Cowboy Corner

By Michael W. Stout

Jackson & Keith Dominate CMA Nods

When the nominations for the 38^th Annual Country Music Association Awards were recently announced, superstars Alan Jackson and Toby Keith were neck-and-neck at the top of the list. Jackson topped Keith's six nods by one, vying for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Single, Song and Video of the Year for "Remember When," Musical Event of the Year along with Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and George Strait for "Hey Good Lookin'," and Video of the Year with Jimmy Buffett for "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere." Keith received nominations for Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single and Video of the Year for "I Love This Bar," Album of the Year for Shock `N Y'all and Musical Event for "Hey Good Lookin'."

The ladies didn't fare too poorly either when the list of nominees was read. Hot "Redneck Woman" newcomer Gretchen Wilson and Alison Krauss each landed five nods. Wilson will compete for the Horizon Award, Single, Song and Video of the Year for "Redneck Woman," and Album of the Year for Here for the Party. Krauss is up for Female Vocalist, Single, Video and Musical Event of the Year along with Brad Paisley for "Whiskey Lullaby and Musical Event along with James Taylor for "How's the World Treating You." Kenny Chesney is right up there with Wilson and Krauss with five nods himself.

And the nominees are: Entertainer of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw; Female Vocalist of the Year: Terri Clark, Sara Evans, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride and Reba McEntire; Male Vocalist of the Year: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, George Strait and Keith Urban; Vocal Duo of the Year: Big & Rich, Blue County, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry and The Warren Brothers; and Vocal Group of the Year: Alabama, Diamond Rio, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts and Trick Pony.

Horizon Award: Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Julie Roberts, Josh Turner and Gretchen Wilson; Album of the Year: Brooks & Dunn's Red Dirt Road, Kenny Chesney's When the Sun Goes Down, Toby Keith's Shock `N Y'all, Brad Paisley's Mud on the Tires and Gretchen Wilson's Here for the Party; Single of the Year: Alan Jackson's "Remember When," Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar," Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying," Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss' "Whiskey Lullaby," and Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman"; and Song of the Year: Alan Jackson's "Remember When," Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying," Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss' "Whiskey Lullaby," Josh Turner's "Long Black Train," and Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman."

Music Video of the Year: Alan Jackson's "Remember When," Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett's "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar," Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss' "Whiskey Lullaby," and Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman"; Musical Event of the Year: Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith & George Strait's "Hey Good Lookin'," Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker's "When the Sun Goes Down," Norah Jones & Dolly Parton's "Creepin' In," Alison Krauss & James Taylor's "How's the World Treating You," and Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss' "Whiskey Lullaby"; and Musician of the Year: Matt Chamberlain-drums, Kenny Greenberg-electric guitar, Dann Huff-guitar, Larry Paxton-guitar and Brent Rowan-guitar.

This year's awards will be handed out November 9 at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House. Brooks & Dunn will host the show live on CBS-Television. Artists scheduled to perform on the broadcast include Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Julie Roberts, George Strait, Josh Turner, Shania Twain, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

American Music Award Nominees

Although the 32^nd Annual American Music Awards will only include four country music categories, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Martina McBride and Gretchen Wilson each received two nominations. And the nominees are: Country Female Artist of the Year: Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Gretchen Wilson; Country Male Artist of the Year: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw; Country Band, Duo or Group of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar and Rascal Flatts; and Country Album of the Year: Kenny Chesney's When the Sun Goes Down, Toby Keith's Shock `N Y'all and Martina McBride's Martina. In addition to these country nominations, Gretchen Wilson was nominated in the Favorite New Artist category for all genres of music.

Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker, Toby Keith and Gretchen Wilson are each scheduled to perform during the awards program. Brooks & Dunn are scheduled to be presenters.

The AMA's will be handed out November 14 in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC-Television.

Other Recent Awards

When the 2004 Canadian Country Music Association Awards were handed out September 13, Carolyn Dawn Johnson was the big winner, taking home four trophies. Her awards included SOCAN Song of the Year for "Die of a Broken Heart," Single of the Year and CMT Canada's Video of the Year for "Simple Life," and Album of the Year for Dress Rehearsal. Terri Clark's career has enjoyed a great resurgence as of late, earning her the Female Artist of the Year trophy and the Fan's Choice Award. Jason McCoy was named Male Artist of the Year, Doc Walker was awarded the Group of the Year trophy and George Canyon was named Rising Star of the Year. Alan Jackson's Greatest Hits album was named Canada's Top Selling Album of the Year.

On September 29, country traditionalist Randy Travis received an honor few other country artists have attained. Travis was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. Travis has not only enjoyed a hugely successful country recording career, but he has also enjoyed a reputable career as an actor on the silver screen.

Just last month, Diamond Rio was in for a big surprise following the band's October 15 Grand Ole Opry performance. The band was honored with the 2004 Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award for their work with charities like Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America. This award is named after the late, legendary Opry comedienne.

Butcher Holler's own "Coal Miner's Daughter," Loretta Lynn, will receive the BMI Icon award at BMI's 52^nd annual country awards banquet on November 8. Lynn will receive this songwriter's award for her "enduring influence on generations of music makers," having written the majority of her smash hits, including "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Fist City," "Don't Come Home A'Drinkin'," and "The Pill."

Two of country music's own are finalists for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Conway Twitty and rockabilly star Wanda Jackson will vie for induction along with Grandmaster Flash, Lynyrd Skynrd, Randy Newman, the O'Jays, Gram Parsons, the Sex Pistols, Percy Sledge, Patti Smith, the Stooges and U2. The inductees will be announced this month, while the induction ceremony will take place next March. Best of luck to Jackson and the late Twitty!

Skeeter Davis: 1931-2004

Seventy-two-year-old Grand Ole Opry star Skeeter Davis lost her long battle with cancer in Nashville on September 19. Best known for her 1962 #2 country hit and #1 adult contemporary hit "The End of the World," Davis was born Mary Frances Penick in Dry Ridge, Ky. on December 30, 1931. She and Betty Jack Davis joined to form the Davis Sisters while in high school and they started their professional careers on radio in Lexington, Cincinnati, Wheeling, WV and Detroit. The duo topped the country charts in 1953 with "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," just a few months prior to Betty Jack Davis' death in an auto accident.

Following Betty's death, Skeeter pursued a solo career which included 41 country hits and eight pop hits. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1959 and throughout her life, she was married three times, most notably to country disc jockey and television personality Ralph Emery.

Funeral services were appropriately held at the historic "Mother Church of Country Music," the Ryman Auditorium.

George Strait Tops All the Charts

"The Cowboy," George Strait, has had one of the most consistent and most illustrious careers in all of country music. Just last month, Strait released the long-awaited compact disc he has been working toward his entire career. Copies of George Strait: 50 Number Ones flew off the shelves as fast as the discs could be stocked, selling 343,000 copies during its first week of release. Although it was first reported that the disc was #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart including all genres of music, trailing R&B artist Usher, but there was a reporting error and Strait was in fact #1 on the list.

In addition to Strait's 50 chart-topping hits, this must-have disc has a bonus track, Strait's current single, "I Hate Everything." And if it weren't excitement enough for Strait for his disc to be the top-selling album of all music it's first week, "I Hate Everything" topped the country charts the same week, becoming the superstar's 51^st #1 hit.

Way to go, George!

Reba Lends Name to Fashion Line

As if Reba McEntire weren't busy enough as a country superstar, sitcom star, best-selling author and critically acclaimed Broadway actress, the redheaded diva will add fashion designer to her resume next spring. McEntire has teamed up with the Dillard's department stores to create her very own line of women's clothing simply called "Reba." McEntire says, "Women should feel terrific and confident about how they look each moment of their lives and the clothes that we wear play a huge role in evoking these feelings. I created `Reba' to help women achieve this."

McEntire is designing this exciting line of clothing including everything from casual wear to career wear with New York designers Icon Creations. Look for the "Reba" collection to hit 147 Dillard's stores around the country next spring.

Sara Evans Becomes Mommy Times 3

"Suds in the Bucket" crooner Sara Evans has become a mother for the third time. Daughter Audrey Elizabeth Schelske was born in Nashville at 8:06 am on October 6, weighing in at 7 lbs. and measuring 20.5 in. Mom worked up to the very last minute, having recorded demos for her next album the day prior to giving birth. But don't fear that she's going to be away for long. She is scheduled to perform on the CMA awards on November 9, a mere month following labor and delivery.

Evans and her husband, Craig Schelske, also have a five-year-old son named Avery and an 18-month-old daughter, Olivia.

Congratulations to Sara and Craig!

Well, that's it for another month. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving! Always remember: "Keep your boots shined up and your hat on straight, `cause country music is comin' your way."