Blake
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Post by Blake on Apr 6, 2009 13:46:43 GMT -5
Entertainer is supposed to be a combination of all facets---touring, singing, songwriting, general promotion of the genre---and Paisley, in my opinion, balances his career better than the other contenders. His record sales are solid (heck, his instrumental disc debuted in the top three), he's a decent singer, his songwriting catalog is consistently good and he has killer guitar-playing skill. Plus, he's a strong modern-day ambassador for tradition-minded country music and is involved with numerous aspects of his live show, from the technical mumbojumbo to the visual effects to the music itself. Sugarland and KU are impressive, too, but Paisley's hitting on all cylinders right now.
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what
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Post by what on Apr 6, 2009 13:46:57 GMT -5
thats what ive been thinkng too, with regards the fan-voting thing. so carrie won, but it doesnt mean she has more fans than keith, kenny or brad. she just has a diff "kind" of fans - the internet savvy generation of fans. no one can argue kenny has a large fanbase bec he continues to sell out one stadium aftr another. but his fans are a diff kind too. same argument goes for keith and brad's fans. and who's to say who are the "better" fans, just bec they propelled carrie to win eoty?
dont get me wrong. im a HUGE fan of carrie and couldnt be more thrilled for her win last night. i was floored! but like most observd, she's already very close to the point where she could win this "fair and square", for lack of better words. she can win this eoty deservedly so without the american idol style. i knw there will always be dissenters if she had won without the fan voting anyway, but its just nicer to get that fanvote asterisk out of the way.
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astrosfan
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Post by astrosfan on Apr 6, 2009 13:49:03 GMT -5
Brad's concerts are definitely great entertainment, but I think his value as an entertainer is mostly in his ability to write, sing, perform and promote tradional country music. He would win EOTY because of his influence within the industry and his respect for the industry.
How many others can pay beautiful, heart-felt tribute to Eddie Arnold, make hysterical videos with Jason Alexander, pick with Darius Rucker, and write successful songs that are traditional AND modern like "I'm Gonna Miss Her"?
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kim8
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Post by kim8 on Apr 6, 2009 13:49:14 GMT -5
Entertainer is supposed to be a combination of all facets---touring, singing, songwriting, general promotion of the genre---and Paisley, in my opinion, balances his career better than the other contenders. His record sales are solid (heck, his instrumental disc debuted in the top three), he's a decent singer, his songwriting catalog is consistently good and he has killer guitar-playing skill. Plus, he's a strong modern-day ambassador for tradition-minded country music and is involved with numerous aspects of his live show, from the technical mumbojumbo to the visual effects to the music itself. Sugarland and KU are impressive, too, but Paisley's hitting on all cylinders right now. Cool, thanks Blake. I guess I kind of forgot what the "entertainer" criteria was. I was thinking more of the actual concert experience, live show. Brad is definitely covering all that ground now.
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sbp17
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Post by sbp17 on Apr 6, 2009 13:49:31 GMT -5
I like the new Miranda song. Look forward to hearing the studio version.
I kind of actually like Miley's The Climb but she was way over the top in that performance. The rock moves and stances were too much.
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kim8
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Post by kim8 on Apr 6, 2009 13:51:36 GMT -5
I like the new Miranda song. Look forward to hearing the studio version. I kind of actually like Miley's The Climb but she was way over the top in that performance. The rock moves and stances were too much. Someone on the 9513 board last night posted that Miley's performance going up the stairs reminded them of the Himalayan game on the Price is Right. That cracked me up!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2009 13:58:39 GMT -5
I honestly cannot understand how people STILL say Carrie has no personality after that heartfelt, emotional, quasi bizarre speech for EotY. I mean, she implied she wanted to have sex with Matt Mc. I'm guilty of this. First just let me say I think Carrie seems like a wonderful person. It's girls like her and Taylor that are actually really good role models. She also seems legit nice and down to earth. Not taking anything away from her(plus her talent is crazy)but to me she just seems alittle to boring, and robot like when she talks(even on AI simon and others commented on her personality or lack there of). Just something that seems uninteresting. And I still think Carrie deserved EOTY. While I think Brad, Keith and Sugarland(damn academy not nominating them)all deserved it too, Carrie was also a great choice. Same with Swift. These two girls are not only some of country music's best, their are also some of the best in all genres, so it's great to see them get rewarded(along with Jennifer Nettles who seems like the perfect human being...or atleast to me)lol!
