CMA NOMINEES ARE IN

CMA Nominees: Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney has won seven CMA awards in his career, including four Entertainer of the Year awards (2004, 2006-2008), which ties him with Garth Brooks as the artists with the most wins in this category. Kenny won the Musical Event of the Year category in 2007 for the song "Find Out Who Your Friends Are," which he performed with Tracy Lawrence and Tim McGraw.


Brad Paisley
Paisley will co-host the CMA Awards with Carrie Underwood for the second consecutive year. Paisley, the reigning Male Vocalist of the Year, has won 11 CMA awards in his career, including Male Vocalist (2007, 2008); Album (2006 for Time Well Wasted); and Horizon (now known as the New Talent of the Year award) in 2000. Brad has won the Music Video of the Year award four times: 2002 ("I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)"); 2004 ("Whiskey Lullaby" with Allison Krauss); 2007 ("Online"); and 2008 ("Waitin' on a Woman" featuring Andy Griffith).


George Strait
Strait won a total of 22 CMA awards in his career -- the most won by any artist in CMA Awards history. With 79 career nominations, Strait is tied with Alan Jackson for being the artists with the most nominations in CMA Awards history. Strait has won two Entertainer of the Year awards (1989, 1990). He has also won five Male Vocalist of the Year awards (1985, 1986, 1996-1998), which ties him with Vince Gill as being the artists with the most wins in that category. In 2008, Strait won Album of the Year (for Troubadour) and Single of the Year (for "I Saw God Today").


Taylor Swift
Swift has won one CMA award in her career -- the Horizon award (now known as the New Talent of the Year award) in 2006. This is her first Entertainer of the Year nomination.


Keith Urban
Urban has won five CMA awards in his career, including Entertainer of the Year (2005), three wins as Male Vocalist of the Year (2004-2006), and the Horizon award (now known as the New Talent of the Year award, in 2001).