9 MILLION Country Fans Lit Up the Holidays with ‘CMA Country Christmas’

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Nothing like “CMA Country Christmas” to put 9 MILLION awesome Country Music fans in the holiday spirit!

Thanks to all of the fans who tuned in to the 2011 CMA Country Christmas on ABC Thursday night! More than 9 MILLION fans watched Jennifer Nettles host this unforgettable night and were treated to amazing performances by Lauren Alaina, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Brian Setzer, Sugarland, Keith Urban, and even Miss Piggy in a memorable duet with Vince Gill!

And thanks for everybody who chimed in with comments on Facebook and Twitter!  We love keeping up with everyone online!  Here are some of our favorite tweets during the show:

@brookehof How could anyone not love Jennifer Nettles? #CMAChristmas #talentfordays #bestpartofmynight

@LBTmusic @Lauren_Alaina, you did Amy Grant proud, girl! Kimberly #CMAChristmas

@martinamcbride This performance by Faith Hill is really powerful. So beautiful. #CMAChristmas

@EmmaAlaina Holy. 7 minutes in. RT @sara_weaver: Dang. #CMAChristmas is already #1 trending worldwide. That was fast.

@callmeparks Darius Rucker has the perfect voice to sing Walking in a Winter Wonderland #CMAChristmas

@CountryMashup@kherbert87: Miss Piggy wants to du-et with Vincent Gill #CMAChristmas” very funny line

@familymgrkendra Watching @Sugarland perform “Silent Night” on #CMAChristmas. BEAUTIFUL!!!

Tell us your favorite performance!

Twas The Night of Country Christmas

Twas the night of CMA Christmas, when all through the lands
Country fans were abuzz to watch their favorite bands.
Their TVs were set, they had to see it all
From artists, to muppets, and trees oh-so-tall.

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They nestled on their couches, ready to sing along,
“Jingle Bells,” “White Christmas,” every last song.
With Jennifer at the helm for the second year in a row,
15 artists are here to put on a (GREAT) show.

When 9 o’clock came with Christmas carols abound,
Kids knew to be quiet and not make a sound.
Away to the couches they flew awfully fast,
Cuddled up with their blankets to watch our Christmas show cast.

Miss Piggy the Muppet takes the stage with Vince Gill,
To sing of the weather, the snow, and the chill.
But Amy Grant is here too! To sing with her boo!
They promise to give a great performance for you.

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The talent on stage is truly incredible,
Miss Piggy’s still complaining about Brad Paisley calling her edible.
Sugarland, sugarplums, fireside chats,
Not one but two songs by the famous Rascal Flatts.

And then from the crowd we hear an applause,
As Brad and Brian boogie woogie like Santa Claus.
Then Keith serenades us, the best from down under,
Lauren and Kellie from Idol, they fill us with wonder.

Now Scotty!, now Darius!, now, Little Big Town!
On Faith!, On Martina, oh such a beautiful gown!
To the front of the stage! To the front of it all!
Now sing away! Sing away! Sing away ya’ll!

We hope you enjoy watching our show,
Its a pleasure to have you, just so you know.
Enjoy the holidays, we hope they are swell,
We here at CMA Christmas wish you all well!!!

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CMA Awards Artist Spotlight: MARTINA MCBRIDE

Martina McBride wins Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Awards in 2002.

It’s no surprise that Martina McBride is nominated again this year for CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year. Having earned the title a total of four times, she ties Reba McEntire for the most Award wins in the category. With a new album out and a 2012 tour lined up with the “King of Country” himself, George Strait, Martina McBride has a lot to look forward to. The “45th Annual CMA Awards” which air Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8|7c on ABC) earn McBride her 21st CMA Award nomination.

More about Martina McBride

It’s not just award wins and albums sales that distinguish a true “leading lady” of Country Music. It’s also character and longevity.  Good thing for Martina McBride, she has all of these qualities and then some.  Since the release of her first album in 1992, McBride has continuously wowed audiences with her impressive vocal range, positive attitude, charitable generosity and long list of awards and recognitions.

As a well-respected member of the music community, Martina McBride has participated in a number of charity and music events, including the “Stand Up 2 Cancer” telethon in 2010 and the Academy of Country Music’s Girls’ Night Out Benefit Concert in 2011, which featured fellow CMA Award nominees Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Nettles (of Sugarland.) She is the current spokeswoman for the “National Domestic Violence Hotline” and has hosted the Middle Tennessee’s YWCA Celebrity Auction every year since 1995.  In Feb. 2011, McBride took the stage with Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch and Yolanda Adams at the 53rd GRAMMY Awards to pay tribute to vocal legend, Aretha Franklin.

