Georgia has a significant showing of nominees for Wednesday night’s Country Music Awards.
Keep an eye on our regional acts, including, Florida Georgia Line (Tyler Hubbard is the Georgia half of the duo, hailing from Monroe) which is up for four awards, including Single of the Year for the enduring “Cruise.”
Jason Aldean of Macon could potentially snag three awards, including the prestigious Entertainer of the Year, where he will battle incumbent Blake Shelton, retiring George Strait, Swift and fellow Georgia boy Luke Bryan.
Leesburg’s Bryan is eligible for a trifecta as well – Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, where Aldean is also marked, and Musical Event of the Year for his participation on Aldean’s “The Only Way I Know.
Little Big Town, whose Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman have area roots, has been tapped for a trio of awards including Album of the Year for “Tornado.” One head-scratcher, though - their “Pontoon” won Single of the Year at last year’s ceremony, but it’s nominated again this year for Song of the Year for songwriters Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird and Barry Dean.
It was a relatively quiet year for Lady Antebellum, whose Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood are Georgia-bred UGA grads. They’ll take on Georgia brethren Zac Brown Band and Little Big Town for Vocal Group of the Year, and their “Downtown” is nominated for Music Video of the Year.
And then there are the solo nods – perennial Vocal Duo of the Year winners Sugarland will compete again in that category (they’ve won it five times). Jennifer Nettles is expected to be on hand to participate in the musical tribute to Kenny Rogers along with Rascal Flatts and Darius Rucker.
Vocal Group of the Year marks the lone nomination for Zac Brown Band, which has yet to win the category despite several nominations over the years.
And Tifton native Kip Moore, a Nashville-based songwriter for nearly a decade, released his debut album “Up All Night” last year and will vie for New Artist of the Year, which is widely expected to go to Florida Georgia Line or the critically adored Musgraves.
Otherwise at the CMAs, Taylor Swift, one of the top nominees with six nods, will receive the prestigious Pinnacle Award, which was created in 2005 and previously given only to Garth Brooks. The criteria? The artist must have achieved worldwide success and recognition unique to country music.
Newcomer Kacey Musgraves has also wrangled an impressive – and entirely deserved – six nominations while Brad Paisley, a co-host again this year with Carrie Underwood, and Hunter Hayes were surprisingly snubbed.
We also know that Atlanta’s Zac Brown Band will play a brand new song during the show with an unlikely but completely welcome partner, Dave Grohl.
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