Music is only a product, like anything else. You pick out what you feel your audience will like, and do it. At first, I recorded a lot of things I didn’t like. After I reached a point where I had some say-so about what I record, I try now to record what I like.

Thoughts?

As always, we start with a look at this year’s nominees and work our way back to 1968.

2010

• Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
• Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
• David Nail, “Red Light”

There’s usually a “Huh?” nominee among the ACM list in recent years.  This year, it’s David Nail.  Good for him!  Currington hasn’t won yet for this hit, even though he got himself a Grammy nomination for it.  With Lady Antebellum reaching the upper ranks of the country and pop charts with “Need You Now”, my guess is that they’re the presumptive favorites. Then again, Miranda Lambert is a nominee for the third straight year, and she’s up for her biggest radio hit.

2009

• Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”
• Jamey Johnson, “In Color”
• Miranda Lambert, “Gunpowder & Lead”
• Heidi Newfield, “Johnny and June”
• Brad Paisley, “Waitin’ On a Woman”

Adkins has been a fairly regular fixture on country radio since 1996, but this was his first major industry award.  He also won the ACM for Top New Male Vocalist in 1997.

2008

• Gary Allan, “Watching Airplanes”
• Big & Rich, “Lost in This Moment”
• Kenny Chesney, “Don’t Blink”
• Miranda Lambert, “Famous in a Small Town”
• Sugarland, “Stay”

“Stay” swept the Song of the Year categories at all three industry shows, along with winning the ACM for Single Record.  Allan’s presence here shows that being a little West Coast can still help a guy at the ACMs.

2007

• Heartland, “I Loved Her First”
• Rascal Flatts, “What Hurts the Most”
• George Strait, “Give it Away”
• Josh Turner, “Would You Go With Me”
• Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”

George Strait earned his second ACM Single Record award a decade after his first (“Check Yes or No”) and two and a half decades after having his first radio hit.  Underwood won at the CMAs later that year.  “Give it Away” is one of a small group of ACM winners to not receive a nomination at the CMA ceremony.

2006

• Gary Allan, “Best I Ever Had”
• Brooks & Dunn, “Believe”
• Brad Paisley, “Alcohol”
• Sugarland, “Baby Girl”
• Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”

In the battle of biblical hits, the CMA picked Brooks & Dunn but the ACM picked Carrie Underwood.  Much like George Strait would later win a CMA trophy for a different single (“I Saw God Today”), Underwood later triumphed at the CMA with “Before He Cheats.”

2005

• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”
• Brad Paisley with Alison Krauss, “Whiskey Lullaby”
• Rascal Flatts, “Bless the Broken Road”
• Keith Urban, “Days Go By”
• Gretchen Wilson, “Redneck Woman”
• Lee Ann Womack, “I May Hate Myself in the Morning”

Because McGraw picked up the trophy at the CMAs in 2004, the field was cleared for Womack to win the CMA later in 2005.  McGraw had won the ACM before for “It’s Your Love.”

2004

• Brooks & Dunn, “Red Dirt Road”
• Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere”
• Alan Jackson, “Remember When”
• Toby Keith, “American Soldier”
• Randy Travis, “Three Wooden Crosses”

Among all the lead nominees, only Toby Keith wasn’t a previous winner. Still, the award went to the new alcoholic’s creed, winning over a more pensive Jackson track and a big comeback hit for Randy Travis.

2003

• Kenny Chesney, “The Good Stuff”
• Toby Keith, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”
• Trick Pony, “Just What I Do”
• Keith Urban, “Somebody Like You”
• Mark Wills, “19 Somethin’”

Chesney spent nearly two months at #1 with this hit, perhaps giving him the edge over the other mega-hits at radio from Keith, Urban, and Wills. As for the Trick Pony nomination, somebody really should find out what Heidi Newfield has on those ACM voters.

2002

• Brooks & Dunn, “Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout You”
• Diamond Rio, “One More Day”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Toby Keith, “I Wanna Talk About Me”
• Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”

Jackson’s powerful 9/11 reflection stands out as the only ballad among his four ACM Single Record victories.

2001

• Toby Keith, “How Do You Like Me Now?!”
• John Michael Montgomery, “The Little Girl”
• Jamie O’Neal, “There is No Arizona”
• Aaron Tippin, “Kiss This”
• Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”

Toby Keith’s run of four consecutive nominations began this year. His album of the same name proved victorious that evening.  Womack’s massive hit became an instant standard, and is incidentally the most recent winner to also be a genuine crossover hit.

2000

• Dixie Chicks, “Ready to Run”
• Lonestar, “Amazed”
• Tim McGraw, “Please Remember Me”
• Brad Paisley, “He Didn’t Have to Be”
• George Strait, “Write This Down”

As pop hits go, this one was a monster. “Amazed” even topped the Hot 100, the first country single to do so since “Islands in the Stream.”

1999

• Faith Hill, “This Kiss”
• Martina McBride, “A Broken Wing”
• Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”
• Steve Wariner, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
• The Wilkinsons, “26 Cents”

Hill and hubby Tim McGraw each have two ACM trophies in this category, one solo and one shared.

1998

• Diamond Rio, “How Your Love Makes Me Feel”
• Tim McGraw with Faith Hill, “It’s Your Love”
• LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
• George Strait, “Carrying Your Love With Me”
• Trisha Yearwood, “How Do I Live (from “Con Air”)”

While Yearwood had won over Rimes at the Grammys a few weeks earlier, the ACM sidestepped the big controversy of the year and gave the trophy to the biggest hit in the bunch.

1997

• Brooks & Dunn, “My Maria”
• Deana Carter, “Strawberry Wine”
• Tracy Lawrence, “Time Marches On”
• LeAnn Rimes, “Blue”
• George Strait, “Carried Away”

It’s rare that the ACM goes with the song that was least successful at radio, but don’t let that #10 peak of “Blue” fool you.  That hit was responsible for millions of record sales.

1996

• Brooks & Dunn, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”
• Faith Hill, “It Matters to Me”
• Tim McGraw, “I Like It, I Love It”
• George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
• Shania Twain, “Any Man of Mine”

It was a stroke of marketing brilliance: add two singles to a box set of a genre superstar. When the first single became one of his biggest hits, the box set quickly became the top selling in country music history.

1995

• Joe Diffie, “Third Rock From the Sun”
• Vince Gill, “Tryin’ to Get Over You”
• Alan Jackson, “Livin’ On Love”
• Tim McGraw, “Don’t Take the Girl”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”

There have been a few wedding standards to win this award, though Montgomery’s hit didn’t cross over in its original form.

1994

• Clint Black with Wynonna, “A Bad Goodbye”
• Garth Brooks, “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• Reba McEntire with Linda Davis, “Does He Love You”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”

Jackson won the ACM with his massive hit, but the McEntire/Davis duet and the Yoakam track were Grammy winners.

1993

• John Anderson, “Straight Tequila Night”
• Brooks & Dunn, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
• Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart”
• Collin Raye, “Love, Me”
• Tanya Tucker, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”

Brooks & Dunn are among the most nominated artists in this category’s history, but this is their only victory.

1992

• Clint Black, “Where Are You Now”
• Garth Brooks, “Shameless”
• Alan Jackson, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
• Travis Tritt, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”
• Trisha Yearwood, “She’s in Love With the Boy”

This was Jackson’s first major industry award.

1991

• Alabama, “Jukebox in My Mind”
• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Vince Gill, “When I Call Your Name”
• Alan Jackson, “Here in the Real World”
• Shenandoah, “Next to You, Next to Me”

Garth-mania was beginning to peak in 1991. He swept the ACMs that  year.

1990

• Clint Black, “Better Man”
• Garth Brooks, “If Tomorrow Never Comes”
• Patty Loveless, “Timber I’m Falling in Love”
• Keith Whitley, “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
• Hank Williams & Hank Williams Jr., “There’s a Tear in My Beer”

Clint Black is one of only three artists in the last twenty years to win for their first proper single, with Carrie Underwood and LeAnn Rimes being the other two.

1989

• Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
• K.T. Oslin, “I’ll Always Come Back”
• Ricky Van Shelton, “I’ll Leave This World Loving You”
• Randy Travis, “I Told You So”
• Keith Whitley, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”

Mattea’s award-winning hit had such a high profile that it was even referenced in the dialog of the hit movie Rain Man.

1988

• Restless Heart, “I’ll Still Be Loving You”
• Ricky Van Shelton, “Somebody Lied”
• George Strait, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”
• Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
• Hank Williams Jr., “Born to Boogie”

Travis won for the second year in a row with what would become his signature hit.

1987

• Alabama, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing”
• Janie Fricke, “Always Have, Always Will”
• The Judds, “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain”
• Reba McEntire, “Whoever’s in New England”
• Randy Travis, “On the Other Hand”

This was technically his first single, but when released under the name Randy Traywick, it bombed. Warner Bros. then released “1982″ under Randy Travis, and it went top ten. They then re-released this song, and it became his first #1 hit.

1986

• Lee Greenwood, “Dixie Road”
• Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, “Highwayman”
• The Judds, “Love is Alive”
• Mel McDaniel, “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On”
• Hank Williams Jr., “I’m For Love”

So successful was this winning single that the four legends would go on to release future collaborations as the Highwaymen.

1985

• Alabama, “When We Make Love”
• Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson, “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”
• The Judds, “Why Not Me”
• John Schneider, “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”
• Conway Twitty, “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love (The Moon Song)”

Say what you want about this winner, but it was popular enough to sell two million 45s.

