The 45th Annual CMA Build Up increases

The 45th Annual CMA Build Up increases

Road To The 2011 CMA Awards: Previews, Press Conference, Behind the Scenes and artist interviews, Rehearsals, Memories shared, Photo’s and How to follow the coverage in the UK.

 (Links / Sources  shown in red)

CMA World Press Photo

On Wednesday, November 9th, 8:00-11:00 PM/ET (Thurs 02:00-05:00 UK Time) will be shown on the ABC Television Network. Yes it's time for the country to cut loose once again! "The 45th Annual CMA Awards" will feature performances by Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and many more! Plus, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town and Darius Rucker join legendary star Lionel Richie for what is cited to be an amazing performance!

Miranda Lambert, one of last year's big winners, is nominated in two categories, female vocalist and musical event -- the latter with two of her idols, Loretta Lynn and Sheryl Crow. The three collaborated on Lynn's hit "Coal Miner's Daughter" for "Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn" and on a video.

"Getting to spend that day at Loretta's house with her and Sheryl, visiting with two of my heroes, was a life changing day for me," Lambert told Reuters in a recent interview. Lambert's husband Blake Shelton is up for seven awards.

Aldean, who is nominated in five categories, told Reuters he was hopeful of having a big night and would be pleased to get the album of the year prize as a reflection of his collaboration with his band mates and producer.

List of 2011 CMA Nominees -
http://countryroutesnews.blogspot.com/2011/09/45th-annual-cma-awards.html

http://abc.go.com/shows/cma-awards/nominees

2011 CMA Awards Previews

ACountry are hosting some interesting retro past footage of the CMA’s that I hadn’t seen before like Shania Twain singing “Any Man Of Mine” in 1995  WOW! And of course Reba McEntire’s unforgettable red dress at the 27th Annual awards in 1993 when she sang “Does He Love You” with Linda Davis (Hillary Scotts mom) again Wow!

WATCH 2011 CMA Awards Preview Part 1 and Part 2

Press Conference:

Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood Part 1 & Part 2 Press Conference – Hosted by (WAMZ ) 975WAMZ  on Youtube

Yes the two of them know how to work well together. They both recognize that fact and Brad says that he sees a parallel between the connection that Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn shared and what he’s found with Carrie - “We have a great respect for one another, as well as similar sense of humor in some ways, and it’s a great thing to find that,” Brad says. “I think Conway and Loretta found that. They were good friends who realized that together they made great music, and that was something that was really unique and a great, great thing to witness, and I think you’re seeing that with us.”

"I will lose a lot of sleep before next Wednesday" preparing for the show, Paisley told Reuters. "I really do get involved, and so does Carrie, in getting this right. The day after the awards I want people to go, 'I can't believe they did that,' about something, and then say, 'but I'm glad they did.' That's the fun part of the awards show.

"It's amazing how strong our format is this year and how amazing the music is. I think there are a lot of great things happening in country music," he added.

Love this Press Photo of Carrie and Brad !

Interviews

Road to the CMA Award, interviews with : Sugarland, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Lauren Alaina, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, Kellie Pickler, Neal McCoy, Trailer Choir, Ty Herndon, Mark Wills, Margaret Durante, Lost Trailers, Andy Gibson, Burns & Poe, Casey James, Eric Pasley, James Wesley, Jason Sturgeon, The Farm and many more additions !

Check out the Country Music Assoc’s Youtube Channel Playlist

The Associated Press recently caught up with a few of the Entertainer Of The Year nominees to see what they had to say about being considered for the award watch here on Youtube -  or @ cmaworld.com 

Rehearsals

CountryMusicLove have some CMA 2011 rehearsal photos  (Pictures courtesy of the Country Music Association)

Country Confidential gives us a sneak peak at the performance rehearsals as artists like Faith Hill (new single, "Come Home" ), Martina McBride (“Gonna Love You Throught It”), The Band Perry ("All Your Life") and of course, CMA co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood (“Remind Me”), prepare for country music's biggest night.

