Country music awards set for three-way showdown
From Claudia Parsons

NEW YORK—The Country Music Association awards are a three-way showdown between Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, while the Dixie Chicks were snubbed again with not a single nomination on Wednesday. The country-pop trio have been boycotted by many radio stations since lead singer Natalie Maines said during a London concert in March 2003 that the band was “ashamed” to come from the same state — Texas — as President George W. Bush.
Even though “Taking the Long Way Round,” their first studio album since the controversy, quickly went platinum, the Dixie Chicks were ignored when the CMA announced the shortlists for its awards, to be held in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 6.
Paisley led the field with six nominations, including best album, male vocalist and entertainer of the year, a tally matched by veteran duo Brooks & Dunn, whose nominations included best album, vocal duo and entertainer.
Chesney and Urban, last year’s entertainer of the year, were close behind with four nominations each. Both were among the five contenders for entertainer of the year, considered the top award, along with the band Rascal Flatts, whose tally of three nominations was matched by Dolly Parton.
Newcomer Carrie Underwood, who shot to fame after winning the television talent show “American Idol” in 2005, scored four nominations, including female vocalist of the year.
One name that seemed out of place was the rock band Bon Jovi, nominated for “Musical Event of the Year” for the duet with Jennifer Nettles “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”
Peter Cooper, senior music writer at The Tennessean, said there were not many surprises, though a nod for Alan Jackson’s “Precious Memories” for album of the year, for what he called a “stripped down gospel” record, was a little unexpected. Cooper said Paisley had six nods last year but won no awards and that he was surprised Toby Keith received no nominations.
DIXIE DIVORCE
He said that while the Dixie Chicks were among the country acts best known to a wider audience, the lack of radio play for their new album meant it was no surprise the CMA snubbed them.
“They sing great, they play great and they’re still drawing loads of people to their shows, but apparently there’s been a complete divorce from the country community,” Cooper said.
The Dixie Chicks won 10 CMA awards between 1998 and 2002. In 2003 they were nominated for vocal group and album of the year but did not win.
Australian-born Keith Urban, who married actress Nicole Kidman earlier this year, has won male vocalist of the year for the past two years, and was nominated again in that category, along with Chesney, Paisley, Jackson and Dierks Bentley.
Chesney, who was briefly married to actress Renee Zellweger, was already named entertainer of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May.
Underwood is up against Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Martina McBride and Gretchen Wilson for female vocalist of the year.
The nominations are drawn up by around 5,000 professionals in the country music business, from producers to artists to radio station people.
The CMA also announced it would induct three new members to the Country Music Hall of Fame in November, including 80-year-old Harold Bradley, known as the dean of Nashville session guitarists, who appeared on such recordings as Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” and Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man.”
The other two were Sonny James, 77, whose biggest hit was 1956’s “Young Love,” and George Strait, who has sold more than 62 million albums and boasts a string of hits including “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”.