1984

• John Anderson, “Swingin’”
• Anne Murray, “A Little Good News”
• Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, “Pancho  and Lefty”
• Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream”
• Shelly West, “José Cuervo”

Another pop smash that moved two million 45s. Is there anybody over 30 who can’t sing along to the chorus?

1983

• David Frizzell, “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home”
• Willie Nelson, “Always on My Mind”
• Kenny Rogers, “Love Will Turn You Around”
• Ricky Skaggs, “Crying My Heart Out Over You”
• Sylvia, “Nobody”

Nelson’s had quite a few signature hits, but none bigger than this one.

1982

• Rosanne Cash, “Seven Year Ache”
• David Frizzell & Shelly West, “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma”
• Barbara Mandrell, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me”
• Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”

This might be the most pop-flavored lineup in category’s history. Even the Mandrell hit doth protest too much.

1981

• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ For Love”
• Dolly Parton, “9 to 5″
• Eddie Rabbitt, “Drivin’ My Life Away”
• Don Williams, “I Believe in You”

Jones capped his biggest comeback in a career defined by them with several awards for this classic hit.

1980

• Charlie Daniels Band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia”
• Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band, “All the Gold in California”
• Crystal Gayle, “Half the Way”
• Waylon Jennings, “Amanda”
• Kenny Rogers, “Coward of the County”

West Coast represent!

1979

• Crystal Gayle, “Talking in Your Sleep”
• Loretta Lynn, “Out of My Head and Back in My Bed”
• Willie Nelson, “Georgia On My Mind”
• Waylon & Willie, “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”
• Don Williams, “Tulsa Time”

In a category of superstars, the Gentle Giant of Country Music was the victor.

1978

• Debby Boone, “You Light Up My Life”
• Crystal Gayle, “Don’t it Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
• Waylon Jennings, “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• Linda Ronstadt, “Blue Bayou”

All of these records made a big impact on both the country and the pop chart.

1977

• Mickey Gilley, “Bring it On Home to Me”
• Loretta Lynn, “Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight)”
• Marty Robbins, “El Paso City”
• Red Sovine, “Teddy Bear”
• Waylon & Willie, “Good Hearted Woman”

A surprising win, perhaps fueled by the momentum of Gilley’s previous single, “Don’t the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time.”

1976

• Glen Campbell, “Rhinestone Cowboy”
• Freddie Fender, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
• Mickey Gilley, “Overnight Sensation”
• Willie Nelson, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”
• Kenny Starr, “The Blind Man in the Bleachers”

Campbell made quite the comeback with this one, and it later inspired the Dolly Parton film vehicle Rhinestone, which earned an ACM nomination of its own for the Tex Ritter Award.

1975

• John Denver, “Back Home Again”
• Merle Haggard, “Things Aren’t Funny Anymore”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(I’d Be) A Legend in My Time”
• Cal Smith, “Country Bumpkin”
• Billy Swan, “I Can Help”

Smith may not have gotten all the recognition that his talent warranted, but he made two undeniable classics: “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking”, and his winner here.

1974

• Merle Haggard, “If We Make it Through December”
• Byron MacGregor, “The Americans”
• Jeanne Pruett, “Satin Sheets”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Charlie Rich, “The Most Beautiful Girl”

Rich’s two hits were so big that even with vote-splitting, he still emerged the winner.

1973

• Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
• Merle Haggard, “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)”
• Johnny Rodriguez, “Pass Me By (If You’re Only Passing Through)”
• Jerry Wallace, “If You Leave Me Tonight I’ll Cry”
• Faron Young, “Four in the Morning”

Fargo was a local star on the West Coast before she broke through nationwide with this hit, dominating the 1973 ACM Awards as a result.

1972

• Merle Haggard, “Carolyn”
• Freddie Hart, “Easy Loving”
• Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, “Lead Me On”
• Loretta Lynn, “One’s On the Way”
• Charley Pride, “Kiss an Angel Good Morning”

This gold-selling classic helped Hart triumph over the superstars of his day.

1971

• Lynn Anderson, “Rose Garden”
• Merle Haggard, “The Fightin’ Side of Me”
• Anne Murray, “Snowbird”
• Ray Price, “For the Good Times”
• Sammi Smith, “Help Me Make it Through the Night”

Each one of these is a classic in its own right. In a battle of Kristofferson-penned hits, Price emerged victorious, though Smith won the CMA later that year.

1970

• Glen Campbell, “Try a Little Kindness”
• Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue”
• Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
• Billy Mize, “Make it Rain”
• Elvis Presley, “Don’t Cry Daddy”
• Freddy Weller, “Games People Play”
• Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man”

Haggard’s only victory in this category came on a night where he also won Album of the Year for the only time in several nominations.

1969

• Glen Campbell, “Wichita Lineman”
• Merle Haggard, “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am”
• Merle Haggard, “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde”
• Merle Haggard, “Mama Tried”
• Roger Miller, “Little Green Apples”

Miller’s known for his legendary songwriting, but his winning hit here was penned by Bobby Russell.

1968

• Glen Campbell, “Burning Bridges”
• Glen Campbell, “Gentle on My Mind”
• The Gosdin Bros., “Hangin’ On”
• Bobbie Gentry, “Ode to Billy Joe”
• Merle Haggard, “Branded Man”
• Merle Haggard, “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”

A young Vern Gosdin made up half of the nominated Gosdin Bros., a nice historical footnote to the first year of this category. Glen Campbell’s victory was appropriately West Coast for the ACMs first attempt at honoring the national country music scene.

Facts & Feats:

Most Wins

• (4) – Alan Jackson
• (3) – Willie Nelson
• (2) – Glen Campbell, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, George Strait, Randy Travis

Most Nominations

• (12) – Merle Haggard
• (8) – Willie Nelson
• (6) – Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, George Strait
• (5) – Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw
• (4) – Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis

Most Nominations Without a Win

• (4) – Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley
• (3) – Alabama, Crystal Gayle, The Judds, Miranda Lambert, Hank Williams Jr.

Singles that Won Both the ACM and CMA Award:

• Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
• Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Cal Smith, ‘Country Bumpkin”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”
• Willie Nelson, “Always On My Mind”
• Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
• Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”
• George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
• Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”

Contrary to what is commonly believed, there has always been a ceiling on how old you could be and still get country airplay. This year, both George Strait and Reba McEntire have been working steadily to shatter that ceiling.

Take a look at the age of country legends when they earned their most recent top ten solo hit:

1. Eddy Arnold, 62
2. Kenny Rogers, 61*
3. Conway Twitty, 58
4. George Strait, 57
5. George Jones, 57**
6. Marty Robbins, 57
7. Willie Nelson, 56**
8. Ray Price, 56
9. Reba McEntire, 54
10. Waylon Jennings, 53
11. Merle Haggard, 52
12. Alan Jackson, 50
13. Charley Pride, 50
14. Johnny Cash, 49
15. Ernest Tubb, 49
16. Ronnie Milsap, 48
17. Loretta Lynn, 47
18. Webb Pierce, 46
19. Garth Brooks, 45
20. Dolly Parton, 43**
21. Hank Williams Jr., 41
22. Tammy Wynette, 40

* Kenny Rogers was the lead singer for his final top ten hit “Buy Me a Rose”, with harmony vocalists Billy Dean and Alison Krauss credited on the single

** George Jones, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton returned to the top ten in later years through duets with younger artists

It’s also worth noting that Alan Jackson, at 50, isn’t too far away from passing several legends on the list.

So George Strait remains in heavy rotation at the age of 57, outpacing all but three stars in country music history. Among the ladies, McEntire is a full seven years older than her nearest competitor Loretta Lynn was when she enjoyed her last top ten hit.

Thoughts?

Katie Cook has been a staple on Country Music Television since 2002, hosting various series and specials such as CMT Most Wanted Live, the MWL concert series, MWL Star, MWL Stacked and the popular weekly entertainment magazine show, CMT Insider.

But her experience with country music is actually three-fold: along with being embedded in the industry as a television host and interviewer, she’s also the daughter of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Roger Cook, and she’s both a singer and songwriter herself – she released an album in 2000 as part of a band called Reno and continues to hone her songwriting skills. Cook took some time to share with Country Universe her opinions on the state of country music, the evolution of CMT and her recent White House visit, among other topics.

Seetharam: You’ve grown up around different cultures and lifestyles, having lived overseas in London. How has that shaped your perspective on country music?

Cook: That’s a good question. I honestly think when I was younger living in Nashville, I didn’t fully understand the appeal of country music until I moved back to England after high school. And then I moved back again in my mid 20s to work on music and I found myself missing Nashville so much, and when I really tried to become a songwriter myself, I realized how difficult it was to write a great, melodic, catchy, hooky, 3-minute song that tells a story, that can wrap an entire interesting story up and make a point in 3 minutes. It’s extraordinarily difficult and it’s something that country is known for, and I don’t feel it exists in such a powerful way in any other musical genre I’ve experienced anywhere else in the world.

I think I had to get away from Nashville and the country music scene to really look back and realize how strong the writers are here, and how incredible the players are. Because very often as a younger person in Nashville, I would listen to stuff from elsewhere. You know, I’d listen to more alternative music coming out of England and stuff, but when I really got into the music scene over there, I was like, “No one plays like they do in Nashville.” The pickers, you know, you don’t get that kind of quality anywhere in the world, I don’t think, so again I think being part of these different cultures helped me look back on Nashville and appreciate it that much more.