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sbp17
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Post by sbp17 on Apr 6, 2009 14:01:23 GMT -5
Someone on the 9513 board last night posted that Miley's performance going up the stairs reminded them of the Himalayan game on the Price is Right. That cracked me up!! That is too funny. Carrie's on now. Beautiful dress but the way it hangs to the side does look like Jabba. Great performance. I often wonder how a studio performance would compare after a year of touring. She seems to improve on an already incredible studio cut with each new live performance so I'd be interested in hearing how a studio recording of the song would sound now that she has a year's experience connecting with the song live.
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Post by 43dudleyvillas on Apr 6, 2009 14:12:52 GMT -5
Just curious as to your thoughts. Definitely not trying to start any fan wars ;) Why you little lily-livered lizardly... ;) I define "Entertainer of the Year" more broadly than you do, kim8, and I think that's part of why I think Brad is deserving. For me, Entertainer of the Year is about the quality of recorded and live music, as well as how the act represents country music. To me, it's an encompassing category that ought to take into account things like musicianship in recorded and live performance (so Brad's guitar work is relevant here, as is his songwriting ability). It also ought to take into account the artist's input into his/her/their live show. So, for example, Brad Paisley put a lot of his own thought and energy into the animation that showed up on Jumbotrons during his Time Well Wasted tour. That's an extra contribution that ought to be taken into consideration, in my view. And when it comes to representing country music, Brad has probably done more than any contemporary country act to honor country music history both with respectful tributes and an incorporation of their sensibilities into his original music. I also like that he took a chance by releasing a guitar album last year, although the quality of that album has been debated some. While I'm on the subject of EotY...asterisk or not, I'm glad Carrie took this one now even if Brad has been due longer. It's not just that I think that Carrie is deserving...I'll pick up that point in a bit. I'm also glad that Carrie took this one now because the country music industry has been known to turn on its leading ladies on a dime, and you just never know what will happen. Carrie isn't going to be doing many concerts this year, for example, so it doesn't seem likely that she'll get nominated for EotY at the ACMs next year. Moreover, while I believe she has demonstrated real growth as an interpretive singer and performer (and hope she continues to do so), it remains to be seen whether Carrie keeps making decisions that will maintain enough commercial prowess to keep her in the running for EotY. I honestly have no idea what Carrie will do or how it will play out (artistically or commercially). So as I see it, rewarding Carrie for her overall impact in country music, the quality of her live performances and the way she represented country music in 2008 is fair enough. In addition to Carrie's extensive touring last year, I think she also gave some of 2008's more impactful TV performances, including her Idol Gives Back performance of "Praying for Time," the Eddy Arnold tribute with Brad at the ACMs (the night's highlight for me) and her performance of "Just a Dream" at the CMAs (also the night's highlight for me, despite me not being too crazy about the style of the song). The quality of those televised performances is relevant to EotY consideration as well, in my view. Carrie also performed five times at the Opry despite a demanding tour schedule (not counting the taping of the Opry gospel special), became a member of the Opry and helped lift the Opry's profile in the mainstream consciousness. Like Brad, Carrie takes care to honor country music history, except that Carrie has more of a mass audience platform with which to do it and has arguably been more impactful recently. That said, what Carrie could (and in my view, should) do more of is follow Brad by incorporating her appreciation of country music history into her own music. That would make her an even better representative of country music, in my eyes. If I were thinking simply of straight-up live presentation, then I would be with you and wastedtime in thinking that Keith Urban and Sugarland are the best that country music have to offer. But since I define Entertainer of the Year more broadly than that, I find myself perfectly content with Carrie's win at the ACMs and rooting for Brad to win at some point soon. Having said that, I would be more than happy with another Keith win (I still haven't bought a full-length album from the guy, but I am in for any concert of his that I can possibly attend) and I believe Sugarland is very (and rightfully) close to locking up an annual slot in the EotY category based both on its great live presence and its ambitious approach to pop-country. Sigh. I wish I had everyone else's ability to post in one paragraph what it took me five paragraphs to say.
