|
By Kati Johnston
Special to MSN Entertainment
If Wednesday's CMA Awards seemed a little like the Battle of the Power
Blondes, you aren't going to hear us complain. What's wrong with this list: Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Jennifer Nettles? That's right: nothing! All these ladies
have injected fresh energy and sex appeal into country music, and all shone like
the sun.
See gallery: Blonde Ambition
And if not everything onstage glittered, pretty much everything was
entertaining. So listen up, cowpokes, and relish the moments great, and not so
great, of country music's biggest night: Cutest onstage couple, pretty much
ever: Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, co-hosting the awards for
the second year--because of their easy chemistry and genuine humor. Can you
bottle it, kids? Best improv standup: Paisley, who delivered many of the night's
best one-liners and wrote great topical song riffs including, "Mamas, don't let
your babies grow up to be...Kanye." (Hey! Imma let you finish!)
The new golden rule: As spoken by the golden girl of the
moment, Taylor Swift. Asked if she worries about dates fretting about being
dissed by name in her lyrics, she chirped: "I guess if guys don't want me to
write bad songs about them...they shouldn't do bad things." Boys, consider
yourselves warned.
Coolest nomination: Darius Rucker, up for best male vocalist, the
first African American nominated since the great Charley Pride in the 1970s.
Alright, alright! Alright!
Most head-scratching nomination--and win: Rucker as best new
artist, given his (and the Blowfish's) mega-selling history as pop star in the
'90s. What a Hoot!
Little label that could: The upstart Big Machine, the indie
Nashville label that backed the unknown Taylor Swift as a wee lass, using her
fledgling internet success and music videos as ways to break into the once
notoriously closed arena of country music. Think they'll be happy forever and
always? They sure were Wednesday night.
Most perplexing bingo wings: The lovely Carrie Underwood's
Dress #1, with peculiar sleeves that flopped down to her waist. But we forgive
her--on account of all the other great getups she shone in the rest of the
night.
Best "smizer": Jamey Johnson, winner for best song for "In Color," seems to
be making a career of not smiling--like, ever. If he didn't quite smile when
receiving his award, we could swear we saw a Tyra-esque twinkle behind that mop
of hair. P.S. on that new golden rule: Do not, repeat do
not, fib to Miranda Lambert, who will out you so fast in a blistery song
like "White Liar."
Smartest topical tune: Paisley's "Welcome to the Future,"
which casts a wide net over what America really is. (Story Continues On Next Page...) |
Hotmail