I have to ask about your father because he’s really a fantastic songwriter. Between him working with such high profile artists and you interviewing such high profile artists, what kind of conversations do you two have?

You know, we never talk about music. In fact, we’ve tried to write so many songs together, and I suppose we’ve completed a few, but you know, when he and I get together, it seems to turn to any other subject but music. I think because we’re so close and there’s so many other things going on in the family and with friends and stuff that the conversation always leads elsewhere.

We’re both really opinionated, and we don’t necessarily agree on everything musically either. He’ll say, “Oh, I heard this song on the radio the other day by such and such. I couldn’t stand it. I thought it was awful,” and I’m like, “Really? That’s my new favorite song.” So, we just have such different opinions that we’ve just kind of learned to keep our musical lives separate. But that’s not to say he’s not completely supportive, and he watches the shows I do, and I try to listen to all of his new songs. But for the most part, we’re just dad and daughter.

You mentioned you liked some alternative music when you were younger – it seems like your musical taste stretches across many genres, not just country music. What do you think of the current country music that’s infused with other sounds, like rock or pop?

Well, you know, there’s two sides of the argument. Some people say, “Well country’s got to move forward,” and other people would say, “Why is it changing? Keep it traditional.” I really see both sides of it. I probably prefer it when somebody has a real appreciation of traditional country and then mixes it in with things you don’t expect them to. And that can even be an artist like Beck – that doesn’t necessarily even have to be a country artist. I kind of probably lean more to liking that type of thing more than someone who’s just trying to sell me a rock song as a country song. I think that’s just…I don’t know. That’s not my favorite style. It’s almost like bad 80s rock being regurgitated and labeled country music. So you know, I don’t typically have a music collection that reflects that kind of modern country.

But I have absolutely no boundaries as an artist, as a writer, as a music lover. I mean, nothing frightens me at all about loving country music and mixing it with other things or driving it forward, in even bizarre ways. I’m like, “Bring it on!” I love music, period. I personally do really love country music because I think the playing is magnificent. I think the story telling is magnificent. I think there’s just something so romantic about unfortunately an almost lost way of life in America, and I think I’m very drawn to do that, but I wouldn’t necessarily call myself one of those people that would be guarding country against change. I don’t think I’m that person at all. In fact, I think the more people that can discover it, the better.

Absolutely. That’s my philosophy as well. What about all these female artists who are breaking barriers in country music? You’re a female musician yourself – what’s your take on them?

I think it’s fantastic. I really, really love that there are so many young females out there now that play all different kinds of instruments. You know, you’ve always had a few of those in the past, but when I was younger, you had like Sheila E. You had Joan Jett. You definitely had a few artists that played. And of course, you had Barbara Mandrell, who played everything. And she was just a hero because she literally played every instrument: drums, saxophone, keyboard, everything.

But I think more likely now, a young girl’s going to grow up and be like, “Yeah it’s just no big deal to pick up the guitar and learn how to play and write a song. Taylor Swift does it.” It’s just obviously such a more common sight now, and I just think that’s a wonderful thing. Because too often in the past a woman was just supposed to stand at the mic and look pretty. And there’s nothing wrong with that but women take to playing just as easily as men, and I think they’re going to be more encouraged now because of this young crop of lovely ladies that play and sing and write. It’s fantastic.

Let’s talk CMT a bit. Earlier in the decade, CMT played an important role in popularizing roots music, with artists like Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek. What drove that, and why do you think there’s been a shift away from that now?

Yeah. I think everything’s cyclical. Obviously at one point, that kind of sound would be all you would have heard, practically, on the Grand Ole Opry and WSM years ago. And country’s always going to shift in and out of different things. It’ll all come back around. Right now it is kind of more of a maybe rock-edged type of thing. Look at how big Gretchen Wilson was, and now, if anything, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood kind of slid into her position, and they’re more slick in their production. It’ll come back around. You know, it always does.

One thing that I thought was so interesting – the first time I interviewed Loretta Lynn was backstage at the Opry. And we weren’t on camera, and we were just kind of chatting, and I said, “I want to know what your take is on country and where it’s going.” And she said, “Oh you know, it’s always going to be going somewhere different and that’s fine. Back in the day, everyone gave Patsy Cline so much grief for going pop.” And it was so interesting to hear her say that because I would not have labeled her a pop artist, but when I think about it, at the time, what she was doing was very pop for most country ears. And yet now we would look back and consider her such a traditional artist, and anyone who sounds like Patsy Cline now would be considered hard-core, country traditional. It’s just interesting, isn’t it? To get that different perspective.

I think it’ll all come back around. If you get too much of any one thing, you’re going to crave the other. The grass is always greener. Things are a little less acoustic right now but it’ll all come back.

That’s an interesting perspective both you and Loretta have, and I think many people would agree. But it does seem like CMT as a channel has evolved over the years into something different. There’s a little more pop culture on there now, more television shows and movies, and a little less music. Do you think it’s moving in a positive direction?

Well, yes and no. I love some of the programming, but I’m just a music person, so I’m always going to wish that there was more music. It’s very interesting what people watch, what they tune into. Because we can run music programs and get very low ratings, and then run a rerun of Nanny 911 and get massive ratings.

So, although I personally would rather see music and videos all day, I can understand some of the programming decisions because like any business, we want to stay on the air, and we want to be able to afford to do these big award shows and great big music programs like CMT Giants, that honor Alan Jackson and Reba [McEntire] and all these wonderful artists. And you can’t pay for those unless you’ve got people tuning in, and for some strange reason, people will tune in sometimes in very large numbers to programming that’s not always music-related. So, it’s a catch-22. I can see the business side of it, but I personally tune in more to the actual music programs because that’s what I’m interested in.

What’s your favorite music video of the decade? Or do you have one?

Wow. Hmm, there are so many to choose from. I tend to live very much in the moment, so usually what’s on my mind is something that I saw very recently. I can tell you one of my favorite songs of the past decade was probably Little Big Town’s “Boondocks.”

I love that song.

And I thought it was a video that perfectly matched the song. I loved the extras that they had in it. I loved the way it was cut together, the editing. I loved the scenery. I loved how cool the band looked in it. That was a favorite. Gosh, what was that other…why am I going blank…it’s because I’ve just been staining my floor and I’m probably high from the chemicals. That first really big Jason Aldean song. “Hicktown!” Jason Aldean’s “Hicktown” – that’s the one I’m thinking of. It’s kind of similar to the “Boondocks,” Little Big Town kind of vibe. I just thought they were both really fresh videos and those were probably a couple of my favorites.

Is there a single quality that you look for in a good music video?

I think because I’ve been doing TV for awhile now I really look at editing, and I look at how things time out. You know, how a cut or a certain dance moves really times out with the beat of a song. “Pickin’ Wildflowers” by Keith Anderson – that was probably one of my favorite videos of the last decade. I know I’m giving you a few instead of picking just one. I just thought it was really sexy and the way the dancers again moved with the beat. I think you can be a great video director, but a really great music video director to me needs to have a great sense of the music. They need to be really passionate about the song and really feel the beat of it and edit accordingly. That’s just something I personally really like in a song.

When you’re interviewing these artists on the red carpet or on any of the shows you host, you’re essentially a musician interviewing a musician. Does that affect the way you interview? Do you ever wish you could give advice?

Well, I wouldn’t dream of giving advice, but I do think it affects the way I interview people. If anything, it probably – I don’t know, in some way it helps. But I think it probably hinders me more because I know sometimes a question that they might not really want to answer, or something that I know they’ve probably been asked a million times, and you know, I always try to come at it with an understanding of how they might answer something. But sometimes a question just needs to be asked because it makes good television and it’s what the viewers at home want to know. But I might inside be squirming a little bit.

I can’t really think of a perfect example right now. But even something as simple as, “When you did that duet with so and so, what was it like being in the studio with them?” I know there’s a really good chance they weren’t in the studio together. Because when you live in Nashville and you work around music yourself, you have a good understanding of how these things work, and you know that schedule-wise, it’s very rare that duets even happen in the same room with people. But you know, it’s important to ask that because it’s what people at home might be wondering. So, I don’t know, I think sometimes I do see an interview slightly differently.

And I understand Dolly Parton is your favorite artist?

Oh I love her. She’s just my favorite – not just musically, but just…

Your favorite person.

Yes, favorite person to interview, definitely.

Do you have a Dolly interview or quote that stands out for you?

You know, well, yeah, I’ve got a lot. It seems like every single time I’m with her I’m like, “OK, that tops the last one.” She always says something that tops the last one.

She’s just fabulous. And hilarious.

The funniest interview, honestly, was, the very first time I ever met her. I did like a whole half-hour, sit-down live show with her called [CMT] Most Wanted Live, and before we went out, we were comparing outfits. And of course she had on a to-die-for, fabulous outfit. Oh, it was pink and yellow and princess-like and just made her look amazing. And I was kind of joking that my outfit wasn’t very interesting compared to hers, and I must have made some comment like, you know, “Maybe I need to put more of a push-up bra on. I’m going to look like a child sitting next to you.” And she laughed and she said, “Your boobs look great!”

Well later on we were sitting there in front of the audience, the whole crowd, and I think I took like an audience question about, does she ever feel sorry for flat-chested women because she’s so well-endowed or whatever. And she laughed and she said, “No we’re all beautiful,” and then she said to the audience, “Look! Look at her boobs! Don’t you think they’re great?” – pointing to me. “Don’t you think she has lovely boobs?” And you know I just absolutely went bright red.