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sbp17
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Post by sbp17 on Apr 6, 2009 14:17:08 GMT -5
Finally got to see the Reba performance. I really liked it. She looked great.
And the Trace performance was great. He can solid sing.
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kim8
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Post by kim8 on Apr 6, 2009 14:32:35 GMT -5
Thanks Dudley for your thoughts. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I can definitely see now why Brad would be deserving based on all that criteria.
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Post by gallopinggold on Apr 6, 2009 14:42:03 GMT -5
Fun reading all the posts. The only things I enjoyed about the show were the performances by Lee Ann Womack and Trace Adkins. Very happy for Julianne Hough. Otherwise it was a waste of my viewing time. Kenny Chesney can def. say "I Told You So" now. What a shame!
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Blake
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Post by Blake on Apr 6, 2009 14:47:02 GMT -5
*Computer ate my last post*
I imagine that dudley would not do Twitter. That whole "140 characters or less" aspect demands shortness (if not sweetness). ;)
Carrie Underwood could become one of the finest female singers in the genre's history if she's able to choose her material wisely. The usual (and useless) arguments about her Idol beginning, her pop-country leanings and her committee-led career (and studio) choices have never held weight with me, but her two albums are rather uneven. I would have thrown my Entertainer vote elsewhere considering the quality of her material, especially in the last year. Here's hoping that she stretches herself in terms of song selection for album #3 and that this victory prompts the industry to provide better opportunities (read: radio play and promotion) for other talented females in country music. When fine singers like Womack, Loveless and Yearwood struggle into the top twenty, Nashville is biting the hands that fed them during the glory days of the '90s. This is all wishful thinking, but hey, a boy can dream.
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Post by gallopinggold on Apr 6, 2009 14:58:52 GMT -5
very well said Blake
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what
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Post by what on Apr 6, 2009 16:05:47 GMT -5
im just curious, since you ppointed this out. with respect to the other eoty nominees, do they headline a tour while making a new album?! bec to me, carrie is just making a normal routine in a country artist's career - make new album, tour to promote the album, release the singles, and by the time the tour is over and 4-5 singles have been released, you lie low and go back to the studio to make new album. and the cycle repeats itself again. if keith, brad or kenny follow the same cycle, wouldn't they have an "off" year of touring (which seems to be a big part of the eoty equation)? assuming they are writing a lot of songs, and spendng time in the studio recording - they wouldnt have much the time to do a full-scale headlining tour, right?
so why do they get nominatd each and every year? these guys also put out albums every 1.5-2 years, just like carrie, so youd think after a year of headlining, most of the next year will be holed up in the studio, and not so much on touring. but they dont miss a year on the eoty nominations. its the same guys over and over again. so why is it that there's a chance carrie might miss a nom next year, while these guys probably have their places set?
(my last question isnt abt the gender inequality thing. its abt the normal career routine of an artist.)
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tsharky
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Post by tsharky on Apr 6, 2009 16:49:45 GMT -5
^ Dudley, will Carrie still be eligible for the EOTY nomination at the CMAS in 2009, since she toured extensively in 2008, or will they only look at touring in 2009? thanx.