Over the course of her nearly twenty-year career, McBride has released ten studio albums, as well as a Greatest Hits, Christmas and Live compilation. She has sold over 18 Million albums worldwide and released fifty singles.  On Oct. 11 2011, McBride released her long-awaited eleventh studio album, appropriately titled, Eleven.

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CMA Awards Artist Spotlight: SUGARLAND

Sugarland accepts Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2008 CMA Awards.

For a group that consists of only two people, Sugarland continuously proves that they don’t need a 10-piece band to captivate 20,000-plus crowds.  Since 2004 Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have captured the hearts of Country Music fans with their musical chemistry, energetic stage presence and catchy hits. They have released four Platinum-certified albums and earned five No. 1 Country singles.   As reigning Vocal Duo of the Year winners, the pair is nominated again in 2011 for the CMA Award which they have claimed every year since 2007.

More about Sugarland

Sugarland’s first single, “Baby Girl,” is a telling story of the group’s musical beginnings in Georgia, where they played local bars around Atlanta and near-by towns, making a name for themselves in the early ‘00s singer/songwriter scene.  As the lead-off single to their debut album, Twice the Speed of Life, “Baby Girl” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and set a record for the highest-peaking debut single from a group in over 13 years.

Jennifer and Kristian perform "Settlin'" at the 2006 CMA Awards in Nashville.

Sugarland earned their first No. 1 hit with “Want To,” the lead single from their sophomore studio album, Enjoy the Ride.  The album produced three more singles, including “Stay,” for which Nettles won CMA’s Song of the Year in 2008 and a GRAMMY Award for Best Country Song in 2009. Their third album, Love on the Inside, not only featured Nettles and Bush as vocalists and musicians, but also as songwriters. The duo co-wrote all of the album’s 12 tracks, including their No. 1 hits, “All I Want to Do,” “Already Gone” and “It Happens.”

With 2011 drawing to a close, it’s clear that Sugarland has no intention of slowing down.  On Oct. 19, 2010 they released their fourth studio album, aptly titled The Incredible Machine, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts. Since then, the duo has released three singles, including the lead-off hit, “Stuck Like Glue.”  Sugarland began their “Incredible Machine Tour” in 2010 and will continue touring across the US until October 2011. The tour ranked No. 38 on Pollstar’s “Top 50 North American Tours (2010 Year End),” grossing $19 million.

The tour has featured openers such as Jake Owen, Julianne Hough, Randy Montana, Sara Bareilles, as well as fellow CMA Award nominees, Luke Bryan and Little Big Town.

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CMA Awards Artist Spotlight: MONTGOMERY GENTRY

With this year’s “45th Annual CMA Awards” nominations, the honky-tonk ambassadors of Montgomery Gentry received their 13th consecutive nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year since 1999. The pair interrupted Brooks & Dunn’s nearly 14 year winning streak (1992-1999 and 2001-2006) when they won the award in 2000. They share this year’s honor with newcomers The Civil Wars and Thompson Square, fellow former nominee Steel Magnolia, and reigning four-year duo Sugarland.

More About Montgomery Gentry

These tried-and-true boys of the red, white, and blue espouse classic American sentiments in both their professional and personal lives. Kentucky natives with blue-collar ethos and appeals to hard-working, God-loving, family oriented audiences, Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry have consistently reminded millions of lifelong fans about the roots and outlooks that make honky-tonk an indelible Country stronghold.

From the start, Montgomery Gentry promised to change the landscape of music. Their platinum debut album Tattoos & Scars topped at No.10 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and yielded their first top five hit single “Lonely and Gone.” For almost 12 years since, Montgomery Gentry has continued to produce critically acclaimed albums and scores of Billboard Country hits with five No.1 singles including “If You Ever Stop Loving Me,” “Something To Be Proud Of,” “Lucky Man,” “Back When I Knew It All” and “Roll With Me.”

With a hard-earned armory of enviable industry accolades as well as three Platinum and two Gold-certified albums to date, Montgomery Gentry has fans buzzing with excitement over their forthcoming sixth studio album, Rebels On The Run, on Oct. 18 of this year. Released with their new label, Average Joe’s Entertainment, Rebels On The Run is the first studio album the boys have produced in over three years. The first single off the album, “Where I Come From,” has climbed Billboard’s Country charts for the past 10 weeks, currently residing at the No.39 spot. The newly released video for this promising single is a testament to Montgomery Gentry’s core and inspirations. Featuring a wounded soldier’s flashbacks in the heat of battle, this impactful and heart-wrenching video illustrates the fundamental values of family, courage, and loyalty, all of which are deeply rooted tenets for these honky-tonk heroes.