That’s priceless.

Oh I was fanning myself. I broke a sweat. I was laughing so hard. I could not believe I was on camera with Dolly Parton and she’s commenting on my boobs. It was just one of the funniest moments in my life. I’m not sure anything’s ever going to top Dolly Parton complimenting me on my chest (laughs).

Dolly is clearly a hold-nothing-back kind of person, but have you ever interviewed an artist who you think is misunderstood by the public? Maybe you got a different perspective when you met him or her in person?

Yeah. There are certain artists that I can tell are a little bit shy. I mean, obviously Alan Jackson, Billy Currington – some of the guys are really, painfully shy, and they get on camera and they’re just quiet and, you know, they seem very unsure of themselves. And then the minute the camera goes off, you can have the most normal conversation with them. And I always think, “Oh why can’t you do that when the little red light comes on?” So yeah, there’s definitely artists that seem very different off camera, and I wonder if their real personality comes across, but you know what? They’re doing well and they have fans, so evidently people do understand them. But yeah, some of those shy guys are the ones that really wear me out. I’m like, “Come on, loosen up!”

Shifting gears a little, you were recently at the White House for “An Evening of Country Music.” That must have been an amazing experience. What was it like?

Yeah! It was incredible. It was really exciting to see an entire day at the White House devoted to country music. Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss and Charley Pride were there – all great ambassadors for country music. To actually be in that ballroom and see the President get up and give a wonderful introduction to these country artists and talk about country, and how it’s such an important part of American culture was, you know – I really got the chills. It was a wonderful moment. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to go back to the White House, so I really was kind of absorbing it all.

We got to see the press room, which was tiny. And it’s so interesting because, you know, you see something on television and then you see it in person, how different it is. And we were at the back of the room, so when the show was over, we were actually the first to walk out, and they led us down a hallway and then just kind of left us on our own to find our way out. And I was like, “We’ve been let loose in the White House!”

That’s not something you can say every day!

It was incredible. We weren’t really let loose, of course. It was all under very controlled supervision, but it felt like we were running goofy and loose in the White House, and that was very exciting. But yeah, it was a very proud moment for country.

Did you get to interact at all with the President?

I didn’t get to hang out with Obama and Michelle and the girls, but I did get to see the First Dog. One of the White House workers, I guess — I don’t know what the right term would be– but somebody was walking the dog, and he’s beautiful. He’s big. For some reason I thought he was still a little puppy. But he’s quite large and he’s a good-looking dog. He’s got quite a yard to roam around in.

I hear you’re an expert tweeter – or rather, I see you’re an expert tweeter. What do you enjoy about twitter?

Well I’m actually fairly new to it. I like getting to know people. I like getting very kind of down-to-earth questions from people, and I think what I find refreshing is that I assume the only reason anybody would want to talk to me or hear from me is to get like country music gossip, and that actually doesn’t seem to be the case. A lot of people are like, “Where do you like to eat? How old’s your kid now? Do you like being a mother?”

More personal questions.

Yeah. It seems like people just are more curious about who you really are as a person, and I find that really refreshing. I go to work and put on the false eyelashes and do my hair all fancy and put on the nice outfits and everything, but when I come home, I’m just like anybody else. I’m sitting around in my Old Navy sweats and eating something I shouldn’t be eating and prying my eyeballs on the computer. And we’re all kind of the same when we just get into that mode, and I just like connecting with people on that really normal level. That’s a lot of fun for me.

Do you tweet at other artists? Or mostly fans?

You know, I don’t know who all these people are that read it. I just kind of get on there and send a message out and wonder where it goes. It goes into cyberspace and I don’t really know who’s reading it but people keep signing on, so I guess I’m doing something right.

When you’re not tweeting, what are some of the projects you’re working on that you’re excited about?

Well I have a children’s book called “Little Big Benny,” and that has recently been edited. I kind of have it out with a lot of kids right now. A lot of kids are reading it and giving me their feedback. I’m trying to really nail down exactly what age group it’s for. I’m really hoping by the end of the year to be shopping that around to publishers. So that’s taking up a lot of free time.

I’m a mother and that’s an ongoing project right there. She’s going to be three in a couple of weeks. And we decided to do our kitchen. We just ripped our whole kitchen from the 40s out, which was actually kind of cool looking but had absolutely no storage or work space. So we just completely gutted the middle of our house and decided to pretty much do it ourselves so that we could save money, and at this point I think I maybe would rather just be in debt (laughs).

That sounds extremely chaotic.

It’s been really chaotic. I’ve been making meals in a toaster oven for almost six months. But you know, there are some people in the world who don’t even have a toaster oven, so I’m not going to complain.

But there’s always other stuff going on. I’m always writing. I’m always working on creative stuff. I’m hoping to launch a T-shirt campaign –I’m not going to say anymore about it– but I’m hoping to have something really fun available in the next month. Very creative T-shirt thing. So yeah I’m kind of – I consider myself a creative person. I’m not happy unless I’m working on something. So I never really have a day off, but that’s just the way I like it.

“But someone killed tradition. And for that someone should hang.” –Larry Cordle & Larry Shell, “Murder on Music Row”

Dan Milliken’s recent post got me thinking: The country music I grew up with is nothing like the music on country radio today. If I turned on today’s country radio in 1988, I might not realize it was a country station and keep right on flipping. Back then, Randy Travis and Keith Whitley’s traditional twang ruled the airwaves. Today, they are dominated by the giggly teeny-bopper ditties of Taylor Swift and the boy band sounds of Rascal Flatts. Did they get away with murder on music row? Well, let’s start by briefly uncovering country’s traditional roots.

What is traditional country music? Is it simply anything from the past? That seems too broad; Shania Twain wasn’t traditional. Anything that isn’t pop? Maybe, but that is still a rather wide and subjective net. To me, traditional country music is honky tonk music. It heavily employs steel guitars, fiddles, and forlorn vocals. It moves at a slow pace. There are no drums or electric guitars. The songs typically deal with heavy topics such as heartbreak, cheating, or drinking, with a ballad here and there. In most cases, the goal is to induce pain. Not bad pain, but the therapeutic empathy that tugs your heart and helps you through your personal struggles. The patron saint of traditional country is Hank Williams. Hank’s first disciple is George Jones. Jones’ first disciple is Alan Jackson. The traditional template is supposed to help us decipher what is country and what is not. After all, what makes country music country if not fiddles and cheatin’ songs?

These days, traditionalists have a legitimate beef. When you turn on the radio, you don’t hear much steel guitar. Instead, you hear what might pass for 1990s pop, replete with fluffy repetitive lyrics, catchy drum beats, guitar riffs, and sex appeal. We aren’t preserving country music when the CMT Music Awards feature the B-52s and Def Leppard in lieu of John Anderson and Charley Pride. Was there a tribute to recently deceased traditionalist Vern Gosdin? No way. Do today’s artists “tear your heart out when they sing”? Not a chance. Is Keith Urban going to fill Conway Twitty’s shoes? Not a prayer. You know we are in trouble when pop-infused zipwire-flier Garth Brooks sounds more like Merle Haggard than today’s stars. Heck, just listen to Taylor Swift’s latest album. If that is country, I’ll kiss your ass. Nashville, we have a problem.

But let’s not go off the deep end just yet. Maybe traditionalists are thinking about things too narrowly. Country music is much more than Webb Pierce’s raw steel guitar-laden crooning. It always has been. Going back before Hank to the First Family of Country Music, the Carter family sound was an amalgam of several different sub-genres including Appalachian old-time, folk, and gospel. Jimmie Rodgers, the Father of Country Music, blended elements of jazz, gospel, old-time and blues to create some of the first country sounds. Marty Robbins played just about every musical style conceivable. Traditionalist hero Elvis Presley sang rockabilly. Johnny Cash had similar beginnings and even years later there was nothing “traditional” about his trademark up-tempo bass beat. Waylon Jennings’ music incorporated Buddy Holly’s rock-n-roll rhythm; he even wrote a song about how un-Hank-like his music was. Merle Haggard’s Bob Wills-inspired Bakersfield sound used amps and electric guitars. Even 1980s ACM Artist of the Decade Alabama shunned the steel guitar altogether and typically sang up-tempo, feel-good music. Yet these names are among the most venerated by traditionalists. What gives?

The problem is that traditionalists aren’t even sure what traditional country is. If it includes all artists who sold country records without crossing over to pop, the label is not very helpful. If it is strictly honky tonk, do we really want a bunch of Hank Williams clones? As great as he was, we surely do not. There has to be some updating – just ask Alan Jackson, who has innovated the traditionalist motif without sacrificing his authenticity. The genre has to evolve or it risks becoming boring and repetitive. Waylon Jennings understood this well (“It’s the same old tune, fiddle and guitar/Where do we take it from here?”). Hank Williams’ own son realized it too after trying for years to replicate his father’s sound. His song “Young Country” directly attacked the tradition-or-else mentality: “We like some of the old stuff/We like some of the new/But we do our own choosing/We pick our own music/If you don’t mind, thank you.” He is right. Why draw lines? Strict uniformity is not desirable in any genre, particularly country, whose trademark is its diversity of influences, instruments, rhythms, voices, song topics, and stories.

