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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 26, 2003
ECLECTIC MIX OF FINAL NOMINEES ANNOUNCED TODAY FOR COUNTRY MUSIC’S BIGGEST NIGHT “THE 37th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS”
Toby Keith Garners Career-Topping Seven Nominations
NASHVILLE – The final list of nominees for “The 37th Annual CMA Awards” is an across-the-board mix of hard-core traditionalists, sentimental favorites, Country mainstream stalwarts and bluegrass innovators – with a shaker of salt tossed in thanks to Jimmy Buffett. Rich in heritage, talent and appeal, the nominees span the history of the CMA Awards from Johnny Cash, who received his first CMA Award on the inaugural television broadcast of the Awards in 1968, to Buddy Jewell, who released his debut CD this summer.
“Nothing comes close to illustrating the enormous depth and appeal of our format than this outstanding collection of nominees,” said CMA Executive Director Ed Benson. “I am excited looking back over the past year at the quality of our music and the potential growth for our business. Our strength is embodied in the many different styles of Country Music today.”
Reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Martina McBride and special guest, reigning CMA Horizon Award winner Rascal Flatts, made the announcements today during a press conference at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. “The 37th Annual CMA Awards” will be broadcast live Wednesday, Nov. 5 (8:00-11:00 PM/EST) from the same stage on the CBS Television Network.
Toby Keith garnered the most nominations with seven including Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album for Unleashed, Song, Single, Music Video and Vocal Event of the Year for “Beer For My Horses,” a duet with Willie Nelson. Keith is also eligible to win two additional trophies in the Single and Album of the Year categories as co-producer. Other multiple nominees included Brooks & Dunn, Johnny Cash and Brad Paisley with four nominations each. Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson and Darryl Worley each received three nominations. Kenny Chesney, Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Nichols and Blake Shelton all received two nominations.
Other standouts included Alabama, who are in the midst of their farewell tour, who were nominated for Vocal Group of the Year – a trophy they haven’t claimed since 1983. Dolly Parton, who was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, an Award she last received in 1976. And Randy Travis, who was nominated for Single of the Year, with “Three Wooden Crosses.” The last time Travis won the category was 1987 with “Forever and Ever, Amen.”
And then there’s Cash.
Johnny Cash is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on “Tears in the Holston River;” Single and Music Video of the Year for “Hurt,” a song first recorded by Nine Inch Nails and written by lead singer Trent Reznor; and Album of the Year for American IV: The Man Comes Around. Cash has won Album of the Year two times in his career: 1968 with Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison and 1969 with Johnny Cash at San Quentin. The last nomination Cash received for Album of the Year was 1970 with Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.
Often criticized for its pop leaning acts, Country Music saw its share of pop and rock acts turning to Country in 2002-03. There were several crossover artists from the pop and rock worlds that connected with a Country audience including Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow in the Vocal Event category for “Picture” and Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett on this summer’s party ode “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.” This is Buffett’s second CMA Award nomination. The first was in 1977 when he was nominated for Single of the Year for “Margaritaville.”
Roots-based Country Music was well represented among the nominees, particularly in the Female Vocalist of the Year category. Alison Krauss received her second nomination in a row for Female Vocalist (she won in 1995). Critically acclaimed for her mountain soul, Patty Loveless was also nominated in the category, which she won in 1996. Rounding out the category were Terri Clark; Martina McBride, who won in 2002; and Dolly Parton.
In the Male Vocalist of the Year category, there was a rare tie resulting in six nominees instead of five. Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and George Strait are all vying for this coveted title. With his nomination in the category, Strait still holds the record of most career CMA Award nominations with 71.
Keith is racking up an impressive streak of CMA Award nominations as well – increasing last year’s count of six nominations to seven in 2003. Keith won his first CMA Award in 2001 capturing Male Vocalist of the Year. His nominated album Unleashed debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard Country and Top 200 album charts and has since been certified triple Platinum.
Country artists receiving their first CMA nominations were Gary Allan, Andy Griggs, Buddy Jewell, Joe Nichols and Blake Shelton. Nichols made an impressive debut with an Album of the Year nomination for his debut album Man With A Memory along with an Horizon Award nod. Blake Shelton received nominations for Horizon and Vocal Event with Tracy Byrd along with Andy Griggs and Montgomery Gentry on “The Truth About Men.”
The 2003 broadcast of the CMA Awards marks the 12th consecutive year that Vince Gill will host the prestigious Awards program. The popular Gill has garnered 18 CMA Awards, more than any other artist. For five consecutive years (1991-1995), Gill won the CMA Male Vocalist Award, an achievement unequaled in the history of the Awards.
The CMA Awards was the first music awards special to be broadcast on network television in 1968. Since then, the program has consistently earned top ratings and is traditionally one of the highest-rated specials in the television season. For the first time in 2001, the CMA Awards moved to the very competitive Fall Sweeps period. “The 36th Annual CMA Awards” was critically acclaimed and led CBS to its first Wednesday victory of the season in viewers and households when it aired on Nov. 6, 2002, attracting 38 million viewers. The November time slot also helps position Country Music releases during the critical fourth-quarter retail season.
