43rd Annual CMA Awards : Country Music's Biggest Night

Wednesday, November 11th at 8/7c

FEATURES & PHOTOS

Taylor Swift

The Winners

Taylor Swift took home a quartet of Awards including Entertainer of the Year. View all photos »

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman

Red Carpet

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman make a grand entrance at the CMA Awards! View all photos »

 
Martina McBride and George Strait

Performances

Martina McBride and George Strait paid tribute to Barbara Mandrell! View all photos »

Zac Brown Band

Rehearsals

Check out Zac Brown Band, Carrie, Keith, Sugarland and more as they hit the stage. View all photos »

 

VIDEOS

Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker

Darius was all smiles after winning Top New Artist. Watch his backstage interview! Watch »

Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum!

"Single of the Year" and "Top Vocal Group" = three happy members of Lady A! Watch »

 

Download Your CMA Awards Show Ballot!

Get ready for the big show! Print our ballot, make your picks and follow along at home!
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CMA Awards Show Trivia Challenge!

See if you can answer some tough questions about Country Music’s Biggest Night™!
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Host Picks

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
Suzanne Alexander: Brad Paisley
Bill Cody: Keith Urban. He's charmed! His recent "We're All For The Hall" Country Music Hall of Fame fundraiser proved his fellow artists love him as much as his enormous fan base does.
Storme Warren: Kenny Chesney. Taylor may be the youngest entertainer of the year nominee in CMA history, but I think Kenny steps away on top.
Female Vocalist of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: Reba. She's back! And I Love her!
Bill Cody: Carrie Underwood. With Taylor and Miranda both sooooo close, I still have to give Carrie the nod this year. Her international fame puts overwhelming demands on her, but it seems she's becoming more comfortable all the time.
Storme Warren: Carrie Underwood. With the late release of Revolution, Miranda may not get the well deserved attention from voters needed to pull off a win. Reba could pull a big ol' surprise, but I think Carrie continues her reign.
Male Vocalist of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: I dunno… Keith Urban?
Bill Cody: Keith Urban. Every song he sings seems to be perfectly suited to him. That is the mark of an artist who's found his groove and knows what works for him and regardless of what is said, isn't afraid to stay with it.
Storme Warren: Brad Paisley. His insane string of back-to-back No. 1 hits cements another MV win for BP.
Vocal Duo of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: Brooks & Dunn. They had a great year…and with their announcement of retirement, they are the sentimental favorite.
Bill Cody: Brooks & Dunn. They will be missed as this final tour year winds down. Kix & Ronnie will look back and say we went out on top and were still as viable and competitive as the day we started. That's incredibly rare!
Storme Warren: Brooks & Dunn. One more for the Gippers! Ronnie and Kix say goodbye and retire crown with a win.
Vocal Group of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: Rascal Flatts
Bill Cody: Rascal Flatts. Their formula for success is still working like the well-oiled vocal machine they are. Fans can't get enough of them.
Storme Warren: Mmm. Tough one. Zac Lady Flatts should pull it out. But if I have to pick one, I'll go safe and say Flatts boys do it again. Next year is whole different story.
New Artist of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: Zac Brown Band
Bill Cody: Zac Brown Band. The fun and smiles Zac's music brings is so infectious. It's so different and yet familiar, an odd combination of feelings. It's working and people have taken note.
Storme Warren: Darius Rucker. It's comical that Darius is considered a "New" artist, not only because of his pop success with "Hootie," but also because it seems like he's been in country forever. He just fits.
Album of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: Taylor Swift's Fearless
Bill Cody: Brad Paisley's American Saturday Night
Storme Warren: Taylor Swift's Fearless Though I think Jamey's album is one of the most refreshing projects to come out of Nashville in years, this award goes to the unstoppable "Little Miss Fearless.
Single of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: "Chicken Fried" by Zac Brown Band!
Bill Cody: "In Color" (Jamey Johnson/Produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys/Mercury Nashville)
Storme Warren: "People Are Crazy" (Billy Currington/Produced by Carson Chamberlain & Billy Currington/Mercury Nashville). The title alone should be the motto for 2009. Add to that a fun storyline and catchy melody & Billy gets his first CMA.
Song of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: "In Color" (Jamey Johnson/Lee Thomas Miller/James Otto)
Bill Cody: "In Color" (Jamey Johnson/Lee Thomas Miller/James Otto). When Hall of Famer Bill Anderson says you're this generation's Hank Williams, enough said…you're golden.
Storme Warren: "In Color" (Jamey Johnson/Lee Thomas Miller/James Otto) Though I'd love to see Randy back up on the CMA stage, I think Jamey, Lee and James follow up their ACM win in the same category. I still can't get enough of that song.
Musical Event of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: "Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn and Reba
Bill Cody: "Cowgirls Don't Cry" — Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire/Arista Nashville
Storme Warren: "Start A Band" — Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban)/Arista Nashville. I mean, really…its Keith and Brad. Not only a singing event, but a guitar event as well. Tough to compete with that.
Music Video of the Year
Suzanne Alexander: "Start A Band" by Brad Paisley & Keith Urban
Bill Cody: "Start A Band" (Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban)/Directed by Jim Shea).These two were having more fun than the law allowed doing something they love so much and it showed from start to finish. So did their mutual respect for each other. It was captured perfectly by Jim Shea, the director.
Storme Warren: "Troubadour" (George Strait/Directed by Trey Fanjoy)I'll pick King George just because he doesn't do many of them.
CMA Awards Show Fan Poll
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