So what should define today’s country music? It should pay tribute to the past by incorporating and updating its unique fusion of diverse influences. It doesn’t have to be strictly “traditional.” But country music needs to capture the sentiments of rural and working class America. It needs to cover painful topics like drinking and cheating. It needs to tell colorful stories. It needs to tear your heart out sometimes. It also needs to make you feel good sometimes. What it shouldn’t do is become pop music. When country is indistinguishable from Top 40, it loses its soul. Unfortunately, this has happened with the Keith Urbans, Rascal Flatts, and Taylor Swifts – all talented artists to be sure. But country artists? Not so much. Still, there are old warhorses like George Strait who carry the torch and newcomers like Jamey Johnson who give us hope that country’s soul will stay alive and well.

Tanya Tucker
My Turn

As a tribute of sorts to her father who loved traditional country music, Tanya Tucker has compiled a set of twelve songs that pays homage to country music’s past. While not an example of traditionalism herself as a recording artist, Tucker ably demonstrates that she is more than capable of stepping into the role on this project, but also shows that this is not her most comfortable position as an artist.

Produced by accomplished and respected producer, Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam), Tucker’s new covers album, My Turn, is full of both oft sung and lesser known gems. Tucker shines on up-tempo fare such as Buck Owens’ “Love’s Gonna Live Here” with guest help from Jim Lauderdale, Don Gibson’s “Oh, Lonesome Me”, Charley Pride’s “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone” and the album’s best track, Merle Haggard’s “Ramblin’ Fever.” With the support of snappy productions to match Tucker’s assured vocals, these interpretations aptly showcase Tucker’s spunk and are where she seems to fully connect, both vocally and emotionally, to the songs and their lyrics, which is likely why the straightforward “Ramblin’ Fever” works so well for her. “If someone said I ever gave a damn/Well, the damn sure told you wrong/’Cause I’ve had ramblin’ fever all along”, she growls with utmost believability.

The more inferior songs, admittedly, tend to be the slower tracks. While they are sung very well, there seems to be a palpable disconnect between the singer and the songs. Tucker’s version of Lefty Frizzell’s “I Love You A Thousand Ways” is, however, a welcome exception. It sticks close to the original, but Tucker’s relaxed vocal manages to help it stand out from the other slow compositions on the album.

As is naturally common on covers projects such as this, Pete Anderson applies a warm quality to the production, which is sonically pleasant, but perhaps not quite the fit that Tanya Tucker’s uniquely rough voice calls for. Instead of seamlessly blending with Anderson’s productions, Tucker’s vocals often seem to be muted, as if her voice needed to be turned up a bit in the mixes. Likewise, the choices for some of the guest vocalists (The Grascals and Rhonda Vincent) did not work especially well. Their rootsy vocals were more of a distraction than a compliment to the songs on which they appeared.

While it is likely unreasonable to compare this project to other albums of its ilk, it’s impossible not to hold it up to previous efforts that have been recently offered by her peers (Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, etc), especially since some of the same ground has been covered here. Tucker’s husky, and even flirtatious vocal style naturally sets this project apart from those of her fellow artists, but it is not as strong or cohesive as the others. Despite its few shortcomings, however, it is still a solid effort and deserves a high-profile spot in one’s collection of covers albums.

There’s only one thing that holds Singletary back from being the Twitty or Pride of his generation. His voice just doesn’t have the ability to pull off these types of songs completely. “Love You With the Lights On” is a solid enough song. It certainly would’ve been a chart-topper in the seventies for one of the aforementioned men.

Singletary sings it pleasantly enough, but he’s not entirely convincing as the seducer here.  His voice just doesn’t have the depth and nuance to pull it off. God bless him, but he sounds like he’s singing for control of the remote, not fulfillment of his desires.

Grade: B-

Listen: Love You With the Lights On

While the Grammys have honored country music from the very first ceremony in 1959, they did not begin honoring by gender until 1965, when the country categories were expanded along with the other genre categories. This year, the 45th trophy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance will be awarded.

In a continuation of our Grammy Flashback series, here is a rundown of the Best Country Vocal Performance, Male category. It was first awarded in 1965, and included singles competing with albums until the Best Country Album category was added in 1995. When an album is nominated, it is in italics, and a single track is in quotation marks.

As usual, we start with a look at this year’s nominees and work our way back. Be sure to vote in My Kind of Country’s Best Male Country Vocal Performance poll and let your preference for this year’s race be known!

2009

• Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”
• Jamey Johnson, “In Color”
• James Otto, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”
• Brad Paisley, “Letter to Me”
• George Strait, “Troubadour”

As with the album race, this year’s contenders for Best Male Country Vocal Performance are a combination of unrecognized veterans and promising newcomers. In fact, none of this year’s nominees have won in this category, and only one of them – Brad Paisley – has a Grammy at all.

First, the veterans. Paisley has numerous ACM and CMA victories to his credit, including two each for Male Vocalist.  Although he’s been nominated for this award twice before, this is the first time he’s contended with a cut that can’t be dismissed as a novelty number. The touching self-penned “Letter to Me” is his best shot yet at taking this home.

Trace Adkins has been at this a bit longer than Paisley, but this is his first Grammy nomination. His crossover exposure from Celebrity Apprentice might help him out here, along with the fact that the song was considered strong enough by voters to earn a nomination of its own.

But the real veteran to watch out for is George Strait. After being nominated only twice for this category in the first 25 years of his career, voters have now given him three consecutive nominations. This is one of four nods he’s earned for the 2009 ceremony, and “Troubadour” is essentially the story of his epic career distilled into a radio-length song. It would be the perfect way to honor the man and his music in one fell swoop.

However, there’s a newcomer that might be a Grammy favorite already.  We just haven’t found out yet. Not James Otto, of course, who is nominated for his charming romantic romp “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”, but rather, Jamey Johnson. The recent Nashville Scene critics’ poll further confirmed the depth of his support among tastemakers, and his nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Album indicate that he’s very much on the academy’s radar. It helps that he has the most substantial track of the five, and it’s the obvious choice for traditionalists, who have little reason to split their votes in this category. If voters aren’t considering legacy when making their selections, he has a great shot at this.

2008

• Dierks Bentley, “Long Trip Alone”
• Alan Jackson, “A Woman’s Love”
• Tim McGraw, “If You’re Reading This”
• George Strait, “Give it Away”
• Keith Urban, “Stupid Boy”

The often offbeat Grammy voters have been surprisingly mainstream in this category for the past three years, a trend best exemplified by this lineup, which was the first in more than a decade to feature only top ten radio hits. Tim McGraw and Keith Urban were the only two who had won this before, and it was Urban who emerged victorious. ”Stupid Boy” was a highlight of his fourth studio album, and this was the only major award that the impressive collection would win.

2007

• Dierks Bentley, “Every Mile a Memory”
• Vince Gill, “The Reason Why”
• George Strait, “The Seashores of Old Mexico”
• Josh Turner, “Would You Go With Me”
• Keith Urban, “Once in a Lifetime”

Vince Gill returned to win in this category for a ninth time with “The Reason Why.” Not only is he, by far, the most honored artist in this category, his wins here account for nine of the nineteen Grammys currently on his mantle.

2006

• George Jones, “Funny How Time Slips Away”
• Toby Keith, “As Good As I Once Was”
• Delbert McClinton, “Midnight Communion”
• Willie Nelson, “Good Ol’ Boys”
• Brad Paisley, “Alcohol”
• Keith Urban, “You’ll Think of Me”

Urban’s biggest and probably best hit launched his second album to triple platinum and established him as a crossover artist. He gave a killer performance of the song on the show. Toby Keith was a first-time nominee here, and while he publicly groused that the Grammys put too little emphasis on commercial success in picking their nominations, he lost to the only track that was a bigger hit than his own.

2005

• Johnny Cash, “Engine One-Forty-Three”
• Lyle Lovett, “In My Own Mind”
• Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”
• Willie Nelson, “You Are My Flower”
• Keith Urban, “You’ll Think of Me”

McGraw’s biggest hit won him his first Grammy in this category. His other wins have been for his collaborations with wife Faith Hill.  To the Grammy voters’ credit, they have been reluctant to shower Johnny Cash with posthumous Grammys, so his predicted win here for a mundane effort didn’t come to pass.

2004

• Ray Benson, “Annabelle”
• Vince Gill, “Next Big Thing”
• Lyle Lovett, “My Baby Don’t Tolerate”
• Tim McGraw, “She’s My Kind of Rain”
• Joe Nichols, “Brokenheartsville”
• Randy Travis, “Three Wooden Crosses”

My vote would’ve gone to Randy Travis, who was nominated with his finest single in years, but Gill remained the voter’s favorite. Travis did; however, win two Grammys in the gospel categories, this and the previous year.

2003

• Johnny Cash, “Give My Love to Rose”
• Pat Green, “Three Days”
• Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
• Joe Nichols, “The Impossible”
• Brad Paisley, “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song)”

I fully expected Jackson to win here, but his understated performance lost out to one of the only gems on Cash’s fourth American project. Voters wisely acknowledged Jackson in the Best Country Song category, making him one of the few artist-songwriters to sweep the industry songwriting awards with one composition.

2002

• Ryan Adams, “Lovesick Blues”
• Johnny Cash, “I Dreamed About Mama Last Night”
• Lyle Lovett, “San Antonio Girl”
• Tim McGraw, “Grown Men Don’t Cry”
• Willie Nelson, “Maria (Shut Up and Kiss Me)”
• Ralph Stanley, “O Death”

This was one of those times where you are just thankful the Grammys exist. Stanley’s “O Death” was the most powerful track on the storied O Brother soundtrack, but without a video, it was only known to those people who listened to the album all the way through. That NARAS had the good taste to both nominate it and vote it the winner, which was a welcome surprise.