For the ACMS, Since it is likely Carrie won't be eligible for EOTY until 2011 after she tours all year in 2010 to support Album 3, I am going to support Brad and Keith next year... as I love them both and do think they also deserved to win EOTY as well as Carrie.
I wanted either Brad or Keith to win if Carrie lost.. so I will vote for them next year if it is fan voted, since carrie likely won't be nominated since she is not touring much this year.
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lyrichord
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Post by lyrichord on Apr 6, 2009 16:53:13 GMT -5
im just curious, since you ppointed this out. with respect to the other eoty nominees, do they headline a tour while making a new album?! bec to me, carrie is just making a normal routine in a country artist's career - make new album, tour to promote the album, release the singles, and by the time the tour is over and 4-5 singles have been released, you lie low and go back to the studio to make new album. and the cycle repeats itself again. if keith, brad or kenny follow the same cycle, wouldn't they have an "off" year of touring (which seems to be a big part of the eoty equation)? assuming they are writing a lot of songs, and spendng time in the studio recording - they wouldnt have much the time to do a full-scale headlining tour, right? so why do they get nominatd each and every year? these guys also put out albums every 1.5-2 years, just like carrie, so youd think after a year of headlining, most of the next year will be holed up in the studio, and not so much on touring. but they dont miss a year on the eoty nominations. its the same guys over and over again. so why is it that there's a chance carrie might miss a nom next year, while these guys probably have their places set? Heh, I've been wondering about this too. Last year for instance, Keith didn't tour very much, and he released a song from an old album and no albums. So as far as the "butts in seats" or sales and radioplay factors he was not a major player. I mean he's awesome, but as far as "of the year" 2008, there weren't a ton of quantitative accomplishments. Kenny and Brad release their albums more frequently (1-1.5 years), are never off the radio, and tour a ton every year, so I can understand their constant presence in the category a bit more. As for Carrie's EOTY win, I sort of look at it as a pat on the back for her overall career accomplishments thus far and not especially "of the year 2008," since 2007 was her real breakout year but they couldn't really award her until she had a successful headline tour. She's arguably the biggest star to emerge in the last five years in all of American music when you compile sales, radioplay, awards, and celebrity. They could have given her a crystal milestone award for that, I suppose, since it's apparently random.
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Treacherous
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Post by Treacherous on Apr 6, 2009 17:12:42 GMT -5
Im really happy Carrie won Entertainer of The Year. She deserved it this year even if it was fan voted. But with ACM fan voting you cant vote a million times unless you have a million emails so really a person can only vote once.
Either way Im glad Carrie became the seventh female to win the EOTY.
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Post by nsfb17 on Apr 6, 2009 17:37:24 GMT -5
But, I probably could have handled it better if Julianne Hough hadn't been the one to beat them. Have any of her "fans" even heard her sing? I assumed they were mostly fans of her dancing. If ZBB and Jake Owen had been beat by someone with little or no talent, I'd understand the criticism, but Julianne has a terrific voice. I don't see why she deserved it any less than the other nominees. Her singles haven't done that well, but her album sales are pretty impressive. Oh, and I can't speak for all of her fans, but I didn't even know who Julianne was until she released 'That Song In My Head'. I don't watch DWtS.
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musicbuff78
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Post by musicbuff78 on Apr 6, 2009 17:42:45 GMT -5
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Treacherous
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Post by Treacherous on Apr 6, 2009 18:21:59 GMT -5
I loved Sugarlands performance but I wish they would have performed It Happens I love that song.
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sbp17
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Post by sbp17 on Apr 6, 2009 19:24:11 GMT -5
I take the Justice Stewart approach to Entertainer Of The Year. "I know it when I see it." Generally, you can make a case for at least 4 of the 5 nominees. Each are generally stronger in one of the particular categories. Without looking at stats, it just feels like Paisley, Chesney and Urban are our highest level, most successful "Entertainers" at the moment with folks like Underwood and Sugarland nipping at their heels. I just don't "see" Carrie as quite being there for Entertainer Of The Year but I felt/feel like she's just a year or two away from it. Having said that, I think it is perfectly acceptable for her to be named Entertainer. While her strong concert draw may trail Chesney and Paisley a bit and her stage presence isn't quite what Urban has, she trumps them in album sales and mainstream representation of country and hangs with them in radio airplay.
