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By John Gerome
Associated Press
Kenny Chesney won entertainer of the year for the third time
at the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday, while former "American
Idol" sensation Carrie Underwood's reality also continued its upswing.
Chesney, who also took the association's top honor last year and in 2004, was
humble in his acceptance.
"I can't believe that I get to stand on the stages that I stand on every
summer and get to sing the songs that I sing," the star said. "I love country
music and I love doing what I do."
See photos from the Red Carpet
Carrie Underwood, who got her start in country music by winning reality TV's
"Idol," won for female vocalist and single of the year, for "Before He
Cheats."
"God has blessed me with so many wonderful things," said Underwood, who also
won the female vocalist award last year. "If you told me a few years ago I had
been nominated with the people I'm nominated with, I would have called you
absolutely insane."
Brad Paisley, who won male vocalist, teared up as he thanked
his father, who he said carried amplifiers and ran sound "even though he didn't
know what he was doing."
"I can't tell you what this means to me to win this. I always wanted to win
this award at least once — this will do," said Paisley, who also won music video
for his hit "Online."
Earlier, Sugarland won vocal duo of the year, breaking Brooks & Dunn's long-standing lock on the award, and
17-year-old Taylor Swift won the horizon award for newcomer.
Rascal Flatts won top vocal group, and George Strait took top album for "It Just Comes
Natural."
"If we're standing up here, we have this lofty view because we're standing on
the shoulders of giants who've come before us," said Sugarland's Jennifer
Nettles.
Brooks & Dunn had won the duo category 14 of the last 15 years, including
the last six in a row.
Swift gave a tearful speech in which she joked, "This is definitely the
highlight of my senior year."
Rascal Flatts' Gary LeVox thanked country radio for "being our
mouthpiece."
"What we do means nothing if no one gets to hear it," said LeVox, who
performed a duet, "She Goes All the Way," with actor-comedian Jamie Foxx.
Strait had said that of his five nominations, which tied him with Paisley for
the most of the night, he wanted to win the album trophy the most.
"When we made this album it was incredible," Strait said afterward. "We had
great material and just kept knocking them out. We ended up with 15 songs and
never intended to put 15 songs on the record, but when I started going through
the songs there was none I could take off."
Strait's hit "Give It Away" won song of the year.
"You all been letting me do this for 50 years, and I love you," said Bill
Anderson, who co-wrote "Give It Away" with Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson.
Other winners included Tracy Lawrence, featuring Tim McGraw and Chesney, for
musical event for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are"; and dobro great Jerry Douglas
of Union Station as musician of the year.
"This was something that we all wanted to sing," Lawrence said of the hit. (Story Continues On Next Page...) |
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