OUR THOUGHTS On The CMA Award Nominations!

Well you can go anywhere and read 'professional' opinions and thoughts about the CMA nominations that were announced yesterday...but only here can you get the scoop on our personal opinions!

Erin's thoughts...

• Super excited to see Kenny Chesney's name on the list so many times! Fingers crossed...Kenny's shows are such a big part of my summertime, so I'm really hoping he grabs the top trophy again!
  
• WOW, no Rascal Flatts for Entertainer of the Year? That's surprising...the boys have lobbied for this award so hard in the past! They are great entertainers, but I guess there's just that much great talent in Nashville right now that someone had to get left out.
• Very exciting that Sugarland's name is up for the big award of Entertainer of the Year...they've hit the road hard the last couple of years and I think they deserve to be in that category.
• I'm glad to see Jason Aldean's name up there and I can't wait to see him at the awards show - LOVE HIM!

Lauren's thoughts...

• I'm not really feeling the Best New Artist category. I want to know what exactly qualifies someone as a "new" artist. I definitely think that Lady Antebellum and James Otto should be up for this award, but I don't agree with the fact that Rodney Atkins, Jason Aldean, and Kellie Pickler are considered "new" artists. They are all GREAT artists, but I just don't see how the three of them are considered "new." What about Jake Owen, Chuck Wicks or Luke Bryan? They have all had amazing success the past year and none one of them are up for anything! Does anyone else feel this way? Leave us a comment- Let us know what you think!
  
• As for the Duo of the Year category, didn't The Wreckers break-up? There is SO MUCH talent in this category, it's tough to chose a winner on this one!
  
• I am SO happy for Lady Antebellum- they are amazing and deserve both nominations that they received!
  
• Where is Dierks Bentley's name? I feel like people are always forgetting Mr. Bentley! What's up with that?
  
• The other categories are pretty much what I expected to see. There is some amazing talent in the world of country music and I can't wait to see how the awards turn out!
  

CMA Award Nominees!

Lady Antebellum celebrates their 2 CMA Nominations!

Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift announce the nominations on GMA

BEST NEW ARTIST
James Otto
Jason Aldean
Kellie Pickler
Lady Antebellum
Rodney Atkins

DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

SONG OF THE YEAR
(presented to songwriter and primary publisher)

"Good Time" - Songwriter: Alan Jackson; Publishers: EMI-April Music, Tri Angels Music

"I Saw God Today" - Songwriters: Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby; Publishers: Big Red Toe, Extremely Loud Music, Steel Wheels Music, Blind Mule Music

"Letter To Me" - Songwriter: Brad Paisley; Publishers: EMI-April Music, New Sea Gayle Music

"Stay" - Songwriter: Jennifer Nettles; Publisher: Jennifer Nettles Publishing

"You're Gonna Miss This" - Songwriters: Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller; Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, New Songs of Sea Gayle; Noah's Little Boat Music; Songs of Combustion Music

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(presented to artist and producer)

"Don't Blink"- Kenny Chesney, Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney (BNA Records)

"Gunpowder & Lead" - Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke (Columbia Records)

"I Saw God Today" - George Strait, Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait (MCA Nashville)

"Stay" - Sugarland, Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush, and Jennifer Nettles (Mercury Nashville)

"You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins, Produced by Frank Rogers (Capitol Records Nashville)

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(presented to each artist)

"Another Try" - Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood

"Every Other Weekend" - Reba McEntire & Kenny Chesney

"Gone Gone Gone" - Robert Plant & Allison Krauss

"Life In A Northern Town" - Sugarland featuring Little Big Town & Jake Owen

"Shiftwork" - Kenny Chesney (duet w/ George Strait)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(presented to artist and director)

"Don't Blink" - Kenny Chesney; Directed by Shaun Silva

"Good Time" - Alan Jackson; Directed by Trey Fanjoy

"Stay" - Sugarland; Directed by Shaun Silva

"Waitin' On A Woman" - Brad Paisley; Directed by Jim Shea

"You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins; Directed by Peter Zavadil

