Garden party

Nashville’s stars are heading for the Big Apple on Tuesday for this year’s Country Music Association awards.

“It’s kind of the one place in the U.S. where no one seems to know us,” Brad Paisley says.

In the rest of the world, he’s a star. This year, he tied Lee Ann Womack with six CMA nominations. His witty “Alcohol” is tabbed in the best single, song and video categories.

But in New York he’s still just an anonymous tourist.

“They usually put us in a small theater there,” Paisley says. “We can go to Los Angeles and be in a huge venue, but not there.”

Country music used to be ignored in many corners of the country. In 1988, it amounted to 7 or 8 percent of record sales, says Ed Benson, CMA’s executive director.

The next year brought a fresh wave of stars, led by Garth Brooks, and that number soared to 17 percent. It has since retreated to 11 or 12 percent, but the genre has added fresh star power lately.

“I’m extremely excited about the ‘Muzik Mafia’ movement,” Benson says.

That’s the rowdy crowd of artists that has scored quickly. Two of its stars, Gretchen Wilson and John Rich, co-wrote “Redneck Woman,” up for song of the year.

Wilson also has nominations for video (“When I Think About Cheatin’ “) and female singer. Rich’s group (Big & Rich) is up for best vocal duo and the Horizon Award.

They will perform live at Tuesday’s show in Madison Square Garden, hosted by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, along with many other stars.

“We put more music on in those three hours than almost anyone else,” Benson says. “There are 20 or 21 performances.”

Brooks – who has been in retirement while raising his daughters – will be back to sing “Good Ride Cowboy,” his tribute to the late Chris LeDoux.

Also performing along with most other award nominees will be Faith Hill, with no nominations (“people just don’t like me,” she jokes), pop’s Paul Simon and rock’s Bon Jovi.

Mostly, though, this is a night for mainstream country.

“It’s going to be a blast,” says Paisley, 33.

He is a West Virginian, awed by New York: “I’m from a town of 1,200, so it always impresses me.”

He’s had a crash course since marrying actress Kimberly Williams (TV’s “According to Jim”), who grew up in the New York suburbs of Westchester County. They live on a ranch near Nashville and at Pacific Palisades near Los Angeles, but they often visit her home turf.

“We go into the city all the time,” Paisley says. “It’s really something, especially with all the window displays in the Christmas season. It really feels like all the movies you’ve ever seen.”

It also brings him something rare – anonymity.

“I can walk down the street and never get recognized,” Paisley says. “If I do, it’s someone who just rode in.”

Paisley started fast in 2000. He won the Horizon Award and was nominated for five more trophies.

In six years, he has 27 nominations and (going into this year’s ceremony), five wins. He’s also shown immense range.

Last year’s wins (video and vocal event) were for “Whiskey Lullaby,” about alcoholism and despair. Paisley didn’t write it, but he came up with the notion of a duet with Alison Krauss.

This year, he has the opposite, whimsical “Alcohol,” which he wrote.

“It was a chance to write from a new perspective,” he says.

If New Yorkers listen to his songs, they might like them.

“I’ve been there,” Paisley says. “They drink alcohol, too.”