CMA Awards preview

Our Dennis McCafferty, resident country music expert for USA WEEKEND, is headed to Nashville for this year’s Country Music Association Awards. He was our man on the ground last year, with tons of inside scoop and great interviews. I’ll let him tell you what to look forward to this year, and be sure to click on read more below to get his picks for who the big winners will be. And keep checking back daily for his reports from the country music capital.

“I’m heading to the CMA Awards for the third year in a row, and you can bet that I’ll be looking to give some juicy blog feeds from the moment my plane touches down in Nashville. Is it possible not to have a great time in this town this week? It’s like Super Bowl week. Everyone is here — country stars, rock stars, ABC primetime and even soap stars. Two years ago, I was getting ribs in line with two stars from General Hospital at a downtown cafeteria-style restaurant. The fun starts with a Tuesday afternoon concert from 4 to 7 pm including Rodney Atkins and Kevin Costner, who — as we told you last week —is doing country these days. Then, Wednesday morning is the traditional open-air concert for Good Morning America — this year it’s Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus (at left). Then the red carpet fun begins around 4:30 pm.

The carpet should be star-studded this year. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, costars in the upcoming film Australia, are presenting. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are hosting. Kenny Chesney is performing with the Wailers, and so are the Eagles, Kid Rock, Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and a bunch of others. Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus are presenting in addition to their GMA concert duties, along with Reese Witherspoon and other huge stars. The CMA folks also promise a couple of good ‘surprises.’ Can’t wait to know!"

As for the nominees, here’s my take on things:

Entertainer of the Year

    * Kenny Chesney
    * Brad Paisley
    * George Strait
    * Sugarland
    * Keith Urban

Hey, I love Kenny’s new album. It’s a bit quieter than his usual stuff.
But it’s time for someone else to get this award, and I say Brad Paisley. He’s
one of the best guitarists in any genre, and his last two albums have
been packed with great songwriting, hits and great production.

Female Vocalist of the Year

 
  * Alison Krauss
    * Miranda Lambert
    * Martina McBride
    * Taylor Swift
    * Carrie Underwood

Taylor Swift, our cover girl for the CMT Awards this past year, should get
it. She’s on a huge roll and her latest album is getting raves. Just
doesn’t look like the It Girl of the moment can be stopped. Nor SHOULD
she be stopped.

Male Vocalist of the Year

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

There’s been whispering that Strait’s latest is a goodbye, as he’s
spoken of retirement. But I don’t believe it for a second. Strait’s
music is fresher than ever. His production work is aging better with
time. Still, the retirement talk may be enough to earn him another one
of these.

New Artist of the Year

    * Jason Aldean
    * Rodney Atkins
    * Lady Antebellum
    * James Otto
    * Kellie Pickler

Lady Antebellum has been building up great buzz in the last year.
Kellie Pickler will be tough to beat though. I’ll go with Kellie here,
given her crossover star appeal.

Vocal Group of the Year

    * Eagles
    * Emerson Drive
    * Lady Antebellum
    * Little Big Town
    * Rascal Flatts

Our cover boys, Flatts, have been dominating this category and there’s no reason that they won’t get this one again.

Vocal Duo of the Year

    * Big & Rich
    * Brooks & Dunn
    * Montgomery Gentry
    * Sugarland
    * The Wreckers

Sugarland just took away the crown here last year from Brooks and Dunn,
and the duo’s new album is terrific, so I’ll go with Sugarland here
again.

Single of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer)

    * Don’t Blink
      Kenny Chesney
      Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
      BNA Records
    * Gunpowder & Lead
      Miranda Lambert
      Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
      Columbia Records
    * I Saw God Today
      George Strait
      Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
      MCA Nashville
    * Stay
      Sugarland
      Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles
      Mercury Nashville
    * You’re Gonna Miss This
      Trace Adkins
      Produced by Frank Rogers
      Capitol Records Nashville

I Saw God Today hit all the right notes. Stay is more of a great,
emotional vocal performance. I’ll go with God, because it conveys a
sense of melodic hook along with a spiritual message that anyone could
appreciate.

Album of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer)

    * Carnival Ride
      Carrie Underwood
      Produced by Mark Bright
      19 Records Limited/Arista Nashville
    * Cowboy Town
      Brooks & Dunn
      Produced by Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Bob DiPiero
      Arista Nashville
    * Good Time
      Alan Jackson
      Produced by Keith Stegall
      Arista Nashville
    * Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
      Kenny Chesney
      Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
      BNA Records
    * Troubadour
      George Strait
      Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
      MCA Nashville

Troubadour is a great addition to Strait’s work, but doesn’t seem to be
getting the same buzz as his winner from last year, It Just Comes
Natural. I’ll go with Chesney on this one, but don’t be surprised if
Carrie Underwood gets her due here.

Song of the Year (Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)

    * Good Time
      Alan Jackson
      EMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music
    * I Saw God Today
      Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade Kirby
      Big Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music
    * Letter To Me
      Brad Paisley
      EMI-April Music/Sea Gayle Music
    * Stay
      Jennifer Nettles
      Jennifer Nettles Publishing
    * You’re Gonna Miss This
      Ashley Gorley/Lee Thomas Miller
      EMI Blackwood Music/Songs of Combustion/Sea Gayle Music

We love Stay and God. But Letter to Me is just a sweet, choke-you-up
song that Brad does so well when he’s not playing for laughs, as with
Alcohol and Online. We’ll root for Letter to win, but don’t be
surprised if God or Stay get the hardware.

Musical Event of the Year (Award to each Artist)

    * Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood

      Another Try
      MCA Nashville
    * Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney

      Every Other Weekend
      MCA Nashville
    * Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

      Gone Gone Gone
      Rounder Records
    * Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen

      Life In A Northern Town
      Mercury Nashville
    * Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait)

      Shiftwork
      BNA Records

Plant and Krauss’ collaboration were highly praised by every major
critic out there, it seems. They had a huge tour together too. If
that’s not an ‘event,’ what is?

(photos, from top to bottom, by Eileen Blass/USA TODAY, Eileen Blass/USA TODAY, Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY, Donald Lesko, Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY, Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY)