Oklahomans Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts come away with CMA wins

Carrie's country

by: JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
11/8/2007 2:57 AM

Oklahomans Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts come away with CMA wins

Carrie Underwood took out the Queen of Country on Wednesday night in a win over Reba McEntire for Female Vocalist of the Year at the 41st annual celebration of everything country, the Country Music Association awards.

"God has blessed me with so many wonderful things in my life and I will spend my entire life trying to figure out why," a tearful Underwood said in her acceptance speech.

It was the second consecutive win in that category for the Checotah native. McEntire previously had earned four CMA Best Female Vocalist wins.

McEntire later wowed the crowd with her performance of "When You Love Someone Like That" with LeAnn Rimes, a song from her blockbuster new album, "Reba Duets."

In fact, McEntire walked away trophy-less -- she also fell in the Musical Event of the Year category to Tracey Lawrence, featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are."

Rascal Flatts and Miranda Lambert kicked off the ceremony with electric performances, but Underwood quickly set the tone with grace and dignity as she accepted the first award of the evening for Single of the Year for her multiplatinum hit, "Before He Cheats."

Big and Rich presented "Song of the Year" honors to George Straight's "Give it Away," written by Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson and legendary songwriter Bill Anderson.

The song beat "Lost in This Moment," a Big and Rich song co-written by Miami, Okla.-born Keith Anderson, with John Rich and Rodney Clawson.

Taylor Swift, a platinum-haired 17-year-old country music flamethrower, performed "Our Song" on her rhinestone-studded guitar with the confidence and panache of an up-and-coming superstar. She would later receive the year's Horizon Award, and would exclaim, "This is definitely the highlight of my senior year!"

Later in the show, Brad Paisley performed his ode to nerds everywhere, "Online," with a surprise performance by a marching band, which filed down the aisles of the Sommet Center in Nashville, replete with a dancing, horn player scooting across the stage. The song also won Music Video of the Year.

Easily one of the most moving performances of the evening came from seven-time CMA Award winner and 20-time Grammy award winner, crystalline-voiced bluegrass and country songbird Allison Krauss, who performed "Simple Love," from her album, "A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection."

Okies tallied another win when Rascal Flatts won its fifth consecutive award for Vocal Group of the Year.

Born in Kansas but raised in Picher, Okla., the band's guitarist, Joe Don Rooney, joined Rascal Flatts in 2000, helping the band score three No. 1 albums in seven years.

Last year's Horizon award winner, Muskogee-born Underwood performed "So Small," from her new album "Carnival Ride."

Norman-born Vince Gill indroduced legendary band the Eagles. The band made its award-show debut with "How Long," a song from its first full album of new songs in 28 years, "Long Road Out of Eden."

Brooks and Dunn took the stage with their ballad of unanswered prayer, "God Must Be Busy."

Ronnie Dunn, who started in the house band at Duke's Country before winning the 1988 Marlboro Country Music Talent Roundup, has teamed with partner Kix Brooks for some 18 CMA Award wins.

Ada-born Blake Shelton, with Jewel and Ty Murray, presented the Vocal Duo of the Year award to Sugarland, and country music legend Dwight Yoakam gave a short but moving tribute to another legend, Porter Wagoner, who died Oct. 28. "Porter, you'll be missed," he said as the crowd stood and applauded.

Yoakam also presented the "Album of the Year" award to George Straight, who won for the sixth time in the category, this time with "It Just Comes Natural," which bested Vince Gill's four-CD epic, "These Days."

Hall of Fame inductees were Ralph Emery, Mel Tillis and Sooner crooner Gill.

The 50-year-old Gill has earned an astounding 51 CMA nominations, winning 18 -- along with winning an record 18 Grammy Awards.

In pre-broadcast awards, dobro great Jerry Douglas was named Musician of the Year.

Hard partiers Kid Rock and Gretchen Wilson presented the Male Vocalist of the Year award to Brad Paisley, who beat, well, everybody -- Straight, Keith Urban, Josh Turner and Kenny Chesney.

It was Paisley's first win and seventh nomination in the category. His emotional thanks included everyone from God to ASCAP and his fans.

McEntire presented the Entertainer of the Year award to Kenny Chesney, who said "Guys, I can't believe I get to stand on the stages I stand on . . . and sing the songs that I sing."

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Jennifer Chancellor 581-8346
jennifer.chancellor@tulsaworld.com

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CMA Winners

Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney

Female Vocalist of the Year

Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist of the Year

Brad Paisley

Horizon Award

Taylor Swift

Vocal Group of the Year

Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year

Sugarland

Single of the Year

(Award goes to Artist and Producer)

"Before He Cheats"

Carrie Underwood

Produced by Mark Bright

19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records

Album of the Year

(Award goes to Artist and Producer)

It Just Comes Natural

George Strait

Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait

Song of the Year

(Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)

"Give It Away"

Bill Anderson / Buddy Cannon / Jamey Johnson

Sony/ATV Tree / EMI Blackwood / Run Slow Music

Musical Event of the Year

(Award to each Artist)

Tracy Lawrence Featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney

"Find Out Who Your Friends Are"

Rocky Comfort Records/CO5

Music Video of the Year

(Award goes to Artist and Director)

"Online"

Brad Paisley

Directed by Jason Alexander

Musician of the Year

Jerry Douglas -- Dobro