This year, however, I turned on the program to see if Country Music had come back to its senses after the last three years of selling itself out to pop culture. To be precise, I watched all but the first five minutes of the program. The reason: for a week before the show, the TV stations were promising that Shania Twain would be making a comeback on the awards show. Aaaaarrrgghhh! BUT the same stations also had the decency to warn us that her appearance would kick the show off. Armed with this information, I turned on the program a bit late and was rewarded with an image of Vince Gill riding a tricycle on the stage and making some reference to the by now completed Shania Twain act. I averted having to see her! Here's what Shania said after the show about her appearance: "It didn't have the scary impact that I thought it would." Indeed. What a Twit.
Knowing that Shania was back gave me pause. I thought that we might be in for another night of no-talent glitz, just as in 1999 and 2000. But I was encouraged to read the list of nominees for the various awards:
Entertainer of the Year: Brooks and Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, George Strait. With the exception of the ill-mannered Toby Keith, all the other nominees are legitimate country performers. Alan Jackson won the award!
Album of the Year: "Drive" (Alan Jackson), "New Favorite" (Alison Kraus and Union Station), "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" (Kenny Chesney), "Pull My Chain" (Toby Keith), "The Great Divide" (Willie Nelson, yes Patty, Willie is still going strong; he's gone a long way since writing "Crazy" for you), "The Road Less Traveled" (George Strait). The winner: "Drive" by Alan Jackson! (See a pattern?)
Single of the Year: "Blessed" (Martina McBride), "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" (Toby Keith), "Drive" (Alan Jackson), "I'm Gonna Miss Her" (Brad Paisley), "Where Were You when the World Stopped Turning?" (Alan Jackson). By now you have probably guessed that the winner was Alan Jackson. And you would be right, Patsy. But which song? Answer: "Where Were You when the World Stopped Turning?" Now here's what I want to say about this, Patsy. We're making progress in expelling the pseudo-country performers. Never was the name "Garth" mentioned during the entire show. It's taken a while to accomplish this; but now we are facing a new threat. Now we have guys (and, yes, they're all guys) who claim to be country but use their popularity to act as vulgar as possible. I'm talking about Toby Keith; I'm talking about Steve Earle. This is not something that Lefty or Merle or Hank or Marty would have done, right Patsy? So I'm afraid we're in for another battle. But I'm confident that these no-talents will be driven out of the business after they've had their fifteen minutes. Sorry for the diversion.
Male Vocalist of the Year: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith (god help us), Brad Paisley, George Strait. With the exception of Keith, all worthy candidates, Patsy. All true traditionalists. And the winner was...Alan Jackson! Yea!
Female Vocalist of the Year: Alan Jackson would have won this one too had he been nominated. Alas, the nominees were: Sara Evans, Alison Kraus, Martina McBride, Lee Ann Womack, Trisha Yearwood. I would have been happy with ANY of these fine ladies winning the award, Patsy. Martina McBride was crowned the winner.
Other Awards:
- Horizon Award - Rascal Flatts
- Vocal Duo of the Year - Brooks and Dunn
- Music Video of the Year - Brad Paisley ("I'm Gonna Miss Her"
- Vocal Event of the Year - "Mendocino County Line" (Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack)
- Musician of the Year - Jerry Douglas (Dobro player in Union Station)
- International Artist Achievement Award - Bellamy Brothers
- Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees - Bill Carlisle and Porter Wagoner
So, Patsy, all in all, a good year. A great comeback from two and three years ago when the Country Music Association suffered from temporary insanity. I look forward to writing again next year. Let's hope that True Country prevails.
My best to Hank.
-= Robert
