Strait, Paisley top CMA bids
George Strait, who had his 55th No. 1 single this year and was recently inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, will return to this year’s Country Music Association Awards with top nominations, including entertainer and male vocalist of the year.
Strait and Brad Paisley led with five nominations each when the announcement was made Thursday.
Strait also was nominated for musical event of the year, for a performance with Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson; album of the year for “It Just Comes Natural”; and single of the year for “Wrapped,” his 55th career No. 1 single.
In addition to entertainer of the year and male vocalist, Paisley received nominations for his album “5th Gear,” best single for “Ticks” and best music video with “Online.”
Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban rounded out the entertainer of the year category. The last female performers to be nominated in the category were the Dixie Chicks in 2001.
The Chicks, who have had a troubled relationship with the country music industry since Natalie Maines’ derogatory comments about President Bush in 2003, on Thursday received their first nomination since then, for best vocal group.
Chesney has four nominations, including male vocalist, music video for “You Save Me” and musical event of the year with Tracy Lawrence and Tim McGraw.
“I’ve known Tracy and Tim practically since I got to Nashville,” Chesney said in a statement. “Those old boys struggled with me, took off before me and never forgot who their friends were.”
Josh Turner joined Chesney, Paisley, Strait and Urban as nominees for male vocalist of the year.
Alison Krauss was nominated for female vocalist of the year, along with Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood.
The CMA Awards will be presented Nov. 7 in Nashville. The show will air on ABC.
Top nominations were announced in New York on ABC’s “Good Morning America” by singer Sara Evans, and Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland.
The rest were announced at Nashville’s Sommet Center by duo Montgomery Gentry and 17-year-old Taylor Swift, who was nominated for the Horizon Award for new artists.
“They kind of tortured me a little bit at the end by not saying my name right away,” Swift said of Montgomery Gentry’s nail-biting introduction. “I kind of freaked out. I was excited. I started shaking.”
Her debut self-titled album has hit six straight weeks atop Billboard’s country music albums list.
“The award nomination is a really, really nice icing on that cake,” Swift said.
Montgomery Gentry, who were nominated for vocal duo, lauded Strait’s career and said he was one of the hardest-working entertainers in country music.
“He’s the Energizer Bunny of country radio; he keeps going and going,” said Eddie Montgomery.