Country stars share memories of the CMA Awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Martina McBride has five Country Music Association Awards, but nothing beats the first time she picked up a CMA trophy.

"It was 1999, and it was just like the whole night I felt like I was walking on air. It was just magic," said McBride of winning female vocalist of the year. "We had been nominated several times before, so to finally hear your name called, it was like the whole world went into slow motion."

The CMA Awards will air live on ABC from Nashville on Wednesday (8 p.m. EST), hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

McBride is nominated once again for female vocalist.

Winning a CMA award also holds special memories for Joe Nichols. He won the new artist of the year category in 2003, when it was called the Horizon Award.

"I got to perform that night in front of George Strait, Hank (Williams) Jr. and all my heroes. I was scared to death ... but it was a fun night," he said, "and I got to take home an award that I never thought I'd win."

Alan Jackson is the second most-nominated artist in CMA history. His run began in 1990, and this year's nod for musical event of the year with the Zac Brown Band gives him a total of 80 nominations. It puts him behind George Strait with 81.

Jackson has won a total of 16 CMA Awards.

"It ain't like the first one, but it still, it's just overwhelming to me anyway to even think about that many," said Jackson. "They're scattered all over our house. I walk around still, I mean, everything in my career is still hard for me to believe."

For The Oak Ridge Boys, perhaps best known for their 1981 megahit "Elvira," the excitement wasn't just about winning a CMA, but celebrating the victory with a very special supporter.

"Back in the middle '70s when we were really struggling, we toured with Johnny Cash, and Johnny Cash took us out there and paid us more money than we were worth, just to keep our heads above water," said singer Joe Bonsall. "He would meet with us and tell us to not lose hope, to have faith in each other, to have faith in what we're doing. To quote Johnny Cash, 'There's magic here. Everybody out there don't know it yet, but I know it.'"

In 1978, they were up for vocal group of the year and Cash was hosting the show.

"When they told us that we had won the CMA vocal group of the year award, instead of us running up to get our award, we all ran up and hugged Johnny Cash," said Bonsall. "And he said, 'I told ya.'"

Source  - AP Link

What to look out for:

Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley and former CMA Entertainers of the Year Vince Gill and Keith Urban will pay tribute to Country Music Hall of Fame member and former CMA Entertainer of the Year Glen Campbell during “The 45^th Annual CMA Awards. Campbell, who is on the final tour of his career after announcing in June he, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

New Artist of the Year nominee Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Thompson Square and Chris Young have joined the performance line-up for "The 45th Annual CMA Awards." Including the previously-announced The Band Perry, this will be first time since 2008 that all five nominees for CMA New Artist of the Year will perform on Country Music's Biggest Night™.

Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration "You and Tequila," Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet "Easy," and co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song "Remind Me." In addition to that already lengthy list Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, and Zac Brown Band will all perform at the awards show.

Kenny Loggins, Blake Shelton team up at CMA Awards - Nov. 8, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Blake Shelton and Kenny Loggins missed their calling. The two new friends are opening the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday with a version of Loggins' hit film theme song "Footloose," but they really should hit the road as a comedy team.

Loggins stayed step for step with the notoriously funny singer and star of "The Voice" on Monday after rehearsals.

Asked how his experience has been so far, Loggins said: "I'm bored to death," flooring everyone within earshot before adding, "It's really fun to be part of the CMAs. I never thought I would be up on that stage, so I'm very pleased. And, of course ... What's your name again?"

"Uh, Kenny Chesney," Shelton replied.

"Kenny is terrific," Loggins quipped, "and will some day be a huge star."

Loggins is here for that performance, but it's not his first trip to the CMAs or Nashville. He's attended the show before as a spectator and has formed a band with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Gary Burr and San Antonio singer Georgia Middleman.

"I'm trying to get him to move to Nashville," Shelton said. "He belongs here."

