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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sep. 29, 2006
Trivia For "The 40th Annual CMA Awards"
Vocal Group of the Year
NASHVILLE – The “40th Annual CMA Awards” will air on Monday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/EST) for the first time on the ABC Television Network live from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn. Each week leading up to “Country Music’s Biggest Night™,” CMA will spotlight one of the Award categories with trivia about this year’s nominees and past winners.
One of the special moments of the CMA Awards is the presentation of the Vocal Group of the Year Award.
2006 Vocal Group of the Year Nominees
Alison Krauss + Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas
Little Big Town
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
Which 2006 Vocal Group of the Year nominee is (so far) the top selling artist of 2006, regardless of musical genre?
Answer: Rascal Flatts has sold more albums than any other artist in 2006 thus far. Their current album, Me & My Gang, is the second-biggest selling album of the year (behind Disney’s High School Musical soundtrack album). Their last album, Feels Like Today, remains a strong seller in 2006 as well. Rascal Flatts has won the CMA Vocal Group of the Year Award for the last three years. They also received their first nomination in the coveted Entertainer of the Year category this year.
This legendary group, who were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame last year, received the CMA Vocal Group of the Year Award for three consecutive years in the early ‘80s.Who are they?
Answer: Alabama won the Vocal Group of the Year Award in 1981, 1982 and 1983. They also won the CMA Entertainer of the Year award in 1982, 1983 and 1984. In 2005, Alabama was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Both members of this Vocal Group of the Year nominee were involved in Atlanta based Folk-rock bands long before they broke into the Country Music scene. Who are they?
Answer: Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland were making music long before they joined together. At the age of 20, Nettles was playing the Atlanta club circuit with the acoustic-folk-pop band Soul Miner’s Daughter. In 1998, Nettles formed the Jennifer Nettles Band, which went on to release three albums with an Americana appeal. Bush initially recorded two albums with Andrew Hyra as part of an Atlanta Folk-rock duo. They would soon become Billy Pilgrim under Atlantic Records and release one album. Sugarland are also nominated for the Horizon Award in 2006. Nettles is nominated in the Musical Event of the Year category for her collaboration with Jon Bon Jovi on “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”
The Vocal Group of the Year Award was first given out in 1967. The family group that received it had been performing together since the mid-1950s. Who are they?
Answer: The Stoneman Family won the first CMA Vocal Group of the Year Award in 1967. Banjo-playing Roni Stoneman is well-known for her nearly 20 years as a featured performer on the syndicated television series “Hee Haw.”
The lead singer of this Vocal Group of the Year nominee just finished producing Alan Jackson’s new album, Like Red On A Rose. Who is she?
Answer: Alison Krauss, of Alison Krauss + Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, recently produced Alan Jackson’s new album, Like Red On A Rose, which was released this week on Sept. 26, 2006. Alison was also named CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1995.
One of the individuals involved in this 2006 Vocal Group of the Year nominee won the Musician of the Year Award in 2005. Who is he?
Answer: Jerry Douglas of Alison Krauss + Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas was awarded the Musician of the Year award in 2005. He also was a recipient of the award in 2002. Douglas has garnered nine CMA Award nominations in his career for Musician of the Year, five of these consecutively from 1986 to 1990.
Which Vocal Group of the Year nominee contributes a lot of their time to various charitable causes, including organizing an annual bowling competition, which raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?
Answer: Lonestar donates a good percentage of their free time to various charitable organizations. In 2006, they organized the first annual Lonestar and Friends Strike Out for the Kids Bowling Extravaganza, which raised $16,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Lonestar was named CMA Vocal Group of the Year in 2001.
This four person group, often compared to Fleetwood Mac, received their first CMA nominations in 2006 with recognition for their harmonies in both the Vocal Group of the Year and Horizon categories. Who are they?
Answer: Little Big Town has had a series of setbacks both personally and professionally in their six-year existence, but they have bounced back with great success in 2006. Little Big Town are nominated for both the Vocal Group of the Year and Horizon Award in 2006.
This four-time Vocal Group of the Year winner is known for hits including “There’s Your Trouble” and “Goodbye Earl.” The trio also won the Entertainer of the Year award in 2000. Who are they?
Answer: The Dixie Chicks received the CMA Vocal Group of the Year Award in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. They also won Entertainer of the Year in 2000. They have won a total of nine CMA Awards thus far in their career. Their current album is Taking the Long Way.
Media interested in covering “The 40th Annual CMA Awards” should visit www.CMApress.com to register for media credentials. CMApress.com is a password-protected site for media only, and also features press releases, history documents, downloadable photos and logos. The general public should be referred to www.CMAawards.com.