Country Mike Blog

Carrie Underwood, Entertainer of the Year?

Mike Sudhalter  |  February 13, 2009

Carrie Underwood has the chance to become the ACM's first female entertainer of the year since the Dixie Chicks in 2000. That was the last time a female artist or band was nominated for the award. Would it be a bigger honor to become the first country singer to win American Idol or the seventh female act to win the ACM Entertainer of the Year?

The first six were Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks.

Trick Pony never got much love from the awards shows, but former lead singer Heidi Newfield has seen her career flourish as a solo artist. She's up for a quartet of ACMs - single of the year, song of the year, video of the year - all for "Johnny and June" and top female vocalist.

James Otto, whom I saw play a free concert at a nightclub in Fremont, Calif. (Saddle Rack), is up for top new male vocalist and song of the year - he co-wrote Jamey Johnson's "In Color."

And chalk up a win for traditional country sounds that Joey+Rory were nominated for vocal duo. They won't defeat Brooks & Dunn or Montgomery Gentry for the honor, but just their nomination means quite a bit.

Does the ACM value traditional sounds more, because it is more associated with the West Coast than the Nashville Establishment?