Rebels On The Run is another chapter in this great American saga. Clearly evident in their upcoming album, the duo’s modus operandi is simple: “We keep to our roots. We’ll always talk about the good, the bad, the ugly and the party on the weekend. We’ll always include the Man Upstairs and our American heroes.” Pre-order copies are available on Sept. 26th on the band’s website.

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CMA Awards Artist Spotlight: THE CIVIL WARS

Nominated for their first CMA as Vocal Duo of the Year for “The 45th Annual CMA Awards,” The Civil Wars will face tough competition in a category that only three bands have laid claim to since 1992. The four-year reigning duo Sugarland is amongst the nominees as well as past winner Montgomery Gentry (2000), former nominee Steel Magnolia, and fellow first time nominee Thompson Square. The thankful duo tweeted their reactions from across the ocean, where they are traveling on their first 35-date headlining tour.

@thecivilwars: Thanks for all of the kind words about the CMA nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year!”

More About The Civil Wars

The only consensus in placing The Civil Wars into a musical genre is the lack of consensus. A folk-pop-indie-Americana duo with a country twang and a minimalist approach to acoustic accompaniments, The Civil Wars are hardly your cookie-cutter coeds singing about love and heartbreak. But then again, a lot about this unique pair seems paradoxical. Joy Williams hails from California, home of the Beach Boys, while guitarist partner John Paul White is Alabama-bred and was raised on iconic countrymen like Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash. They met at a Nashville songwriter’s retreat in 2008 and by defying logic, the duo has become an international sensation.

Since their inception, The Civil Wars have broken away from standard paradigms and forged a path of their own. They put out their first album, Live at Eddie’s Attic, from the recordings of a June 2009 show that they played in Decatur, Ga. Although it was only the second time that Williams and White performed together, the album established them as two organic personalities with immaculate talent and a proclivity for harmonious discord. Later that year, the duo’s breakout single, “Poison and Wine,” aired on an episode of ABC’s popular television series Grey’s Anatomy. Two days later, they released a 4-song EP, Poison and Wine, which debuted at No.4 on iTunes and was named the iTunes “Best 2010” singer/songwriter album.

The Civil Wars’ first studio album Barton Hollow, released in February 2011, topped music charts, reaching No.12 on the Billboard 200, No.2 on Billboard Folk albums, No.3 on Billboard rock albums, No.4 on Billboard’s Indie albums, and claiming the No.1 spots for both Billboard’s and iTunes’ digital albums charts. Clearly, The Civil Wars’ eclectic styling appeals to fans and critics across an array of formats. In fact, between their distinctive style, inspiring lyrics, and modest personalities, The Civil Wars have garnered artists like Taylor Swift and U.K.-born Adele as some of their most vocal champions. Swift took to her twitter to declare them as “[her] favorite duet,” while Adele blogged raves about the couple before inviting them to collaborate with her on several tour dates, “they are by far the BEST live band I have EVER seen. They are magical, stunning, they make my heart hurt but make it a bit stronger at the same time too!”

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CMA Awards Artist Spotlight: LITTLE BIG TOWN

The four members of Country harmonizers Little Big Town have been hard at work this year promoting their newest album The Reason Why and touring with friends Sugarland on the 2011 “Incredible Machine Tour.” But the group took a quick break from their hectic schedules to recognize their sixth consecutive nomination for Vocal Group of the Year for “The 45th Annual CMA Awards,” which airs live Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 8|7c on ABC.

@LBTmusic: We are honored and excited to be nominated for CMA Vocal Group of the Year. Thank you!”

Little Big Town performs "Boondocks" at the 2007 CMA Awards.

Little Big Town has received the prestigious nomination every year since 2006 and will face familiar competition from last year’s Awards ceremony including Zac Brown Band, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, and reigning winner Lady Antebellum.

More About Little Big Town

If you ask the members of Little Big Town for an insider’s tip on how to make it as a vocal group in a notoriously tough industry, don’t be surprised if the response is relatively simple: music. It may seem like a cliché or an oversimplification but for the Country quartet, a shared dedication to making music gave them the strength and tenacity needed to overcome some jarring personal tragedies and group disappointments since they formed the band.

Before presenting the 2010 Album of the Year Award, Little Big Town acknowledged Taylor Swift's 2009 winner by harmonizing on "You Belong With Me."