Winners of “The 37th Annual CMA Awards” will be determined in the third and final round of voting by the 5,000 professional members of the Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
In addition to live coverage of today’s event on CBS’ “The Early Show,” a video news release with footage from the 2002 Awards and interviews with some of the 2003 nominees will be serviced today, Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 12:15 PM/EDT (11:15 AM/CDT). The VNR package will be available by KU Digital, Telstar 6/Transponder 1H, Downlink 11788 Vertical, Data rate 5.5, Symbol rate 3.978723, FEC 3/4; C-Band, Telstar 6/Transponder 3, Downlink frequency 3760 Vertical. For information about picking up the VNR feed, please contact Laura Huie at (615) 415-2460 or Cory Chapman in the CMA Communication Department at (615) 244-2840 or by e-mail at Cchapman@CMAworld.com.
An audio feed of the press conference with nominee interviews, as well as the announcement of the 2003 CMA Broadcast Award finalists, will be available via StarGuide from CMA’s official radio partner MJI Programming, a division of Premiere Radio Networks. For information you can contact MJI’s Affiliate Relations Department at (212) 896-5272 or e-mail rhamilton@mji.com. MJI will also provide further Awards programming including a stereo-radio simulcast of “Country Music’s Biggest Night” Nov. 5.
The CMA Awards are produced by Walter C. Miller, directed by Paul Miller and scripted by veteran television writer and Rolling Stone Senior Contributing Editor David Wild. The Awards will also be seen around the world, including on BBC Television in the UK.
The final nominees for the 2003 CMA Awards are:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Terri Clark
Alison Krauss
Patty Loveless
Martina McBride
Dolly Parton
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
George Strait
HORIZON AWARD
Gary Allan
Buddy Jewell
Joe Nichols
Blake Shelton
Darryl Worley
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alabama
Diamond Rio
Dixie Chicks
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Bellamy Brothers
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sons of the Desert
The Warren Brothers
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and producer)
“Beer For My Horses” – Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson
Produced by James Stroud/Toby Keith
DreamWorks Records Nashville
“Celebrity” – Brad Paisley
Produced by Frank Rogers
Arista Nashville
“Have You Forgotten?” – Darryl Worley
Produced by Frank Rogers/James Stroud
DreamWorks Records Nashville
“Hurt” – Johnny Cash
Produced by Rick Rubin
Lost Highway Records
“Three Wooden Crosses” – Randy Travis
Produced by Kyle Lehning
Word/Curb/Warner Bros. Records
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas – dobro
Paul Franklin – steel guitar
Aubrey Haynie – fiddle/mandolin
Brent Mason – guitar
Randy Scruggs – guitar
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and producer)
American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash
Produced by Rick Rubin
Lost Highway Records
Home – Dixie Chicks
Produced by Dixie Chicks/Lloyd Maines
Open Wide/Monument/Columbia Records
Man With A Memory – Joe Nichols
Produced by Brent Rowan
Universal South
Tim McGraw And The Dancehall Doctors – Tim McGraw/Dancehall Doctors
Produced by Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw/Darran Smith
Curb Records
Unleashed – Toby Keith
Produced by James Stroud/Toby Keith
DreamWorks Records Nashville
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and director)
“Beer For My Horses” – Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson
Directed by Michael Salomon
“Celebrity”– Brad Paisley
Directed by Peter Zavadil
“Concrete Angel” – Martina McBride
Directed by Robert Deaton/George J. Flanigen IV
“Hurt” – Johnny Cash
Directed by Mark Romanek
“Red Dirt Road” – Brooks & Dunn
Directed by Steven Goldmann
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson – “Beer For My Horses”
DreamWorks Records Nashville
Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett – “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”
Arista Nashville
Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow – “Picture”
Lava/Atlantic Records
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Johnny Cash – “Tears in the Holston River”
Capitol Nashville
Tracy Byrd (with Andy Griggs, Montgomery Gentry and Blake Shelton) –
“The Truth About Men”
RCA Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to songwriter and primary publisher)
“Beer For My Horses”
Toby Keith/Scotty Emerick
Tokeco Tunes/Big Yellow Dog Music/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
“Celebrity”
Brad Paisley
EMI April Music/Sea Gayle Music
“Have You Forgotten?”
Darryl Worley/Wynn Varble
EMI April Music/Pittsburg Landing Songs/Warner-Tamerlane Pub.
“Red Dirt Road”
Kix Brooks/Ronnie Dunn
Buffalo Prairie Songs/Showbilly Music/Sony/ATV
“Three Wooden Crosses”
Doug Johnson/Kim Williams
Mike Curb Music/Sweet Radical Music/Kim Williams Music/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Cross Keys Publishing