This is certainly some good news:
NASHVILLE – The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will unite to host “The 42nd Annual CMA Awards.” This is the first time that either artist will have hosted “Country Music’s Biggest NightTM.” “The 42nd Annual CMA Awards” airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.
“We are excited to have our reigning Male and Female Vocalist host the CMA Awards this year,” said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “In addition to their musical talent, Brad’s quick wit and Carrie’s gracefulness will serve them well in this role. CMA is happy to offer both of them their first opportunity to host a nationally televised network awards show. ”
In addition to their hosting duties, Paisley and Underwood will also perform on “The CMA Awards.” Previously announced performers include Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban, with more performers to be announced soon.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to host the Awards show,” says Paisley. “We’re going to have a good time – start to finish.”
“I am so excited to host a show I grew up watching, and am so thrilled to spend this night with the fans and Brad,” says Underwood. “It’s going to be a party!”
Underwood toured with Paisley in 2006, and the two became fast friends. The artists, who are both members of the Grand Ole Opry, reunited last year to record the duet “Oh Love” for Paisley’s most recent album, 5th Gear.
It’s about time for some new blood. When the nineties boom hit, there were plenty of young artists hosting the CMA and ACM awards. For all of this decade, it’s been nineties artists, too. Heck, Reba McEntire has been hosting these shindigs on and off since the eighties.
Paisley and Underwood both represent country music well, are committed to the genre’s history, and are at the top of their game. The show hasn’t really felt like the CMA’s since Vince Gill stopped hosting. Maybe they can bring some of the magic back.
Ooo, interesting. I haven’t really seen a whole lot of distinct personality from Carrie thus far in her career (please don’t yell at me, Carrie fans); she’s just been very “agreeable.” I’ll be interested to see whether the role and/or Brad flushes her out a little more, or whether she just stands around and looks pretty some more. It’d be cool if they duetted again; that was sweet.
Gotta say, though: I’m bummed they didn’t go out on a limb and give Kimberly Williams-Paisley the job (or at least one half of it). She was great last year and classic the year before (when she presented with Gary Allan and made her “knocked up and blind” comment).
The CMAs needed to select someone funny or someone classy, and today they have succeeded at both. Since Vince in ’03, the hosting has suffered. Dolly Parton would be another nice choice.
they’ll host, they’ll perform and most likely will win one or the other award. as much as i like them, but will there not be a few balls to many in the air that night….?
I’m very excited about this. Like Kevin said, the CMAs really haven’t felt like the CMAs since Vince stopped hosting. Since I can’t have Vince, I think this could be fun. I agree that Brad will bring the funny and Carrie will even him out with her grace. I’m finally excited about something CMA related this year. I’m very relieved that it’s not B&D or a bunch of different artists this year. Actually, the reigning male and female vocalists might be a good tradition to start.
No, Tom, I don’t think so. Vince was one of the best hosts and he hosted alone, won several awards and performed all on the same night…more than once.
fair enough, leeann, i already look forward to watching it with about one month delay over here.
I agree, Huck’s mom would be great.
Thank you, country music gods, for sparing us yet another year of Brooks & Dunn. Just no.
At The9513, Dudley left a comment with these clips of Carrie and Brad discussing the CMA hosting gig and promoting the ACMs. I think these clips show that they’ve got good chemistry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u50IBH-6jWY
http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/10/66180/index.html
Leeann, hopefully those clips are good indicators of how the two of them will be with each other. They’re good clips.
I think they’ll do a great job! They have great chemistry and both will bring something special to the night. I’m excited now! I think this is a smart choice for the CMA…I mean, in my opinion, these are the two best artists we have in country music right now. So it should be exciting to watch!
But I do agree that Mrs. Paisley would do an awesome job too! She was the best last year when they had a few people host.
These awards are always dull.
And now with the socalled co hosts they will even be more dull.
I think this will be the lowest rated CMA;s ever. Even lower than the last 2 years which were very low.
I just had a thought (rare as they are) that Jennifer Nettles would be a great choice as host too. She has the class and personality of Dolly Parton combined with the vocal stylings of Miss Reba … okay, maybe I am just off on a Jennifer Nettles love-fest tonight, but I’m right, aren’t I people?
At this point, I don’t really care who hosts so long as they don’t use obscure actors from bad ABC network shows. :P (Ms. Williams-Paisley being the sole “acting” exception.)
i love carrie its the reason im watching…i cant get enough of her i love her voice her classiness and she’s a shy girl people give her a break
It’s interesting to me how many things Paisley and Underwood have done together. They toured together, recorded a song for Brad’s album together, they announced the ACM/CMA/WhateverTheHell’s together, they sang the Eddie Arnold tribute together and now this together. I wonder why they’ve been teamed up so often in the recent past? Label choice? Artist request? I sure hope Kim likes Carrie.
spot-on j.r., jennifer nettles might be just awesome as a host. her little intermezzo culminating in the question: “is this thing on” on sugarland’s “steve earle” song to me is ample proof of a fair deal of comic talent. keep on enjoying the love-fest.
I like this combo deal, Leanne maybe it would be a good tradition to start, twoo ins definitly better than one. I think they have alot of chemistry together (shown in Leanne’s links), they sing amazing together, I wish they would release a duet together for radio. Brad is known for being a joker, Carrie for her class, but I have read quit a few times that she is a funny gal, its just dry and suttle, so maybe they can feed off eachother.
Should at least make the night something to look forward to now, cause there wasn’t much thus far. You’ll know how it will be within the first five minutes right.
Sorry, but that just gave me another reason to tivo and fast forward through everything but the preformances I want to watch and the awards that I want to see – while I am a fan of Brad Paisley, Underwood just rubs me the wrong way, and I have never made a secret of it (and as Dan said, you do not have to yell at me for it, I am just expressing my own opinion).
I don’t care much who hosts the awards. I would be happy if there was some actual country music performed during the program, something that hasn’t happened for a very long time.
This is off topic but reading everybodies blogs in all the different discussions, I biggest thing with most people is “not country enough, not traditional”, maybe it is about time to realize country music has change for quite a few years now and I think this is the way it’s going to be for a while, while their are still some traditionalists out there they are not making it to country radio as much as we wish they would. So the chances of some “actual country music” I would say is pretty slim.
vp, we’re all well aware that country RADIO (not country MUSIC, necessarily) has changed in recent years. That doesn’t mean we have to like it. And it’s not a “traditional” vs. “contemporary” thing. The issue is good music vs. bad music, and the homogenization of country music in general. There has always been pop-leaning country music, but in the past there was diversity in what could be heard on the radio. Today everything sounds the same.
Carrie will surprise a lot of people with her wit and dry humor. This is a great pairing.