2001

• Johnny Cash, “Solitary Man”
• Vince Gill, “Feels Like Love”
• Billy Gilman, “One Voice”
• Tim McGraw, “My Best Friend”
• Dwight Yoakam, “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere” (Acoustic)

Grammy voters listening to this category couldn’t get a more drastic difference in male voices than the withered-with-age Cash and the prepubescent Gilman. “Solitary Man” was one of the most inspired covers Cash ever did with Rick Rubin, and it deserved the gold.

2000

• Vince Gill, “Don’t Come Cryin’ to Me”
• George Jones, “Choices”
• Lyle Lovett, “That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)”
• Tim McGraw, “Please Remember Me”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”

Jones won his first Grammy in twenty years for his harrowing “Choices,” which became oddly prescient as it was released in the aftermath of his near-death experience in an alcohol-related car crash.

1999

• Clint Black, “Nothin’ But the Taillights”
• Garth Brooks, “To Make You Feel My Love”
• Vince Gill, “If You Ever Have Forever in Mind”
• Steve Wariner, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”

Gill won a record-setting fifth year in a row, a domination that no country category has seen before or since. After being nominated for three years in a row, Black hasn’t been cited since.

1998

• Clint Black, “Something That We Do”
• Johnny Cash, “Rusty Cage”
• Vince Gill, “Pretty Little Adriana”
• Willie Nelson, “Peach Pickin’ Time Down in Georgia”
• George Strait, “Carrying Your Love With Me”
  

NARAS was so sure that Strait would get his first Grammy that they invited him to perform on the show, and he agreed. Unfortunately, sickness required Vince Gill to fill in for him, and Gill won the award, allowing him to acknowledge the memory of the young girl who inspired the song.

1997

• Clint Black, “Like the Rain”
• Junior Brown, “My Wife Thinks You’re Dead”
• Vince Gill, “Worlds Apart”
• Lyle Lovett, “Private Conversation”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Nothing”

Amid a strong lineup, the Grammy again went to Vince Gill.   This time around, he won for a tender plea for harmony within families and among all races and creeds.   A very inspiring song that was written while eating grilled cheeseburgers with Bob DiPiero at Rotier’s in Nashville.

1996

• John Berry, “Standing on the Edge of Goodbye”
• Vince Gill, “Go Rest High on That Mountain”
• Alan Jackson, “Gone Country”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Can Love You Like That”
• Dwight Yoakam, “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere (Live)”

Strong entries from Jackson and Berry, plus a well-known song that was a hit for All 4 One after topping the charts for Montgomery, couldn’t stop Grammy powerhourse Gill from winning again. Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs provided the soaring harmonies.

1995

• David Ball, “Thinkin’ Problem”
• John Berry, “Your Love Amazes Me”
• Vince Gill, “When Love Finds You”
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Pocket of a Clown”

The Grammys were getting dull, with Gill winning his third in this category the same evening that Mary Chapin Carpenter picked up her fourth in the Female category.

1994

• Garth Brooks, “Ain’t Goin’ Down (’Til the Sun Comes Up)”
• Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
• George Jones, “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair”
• Aaron Neville, “The Grand Tour”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”

An astonished Yoakam accepted his Grammy on the live telecast, his only victory in this category in ten nominations. It’s also one of the few hits he had that was neither self-written nor a cover of another artist’s hit.

1993

• Garth Brooks, The Chase
• Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart”
• Vince Gill, I Still Believe in You
• Randy Travis, “Better Class of Losers”
• Travis Tritt, “Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man”

Gill was the last artist to win this category for a full-length album. The same set won Album of the Year at the CMA’s.

1992

• Garth Brooks, Ropin’ the Wind
• Billy Dean, “Somewhere in My Broken Heart”
• Vince Gill, Pocket Full of Gold
• Alan Jackson, Don’t Rock the Jukebox
• Travis Tritt, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”

Despite breaking records, Brooks was left out of the big categories at the 1992 Grammys. He did win for his only nomination that evening, over a field that shows just how excellent commercial country was in the early nineties.

1991

• Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
• Vince Gill, “When I Call Your Name”
• Doug Stone, “I’d Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)”
• Randy Travis, “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart”
• Dwight Yoakam, “Turn it On, Turn it Up, Turn Me Loose”

It would eventually become a yearly tradition, but when Vince Gill won his first Grammy, it was after more than a decade in the recording industry.

1990

• Clint Black, Killin’ Time
• Rodney Crowell, “After All This Time”
• Lyle Lovett, Lyle Lovett & His Large Band
• Randy Travis, “It’s Just a Matter of Time”
• Keith Whitley, “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”

Lovett is another frequent nominee in this category who has only actually won once.  The album includes his cheeky cover of the Tammy Wynette classic “Stand By Your Man.”

1989

• Rodney Crowell, Diamonds and Dirt
• Lyle Lovett, Pontiac
• Dan Seals, “Addicted”
• Randy Travis, Old 8×10
• Dwight Yoakam, Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room

Not one of Travis’ better albums, but who doesn’t enjoy “Deeper Than the Holler”?  Seals’s only nomination in this category is for a song written by popular folk star Cheryl Wheeler, who also penned the Suzy Bogguss hit “Aces.”

1988

• Steve Earle, Exit O
• George Strait, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”
• Randy Travis, Always & Forever
• Hank Williams, Jr., Born to Boogie
• Dwight Yoakam, Hillbilly Deluxe

Grammy partially redeems itself for overlooking Travis, Earle and Yoakam the previous year. Travis’ second album is almost good as his legendary debut.

1987

• Steve Earle, Guitar Town
• Ronnie Milsap, Lost in the Fifties Tonight
• Randy Travis, “Diggin’ Up Bones”
• Hank Williams, Jr., “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
• Dwight Yoakam, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.

Three of country’s most artistically significant newcomers lose to the album home of the previous year’s winning entry. The most charitable explanation I can come up with is they split the vote.

1986

• Lee Greenwood, “I Don’t Mind the Thorns (If You’re the Rose)”
• Mel McDaniel, “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On”
• Ronnie Milsap, “Lost in the Fifties Tonight”
• Willie Nelson, “Loving You Was Easy”
• Ricky Skaggs, “You Make Me Feel Like a Man”

Milsap, ever the Grammy favorite, hit the sweet spot of nostalgic voters with this swooning throwback to fifties pop that borrowed heavily from “In the Still of the Night.”

1985

• Lee Greenwood, “God Bless the U.S.A.”
• Merle Haggard, “That’s the Way Love Goes”
• Willie Nelson, “City of New Orleans”
• Ricky Skaggs, Country Boy
• Hank Williams, Jr., “All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight”

Haggard finally wins in this category, and with one of his very best ballads.   He would later cover the song with Jewel, back when she was first contemplating making the jump to country music.

1984

• Ray Charles, “Born to Love Me”
• Earl Thomas Conley, “Holding Her and Loving You”
• Vern Gosdin, “If You’re Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do it Right)”
• Lee Greenwood, “I.O.U.”
• Ronnie Milsap, “Stranger in My House”
• Kenny Rogers, “All My Life”

Lee Greenwood’s triumph here with “I’m Just a Gigolo” “I.O.U.” came just months after being named Male Vocalist at the CMA awards.   Surprisingly, he was not a winner of the Grammy for Best Album Package.

1983

• Ronnie Milsap, “He Got You”
• Willie Nelson, “Always On My Mind”
• Jerry Reed, “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)”
• Kenny Rogers, “Love Will Turn You Around”
• Ricky Skaggs, “Heartbroke”

Willie Nelson’s career has been one with many zeniths.   Commercially speaking, “Always on My Mind” was the highest one.   It’s no surprise that it earned him a Grammy.

1982

• John Anderson, “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal”
• George Jones, “Still Doin’ Time”
• Ronnie Milsap, “(There’s No) Gettin’ Over Me”
• Willie Nelson, Somewhere Over the Rainbow
• Eddie Rabbitt, “Step by Step”

Milsap again. It was a shame, since they could’ve gone for Jones again or for newcomer John Anderson.

1981

• George Burns, “I Wish I Was Eighteen Again”
• George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
• Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ For Love”
• Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again”
• Eddie Rabbitt, “Drivin’ My Life Away”

Well, obviously. It’s not only Jones’s biggest hit ever, it’s arguably the greatest country single of all time.

1980

• Willie Nelson, “Whiskey River”
• Charley Pride, Burgers & Fries
• Eddie Rabbitt, “Every Which Way But Loose”
• Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler”
• Hank Williams, Jr., Family Tradition

Rogers has won for both of his signature songs in this category. This is the one that led to several  made-for-television movies.

1979

• Waylon Jennings, I’ve Always Been Crazy
• Ronnie Milsap, “Let’s Take the Long Way Around the World”
• Willie Nelson, “Georgia On My Mind”
• Elvis Presley, “Softly As I Leave You”
• Johnny Pacycheck, “Take This Job and Shove It”
• Kenny Rogers, Love or Something Like It
  

Nelson’s biggest-selling album Stardust gets its due as the Grammy goes to one of the album’s highlights.

1978

• Larry Gatlin, “I Don’t Wanna Cry”
• Waylon Jennings, “Luckenbach, Texas”
• Ronnie Milsap, “It Was Almost Like a Song”
• Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
• Jerry Jeff Walker, “Mr. Bojangles”

This is the signature Rogers hit that hasn’t led to made-for-television movies, but it does boast a singalong chorus.   Who knows how many people have told off Lucille in the past thirty years?