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Zazie
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Post by Zazie on Apr 6, 2009 19:32:58 GMT -5
I take the Justice Stewart approach to Entertainer Of The Year. "I know it when I see it." Generally, you can make a case for at least 4 of the 5 nominees. Each are generally stronger in one of the particular categories. Without looking at stats, it just feels like Paisley, Chesney and Urban are our highest level, most successful "Entertainers" at the moment with folks like Underwood and Sugarland nipping at their heels. I just don't "see" Carrie as quite being there for Entertainer Of The Year but I felt/feel like she's just a year or two away from it. Having said that, I think it is perfectly acceptable for her to be named Entertainer. While her strong concert draw may trail Chesney and Paisley a bit and her stage presence isn't quite what Urban has, she trumps them in album sales and mainstream representation of country and hangs with them in radio airplay. Good reasoning. While fan voting can sometimes lead to poor results, in this case Carrie was a perfectly fine choice, whether or not someone else can also make a strong case. And I think a lot of Carrie's fans are responding really well to this -- being gracious in victory while recognizing this award might've come a little too soon. I'm not a Carrie fan at all, to say the least. But of all the things that trouble me about country music, her winning EoTY is not one. I will refrain from making bad jokes about "obscenity" in connection with your first sentence. Potter Stewart would be so proud to be referred to on the Pulse board, could he but know it.
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joey2002
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Post by joey2002 on Apr 7, 2009 1:27:35 GMT -5
I just finished watching the ACM'S on DVR -- because of the Final Four basketball games on ESPN at the same time. I have to say that I was very pleased and surprised with many of the awards tonight. 1~ Congrats to Carrie for winning Entertainer of the year!!! She is such a sweet kid...so grateful, polite, and humble -- how could anyone not like her? :) Kenny was such a class act as always, and so was Brad (the tape delay was CLASSSIC! : ) 2~ Congrats to Taylor for winning album of the year -- she really deserved it. After they gave her that lame "crystal award thingy", I thought for sure that this would either go to Jimmy or George. Nice surprise, and seeing taylor's reaction was awesome! [/size][/font] [/color] 3~ Trace Atkins performance was absolutely amazing. Stunning, Haunting, Emotional...just beyond words. Also, I was so glad to see him win single of the year -- he really deserved it -- especially after that performance! [/size][/font] [/color] 4~ I love Lady Antebellum, and especially that song. I thought their performance was awesome -- and they are gonna win group of the year soon!!! 5~ Lastly, congrats to Jamey Johnson. "In Color" is a great under-rated song, and i'm glad that he won an award for it. I'm also glad that the awards were spread out, and not given all to the same artists. Awesome show...it will obviously never be perfect, but I think they did a great job this year. Carrie winning Entertainer of the Year was just the ultimate ending! :) [/quote] my only real ACM complaints: 1~ Like everyone has said, I don't like the fan voting at all -- regardless of who ends up winning. 2~ I don't see how they completely ignored Alan Jackson. He had a very successful year with multiple #1 song's and a great album -- but was given absolutely no presence on the stage. The least they could have done is let him perform in Tim's place.
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avalyn
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Post by avalyn on Apr 7, 2009 7:16:45 GMT -5
I was just curious if anyone heard what songs were sung at the Artist of the Decade show. I know that's not the awards but it's tied to it so I figured here was the best place to ask.
