2008 Country Music Association (CMA) Nominations

Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift announced the 2008 CMA nominations in five categories on Good Morning America in New York earlier today, with Lady Antebellum and James Otto announcing the remainder of the noms on CMT’s CMT Insider live at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee. See photos, video and a full list of 2008 CMA nominees below.

Country superstar Kenny Chesney leads the list of nominees with seven nods, including CMA Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Don’t Blink”, Album of the Year for “Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, and two nominations for Musical Event of the Year for his duet with Reba McEntire, “Every Other Weekend”, and his duet with George Strait, “Shiftwork”.

Sugarland beauty Jennifer Nettles has six nominations under her belt - five of which are for Sugarland and one nomination for writing “Stay”. Sugarland is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Stay”, Musical Event of the Year for “Life in a Northern Town” with Little Big Town and Jake Owen and Vocal Duo (they won the award in 2007).

Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift will battle it out for Female Vocalist of the Year, and Carrie is also nominated in the Album of the Year category for “Carnival Ride”. Swift was giddy with excitement as she heard her name called as a nominee, saying:“I can’t believe it!” Swift said. “I’m having a really good morning.”The 2008 Country Music Awards (CMA) will be televised live on Wednesday, November 12 on ABC.


2008 Country Music Association (CMA) Nominations

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

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

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

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Rodney Atkins
Lady Antebellum
James Otto
Kellie Pickler

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

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

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes 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

SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Cont.)
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)
“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

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)
Carnival Ride
Carrie Underwood
Produced by Mark Bright
19 Recordings Limited/Arista/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

SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)
“Good Time”
Alan Jackson
EMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music

“I Saw God Today”
Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade Kirby
Big Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music

“Letter To Me”
Brad Paisley
EMI-April Music/New Sea Gayle Music

“Stay”
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles Publishing

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Lee Thomas Miller/Ashley Gorley
EMI Blackwood Music/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah’s Little Boat Music/Songs of Combustion Music

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award to each Artist)
Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
“Another Try”
MCA Nashville

Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
“Every Other Weekend”
MCA Nashville

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
“Gone, Gone, Gone”
Rounder Records

Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
“Life In A Northern Town”
Mercury Nashville

Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait)
“Shiftwork”
BNA Records

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes 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
Dann Huff - Guitar
Brent Mason - Guitar
Mac McAnally - Guitar