Country Music Association Awards

BIG congrats to our clients who won radio awards this year. Station of the year: KMPS, Seattle. GM Dave McDonald and MD Tony Thomas were on TV and it was classy that they mentioned PD Becky Brenner, who is recovering from foot surgery and so was unable to travel. WBBS (B104.7), Syracuse's dynamic morning pair, Ron Bee and Becky Palmer, simply looked great as they accepted their Personalities of the Year accolades. We were also proud to be cheering for WIXY/Champaign (and Interprep.com scribe) Steve Holstein, Andy Roberts, Melissa Anfield as well as Cumulus OM Tim Roberts and PD Dave Steele of Jaye's hometown radio station, WQXK, Salem-Youngstown.

38TH ANNUAL COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION AWARDS
WINNERS

Album Of The Year: KENNY CHESNEY, When The Sun Goes Down
Female Vocalist of the Year: MARTINA MCBRIDE
Male Vocalist of the Year: KEITH URBAN
Entertainer of the Year: KENNY CHESNEY
Vocal Event of the Year: BRAD PAISLEY/ALISON KRAUSS, Whiskey Lullaby
Song of the Year (Award To Songwriter(s): TIM MCGRAW's Live Like You Were Dying
Vocal Group of the Year: RASCAL FLATTS
Vocal Duo of the Year: BROOKS & DUNN
Single of the Year (Award to Artist): TIM MCGRAW's Live Like You Were Dying
Music Video of the Year: BRAD PAISLEY/ALISON KRAUSS' Whiskey Lullaby
Horizon Award: GRETCHEN WILSON

GRETCHEN WILSON sang When I Think About Cheatin' into a 1949 Neumann Telefunken M49 microphone... one of only two known to remain in existence.

A tearful GRETCHEN WILSON accepted her Horizon Award saying she came to the CMAs last year and sat back in the back dreaming of one day standing onstage -- but never dreamed it would happen so fast. She closed by saying she felt guilty taking home such a wonderful present on her daughter Gracie's 4th birthday.

WILLIE NELSON and FAITH HILL helped induct KRIS KRISTOFFERSON into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Faith's performance of the Kristofferson penned Help Me Make It Through The Night was one of the highlights of the night.

ALAN JACKSON's performance with PATTY LOVELESS on Monday Morning Church showed what country music is truly about. The lyrics and a great crooning voice.

MARTINA MCBRIDE took home Female Vocalist of the Year for the second straight year. It's her third win in the category since she began winning awards from the CMA in 1994.

Although they weren't VINCE GILL, BROOKS & DUNN did an admirable job of hosting, mainly because they didn't try to fill Vince's shoes, but rather went out and were themselves.

A visibly stunned KEITH URBAN accepted his win for Male Vocalist of the Year. It was his first time nominated in the category.

Will the Horizon Award be a blessing or a curse for GRETCHEN WILSON? History tells us it will be one extreme or the other. Last year's winner, JOE NICHOLS, and 2002 winners RASCAL FLATTS are examples of those who've gone on to build on the success, while 1997 winner LEANN RIMES saw her career hit the skids for a bit, as did SUZY BOGGUSS after winning the award in 1992.

Did you notice Nashville Star contestant Martie Slayton singing backup with GEORGE STRAIT on I Hate Everything? Martie was one of the contestants in season two of the USA Network's series. She also appeared with George as part of his For The Last Time -- Live From The Astrodome concert.

LINDA DAVIS, who helped REBA MCENTIRE on the 1992 duet Does He Love You, helped her again, singing backup for Reba during her performance.

Who's at fault for KENNY CHESNEY running out of time during his Entertainer of the Year acceptance speech? At an exclusive post-CMA Awards party, some were faulting the CMA and CBS for being stingy with the time -- after all Kenny had only won his first CMA earlier in the show. Others were heard saying that while he did wait 12 years for The Big Award, it was a bit arrogant to expect to have more time than any one else is allotted.

THAT question sounds like a great PHONE TOPIC to me..

For more, check out the CMA website: http://www.cmaawards.com/2004/