Lauren Alaina, WUSY earn CMA nominations
Rossville, Georgia, native Lauren Alaina picked up a second consecutive nod as New Artist of the Year from the Country Music Association on Tuesday morning. She is the only female in the category, which also includes Luke Combs, Chris Janson, Brett Young and Midland.
Additionally, WUSY-FM returned as a contender for Medium Market Radio Station of the Year and its morning team — Ken Hicks, Kelley Bradshaw and Daniel Wyatt — was nominated for Medium Market Personality of the Year.
Chris Stapleton, a mainstay in the awards since his breakout in 2015, leads the musical pack with five nominations. The “Broken Halos” singer is up for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for “From A Room: Volume 2,” and Single and Song of the Year for “Broken Halos.”
Other leading nominees include Dan + Shay, Chris Janson, Midland, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line, all with three nominations each.
Buoyed by the critical and commercial success of her sophomore album, “Road Less Traveled,” Alaina was nominated in the same category last year, her first acknowledgement from the CMA. Jon Pardi picked up the trophy. She also was nominated for Best New Female Artist by the Academy of Country Music and claimed that prize.
The CMA Awards nominees are determined by more than 7,900 professional members of the CMA.
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return to host the awards show live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.