Country Music Awards

Country Music Awards honor the contributions made by country music artists, musicians, publishers, producers, video directors, song writers and technicians involved in the country music genre.

History of the Country Music Awards

Instituted in 1967 by the Country Music Association, the first ever CMA awards Banquet and Show was not broadcast on television. It was only in 1969 that the CMA awards were broadcast live on television. CMA awards were simultaneously broadcast live on television and radio for the first time in 1978.

The year 1983 witnessed another first when the CMA awards were simultaneously broadcast live on TV and stereo/radio through satellite. Interviews done with nominees and winners before and after the award ceremony were aired during the radio broadcast. 

Award Selection process for Country Music Awards

The selection process for CMA awards is very transparent and democratic as Country Music Association, which instituted the CMA awards, selects the winners through voting by its members who are professional in the industry. Every member first nominated one act each in all categories. Any nominee who receives more than 10 nominations from the members will become an official nominee.

In the second stage, all the CMA members are asked to pick five nominees out of all official nominees in each category. The five nominees getting the most votes become the final nominees. In the final stage, members pick one nominee in each category and the nominee getting most votes is announced the winner.

42nd Country Music Awards

The 42nd Country Music Awards were held on May 15 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This was the second time that the awards were held in MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Carrie Underwood won three awards, bagging the Top Female Vocalist award, Album of the Year Award for ‘Some Hearts’ and Video of the Year award for ‘Before He Cheats’. George Strait’s ‘Give It Away’ won him two awards for Single Record of the Year award and Song of the Year Award.

Kenny Chesney was chosen as the Entertainer of the Year while Top Male Vocalist award went to Brad Paisley. Brooks and Dunn won the Top Vocal Duo award. They also got to share Vocal Event of Year award with Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow for ‘Building Bridges’.

Rascal Flatts received the Top Vocal Group award while Little Big Town won the Top new Duo or Vocal Group. Top new Female Vocalist award was given to Miranda Lambert whereas Top New Male Vocalist Award went to Rodney Atkins.

CMA Music Festival

Organized by Country Music Association, CMA Music Festival began as Fan Fair in April, 1972, at Nashville Municipal Auditorium. A four-day event, CMA Music Festival features concerts by various country artists, autograph signing, artists-fan interaction and photograph session. As more and more fans started thronging the Fan Fair, its venue was shifted to Tennessee State Fairgrounds to accommodate more fans of country music.

It was in year 2001 when Fan Fair returned to Nashville, where Family Zone, featuring games and activities for all age groups, and After Hours, a collaboration of clubs and night spots featuring live music, were introduced. While night concerts were held at The Coliseum, daytime concerts were held at Riverfront Park Stages. The Nashville Convention Center hosted the autograph signing session by the artists and artists-fans interaction.

The year 2004 saw Fan Fair being rechristened as CMA Music Festival. Sports Zone and Acoustic Corner were also introduced in the same year. The event, which witnessed the participation of 5,000 fans during the first concert in 1972, attracted nearly 2 lac fans from across the world in 2007. More than 400 celebrities participated in the 2007 CMA Music Festival.