1977

• Mac Davis, Forever Lovers
• Larry Gatlin, “Broken Lady”
• Waylon Jennings, Are You Ready For the Country
• Ronnie Milsap, “(I’m a) Stand By My Woman Man”
• Willie Nelson, “I’d Have to Be Crazy”

Less than a decade after Tammy Wynette won a Grammy for “Stand By Your Man”, Milsap’s male spin on the theme earned him a trophy.

1976

• Glen Campbell, “Country Boy (You’ve Got Your Feet in L.A.)”
• John Denver, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”
• Freddy Fender, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
• Waylon Jennings, “Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way”
• Willie Nelson, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”
  

Even classics by Fender and Jennings can’t touch the Nelson masterpiece.

1975

• Glen Campbell, “Bonaparte’s Retreat”
• Roy Clark, The Entertainer
• Waylon Jennings, “I’m a Ramblin’ Man”
• Ronnie Milsap, “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends”
• Charley Pride, Country Feelin’

Covering Kristofferson is a good way to get a Grammy. Just ask Ray Price and Sammi Smith.

1974

• Tom T. Hall, “Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine”
• Kris Kristofferson, “Why Me”
• Charley Pride, “Amazing Love”
• Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
• Johnny Russell, “Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer”

Of course, Kristofferson recording his own work didn’t lead to a Grammy. In another year, it might have, but Rich is the stuff of legend here.

1973

• Merle Haggard, “It’s Not Love (But it’s Not Bad)
• Waylon Jennings, “Good Hearted Woman”
• Jerry Lee Lewis, “Chantilly Lace”
• Charley Pride, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs
• Charlie Rich, “I Take it On Home”

The album home of “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” gets the Grammy that the single lost the previous year.

1972

• Freddie Hart, “Easy Loving”
• Johnny Paycheck, “She’s All I Got”
• Ray Price, “I Won’t Mention it Again”
• Charley Pride, “Kiss an Angel Good Morning”
• Jerry Reed, “When You’re Hot (You’re Hot)”
  

Reed won against a collection of classic recordings.   This was one of those years where a victory by any of the nominees would be justified.

1971

• Johnny Cash, “Sunday Morning Coming Down”
• Merle Haggard, Okie From Muskogee
• Charley Pride, Charley Pride’s 10th Album
• Ray Price, “For the Good Times”
• Jerry Reed, “Amos Moses”

The other way to lose a Grammy with a Kristofferson song? Be nominated against another Kristofferson song! In another rock-solid set of nominees, Price’s classic rendition of “For the Good Times” takes the gold, even though Cash had won the previous two years.

1970

• Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue”
• Clay Hart, “Spring”
• Bobby Lewis, “From Heaven to Heartache”
• Charley Pride, “All I Have to Offer You is Me”
• Jerry Reed, “Are You From Dixie”
  

Cash became the second artist to win this two years in a row.   That both of his victories were recorded live in prison is pretty remarkable in itself.

1969

• Glen Campbell, “I Wanna Live”
• Henson Cargill, “Skip a Rope”
• Johnny Cash, “Folsom Prison Blues (Live)”
• Roger Miller, “Little Green Apples”
• Porter Wagoner, “The Carroll County Accident”

It was already one of his best songs, but after hearing it performed live for the inmates of Folsom Prison, the original recording sounds almost quaint.

1968

• Jim Ed Brown, “Pop a Top”
• Glen Campbell, “Gentle On My Mind”
• Jack Greene, “All the Time”
• Charley Pride, “Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger”
• Porter Wagoner, “Cold Hard Facts of Life”
  

Glen Campbell’s crossover success would help him win several Grammy awards in 1968 and 1969.  Wagoner’s cited here for his best single.

1967

• Ben Colder, “Almost Persuaded No. 2″
• Jack Greene, “There Goes My Everything”
• David Houston, “Almost Persuaded”
• Charley Pride, “Just Between You and Me”
• Jim Reeves, “Distant Drums”

David Houston emerged victorious with a classic anthem for those who almost cheat.   Perhaps Colder came in second.

1966

• Eddy Arnold, “Make the World Go Away”
• Bobby Bare, “Talk Me Some Sense”
• Carl Belew, “Crystal Chandelier”
• Roger Miller, “King of the Road”
• Jim Reeves, “Is it Really Over?”

Can’t you hear those sweeping strings and Arnold’s soaring vocals as soon as you read the words “Make the World Go Away”?   Anyway,  not only did “King of the Road” win several Grammys in 1966, the parody “Queen of the House” even won the female trophy.

1965

• Bobby Bare, “Four Strong Winds”
• Johnny Cash, “I Walk the Line”
• George Hamilton IV, Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston
• Sonny James, You’re the Only World I Know
• Hank Locklin, Hank Locklin Sings Hank Williams
• Roger Miller, “Dang Me”
• Buck Owens, My Heart Skips a Beat

Miller won the first trophy in this category, one of eleven victories in just two years.

2010

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

Bentley and Shelton have never won, but they’re up against Strait, who has won five times, and Paisley and Urban, who’ve won three times each.  With the balance of commercial and critical success not significantly different across the category, this race could bring the night’s biggest surprise. But whatever happens, kudos to Paisley for earning his tenth nomination, and Strait for earning his twenty-fifth!

2009

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Just like in the Entertainer category, 80% of this race for the past three years had been Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, and Keith Urban. This year, Darius Rucker took the fifth slot that was occupied by Alan Jackson in 2008 and Josh Turner in 2007.  Brad Paisley went on to win his third Male Vocalist prize.

2008

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

After so many years on the sidelines, Paisley began to dominate the category, scoring his second consecutive Male Vocalist award. Meanwhile, Kenny Chesney tied Willie Nelson for most nominations without a win, though his seventh loss was accompanied by his fourth win for Entertainer.

2007

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Josh Turner
• Keith Urban

This was the year that Brad Paisley finally won, with his seventh nomination in eight years. The stars aligned for him, with a very successful tour, a new album that is selling strongly, and a continued hot streakat radio that was nearly unmatched. He still hasn’t had a single miss the top ten since “Me Neither” in 2000, a claim that even radio favorites like George Strait, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts can’t call their own.

2006

• Dierks Bentley
• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Brad Paisley
• Keith Urban

Urban became the first artist to win Male Vocalist three years in a row since George Strait did it in 1996-1998, right after Vince Gill’s 1991-1995 run. His acceptance letter, read by Ronnie Dunn, was the emotional highlight of the evening’s show.

2005

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
  
• Keith Urban
  

No surprises here, as another multi-platinum year full of radio hits and a high-profile appearance at Live 8 kept Urban fresh on voter’s minds. The big shock was him walking away with Entertainer of the Year later that night.

2004

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• George Strait
• Keith Urban
  

Urban hadn’t even been nominated for any CMA Awards in 2002 and 2003, after winning Horizon in 2001, but he came back with a bang, taking home Male Vocalist of the Year over the four other superstars in the category. He joined Chesney as the only other man in the running who had never won before; Chesney got the wonderful consolation prizes of Entertainer and Album of the Year the same night.

2003

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• Tim McGraw
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait

Things were getting tight in this category in 2003, with so many worthy contenders that ties resulted in six nominees, instead of the usual five. Still, voters chose to stick with last year’s winner, Alan Jackson, a sure indicator of his enduring popularity among CMA voters.

2002

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait

The other four men were merely placeholders, there to create a list around the obvious winner, Alan Jackson. As he swept the awards on the strength of his post-9/11 “Where Were You” and autobiographical “Drive”, the only real shock was that he was winning Male Vocalist for the first time, a result of the ridiculously slow turnover in this category during the 1990′s.

2001

• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• Tim McGraw
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait

Toby Keith has been a vocal critic of the CMA because he feels they’ve overlooked him, but he’s been up against some tough competition, with his popularity peaking at the same time that Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban were making a huge impact on the charts and at the CMA’s. Thankfully, he’s at least won in this category, so he won’t go down in history with Willie Nelson and Conway Twitty as one of the best male singers to never win it.

2000

• Vince Gill
  
• Alan Jackson
• Tim McGraw
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait

On the same evening that his wife was crowned Female Vocalist, McGraw walked away with his second consecutive Male Vocalist award.

1999

• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Tim McGraw
• George Strait
• Steve Wariner

Early on in his career, when McGraw was selling tons of records but being excluded from this category, he humbly said that he didn’t think he was a good enough singer to be nominated. His talents grew over the years, and he finally won in 1999.

1998

• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Tim McGraw
• Collin Raye
• George Strait
  

Strait matched Vince Gill’s record of five wins in this category, defeating Gill and three other nominees who had yet to win in the category.

1997

• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Collin Raye
• George Strait
• Bryan White

With no turnover in the category from the previous year, Strait won for the fourth time, again defeating his fellow mega-winner Gill, and three other stars who had never won before.

1996

• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Collin Raye
• George Strait
  
• Bryan White

Jackson was already long overdue, and Collin Raye and Bryan White broke into the category for the first time. Nobody expected Gill to win for the sixth year in a row, but many were surprised to see former two-time winner George Strait collect a Male Vocalist award for the first time in ten years.

1995

• John Berry
• Vince Gill
  
• Alan Jackson
• John Michael Montgomery
• George Strait

Even Gill was expecting to lose, so when his name was called out for the fifth year in a row, he was gamely applauding backstage for the winner, before suddenly realizing it was him and rushing out to the stage.