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kim8
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Post by kim8 on Apr 7, 2009 8:46:53 GMT -5
I think Tim and Faith were supposed to sing Marina Del Ray. I heard Martina sang The Dance. Faith also sang You Ain't Woman Enough for the Loretta tribute. That's all I've heard so far. From Lee Ann's homepage, Lee Ann and Jamey Johnson were duetting on Give it Away. I found this article with a little info: aoprep.blogspot.com/2009/04/george-strait-is-acm-artist-of-decade.htmlAnd some more info, posted on mcgraws.com: Stars salute Strait as ACM's Artist of the DecadeBy JOHN GEROME AP Entertainment Writer Posted: 04/07/2009 08:00:55 AM MDT VEGAS—George Strait couldn't help feeling a little like he was being led out to pasture when the Academy of Country Music saluted him as their Artist of the Decade with an all-star concert. "It's almost like this was a farewell deal, but I ain't ready to go yet," the soft-spoken Texan told the audience Monday. And then, perhaps to prove the point, the 56-year-old superstar closed the show by leading a sing-along of his hit "Troubadour," with its chorus, "I was a young troubadour when I rode in on a song, and I'll be an old troubadour when I'm gone." With the honor, joins the ACM's four other artists of the decade: Marty Robbins in the 1960s, Loretta Lynn in the '70s, Alabama in the '80s and Garth Brooks in the '90s. As the reining Artist of the Decade, Brooks presented the award. He said it was ironic handing the award to the person largely responsible for him having it, and told a story about hearing Strait's first hit, "Unwound," in 1981. "From that very second I knew what I wanted to be. It was so easy and it didn't seem that far away. I wanted to be George Strait," Brooks recalled. Later, Brooks said the secret of Strait's longevity—he's had 57 No. 1 country singles, more than anyone else, and he's still going strong—is that he doesn't pretend to be something he's not. "He never has to act ... he's just being him," Brooks said. Most of the evening, Strait, wearing a dark jacket and cowboy hat, sat with his family in the MGM Grand Garden Arena as a parade of performers including Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, Taylor Swift, Jamie Foxx, Sugarland, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, John Rich and more spoke about the famously taciturn star's music and kindness, and then sang his songs. "When I was 16 I went on my first tour, as opening act for George Strait," began 19-year-old Swift, who sang Strait's ballad "Run." "I'd never been on big stage before or sung in an arena. I asked him if he had advice about performing in the round. He said, 'Yes, I do,'" Swift said, then paused a good while. "I sensed that I needed to ask a follow-up question. So I said 'How do you do that?' He said, 'Just do it for 25 years and it will feel real natural.'" Eddie Montgomery of the duo Montgomery Gentry said that when he was playing clubs in Kentucky, "everytime we'd go to work, the first thing the club owner would ask is, 'Do you know any George Strait?' And if you didn't, you didn't get the gig." The four other artists of the decade were also briefly saluted. Keith Urban did a medley of Robbins' songs, Faith Hill performed Lynn's "You Ain't Woman Enough," Montgomery Gentry did Alabama's "Mountain Music" and Martina McBride sang Brooks' "The Dance." But it was clearly Strait's night. Jamey Johnson and Lee Ann Womack sang "Give It Away," a song Johnson wrote and Strait took up the charts. After they finished, Johnson walked over and handed Strait his guitar to autograph. "I just never been in a situation where I had the guitar and George at the same place at the same time," Johnson explained afterward, still clutching the instrument. Keith, who sang "Unwound," quipped: "The bad news is that because he's been so successful he has to sit here and listen to us butcher all of his songs." True to form, Strait kept his remarks brief, mostly thanking everyone and complimenting them on their performances. He joked with Foxx, who gave "You Look So Good in Love" and R&B flavor. "Jamie, I'm going to have to rethink the way I sing 'You Look So Good in Love' now," he said. But mostly Strait looked humbled. At the end, he performed a few of his own songs and gathered everyone on stage with him to sing "Troubadour." "I've played in here quite a few times, and I've never been this nervous," he said. The program was taped the day after the ACM Awards for a special to air May 27 on CBS
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Apr 7, 2009 12:30:16 GMT -5
To me Carrie and Brad were the two clear "favorites" for EOTY. No other artists have combined their airplay, sales, video success, touring success, general love for and promotion of country, etc. You can throw in their hosting of the CMAs and Grammy performances (and Carrie's Grand Ole Opry induction) as well.
