Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire and more nominated for CMA Awards
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Checotah native Carrie Underwood and former Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert will contend this year for the top prize — entertainer of the year — at the Country Music Association Awards.
The CMA Awards nominations were announced Tuesday, with Reba McEntire Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Maddie & Tae and Luke Dick among the other nominees with Oklahoma ties.
The 54th Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 11 on ABC.
Underwood is nominated for two awards — entertainer of the year and female vocalist of the year — while Lambert tops the list with seven nominations, making CMA Awards history as the first female artist to accumulate a record-breaking 55 total career nods. The record was previously held by Chockie native McEntire, who earned her 51st nomination this year.
It's the first time two women acts are competing for entertainer of the year in more than a decade, according to Billboard. Lambert and trio Lady Antebellum (now known as Lady A), which includes Hillary Scott, were nominated for the CMA's top prize 2010, and in 2000, the Dixie Chicks (now known
as The Chicks) won and Faith Hill was a nominee. It's the first time two female solo artists have competed for the entertainer honors since 1979, when Crystal Gayle and Barbara Mandrell were both nominated.
Along with her nomination for entertainer of the year, Lambert earned nods for female vocalist of the year, album of the year for her acclaimed fall 2019 collection “Wildcard” and musical event of the year for her cover of Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer Elvin Bishop's (who grew up in Tulsa) iconic hit “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” which she recorded with Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes and Caylee Hammack.
Lambert also garnered three nods for her uplifting chart-topper “Bluebird”: single of the year, music video of the year and song of the year. She shares the latter nomination with her co-writers Natalie Hemby and Dick, an Oklahoma City native who grew up in Cogar.
Dick is among several first-time CMA Awards nominees are Hammack, Townes, Justin Bieber, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Jimmie Allen ,Justin Clough, David Coleman, Jim Cooley, Sam Ellis, Ray Fulcher, Caylee Hozier, Zach Kale, Rob McNelley, Buckley Miller, Scott Moffatt, Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton, Sam Siske, Derrick Southerland, Chris Tomlin and Laura Veltz.
McEntire shares a nomination in the musical event of the year category for Thomas Rhett's encouraging single “Be A Light,” which
featured Scott, Tomlin, Keith Urban and Reba.
Rascal Flatts — lead singer Gary LeVox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney, who hails from Picher — is nominated for vocal group of the year.
In the vocal duo category, two contenders have Oklahoma roots — the reunited Brooks & Dunn consists of Louisiana native Kix Brooks and former Tulsan Ronnie Dunn, while Oklahoma-Texas duo Maddie & Tae is Maddie Marlow of Sugar Land, Texas, and Taylor “Tae” Dye of Ada.
In addition to Lambert's seven nods, top nominees include Luke Combs with six nominations — including his first ever nod for entertainer of the year — and Morris with five nods.
Among the notable snubs among this year's CMA Awards nominees: Oklahoma natives Garth
Brooks and Blake Shelton. Brooks announced this summer that he no longer wanted to be considered for the CMA's entertainer of the year category but that he wouldn't mind scoring a nod in other categories like musical event of the year for his Shelton duet “Dive Bar.” But they weren't nominated for “Dive Bar,” nor was Shelton nominated in musical event for his smash duet “Nobody But You” with his pop icon girlfriend Gwen Stefani.
“This year's nominees represent the passion, creativity and hope our world could use more of these days. From recordshattering milestones to reaching across genre lines, these finalists are outstanding examples of the craft and camaraderie Country Music holds deeply,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, in a statement. “As we navigate the coming months
and look to properly honor our nominees and the community, we are committed to delivering the safest and most memorable live television experience our artists, creators and fans could ask for. We cannot wait to reveal our two incredible CMA Awards hosts in just a few weeks.”
Winners of the 54th Annual CMA Awards will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting CMA members. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Oct. 1. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Oct. 27, according to a news release.