Country superstar and 11-time CMA Award winner Tim McGraw surprised good friend Kix Brooks with news of his second win for CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year. Brooks, host of “American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks,” received the phone call during last night’s taping of the weekly countdown program.
McGraw’s call wrapped up a day of surprises for several radio stations and broadcast professionals across the United States after five-time 2011 CMA Award nominee Taylor Swift and superstar Kid Rock also helped share the good news by personally calling radio stations across the country. Swift started spreading the good news early yesterday morning by calling Major, Large, Medium, and Small Market Station and Large, Medium, and Small Market Broadcast Personality of the Year winners from her Nashville home. Later in the afternoon, Detroit, Mich. Native Kid Rock surprised Chuck Edwards and Linda Lee of WYCD’s “Edwards and Lee” by calling in with news of their Major Market Broadcast Personality Year win. WYCD was announced as Major Market Station of the Year winner by Swift earlier in the morning.
This year’s list of winners is filled with new faces. With the exception of the National Broadcast Personality of the Year, all of the 2011 CMA Broadcast Award recipients are first time winners in their categories. The CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year and CMA Radio Station of the Year recipients will be recognized during “The 45th Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and airing live Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
“Winning your first CMA Award is a special moment for anyone, and we’re so happy Tim, Kid Rock, and Taylor were able to help us recognize the great work from these talented broadcaster.” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Country radio is the foundation of our industry, and it is our honor to shine the spotlight on those who are working tirelessly to share Country Music with their communities.”
2011 CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year Winners:
National – Kix Brooks, “American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks” (Citadel Media). This is the second trophy for Brooks, having won in 2009. Brooks is the first Country artist in history to claim a CMA Broadcast Awards trophy. As part of Brooks & Dunn, Brooks won 19 CMA Awards including Entertainer of the Year in 1996.
Major Market – Chuck Edwards and Linda Lee, “Edwards & Lee,” WYCD, Detroit, Mich. (CBS Radio). This is the first CMA Broadcast Award nomination and win for Edwards and Lee.
Large Market – Chris Carr, Jeffrey “Maverick” Bolen, and Jason Statt, “Chris Carr & Company,” WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio (Hubbard Broadcasting). This is the first win for the “Chris Carr & Company” after being nominated in 2009 and 2010. Carr was the 2007 CMA Broadcast Award winner for Major Market Broadcast Personality of the Year for his solo work at KEEY in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
Medium Market – Brian Pierce and Kellie Michaels, “Mornings with Brian and Kellie,” KFDI, Wichita, Kan. (Journal Broadcasting Group). This is the first win for Pierce and Michaels after being nominated in 2009 and 2010.
Small Market – Scotty Cox and Carissa Loethen, “Scotty and Carissa in the Morning,” KCLR, Columbia, Mo. (Zimmer Radio, Inc.). This is the first win for Cox and Loethen, who were first nominated in 2010.
2011 CMA Radio Station of the Year Winners:
Major Market –WYCD, Detroit, Mich. (CBS Radio). WYCD is a first time winner after being nominated in 2009 and 2010.
Large Market – WQDR, Raleigh/Durham, N.C. (Curtis Media Group). WQDR is a first time winner after being nominated in 2005, 2009, and 2010.
Medium Market – KATM, Modesto, Calif. (Citadel Media). KATM is a first time winner and nominee.
Small Market – KCLR, Columbia, Mo. (Zimmer Radio, Inc.). This is the first win for KCLR. The station was first nominated in 2010.
Five finalists are selected for Broadcast Personality of the Year and Station of the Year in four categories (small, medium, large, and major market). The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Arbitron. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement, and biographical information. Candidates for Station of the Year are judged on airchecks, ratings history, community involvement, and format leadership.
Three finalists are selected for National Broadcast Personality of the Year. To be eligible for National Broadcast Personality of the Year candidates must be syndicated, short-form, hub voice-tracking, and satellite personalities heard in at least three markets with a minimum of 40 shows per year.
CMA members who are full-time, on-air personalities and CMA member radio stations in the U.S. and Canada were eligible to enter. The entries were judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. An aggregate score of the first round of judging and the second round, which is done by a different panel of judges, determined the winners. The international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP tabulates scoring by the judges. CMA Broadcast Award winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2010 were not eligible in 2011.
Tickets for “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” are on sale and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster outlets; by calling (800) 745-3000; or at the Bridgestone Arena Box Office, located at 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, Nashville). Ticket prices for the CMA Awards start at $110 for Upper Level seating. Ticket prices include tax, but exclude applicable service fees. Purchase tickets early for the best available seats. In 2009 and 2010, the CMA Awards sold out in advance.
Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Swift, and Keith Urban, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration “You and Tequila,” Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield performing their duet “Easy,” and co-hosts Paisley and Underwood in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song “Remind Me.”
“The 45th Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards. Chevrolet™ is a Proud Partner of the CMA Awards and Official Ride of Country Music. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the 2011 CMA Awards. Macy’s is the official presenting partner of the CMA Awards Red Carpet. CMA is a Proud Supporter of DRIVE4COPD.