It's a shame the fan voting aspect is cheapening Carrie's win, because she has earned it on merit anyway. Brad would have been a great winner, too.
Also, we still don't know what % of the win was determined by fan votes do we? For all we know, Carrie won the industry vote, too.
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jptexas
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Post by jptexas on Apr 7, 2009 14:58:55 GMT -5
To me Carrie and Brad were the two clear "favorites" for EOTY. No other artists have combined their airplay, sales, video success, touring success, general love for and promotion of country, etc. You can throw in their hosting of the CMAs and Grammy performances (and Carrie's Grand Ole Opry induction) as well. It's a shame the fan voting aspect is cheapening Carrie's win, because she has earned it on merit anyway. Brad would have been a great winner, too. Also, we still don't know what % of the win was determined by fan votes do we? For all we know, Carrie won the industry vote, too. If the ACM committee would release that information, the public would have a better understanding of the outcome. Some are saying the committee picked the nominess and the fans decided the rest. The formula was this same this year as last year. Kenny won then, Carrie won now. What's the difference? Carrie was in the running this year. Who knows, she might have had the industry vote also, or not. I don't know what the ACM committee would fear from releasing that information, but it is what it is.
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kim8
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Post by kim8 on Apr 7, 2009 15:20:04 GMT -5
Avalyn, here's one more article with what people are singing for George:
Tuesday, Apr 7, 2009
George Strait honored as ACM'S Artist of the Decade Posted by Melinda Newman
Garth Brooks said it best himself as he passed the mantel as reigning Academy of Country Music artist of the decade to George Strait last night: “No one does a Strait song like the man himself, George Strait.”
But that didn’t stop more than 15 artists from trying last night at the taping of the George Strait Artist of the Decade special, which will air on CBS on May 27. The show was filmed before a live audience at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 6 to take advantage of the star power that had been there the night before for the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Like few artists in history-maybe Sinatra or Elvis- Strait has an unerring sense of knowing what songs work for him. He doesn’t write much of his own material, but once he’s recorded a song, he makes it his own and it’s hard to think of anyone else singing it (although anyone who’s played in a country band in a bar better have a steady repertoire of Strait songs to draw on). The King of Country’s reign includes 57 No. 1 songs—that’s more than any other artist in all genres of music—more than the Beatles or Madonna. And he’s not done yet. Strait brings an unrushed effortlessness to his singing style that no other artist can replicate. Additionally, in this world of scandal and tell-alls, Strait’s life is off limits. He gives few interviews, is never photographed at the Ivy or shows up in the tabloids. He gets up on stage and sings. That’s it. And it is more than enough.
Many of the artists gave fairly straight forward readings of Strait hits: Tim McGraw’s sexy take on “Marina Del Ray”; Brooks & Dunn’s “Cowboy Rides Away,” Dierks Bentley’s “Blue Clear Sky,” Toby Keith's rueful "Unwound" or Alan Jackson’s playful “The Fireman.”
But some added their own twist: Sugarland provided a particularly spicy, rollicking spin to Cajun burner “Adalida,” teen queen Taylor Swift delivered a slowed down version of “Run,” real-life couple Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton turned “It Ain’t Cool to be Crazy About You” into a spirited duet. Similarly, Jamey Johnson and Lee Ann Womack, in what some considered the highlight of the night, turned the Johnson-penned “Give It Away” into a poignant tale of a couple’s divorce distress instead of just one side of the story. The most original reading came from Jamie Foxx, a long-time Strait fan, who delivered a soulful, old-school R&B infused version of “You Look So Good in Love” that received the night’s first standing ovation.