Founded by members Kimberly Roads Schlapman and Karen Fairchild, the foursome was complete with the addition of Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet in 1998. Early in the collaboration, a volatile period for any developing group, the members of Little Big Town experienced a succession of serious breakups, divorces, and the unexpected death of Kimberly’s husband in 2005. Professionally, two label changes within the first 5 years of the group’s alliance did little to mitigate already turbulent waters.

Yet the group leaned on one another for support and used the experiences to enrich their music. Tides began to change with the release of the group’s second album The Road to Here, which is certified Platinum and yielded two top 10 country singles “Boondocks” and “Bring It On Home.” In 2008, the group hit the road to open for Carrie Underwood and promote its third studio album A Place to Land. In 2009, the group launched a headlining tour of their own, and that year they received their fourth CMA nomination for Vocal Group of the Year.

In 2010, the group released its fourth studio album The Reason Why, which debuted at No. 5 and eventually became its first No. 1 Billboard Country album. The album features several singles including the top ten hit and lead-off “Little White Church,” the group’s fastest rising single, plus its newly-released poignant “Shut Up Train.” With numerous accolades, critical favor, and more than 1.5 Million albums sold to date, Little Big Town has come a long way since their inception. To top it off, all four members are now married and have had children within the last five years. Members Fairchild and Westbrook, who married in 2006, welcomed their first baby boy last year. Along with Sweet’s 3-year-old and Schlapman’s 4-year-old daughters, Little Big Town is quickly becoming a big family themselves. One with an inspiring story and a promising future.

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7 MILLION Country Fans ROCK ‘CMA Music Festival’ on ABC!

You know it’s a party when 7 MILLION of your closest friends show up!

Thanks to the fans who watched the 2011 “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” on ABC Sunday night!  Y’all helped Country Music have a BIG SHOWING to a national TV audience.  In fact, with 7 MILLION viewers, last night’s telecast earned ABC its most viewers in the time period in five years!  That’s 7 MILLION fans who relived the excitement we experienced here in Nashville back in June, 7 MILLION fans who caught amazing performances by the likes of Trace Adkins, Alabama, Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Luke Bryan, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson and Zac Brown Band!

Here are some of our favorite tweets from friends during the show:

  • @Opry: WOW @Lauren_Alaina w/ @MartinaMcBride & @ScottyMcCreery w/ @joshturnermusic together!
  • @GACtv: @taylorswift13 showing off some mad banjo skills on the CMA Music Fest: Country’s Night to Rock special on ABC tonight. #cmafest
  • @FollowCMT: I always want to go sit on a beach when I hear @ZacBrownBand. Who’s with me? #CMAfest
  • @JoeDonRooney: Thx so much to all you #CountryMusicFans for making #CMAfest such a #Success this year! #KeepOnRockin
  • @cmilove: I wish @kelly_clarkson would make a full country record. She’s got one of THE BEST voices in all of music. #cmafest
  • @adrianftaylor: love how @DierksBentley announced so many great artists #cmafest country music’s night to rock! CMA knows who the fave is to see! #Dierks
  • @LBTmusic: Loved singing with @rascalflatts on #cmafest… so cool.
  • @MusicRow: Country girls, are you shaking it? Luke Bryan sez so. #cmafest
  • @MartinaMcBride: Thanks 4 all the sweet comments re. One Night @ #CMAFest.
  • @manderho: Little Big Town makes everything sound that much better #CMAfest

So, what was your favorite performance or moment from the special?  We want to hear it.  Sound off below!

The Unglamorous Side

So, don’t get us wrong – we know our jobs are cool. In fact, for the most part our jobs ROCK IT ALL THE WAY DOWN!  Plus, with only about 35 people on staff at CMA, we’re like a big ol’ family.       

Now, having said that, it isn’t like we’re living the high life, spending our days rubbing elbows with Keith and Nicole, lunching with Tim and Faith, and jetting off to faraway lands with Big & Rich – oh wait, I mean Brooks & Dunn – oh wait, I mean…Sugarland?  No, for the most part, our days are your standard office fare – that is, until preparation for the CMA Music Festival. :-)      

This ain't us.

Having rolled up my sleeves for all sorts of kooky tasks, and working alongside a team of people who are equally willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, I recently asked a few folks about some of the not-so-glamorous  Music Fest tasks they recall undertaking.  Here goes nothin’:      

  • One of my marketing dept. comrades Catherine (you can call her Kiki), remembers the 2005 CMA Music Festival. It rained that year. A lot. (Mother Nature assures us we’re in the clear for 2010!). In the midst of that rain, we had to pass out exactly 4 gazillion rain-soaked Continue reading