| November 16, 2005
Lee Ann Womack big winner with three
CMAs
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| | By
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY
AP Music Writer
NEW YORK - You can take the CMA Awards out of Nashville,
but you can't take Nashville out of the CMA Awards.
Though purists worried that the soul of the Country Music
Association Awards would be lost by moving the event from
Nashville to New York for the first time, Tuesday's event
showed that no matter where it travels, country music is
country music - even in Manhattan.
"Oh my God, I love country music!" Lee Ann Womack, the
evening's big winner with three awards, shouted as she
accepted her award for single of the year for "I May Hate
Myself In the Morning," a bittersweet ballad. Womack also won
album of the year for "There's More Where That Came From" and
for best musical event for her duet with George Strait, "Good
News, Bad News."
Country music has been criticized at times for drifting
more toward pop, and its move to New York City seemed to
highlight those concerns.
But it was as if Madison Square Garden had been transformed
into the Grand Ole Opry with the evening's rootsy
performances. Performers from from Gretchen Wilson to Sara
Evans to Alan Jackson seemed determined to "keep it country."
Even country's most mainstream couple, Faith Hill and Tim
McGraw, seemed retro with their performance of "Like We Never
Loved at All."
Appropriately, Womack emerged with the most wins: Her album
marked her return to more traditional country music after a
detour through pop-infused material.
Backstage, she said she hoped her wins would encourage more
of her kind of country music.
"Sometimes I think we are scared of real country music but
a message like what was in that song, that transcends any
boundaries, and a great song is a great song," Womack said of
"I May Hate Myself."
Although New York's skyline was the visual backdrop for the
show and the ceremony had appearances by such non-country
names as Billy Joel, Bon Jovi and Norah Jones, Nashville's
stamp was clear.
The show kicked off with a fitting performance by Big &
Rich, who have shaken up country by mixing various genres,
including hip-hop, in their music. The pair performed "Comin'
to Your City," crooning: "We're comin' to New York City, we're
gonna play our guitar and sing you a country song."
The show's highlights included a performance by Garth
Brooks in the middle of Times Square. In front of frenzied
fans, Brooks sang "Good Ride Cowboy," a tribute to his friend
and fellow country singer Chris Ledoux, who died of liver
cancer this year.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared, and other
comments and quips also helped infuse the city in the show.
Vince Gill did his best Bronx accent when he joked, "There's
like a rule here in New York, that you can't do a show without
a guy named Vinnie."
But it was mainly a Nashville party, which pop stars joined
as well. Jones played piano while Willie Nelson sang "Still
Crazy After All These Years," and Paul Simon joined the pair
and sang "Crazy." Even Elton John conformed to country,
singing "Turn the Lights Out When You Leave" with Dolly
Parton. The pair also sang John Lennon's "Imagine."
Womack and Brad Paisley led all award nominees with six
each, though Paisley went home empty-handed.
Keith Urban was a dual winner, winning entertainer of the
year and male vocalist of the year. Toby Keith won music video
of the year for "As Good As I Once Was"; Wilson won best
female vocalist. And Dierks Bentley won the Horizon Award for
emerging artists.
Jon Randall and Bill Anderson won song of the year for
"Whiskey Lullaby," sung by Alison Krauss and Paisley.
"I've probably been writing songs in Nashville longer than
anybody. My first co-writer was Andrew Jackson," Anderson
joked.
The CMA show's move was designed to raise its profile in
New York City. While country generates plenty of multiplatinum
superstars and New York is one of its top markets in terms of
album sales, it lacks a major presence here, including a radio
station devoted to the genre.
The move was a one-time stint; the show will return to
Nashville for its 40th anniversary next year.
But country great Glen Campell, who was inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame along with DeFord Bailey and the
band Alabama, called it "a great big step.
"I'd like to see it happen a lot more because united we
stand."
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)
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