By: Kathleen Tansley, CMT.com Intern

Wednesday night (Nov.11) I was fortunate to be able to attend the 43^rd annual CMA Awards here in ....Nashville....! There were so many great performances and acceptance speeches, and I’ve put together some highlights from the evening:

When we first arrived, the boys of Love and Theft were handing out the awards that were not shown during the live broadcast. These included video of the year won by Taylor Swift for “Love Story” and musical event of the year won by Brad Paisley with Keith Urban for “Start a Band”.

My personal favorite, Miranda Lambert, rocked with her latest single, “White Liar." I love the video for this one and seeing it performed live just added to my love and appreciation for the sweet and sassy song.

Zac Brown Band blew me away with “The Devil Went Down to ....Georgia.".... The entire band came together perfectly to really rock and bring their own flavor to the classic.

Who doesn’t love George Strait! His performance of “Twang” was wonderful and being able to see him perform not once but TWICE during the awards was a real treat.

Lady Antebellum’s performance of “Need You Now” really gave me a better appreciation for their harmonic abilities, and I’ll definitely be listening to more of their music from now on. They definitely earned their wins for vocal group (ending Racal Flatts’ six-year dominance in this category) and single of the year.

Darius Rucker’s acceptance speech for best new artist was my favorite. It’s never easy for an artist to cross over into different genres, especially when they are a rock staple like Hootie & the Blowfish. He was so appreciative to the fans, and it really made me happy to see him win.

Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova” gave off a very Britney feeling with the costumes and backup dancers, but I do love the song.

During commercial breaks, videos of ‘60s – ‘70s television performances by artists like Waylon Jennings, Barbara Mandrell, Willie Nelson and Conway Twitty played on huge monitors. I loved the contrast between these classic clips featuring over teased hair, powder blue tuxedos and retro stage sets against the sleek and modern stage production going on below. 
 

I was so excited to be able to see Brooks & Dunn perform together before they are no longer  , and the addition of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons really added to the show when they played “Honky Tonk Stomp”. Definitely a crowd pleaser.
   

Taylor Swift’s performance of “Fifteen” on the floor surrounded by adoring fans and then her win of all the categories she was nominated for definitely created the feeling this was her night. Her stellar performance and wins last night further confirmed that 2009 was her year. Can’t wait to see what she has in store for 2010.

After a great tribute to Barbara Mandrell, Martina McBride sang “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” joined in the end by ....George.. ..Strait...., bringing an element of classic country style to the show.
 

The final performance of the night by Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews for “I’m Alive” was a fitting finale with country staple Chesney partnering with rock staple Matthews for a song appealing to all audiences. It really brought together the feeling of artist/genre collaboration that I got from the night.

Throughout the night there was a great mix of classic country and modern country. I’ve heard and read people saying that modern country is taking a turn toward being “too poppy” but I see it as progression. Music and its many forms are never stagnant. The creativity of the artists we love brings new elements and borrows from other genres. Modern country can take us in many directions and that’s what is so great about it. The performance at the CMAs brought it all together in a celebration of country music, its roots and new directions.

Check out CMT.com for highlights of the CMA Awards performances, fashion and acceptance speeches!

By: Elisabeth Hayes

Do you remember Michelle Branch’s catchy song “Everywhere”? It was one of those songs that everyone was singing along to it every time it played on the radio. This was one of several radio hits off her album The Spirit Room that was released in 2001. Several other great songs from that album include “Goodbye to You” and “All You Wanted.” Michelle released another album in 2003 called Hotel Paper before she decided to join forces with Jessica Harp in the country music business in ....Nashville..... The duo became known as the Wreckers. Now, Michelle Branch has just released her single, “Sooner or Later” on Monday (July 20) to CMT, which is from her country album that will be released soon. It seems to me this artist has had so many different acts in the music business, but what is even more incredible is she has been successful both as a solo artist and as a member of a group. I must say that after I listened to her new country single, I have never been more certain that she fits perfectly into the country world as a soloist. I hope she is here to stay, and I cannot wait to here more of her country album.

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By Annemarie Blanco

In honor of our much appreciated fans, CMT wants to give a little something back to you during this year's CMA Music Festival. We know that budgets are tight in today's economy, so what is better than taking you away from troubles by letting you meet your favorite country artists and hear some stellar live performances. The best part ... the event is FREE! On June 13, Eli Young Band, Gloriana, Carter Twins and many more will be waiting for you at 3 p.m. in Nashville. I am sure you're thinking that there must be a catch, right? Don't worry there are no hidden fees or magic doors. However, we do want to test your country skills a little bit. Keep checking back at our CMT MySpace page and CMT Twitter to get clues from some special friends to try and figure out where the event will be held. We can't wait to see you there and how quickly you can solve our little scavenger hunt!

By Annemarie Blanco

It’s rare that a song can have the ability to bring out so many different emotional responses, but Taylor Swift’s new video, "The Best Day," makes me want to tearfully run to the phone and tell my mom that I love her. As a special Mother’s Day treat, Taylor Swift released a new video in honor of her own mom. Full of homemade videos, the video shows the special relationship between the Swift family while giving an inside look at Taylor’s childhood. Get a glimpse of the video and share your special mother-inspired memory.

By Annemarie Blanco

I have to admit we do get a few perks here at CMT, sometimes even getting the pleasure of seeing country shows at the office. Last year’s favorite Can You Duet married couple, Joey & Rory came by to not only play a few songs for the staff but also give us a glimpse of their new video, “Play the Song.” Following up to their first highly-rated single, “Cheater, Cheater,” the new video keeps their playful, energetic side that was so lovable from their Duet days. Steering towards more traditional sounding country, the duo tackles the issue of music executives wanting to change both their image and music. Most songs that try to speak about an issue end up sounding depressing and bleak, however Joey & Rory manage to keep their song light-hearted and fun. How do you think their sophomore single compares to their first hit?

By Annemarie Blanco

4.21.09
Chuck's back again to show you where he goes to ready for the show. He also gives a peek into where he relaxes before and after Dancing With the Stars, even running into a special fan of the show. Don't forget if you missed any of the past video blogs from Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough, just keep watching! Every week the blog's are updated right here, just for you!

4.07.09
Check out a hilarious new Dancing With the Stars video blog from Chuck Wicks. He finds a VERY interesting place to sit as he talks about this week's dance and coming back from the ACM Awards. Check out a new blog from Julianne Hough too, right afterwards!