SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
- "Don't Blink" - Kenny Chesney
- "Famous In A Small Town" - Miranda Lambert
- "Lost In This Moment" - Big & Rich Listen
- "Stay" - Sugarland Listen
- "Watching Airplanes" - Gary Allan
All of these are wonderful songs, and very deserving of the nomination. Kenny and Big & Rich both took their songs to No. 1, while Sugarland and Gary Allan took their songs to No. 2. Miranda Lambert's "Famous in a Small Town" peaked at No. 14.
Who do I want to win? I'd like to see Sugarland win for "Stay."
Who will win? I think Kenny Chesney may come out on top here, although Sugarland just may snatch it instead.
SONG OF THE YEAR
- "Don't Blink" - Writers: Casey Beathard, Chris Wallin
- "Lost In This Moment" - Writers: Keith Anderson, Rodney Clawson, John Rich
- "Moments" - Writers: Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate
- "Watching You" - Writers: Rodney Atkins, Steve Dean, Brian White
- "Stay" - Writer: Jennifer Nettles
All wonderful songs, including my favorite song of 2007, "Moments."
Who do I want to win? Hey, would you be suprised if I said I wanted "Moments" to win? ;)
Who will win? I believe "Stay" might just have the power to hold off "Don't Blink" for the win in this category. I think voters will want to give Jennifer Nettles some props for writing such a heart wrenching song.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- "Don't Blink" - Kenny Chesney
Director: Shaun Silva
- "Lost In This Moment" - Big & Rich
Director: Robert Deaton and George Flanigen
- "Online" - Brad Paisley
Director: Jason Alexander
- "Stay" - Sugarland
Director: Shaun Silva
- "Watching You" - Rodney Atkins Watch Video
Director: Eric Welch
Who wins here has to do with what the voters are looking for in a video. Are they looking for a touching song about how life passes you by? They'll vote for Kenny Chesney. If they want a great wedding song, it's Big & Rich. While if people are looking for a laugh, it's definitely Brad Paisley. If they want a gut-wrenching performance, it's Sugarland. If they want a video about a guy that doesn't want to let his relationship end, it's Gary Allan. If they want a great family video, they're sure to check the box next to Rodney Atkins' name.
Who do I want to win? I just love Sugarland's "Stay," but I gotta say that I love Rodney Atkins' "Watching You" even more. The interaction between him and his son is precious. This video makes me smile every time I watch it.
Who will win? I think voters just might agree with me here and give Rodney Atkins the win. His video is just so cute. I love when Elijah starts jamming with his guitar, and then remembers the camera is on him, and he stops and looks into the camera, like "Hey!" So adorable!
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
- "Because Of You" - Reba McEntire Duet With Kelly Clarkson Listen
- "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" - Tracy Lawrence With Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
- "Shiftwork" - Kenny Chesney Duet With George Strait
- "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" - Bon Jovi Featuring LeAnn Rimes
- "What You Give Away" - Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow
Reba is hosting the show for the 10th year. Will she also take home an award? Tracy Lawrence, with Tim and Kenny won the CMA Vocal Event for this song back in November. Kenny Chesney and George Strait will perform their nominated song "Shiftwork" during the show.
Who do I want to win? I'd like to see Reba and Kelly win the award.
Who will win? I think Kenny Chesney and George Strait will take home the award. Probably right after they perform the song. We shall see.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- Kenny Chesney
- Brad Paisley
- Rascal Flatts
- George Strait
- Keith Urban
Ok, I think the fact that the fans get to help vote for this category will skew the results quite a bit. Kenny Chesney has won the award three years in a row. If he wins again this year, he will be tied with Garth Brooks for four straight wins. The only artist that has won it more than four years in a row is Alabama, who have won it five straight years.
Who do I want to win? Having just seen Rascal Flatts perform last month, I gotta say I'm pushing for them to win this. I know that all these artists put on awesome shows, but I just really enjoyed the guys from Rascal Flatts.
Who will win? I honestly think that with their huge fan base, Rascal Flatts will take this award this year, and deservedly so.
Ok, those are my picks. Watch the show live on May 18th on CBS, starting at 8:00 pm to find out how close I came to the actual winners.