Kenny Chesney continues furthering his status as a country music legend with leading in nominations at the 2008 CMA awards. Chesney lead nominees with seven being closely followed by Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles with six. Rascall Flats also received a nomination for vocal group of the year which they have won for five years in a row. As well the entertainer of the year category boasts the usual artists as Kenny Chesney, George Strait, and Brad Paisley are all once again nominated. In the new artist category that has replaced the Horizon award which used to go for new artists features some very interesting artists as Rodney Atkins, Kellie Pickler, and Jason Aldean are all nominated but have been around for awhile now. The favorite in the new artist category appears to be Lady Antebellum who has had a breakout year with their self-entitled debut album that also hit number one on the US country charts. All of the nominees can be found below.

NOMINATIONS:

Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Sugarland
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist

Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist

Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban

New Artist

Jason Aldean
Rodney Atkins
Lady Antebellum
James Otto
Kellie Pickler

Vocal Group

Eagles
Emerson Drive
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo

Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

Single of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer.)

“Don’t Blink”
Kenny Chesney
Producers: Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
BNA Records

“Gunpowder & Lead”
Miranda Lambert
Producers: Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
Columbia Records

“I Saw God Today”
George Strait
Producers: Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

“Stay”
Sugarland
Producers: Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles
Mercury Nashville

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Trace Adkins
Producer: Frank Rogers
Capitol Records Nashville

Album of the Year
(Award goes to artist and producer.)

Carnival Ride
Carrie Underwood
Producer: Mark Bright
19 Records Limited/Arista Nashville

Cowboy Town
Brooks & Dunn
Producers: Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks
Arista Nashville

Good Time
Alan Jackson
Producer: Keith Stegall
Arista Nashville

Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
Kenny Chesney
Producers: Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
BNA Records

Troubadour
George Strait
Producers: Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

Song of the Year
(Award goes to songwriter and primary publisher.)

“Good Time”
Songwriter: Alan Jackson
Publishers: EMI-April Music, Tri-Angels Music

“I Saw God Today”
Songwriters: Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby
Publishers: Big Red Toe, Extremely Loud Music, Steel Wheels Music, Blind Mule Music

“Letter to Me”
Songwriter: Brad Paisley
Publishers: EMI-April Music, New Sea Gayle Music

“Stay”
Songwriter: Jennifer Nettles
Publisher: Jennifer Nettles Publishing

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller
Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, New Songs of Sea Gayle, Noah’s Little Boat Music, Songs of Combustion Music

Musical Event
(Award goes to each artist.)

“Another Try”
Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
MCA Nashville

“Every Other Weekend”
Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
MCA Nashville

“Gone, Gone, Gone”
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Rounder Records

“Life in a Northern Town”
Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
Mercury Nashville

“Shiftwork”
Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait)
BNA Records

Music Video
(Award goes to artist and director.)

“Don’t Blink”
Kenny Chesney
Director: Shaun Silva

“Good Time”
Alan Jackson
Director: Trey Fanjoy

“Stay”
Sugarland
Director: Shaun Silva

“Waitin’ on a Woman”
Brad Paisley
Director: Jim Shea

“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Trace Adkins
Director: Peter Zavadil

Musician
Jerry Douglas — Dobro
Paul Franklin — Steel guitar
Dann Huff — Guitar
Brent Mason — Guitar
Mac McAnally — Guitar