45th Annual CMA Award Winners

Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Taylor Swift Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year Sara Evans Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Carrie Underwood Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist of the Year Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Keith Urban

New Artist of the Year The Band Perry Luke Bryan Eric Church Thompson Square Chris Young

Music Video of the Year “Honey Bee” Blake Shelton, Directed by Trey Fanjoy “If I Die Young” The Band Perry, Directed by David McClister “Mean” Taylor Swift, Directed by Declan Whitebloom “Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, Directed by Jim Shea “You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, Directed by Shaun Silva

Musical Event of the Year “As She’s Walking Away” Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson, Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records “Coal Miner’s Daughter” Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert, Columbia Records Nashville “Don’t You Wanna Stay” Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, Broken Bow Records “Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, Arista Nashville “You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, BNA Records

Vocal Group of the Year The Band Perry Lady Antebellum Little Big Town Rascal Flatts Zac Brown Band

Album of the Year (Award to Artist and Producer(s)) All About Tonight, Blake Shelton, Produced by Scott Hendricks, Warner Bros. Nashville My Kinda Party, Jason Aldean, Produced by Michael Knox, Broken Bow Records Speak Now, Taylor Swift, Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records This Is Country Music, Brad Paisley, Produced by Frank Rogers, Arista Nashville You Get What You Give, Zac Brown Band, Produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown, Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records

Vocal Duo of the Year Civil Wars Montgomery Gentry Steel Magnolia Sugarland Thompson Square

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

Single of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s)) “A Little Bit Stronger” Sara Evans, Produced by Tony Brown, RCA Nashville “Colder Weather” Zac Brown Band, Produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown, Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records “Don’t You Wanna Stay” Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, Produced by Michael Knox, Broken Bow Records “Honey Bee” Blake Shelton, Produced by Scott Hendricks, Warner Bros. Nashville “If I Die Young” The Band Perry, Produced by Paul Worley, Republic Nashville

Musician of the Year Sam Bush – Mandolin Jerry Douglas – Dobro Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar Dann Huff – Guitar Mac McAnally – Guitar

CMA First Round Nominations Announced

Congratulations to those nominated!  I see a lot of folks on there that I've had the opportunity to perform with or meet over the past couple years.  Hopefully... well, "hopefully."  We'll just leave it at that for now.  Here they are:

Topping the list of final nominees with five nominations each for “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” including Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift. Right on their heels are The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band, who each received four nominations as a group while individual members Kimberly Perry (of The Band Perry), Coy Bowles and Zac Brown (of Zac Brown Band) each earned a solo nod as a songwriter.

Aldean received first-time nominations in five categories in 2011 including Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for My Kinda Party, produced by Michael Knox; and Single and Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson, also produced by Knox. Aldean has two prior nominations including the Horizon Award in 2007 and in 2008 when the category changed names to CMA New Artist of the Year.

The 45th Annual CMA Awards Live on ABC November 9, 2011 8|7c

Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Taylor Swift Keith Urban

Male Vocalist of the Year Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year Sara Evans Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Carrie Underwood Taylor Swift

New Artist of the Year The Band Perry Luke Bryan Eric Church Thompson Square Chris Young

Vocal Group of the Year The Band Perry Lady Antebellum Little Big Town Rascal Flatts Zac Brown Band

Album of the Year 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

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

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

Musical Event of the Year “As She’s Walking Away” Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records

“Coal Miner’s Daughter” Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert Columbia Records Nashville

“Don’t You Wanna Stay” Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson Broken Bow Records

“Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama Arista Nashville

“You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter BNA Records

Vocal Duo of the Year Civil Wars Montgomery Gentry Steel Magnolia Sugarland Thompson Square

Music Video of the Year “Honey Bee” Blake Shelton Directed by Trey Fanjoy

“If I Die Young” The Band Perry Directed by David McClister

“Mean” Taylor Swift Directed by Declan Whitebloom

“Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama Directed by Jim Shea

“You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter Directed by Shaun Silva

Musician of the Year Sam Bush Jerry Douglas Paul Franklin Dann Huff Mac McAnally

Congratulations to the 2011 CMT Award Nominees

The final nominees in each of the 2011 CMT MUSIC AWARDS categories include: VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration) and the video director. Final nominees announced during live telecast, with final voting held online at CMT.com during the show.