1994

• John Anderson
• Vince Gill
  
• Alan Jackson
• George Strait
• Dwight Yoakam

Vince won for the fourth year in a row, even though fellow nominees John Anderson, Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam were seen as likely spoilers.

1993

• John Anderson
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• George Strait

Vince not only won his third Male Vocalist award this year, he also took home four other awards: Entertainer, Album, Song and Vocal Event.

1992

• Garth Brooks
• Joe Diffie
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Travis Tritt

A bunch of hot young stars dominated the ballot this year, with Gill emerging triumphant for the second time. Though they would continue to score hits for many years, Joe Diffie and Travis Tritt received their only nominations to date in this category.

1991

• Clint Black
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• George Strait

After Garth swept the ACM’s earlier that year, he was expected to do the same at the CMA’s, and he came close, winning Entertainer, Single and Album. But industry favorite Vince Gill took home Male Vocalist, an award that Garth Brooks would never receive, though he would win Entertainer a record four times.

1990

• Clint Black
  
• Garth Brooks
• Rodney Crowell
• Ricky Van Shelton
• George Strait

For the second year in a row, the previous year’s Horizon winner took home Male Vocalist. Clint Black won easily over very distinguished competition.

1989

• Rodney Crowell
• Ricky Van Shelton
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
• Keith Whitley

After winning Horizon in 1988, platinum-selling Ricky Van Shelton graduated into a Male Vocalist winner only one year later. Keith Whitley received a posthumous nomination; he won Single of the Year that same evening.

1988

• Vern Gosdin
• Ricky Van Shelton
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
• Hank Williams, Jr.

It’s hard not to wince at the knowledge that the peerless Vern Gosdin only received one nomination in this category, but there was no stopping Travis from collecting his second win.

1987

• George Jones
• Ricky Skaggs
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
  
• Hank Williams, Jr.

In a lineup that was a traditionalist’s dream, new star Randy Travis took home the trophy.  At the time, he was breaking sales records, enjoying a quadruple-platinum studio album in Always & Forever.

1986

• George Jones
• Gary Morris
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
  
• Hank Williams, Jr.

Strait won his second consecutive Male Vocalist award on the strength of another huge year at radio and retail.

1985

• Lee Greenwood
• Gary Morris
• Ricky Skaggs
• George Strait
• Hank Williams, Jr.

George Strait won the first of a record-matching five Male Vocalist awards, also taking home Album of the Year that same evening.

1984

• Lee Greenwood
• Merle Haggard
• Gary Morris
• Ricky Skaggs
• George Strait

Greenwood’s Vegas vocals won him the award for the second time.

1983

• John Anderson
• Lee Greenwood
• Merle Haggard
• Willie Nelson
• Ricky Skaggs

Greenwood looks pretty shabby against these other four nominees, taking home Male Vocalist in the same year Janie Fricke won for Female Vocalist. Is there a year in the history of the CMA’s where the winners of those two categories were collectively less impressive?

1982

• Merle Haggard
• George Jones
• Ronnie Milsap
• Willie Nelson
• Ricky Skaggs

Pulling off the astonishing feat of winning both Male Vocalist and Horizon award, Emmylou Harris’ former bandmate was hugely rewarded for bringing bluegrass to the masses.

1981

• George Jones
  
• Ronnie Milsap
• Willie Nelson
• Kenny Rogers
• Don Williams

It’s taken for granted that Jones is the greatest living male vocalist in country music; few would dare to argue otherwise. No surprise, then, that he won for the second year in a row.

1980

• John Conlee
• George Jones
  
• Willie Nelson
• Kenny Rogers
• Don Williams

Nominated for the first time in his career, George Jones walked away with Male Vocalist of the Year, along with Single of the Year for “He Stopped Loving Her Today”.

1979

• John Conlee
• Larry Gatlin
  
• Willie Nelson
• Kenny Rogers
• Don Williams

It’s hard to believe that the legendary showman never won Entertainer of the Year, but he did take home a much-deserved Male Vocalist award, at least.  Unfortunately, fellow nominee John Conlee would never be recognized at all, losing his first of two shots at this award.

1978

• Larry Gatlin
• Ronnie Milsap
• Willie Nelson
• Kenny Rogers
• Don Williams

One of the most underrated artists in country music history got a well-deserved pat on the back, winning over four larger personalities in 1978.

1977

• Larry Gatlin
• Waylon Jennings
• Ronnie Milsap
• Kenny Rogers
• Don Williams

Milsap set a record when he won for the third time in this category, which would stand until 1994, when Vince Gill won his fourth trophy.

1976

• Waylon Jennings
• Ronnie Milsap
• Willie Nelson
• Conway Twitty
• Don Williams

After losing to Jennings the previous year, Milsap returned to collect his second Male Vocalist trophy in 1976. Conway Twitty lost again in his final appearance in the category.

1975

• John Denver
• Freddy Fender
• Waylon Jennings
  
• Ronnie Milsap
• Conway Twitty

There was no love lost between Waylon Jennings and the CMA – he loathed the organization so much, he didn’t even show up at his Hall of Fame induction. This was the first of several CMA wins for Jennings, though the only one in this category that he would receive.

1974

• Merle Haggard
• Waylon Jennings
• Ronnie Milsap
  
• Charlie Rich
• Cal Smith

Blind singer-songwriter and pianist Ronnie Milsap won for the first time; with Olivia Newton-John winning Female Vocalist the same night, pop was the flavor of the evening.

1973

• Merle Haggard
• Tom T. Hall
• Charlie Rich
  
• Johnny Rodriguez
• Conway Twitty

The Silver Fox won on the strength of a great year at radio. He’s still considered one of the era’s finest and most under-appreciated vocalists.

1972

• Merle Haggard
• Freddie Hart
• Johnny Paycheck
• Charley Pride
• Jerry Wallace
  

Charley Pride became the first artist to repeat in the category, winning for the second year in a row.

1971

• Merle Haggard
• Ray Price
• Charley Pride
• Jerry Reed
• Conway Twitty

The CMA had a wealth of great male vocalists to choose from in the early years of the awards, and they finally got around to acknowledging Pride, who had been nominated four times already.

1970

• Johnny Cash
• Merle Haggard
  
• Charley Pride
• Marty Robbins
• Conway Twitty

Merle Haggard dominated the show in 1970, winning Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single and Album of the Year.

1969

• Glen Campbell
• Johnny Cash
  
• Merle Haggard
• Sonny James
• Charley Pride

Cash was a huge winner in 1969, taking home five awards: Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single, Album and Vocal Group (with wife June Carter Cash). He wouldn’t win again until after his death in 2003, when he took home another three awards.

1968

• Eddy Arnold
• Glen Campbell
• Johnny Cash
  
• Merle Haggard
• Charley Pride

Crossover star Glen Campbell won in a year that is so impressive, all five nominees are now in the Hall of Fame. He also took home Male Vocalist the same evening.

1967

• Eddy Arnold
• Jack Greene
  
• Merle Haggard
• Sonny James
• Buck Owens

Few casual country fans would recognize him today, but Jack Greene will forever go down in history as the first Male Vocalist winner at the CMA’s. He won on the strength of his signature hit “There Goes My Everything”, which also won Single of the Year and was the title track of his Album of the Year winner that same night.

Facts & Feats

Multiple Wins:

• (5) – Vince Gill, George Strait
• (3) – Ronnie Milsap, Keith Urban
• (2) – Lee Greenwood, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Randy Travis

Most Consecutive Wins:

• (5) – Vince Gill (1991-1995)
• (3) – George Strait (1996-1998), Keith Urban (2004-2006)

Most Nominations:

• (25) – George Strait
• (16) – Alan Jackson
• (11) – Merle Haggard
• (10) – Vince Gill
• (10) – Brad Paisley
• (8) – Kenny Chesney
• (7) – Ronnie Milsap, Willie Nelson, Keith Urban
• (6) – Don Williams
• (5) – Garth Brooks, George Jones, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, Conway Twitty

Most Nominations Without a Win:

• (8) – Kenny Chesney
• (7) – Willie Nelson
• (5) – Garth Brooks, Conway Twitty
• (4) – Hank Williams, Jr.
• (3) – John Anderson, Larry Gatlin, Gary Morris, Collin Raye
• (2) – Eddy Arnold, Dierks Bentley, John Conlee, Rodney Crowell, Sonny James, Bryan White

Winners in First Year of Nomination:
Clint Black (1990), Glen Campbell (1968), Vince Gill (1991), Lee Greenwood (1983), George Jones (1980), Toby Keith (2001), Ronnie Milsap (1974), Charlie Rich (1973), Ricky Skaggs (1982), Randy Travis (1987), Keith Urban (2004)

CMA Male Vocalists of the Year Who Have Never Won the ACM Award:
Johnny Cash, Jack Greene, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Ricky Van Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, Don Williams

ACM Male Vocalists of the Year Who Have Never Won the CMA Award:
Garth Brooks (1990 & 1991), Kenny Chesney (2003), Larry Gatlin (1980), Mickey Gilley (1977), Freddie Hart (1972)

CMA Male Vocalists Who Have Also Won the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male:
Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Lee Greenwood, George Jones, Tim McGraw, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Charlie Rich, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Keith Urban

Winners of the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male Who Have Never Won the CMA Male Vocalist Award:
Garth Brooks, David Houston, Lyle Lovett, Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Jerry Reed, Ralph Stanley, Dwight Yoakam