Most performers shared their stories of Strait, who is apparently a man of very few words. When Swift opened for Strait (virtually every one of the artists on the stage has toured with the perennially playing Strait) three years ago, she asked him if he had any advice on how to play in-the-round. He just looked at her and said “Just do it for 25 years and it will feel real natural.” Johnson thanks Strait again for cutting “Give It Away,” which revived Johnson’s failed career and led to his getting a new record deal. However, he added, “Every time we’ve spoken, it’s been brief. I’m not sure you like me so much.” Strait laughed, but, from his seat on the side of the stage in a box with his family, didn’t dispute the claim.
The four previous artist of the decades were also feted: Keith Urban performed a trio of 1960s honoree Marty Robbins’ songs, including “El Paso” and “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation,” Faith Hill sang a defiant, sassy “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” in honor of ‘70s recipient Loretta Lynn, Montgomery Gentry delivered a spot-on version of Alabama’s blue-grass flavored stomp “Mountain Music” to herald Alabama and Martina McBride, Brooks’ former opening act, did the ‘90s artist of the decade proud, with an elegant version of “The Dance.”
After Brooks’ unannounced appearance, it was Strait’s turn. As anyone who has watched tributes knows, they can take on an almost “I’m watching my own funeral” feel for the recipient, and as performer after performer talked about growing up on Strait or—to really dig in the dagger- Bentley talked about how his dad loved Strait, the 56-year-old honoree must have felt he was as old as the hills.
As he joked after receiving the award from Brooks, “This is like a farewell deal and I’m not ready to go.” He amply proved that he is still in his prime as he launched into “Ocean Front Property,” “Write This Down” and “Troubadour,” during which he was joined by the other artists.
Strait, as country artists are wont to do, thanked God during his acceptance speech. “I’m glad he pointed me toward county music,” Strait said. So are the millions upon millions of his fans.
Sorry, I feel like I am taking over this post with George info but here is one more thing I just found. This is the first I've heard of this and I can't wait to hear it, as I am as much in love with Lee Ann's voice as Craig from cmt.com is:
Lee Ann Womack Sings New Tune About George Strait Posted: April 7th, 2009 at 2:05 pm | By: Craig Shelburne As I was watching the taping of George Strait - Artist of the Decade last night in Las Vegas, I found myself thinking just how much I can identify with those magnificent songs. While everybody did a fine job covering the classics, I can’t help but hear Strait’s voice on “Run,” “Marina Del Rey” or “It Ain’t Cool to Be Crazy About You.” However, the highlight of the night in my opinion was Lee Ann Womack’s subdued performance of a song I haven’t heard before, called “Just Stand There and Sing.” You know how people sometimes complain that Strait doesn’t move around much on stage? Well, who cares! I think this is the message that Womack - whose voice I truly love - was trying to convey: Just stand there and sing, be true to your music and you will always have our respect. There were plenty of memorable moments by the end of the night, and I particularly enjoyed Brooks & Dunn’s rendition of “The Cowboy Rides Away,” but the main reason I’ll be tuning in on May 27 is to hear Womack sing that song again.
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joey2002
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Joined: January 2009
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Post by joey2002 on Apr 7, 2009 16:11:31 GMT -5
To me Carrie and Brad were the two clear "favorites" for EOTY. No other artists have combined their airplay, sales, video success, touring success, general love for and promotion of country, etc. You can throw in their hosting of the CMAs and Grammy performances (and Carrie's Grand Ole Opry induction) as well. It's a shame the fan voting aspect is cheapening Carrie's win, because she has earned it on merit anyway. Brad would have been a great winner, too. Also, we still don't know what % of the win was determined by fan votes do we? For all we know, Carrie won the industry vote, too. The fan voting probably only counted for 1%, and that's why they won't release the info. Has anybody heard any more details about what happened with Tim and Faith?
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