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Country sweethearts Julianne Hough & Chuck Wicks strut their stuff on the Red Carpet. View all photos »
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Taylor Swift works the Red Carpet at the 2008 CMA Awards Show! Watch »
Get ready for the big show! Print our ballot, make your picks and follow along at home!
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See if you can answer some tough questions about Country Music’s Biggest Night™!
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Who's gonna win at the 2008 CMA Awards? Even our hosts are throwing in their two cents! Check out who your favorite GAC hosts have picked to take home trophies!
- Entertainer of the Year
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Suzanne Alexander: Kenny Chesney. Based on his stadium tour, his media attention and his songs. It just seems like a no brainer.
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Bill Cody: Sugarland. I think their timing is perfect this year, while their live performances have been for while. I saw them in Las Vegas at The Fremont Street Experience and they were both having the time of their lives and the crowd did, too.
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Storme Warren: Kenny Chesney. He's got this one wrapped up for one more year. After that, the baton gets handed to Paisley.
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Nan Kelley: Kenny Chesney—selling out those huge arenas time after time.
- Female Vocalist of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: Carrie Underwood—consistent hits. Taylor Swift has obvioulsy had an incredible year, so Taylor could take it, but I'm thinking the way the board will go. Carrie Underwood. Final Answer.
- Bill Cody: Taylor Swift. The entire universe has beaten a path to her door! Plus, she knows all of Carly Simon's song from the day (she was going to be named Carly originally). We dueted on 'You're So Vain' on GAC!
- Storme Warren: Tarrieson Swiftkrauss. Truly, I have no idea. Alison is always a threat; Taylor's success is undeniable; and Carrie hasn't lost a step. If Miranda continues her rise and Martina releases a monster album in 09, next year's winner will be Maranda Tayson McKrunderswift.
- Nan Kelley: What a group of gifted singers. Hard to pick, but maybe Carrie comes out on top.
- Male Vocalist of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: C'mon how's anyone supposed to pick this one! I'll go with Keith Urban. Yeah, Keith. Final answer.
- Bill Cody: Brad Paisley. He's kept his music and stage performances so fresh and inventive, along with his part-time gig as Little Jimmy Dickens' valet!
- Storme Warren: Brad Paisley. It's easier to list reasons why he won't won this one. It's a pretty short list.
- Nan Kelley: Great line up of guys! Big stars—all of them. I'm going with the proud papa, Keith.
- Vocal Duo of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: I'm going with Sugarland. These guys have stepped up to the next level, headlining and receiving their first-ever nomination in the Entertainer category.
- Bill Cody: Montgomery Gentry. They are so seamless and have become so perfectly seasoned over the years! We also grew up in neighboring counties in Kentucky. "…now that's something to be proud of!"
- Storme Warren: Sugarland. I keep waiting for Montgomery Gentry to dominate this category but as long Jennifer and Kristian remain a duo, it's going to be tough. The Brooks & Dunn dynasty is over. Doesn't mean they won't ever win it again—just not this year.
- Nan Kelley: I think Sugarland—with their new record, success at the ACMs and radio success—have got it lined up!
- Vocal Group of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: Rascal Flatts. Period.
- Bill Cody: Little Big Town. All things in time. Something tells me this is their time. Deservingly so.
- Storme Warren: Too early or too late for everyone else but Rascal Flatts.
- Nan Kelley: I think the Flatts grab this one.
- New Artist of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: Lady Antebellum. There's a lot of excitement surrounding these guys. I just think they may take it.
- Bill Cody: Rodney Atkins. He's anything but 'new', but if he's in this category he gets my vote. He's the longest overnight success story in recent memory.
- Storme Warren: Lady Antebellum took home the ACM version of this award earlier this year. Plus, Lady A just rocks.
- Nan Kelley: Too close to call, way too close!!!
- Album of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride. Hit after hit.
- Bill Cody: George Strait's Troubadour. 'Cause it's George Strait, DAMN IT! Okay, I spent several years in south Texas before coming to Nashville—can you tell?
- Storme Warren: Kenny Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates. Safe pick. Kenny and Buddy Cannon are masters at finding great songs. Strange list, though. A lot of great albums fell through the cracks this year.
- Nan Kelley: Just a hunch, but I bet it's AJ's Good Time!
- Single of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: Trace Adkins' "You're Gonna Miss This." Powerful delivery, powerful song.
- Bill Cody: "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins.
You know he's lived it when he sings it. So many of us share this sentiment as parents. You just hang on every word of Trace's performance.
- Storme Warren: "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins. Come on CMA…throw the guy a bone! This song definitely deserves the recognition.
- Nan Kelley: Well, if the voting members are as rabid as the fans who vote for Trace each week on the Top 20 Country Countdown, he wins hands down.
- Song of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: "I Saw God Today" for great songwriting! What a message!
- Bill Cody: "Letter To Me" by Brad Paisley. It's what we've all wanted to articulate, but could never find the right words in the right order. Brad has now done it for us. Thanks, pal!
- Storme Warren: "Stay" by Jennifer Nettles. Simply, the best on the list.
- Nan Kelley: It's a tie between "I Saw God Today" and "You're Gonna Miss This"—both are so well written!
- Musical Event of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: "Life In A Northern Town" — Great collaboration!
- Bill Cody: "Life In A Northern Town" — Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen These tour partners made every night an event for their fans! This proved it.
- Storme Warren: "Gone Gone Gone"—Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Unique, cool, and definitely a "musical event."
- Nan Kelley: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. Seems like everytime you turn around, someone else is talking about that pairing.
- Music Video of the Year
- Suzanne Alexander: Brad Paisley dominates here. And bringing in Andy Griffith — just a long-time dream that came true for Brad and we've all benefited from it! Beautiful!
- Bill Cody: Stay—Sugarland, Directed by Shaun Silva. '…and the Academy Award for Best Actress goes to…Jennifer Nettles!' I told her (and Sonya Isaacs, too) a role as a Bond girl was coming, you just wait and see. She told me on Master Series she's also planning to bring back the unitard, ala Joan Jett.
- Storme Warren: Stay—Sugarland, Directed by Shaun Silva Jennifer's stark, emotional and jarringly truthful performance wins this one.
- Nan Kelley: I'm once again tempted by the power of the Trace voters, but I think it will go to Sugarland.
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