Kenny Chesney was named Entertainer Of The Year for the third time at the Country Music Association Awards in the US on Wednesday. Collecting his gong, he commented: "I can't believe that I get to stand on the stages that I stand on every summer and get to sing the songs that I sing. I love country music and I love doing what I do".
Former American Idol Carrie Underwood, who won Best Female Vocalist and Single Of The Year for 'Before He Cheats', was similarly happy, telling the awards show audience: "God has blessed me with so many wonderful things. If you told me a few years ago I had been nominated with the people I'm nominated with, I would have called you absolutely insane".
Brad Paisely was named Best Male Vocalist after being previously being nominated in that category seven times, but never having won. He said: "I can't tell you what this means to me to win this. I always wanted to win this award at least once - this will do".
It was a busy, busy week for the country music genre, with the main CMA Awards being preceded by the country genre awards staged by US performing rights organisations SESAC and BMI, which took place on Monday and Tuesday night respectively. Among the winners there were Sony/ATV Music Publishing who were named Country Publisher Of The Year at both. With Sony/ATV having also won that gong at the country awards staged by the third US rights society ASCAP last month, that means the publishing major are the first to ever to be named Publisher Of The Year by all three of the rights society-staged country awards.
Here's what Sony/ATV chief Marty Bandier says: "I am thrilled with this unprecedented accomplishment and is a credit to the talent of Troy Tomlinson and our entire Nashville team. Garnering the recognition as Publisher Of The Year from ASCAP, SESAC and BMI in the same year proves that Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville is the best in the business".