• Jason Aldean– “My Kinda Party”
• Kenny Chesney– “The Boys Of Fall”
• Lady Antebellum– “Hello World”
• Miranda Lambert– “The House That Built Me”
• Rascal Flatts– “Why Wait”
• Sugarland– “Stuck Like Glue”
• Taylor Swift– “Mine”
• The Band Perry– “If I Die Young”
• Carrie Underwood– “Undo It”
• Zac Brown Band– “Colder Weather”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

• Jason Aldean– “My Kinda Party”
• Kenny Chesney– “The Boys Of Fall”
• Toby Keith– “Bullets In The Gun”
• Blake Shelton– “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking”
• Keith Urban– “Without You”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

• Sara Evans– “A Little Bit Stronger”
• Miranda Lambert– “The House That Built Me”
• Reba – “Turn On The Radio”
• Taylor Swift– “Mine”
• Carrie Underwood– “Undo It”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

• Lady Antebellum– “Hello World”
• Little Big Town– “Little White Church”
• Rascal Flatts– “Why Wait”
• The Band Perry– “If I Die Young”
• Zac Brown Band– “Colder Weather”

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

• Steel Magnolia– “Last Night Again”
• Sugarland– “Stuck Like Glue”
• The Civil Wars– “Barton Hollow”
• The JaneDear Girls– “Wildflower”
• Thompson Square– “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”

USAWEEKEND BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female, or group/duo)

• Lee Brice– “Love Like Crazy”
• Aaron Lewis – “Country Boy”
• Jerrod Niemann– “Lover, Lover”
• The Band Perry– “If I Die Young”
• Thompson Square– “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR Best video that featured a special collaborative appearance by artists; awarded to the artists (individual, group or duo)

• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson– “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
• Justin Bieberfeat. Rascal Flatts – “That Should Be Me”
• Kid Rock feat. Sheryl Crow– “Collide”
• Aaron Lewis feat. George Jones and Charlie Daniels– “Country Boy”
• Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow– “Coal Miner’s Daughter”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

• Martina McBride and Train– “A Broken Wing” from CMT CROSSROADS: TRAIN AND MARTINA MCBRIDE
• Reba– “If I Were A Boy” from UNPLUGGED: REBA
• Darius Rucker and Adele– “Need You Now” from 2010 CMT ARTISTS OF THE YEAR
• Keith Urban and John Mayer– “Sweet Thing” from CMT CROSSROADS: JOHN MAYER AND KEITH URBAN
• Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett– “Margaritaville” from CMT CROSSROADS: JIMMY BUFFETT AND ZAC BROWN BAND

BEST WEB VIDEO OF THE YEAR (New for 2011) Best video created primarily for internet streaming; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

• Jason Aldean–“My Kinda Party” (Live From The CMT Webcast)
• Luke Bryan–“It’s A Shore Thing”
• Lady Antebellum–“Stars Tonight”
• Blake Shelton–“Kiss My Country Ass”
• Taylor Swift–“Mine” (Live from the Speak Now Album Release Party)

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR Best video director of the year; awarded to the director for his or her body of work from the past year

• Deaton Flanigen (award eligible videos include: Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow’s “Collide” and the JaneDear Girl’s “Wildflower”)
• Trey Fanjoy (award eligible videos include: Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” and Blake Shelton’s “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking”)
• Chris Hicky (award eligible videos include: Carrie Underwood’s “Undo It” and Keith Urban’s “Without You”)
• David McClister (award eligible videos include: The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” and LeAnn Rimes’ “Swingin’”)
• Roman White (award eligible videos include: Lady Antebellum’s “Hello World” and Kellie Pickler’s “Makin’ Me Fall In Love Again”)