambert, who earned a stunning nine nominations, a record for a female artist.

Let’s take a look at this year’s nominees:

Entertainer

• Lady Antebellum
• Miranda Lambert
• Brad Paisley
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s In: Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band

Who’s Out: Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Taylor Swift

Snap Judgment: All of the new nominees are justified, but the exclusion of Carrie Underwood is shocking and quite unfair.  Leaving off Taylor Swift is also a big surprise. It’s difficult to justify Keith Urban in either of their places.  Then again, the CMA hasn’t nominated two solo female artists in this category since 1979, despite several years where it was warranted.

Male Vocalist

• Dierks Bentley
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Who’s In: Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton

Who’s Out: Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker

Snap Judgment: Good to see them mixing it up in this race. I wonder if being engaged to Lambert helped push Shelton over the edge here?

Female Vocalist

• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

Who’s In: Nobody.

Who’s Out: Nobody.

Snap Judgment: Same lineup as last year. Who could argue for anyone else?

Vocal Duo

• Brooks & Dunn
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland

Who’s In: Steel Magnolia

Who’s Out: Big & Rich

Snap Judgment: Oh look, five nominees who are all actively recording! Big progress for this category.

Vocal Group

• The Band Perry
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s In: The Band Perry

Who’s Out: Eagles

Snap Judgment: Who are The Band Perry? That’s what the Gloriana camp is probably saying right now, though with two top twenty hits under their belt, Band Perry is one to watch.

New Artist

• Luke Bryan
• Easton Corbin
• Jerrod Neimann
• Chris Young
• Zac Brown Band

Who’s In: Luke Bryan, Easton Corbin, Jerrod Neimann, Chris Young

Who’s Out: Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, Darius Rucker

Snap Judgment: Quite a bit of turnover, given that four of last year’s five nominees were eligible again. Rucker’s victory last year clears the way for Zac Brown Band to get a mantle companion piece for their Best New Artist Grammy.

Album

• Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution
• George Strait, Twang
• Carrie Underwood, Play On

Snap Judgment: A nice balance of commercial success and critical acclaim.

Single

• Easton Corbin, “A Little More Country Than That”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
• Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone”

Snap Judgment: Quite a bit of love for newer artists, plus some overcompensation for the CMA’s lack of Lambert love in the past, as she becomes one of the only artists in history to score two Single nominations in the same year.

Song

• “The House That Built Me” – written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin
• “A Little More Country Than That” – written by Rory Lee Feek, Wynn Varble and Don Poythress
• “Need You Now” – written by Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott
• “Toes” – written by Zac Brown, Wyatt Beasley I. Durrette, John Hopkins and Shawn Mullins
• “White Liar” – written by Natalie Hemby and Miranda Lambert

Snap Judgment: This year, “Hillbilly Bone” gets the “cool enough to be a single nominee but not deep enough to get a song nomination” label, with “Toes” taking its place in this race.

Musical Event

• “Bad Angel – Dierks Bentley with Jamey Johnson and Miranda Lambert
• “Can’t You See” – Zac Brown Band featuring Kid Rock
• “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
• “I’m Alive” – Kenny Chesney featuring Dave Matthews
• “‘Til the End” – Alan Jackson with Lee Ann Womack

Snap Judgment: Amazing that the only nomination for Kenny Chesney is in this category.

Music Video

• “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins; directed by Roman White
• “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert; directed by Trey Fanjoy
• “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum; directed by David McClister
• “Water” – Brad Paisley; directed by Jim Shea
• “White Liar” – Miranda Lambert; directed by Chris Hickey

Snap Judgment: Lambert’s dual nominations are another indication of her popularity’s depth this year, even if it’s not quite as amazing as those two Single nominations.

Musician

• Paul Franklin
• Dann Huff
• Brent Mason
• Mac McAnally
• Randy Scruggs

Who’s In: Randy Scruggs

Who’s Out: Eddie Bayers

Snap Judgment: Three-time winner Scruggs is back in the race for the first time since 2007, taking the place of Eddie Bayers, who has yet to win despite ten nominations.  All of this year’s nominees have won at least once, except for Paul Franklin, who received his 18th nomination this year.