Country Music Honors Its Own

by Beverly Keel

The 37th annual Country Music Association Awards, which will be aired at 8 p.m. ET Nov. 5 on CBS, celebrates the roots of country music and the trailblazing artists who paved the way for today’s younger stars.

The industry-based CMA voters made a resounding statement with their list of final nominees, most of whom are hard-core traditionalists and mainstream acts with a decidedly country flavor. Acts with a more pop-country sound, including Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Keith Urban, received no nominations this year.

Toby Keith garnered the most nominations with seven, including Entertainer, Male Vocalist and Album of the Year. He competes with Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw for Entertainer of the Year. No odds-on favorite is evident in the Male Vocalist category, which includes Chesney, Jackson, McGraw, Brad Paisley and George Strait.

But in the Female Vocalist category, Martina McBride seems to have the edge over the other nominees—Terri Clark, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless and Dolly Parton. “The recognition is nice,” says McBride, the reigning Female Vocalist winner. “It says that you’re a vital part of the industry, so it feels good.”

In addition to Parton, other Country Music Hall of Famers nominated this year are Willie Nelson and the late Johnny Cash. Cash is up for four awards, including Album and Single of the Year, while Nelson is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for Whiskey For My Men (Beer For My Horses), a duet with Toby Keith that hit No. 1.

The show, which will be broadcast live from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn., will once again be hosted by country singer Vince Gill. “The 2003 CMA Awards is the place to be if you want to celebrate the best in country music this year,” said Ed Benson, the CMA’s executive director. “With more performances than any other awards show, the CMA Awards will live up to its reputation as ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night.’”

Beverly Keel is American Profile’s entertainment editor.

first appeared: 10/26/2003