November 13, 2008 — The Country Music Association’s annual awards are designed to pay homage to best of the genre over the course of the previous year, and the CMA certainly did that with its 42nd presentation, though the event was bathed in subtle history.

Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles was a double winner as the duo affirmed its rise to prominence in an area dominated for more than a decade by Brooks & Dunn. Lady Antebellum grabbed its first trophy from the organization, and several artists who earned their first Top 10 country hits in 2008 — Darius Rucker, James Otto and Kid Rock — performed during the three-hour telecast.

But that history was still present in wins by George Strait, Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flatts. George’s Troubadour claimed Album of the Year and "I Saw God Today" took Single, elevating his status as a country legend. As both artist and co-producer on those recordings, George walked away with four trophies, giving him a career total of 22. That makes him the top CMA winner of all-time, surpassing Brooks & Dunn’s 19.

Troubadour is doubly impressive given George’s longevity. It’s been 27 years since the cowboy scored his first hit, and he’s survived numerous trends and continued making quality music at a point in his career when most acts would be living off their fans’ nostalgia. In fact, Troubadour is his second straight release to win Album, following on the heels of It Just Comes Natural. Rather improbably, both awards come after he was already inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

"Everybody says they got the greatest fans," George said during his second acceptance speech of the night. "Well, I’ve really got the greatest fans."

Among them is his producer, Tony Brown. Tony’s worked with tons of major acts — Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Elvis Presley, Brooks & Dunn — and even he’s impressed with George’s continued mastery of his art.

"It’s amazing to work with an artist who is still so relevant who’s been around so long," Tony told reporters backstage.