AP writer Caitlin R. King in Nashville contributed to this report – SOURCE  AP Link

Update Nov 9, 2011

Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton enter rarefied air at CMA Awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jason Aldean thinks this year's Country Music Association Awards could be the start of something new.

Country music is slow to change, and so are the 6,000 members who vote for the winners of Wednesday night's show. So when they nominated Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton in the entertainer of the year category for the first time it meant something.

"Every few years you kind of start to see a changeover of everything," Aldean said. "You start to see different people getting into categories they weren't before. It's like the changing of the guard a little bit."

The two rising stars got to the ballot by taking very different paths, but they've both created a buzz around these awards and in the industry.

Aldean built his audience on the road, while Shelton capitalized on several high-profile events, including his role as a coach on "The Voice," to raise his profile beyond the traditional country music audience.

Both have had a string of hits, but with markedly different sounds. Shelton, the reigning CMA male vocalist of the year, is a mellow baritone with something of a traditionalist approach spiked by humor. Aldean cranks up the guitars and mines a newer sound.

They face Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban — all previous winners.

It's often de rigueur to feign indifference at award shows, but in this case both are openly appreciative of what even a nomination in the category means.

"I still think it's early," Shelton said. "I think the exposure I've had on 'The Voice' and hopefully the exposure I'm giving Nashville and country music in general is probably the reason why people in the industry said, 'Hey, you know what? Throw that guy in there.' I'm honored by that."   To read more  AP Link  (writer Caitlin R. King )

9 Nov 2011 - Brad Paisley performed on ABC-TV’s “GOOD MORNING AMERICA” , which took place in front of Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Paisley was also the first artist to sign the hood of a CHEVROLET car for CMA’s “Keep The Music Playing” program. -

 ABC Video 

With two 2011 CMA nominations Kenny Chesney also stopped by and discussed his upcoming performance on the 45th annual CMA Awards - ABC Video

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill threw a pre-CMA bash on Monday night Nov 7. It was a low-key music industry party in the back yard of their Franklin home. The event was held in an immaculately decorated tent larger than many homes, and the guest list included songwriters, artist managers, members of the publishing community, booking agents and others. McGraw and Hill mingled with guests as Pink Floyd and ABBA tunes played in the background

How to follow the CMA coverage in the UK

1)  WATCH THE RED CARPET LIVE ON CMAAWARDS.COM

The CMA Live Stream event BEGINS WED., NOV. 9 AT 4PM   (That's 10PM in the UK - 6hrs GMT) with three streaming feeds, we can catch the artist and celebrity CMA Awards arrivals to the Macy's Walk of Stars red carpet! Ever wondered about the Awards given out in "earlier ceremonies?" Watch Laura Bell Bundy host the Pre-Telecast CMA Awards! We should be able to hear the AUDIO ONLY of the Awards show and then finally, catch the action in the Backstage Press Room, where the artists go to address the media following their CMA Awards wins!    Source - CMA Press Release

2) BBC Coverage of the 45^th CMA Awards

Can't see anything on BBC TV once again!

Dale Winton who presented a BBC Radio 2 highlights show the past 2 years must be otherwise engaged as Bob Harris (OBE) has had to dust off his CMA suit after a 3 year absence.

Bob Harris presents highlights of the 45th Annual CMA Awards on Radio 2 on Friday Nov 11, 10pm - Midnight.

Bob will be talking to former awards show host Vince Gill, Hall of Fame inductee Reba McEntire and three time CMA award winner Clint Black.

Programme Page - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016xdxm

On Bob Harris Country Thurs November 10th at 7pm to celebrate Bob introduces a selection of Radio 2 session highlights from some of this year's nominees, including Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Little Big Town and Sugarland.
Source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016x541

3)  Tune in to BBC Radio Sheffield and join Allan Watkiss on Sunday 13 Nov @ 4 – 7pm - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d722

As well as transmitting the audio of the CMA highlights a live studio panel consisting of UKCR presenter Alan Potter, “Yorkshire’s First Lady of Country Music Carolann B and Doncaster’s walking encyclopedia Simon Large.