August 26, 2003

NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR "THE 37TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS," TO BE HOSTED BY VINCE GILL FOR THE 12TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Top Nominee Toby Keith Receives Seven Nominations Brooks & Dunn, Johnny Cash and Brad Paisley Receive Four Nominations Each

Nominations were announced today at a press conference in Nashville for THE 37TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS, to be broadcast live from Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House, on Wednesday, Nov. 5 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET; delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. Vince Gill will host for the 12th consecutive year.

Top nominee Toby Keith received seven nominations: Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year (duet with Willie Nelson), Music Video of the Year (duet with Willie Nelson) and Vocal Event of the Year (duet with Willie Nelson).

Brooks & Dunn, Johnny Cash and Brad Paisley earned four nominations each. Brooks & Dunn was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Duo of the Year, Music Video of the Year and Song of the Year. Johnny Cash was nominated for Vocal Event of the Year, Single of the Year, Music Video of the Year and Album of the Year. Brad Paisley was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, Music Video of the Year and Song of the Year.

Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson and Darryl Worley received three nominations each. Jackson is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year (duet with Jimmy Buffet). Tim McGraw was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year. Willie Nelson was nominated for his duet with Toby Keith for Single of the Year, Music Video of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year. Darryl Worley was nominated for the Horizon Award, Single of the Year and Song of the Year.

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Kenny Chesney, Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Nichols and Blake Shelton earned two nominations each. Chesney was nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. The Dixie Chicks were nominated for Vocal Group of the Year and Album of the Year. Reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Martina McBride, who was at the press conference along with Horizon Award winner Rascal Flatts to announce the nominations, was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year. Montgomery Gentry was nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year (with Tracy Byrd, Andy Griggs and Blake Shelton). Joe Nichols was nominated for the Horizon Award and Album of the Year. Blake Shelton was also nominated for the Horizon Award and Vocal Event of the Year (with Tracy Byrd, Montgomery Gentry and Andy Griggs).

Joining Darryl Worley, Joe Nichols and Blake Shelton in the Horizon Award category are Gary Allan and Buddy Jewell.

Additional nominees include Alabama, who are in the midst of their farewell tour, and were nominated for Vocal Group of the Year - an Award they haven't won since 1983; Dolly Parton, who was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, an Award she last received in 1976, George Strait, who was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, and Randy Travis, who was nominated for Single of the Year. The last time Travis won the category was in 1987 with "Forever and Ever, Amen."

Vince Gill hosts for the 12th consecutive year. Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, more than any other artist. He won the CMA Male Vocalist Award for five consecutive years (1991-1995), an achievement unequaled in the history of the Awards.

Nominations for THE 37th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS, the most prestigious in the world of country music, are determined by the votes of CMA members, all of whom are actively involved in the country music industry. Winners are also determined by the votes of CMA members. Presenters and performers who will appear on the special will be announced at a later date.

This year's CMA Award nominees include:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR:
Brooks & Dunn
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw

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SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and producer)

"Beer For My Horses" - Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson James Stroud/Toby Keith, DreamWorks Records Nashville

"Celebrity" - Brad Paisley
Frank Rogers, Arista Nashville

"Have You Forgotten?" - Darryl Worley
Frank Rogers/James Stroud, DreamWorks Records Nashville

"Hurt" - Johnny Cash
Rick Rubin, Lost Highway Records

"Three Wooden Crosses" - Randy Travis
Kyle Lehning, Word/Curb/Warner Bros. Records

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
George Strait

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Terri Clark
Alison Krauss
Patty Loveless
Martina McBride
Dolly Parton

HORIZON AWARD:
Gary Allan
Buddy Jewell
Joe Nichols
Blake Shelton
Darryl Worley

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VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Alabama
Diamond Rio
Dixie Chicks
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR:
Bellamy Brothers
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sons of the Desert
The Warren Brothers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
(Award goes to artist and producer)

AMERICAN IV: THE MAN COMES AROUND, Johnny Cash, Lost Highway Records Produced by Rick Rubin

HOME, Dixie Chicks, Open Wide/Monument/Columbia Records Produced by Dixie Chicks/Lloyd Maines

MAN WITH A MEMORY, Joe Nichols, Universal South Produced by Brent Rowan

TIM MCGRAW AND THE DANCEHALL DOCTORS, Tim McGraw/Dancehall Doctors, Curb Records
Produced by Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw/Darran Smith

UNLEASHED, Toby Keith, DreamWorks Records Nashville Produced by James Stroud/Toby Keith

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR:
Jerry Douglas
Paul Franklin
Aubrie Haynie
Brent Mason
Randy Scruggs

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VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson
"Beer For My Horses," DreamWorks Records Nashville

Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Arista Nashville

Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow
"Picture," Lava/Atlantic Records

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featuring Johnny Cash "Tears in the Holston River," Capitol Nashville

Tracy Byrd (with Andy Griggs, Montgomery Gentry and Blake Shelton) "The Truth About Men," RCA Records

SONG OF THE YEAR (Award to songwriter and primary publisher): "Beer for My Horses"/Toby Keith/Scotty Emerick Tokeco Tunes/Big Yellow Dog Music

"Celebrity"/Brad Paisley
EMI April Music/Sea Gayle Music

"Have You Forgotten"/Darryl Worley/Wynn Varble EMI April Music/Pittsburg Landing Songs/Warner-Tamerlane Pub.

"Red Dirt Road"/Kix Brooks/Ronnie Dunn
Sony/ATV

"Three Wooden Crosses"/Doug Johnson/Kim Williams Mike Curb Music/Sweet Radical Music/Sony/ATV Tunes

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
"Beer for My Horses," Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson Directed by Michael Salomon

"Celebrity," Brad Paisley
Directed by Peter Zavadil

"Hurt," Johnny Cash
Directed by Mark Romanek

"Red Dirt Road," Brooks & Dunn
Directed by Steve Goldmann

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THE 37TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS is a production of the Country Music Association. Walter C. Miller is the producer. Paul Miller will direct from a script by Donald K. Epstein.

RATING: To Be Announced

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Press Contacts: CBS:

Beth Feldman            212/975-3183            bstoller-feldman@cbs.com
Susan J. Marks  323/575-2118            susan.marks@tvc.cbs.com

                        Country Music Association:
Wendy Pearl             615/664-1627

Scott Stem              615/664-1625