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin ( Steel Guitar)
Dan Huff (Guitar)
Brent Mason (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eagles
Emerson Drive
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(presented to artist and producer)

Carnival Ride - Carrie Underwood, Produced by Mark Bright (19 Records Limited / Arista Nashville)

Cowboy Town - Brooks & Dunn, Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks (Arista Nashville)

Good Time - Alan Jackson, Produced by Keith Stegall (Arista Nashville)

Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates - Kenny Chesney, Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney (BNA Records)

Troubadour - George Strait, Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait (MCA Nashville)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban
Kenny Chesney

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Allison Krauss
Carrie Underwood
Martina McBride
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban
Kenny Chesney
Sugarland

Stay tuned for OUR THOUGHTS on today's announcements of the nominees!

DON'T FORGET!

Tune in this morning to Good Morning America to see Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift announce the nominees for the 42nd annual CMA awards that will be held in November. Once that is over, switch over to CMT where Lady Antebellum and James Otto will announce additional nominees. Very exciting!

If you're at work and can't tune in, don't worry...we will post the nominees AS SOON as they're announced!

CMA Awards Tickets

The 42nd annual CMA Awards will be held on November 12th at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville, and you can be there! Tickets to the event will go on sale through Ticketmaster on September 19th at 10:00AM, CST. Ticket prices range from $110-382.50 plus tax...the normal Ticketmaster service/handling fees do NOT apply to these tickets. If you can't make it to the actual awards show, don't worry, ABC will air the event live from 8-11pm EST. Nominees for the awards will be announced on September 12th live on ABC's Good Morning America and on CMT's CMT Insider.

Jessica Simpson Joins the CMA

While in Nashville last week, Jessica Simpson became a member of the Country Music Association. Along with over 6,000 songwriters, musicians, and other country music personnel, Jessica joins acts such as Willie Nelson, Keith Urban, Faith Hill as members of the CMA.

An onlooker told E! News, "She was very sweet and seemed happy to join the organization," a Simpson source said. "Being a member makes you part of the industry. It’s great for networking."

There are many perks that come with being a member, such as special rate health insurance, but a major perk of being part of the CMA means that Jessica is now able to have a say in CMA nominations and awards. Could she have say in this year's awards? We're not sure, but she seems like she is making a point to make country music a major part of her life.

Speaking of Jessica, we just read Natasha Bedingfield's latest MySpace blog. Natasha mentions Jessica's new album as one to look out for. She writes, "I'm not joking, look out for this one. I heard some of her new album and I was blown away. Country music is what jess should have been doing all along. When she sings these songs you feel them."

Jessica's first country album, "Do You Know" hits stores on September 9th- Just 2 weeks away!

Country Stars Support The Troops

On September 7th, ABC will air a special called America United: In Support Of Our Troops, featuring country singers Toby Keith, Joe Nichols, Clint Black and Jessica Simpson. The special features performances at various military bases and also includes non-country artists including Janet Jackson, ZZ Top, Snoop Dogg, and Jordin Sparks. That week is a busy country music week for ABC...on September 8th they will air a two-hour special of the CMA Festival, Country's Night To Rock, and on September 10th, they will show Taylor Swift & Rascal Flatts announcing the nominees for the 42nd annual CMA Awards which will be held in November.

CMA Award Nominations

Nominees for the 42nd annual CMA Awards will be announced September 10th on ABC's Good Morning America. Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift will announce some of the nominees live from Times Square!

Immediately after GMA, a special edition of CMT Insider will air and Lady Antebellum along with James Otto will announce the full list of nominees.

The CMA Awards are set for November 12th at 8pm on ABC.

BREAKING NEWS: CMA Awards

The Country Music Association has JUST announced that this years awards will take place on November 12th at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville, TN. The awards show, which will be celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, will announce a full list of nominees in late August!!!