Country Mike Blog

CMA nominations

Mike Sudhalter  |  August 30, 2007

Thursday was a great day for neotraditional country music as both George Strait and Brad Paisley received five Country Music Association award nominations.

The awards will be televised on Nov. 7 in Nashville, on ABC.

Can Paisley ot Strait win entertainer of the year against their pop-country counterparts Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney or Keith Urban? The answer might determine which side of the pop/traditional debate the establishment currently stands upon.

In the male vocalist category, Paisley and Strait will have to compete with fellow traditionalist Josh Turner, Chesney and Urban.

It's interesting that Alison Krauss was nominated as a female vocalist since she's more of a bluegrass artist, than country. Realistically, I don't think she or Miranda Lambert has much of a chance against Martina McBride, Reba McEntire or Carrie Underwood.

I'd like to disqualify Little Big Town, Jason Aldean and Rodney Atkins from the Horizon Award category because they're all at least two albums deep into their career. I'd be very disappointed if true newcomers Kellie Pickler or Taylor Swift don't win this award.

I wonder what kind of chance the Dixie Chicks have of winning the vocal group of the year. I'd be even more surprised if they show up for the awards show of a genre they're no proud to be in.

Can anybody stop Brooks & Dunn in the vocal duo category?

It's interesting to see that Dierks Bentley gets a nomination for album of the year, his third effort - Long Trip Alone.

How unfortunate is it that three of the five musical event nominations feature pop artists in them? Alison Krauss with John Waite, Reba with Kelly Clarkson. I guess I can grant an exception for Strait, Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, since JB is borderline country at times.

I'm going to look deeper into the awards as they get closer. But right now, I've got to get ready for my first guitar lesson on Saturday. Watch out, Dann Huff and Eddie Bayers Jr., I might be a CMA Musician of the Year nominee in the near future.