Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw Win CMA Musical Event of the Year for “Feel Like A Rock Star”; Toby Keith and Director Michael Salomon Win CMA Music Video of the Year for “Red Solo Cup”
Winners in two of the 12 
categories were announced live on “Good Morning America” from New York’s Times Square this morning. The news was welcomed with cheers from the audience gathered on Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Plaza waiting to watch Reba perform.
“What a great way to lead up to ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night™’ by announcing our winners on ‘Good Morning America’ and sharing the news with the GMA viewers and the fans here in Nashville,” said Steve Moore, Chief Executive Officer of CMA.
Hosted for the fifth time by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, “The 46th Annual CMA Awards” airs tonight (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) from the Bridgestone Arena on the ABC Television Network.
Winning CMA Musical Event of the Year was Kenny Chesney’s duet with Tim McGraw, “Feel Like A Rock Star.”
Winning CMA Music Video of the Year was Toby Keith and director Michael Salomon for “Red Solo Cup.”
Chesney, who is performing on tonight’s gala, is the reigning CMA Award winner for Music Video of the Year for “You and Tequila” with Grace Potter. He was nominated for three CMA Awards in 2012 including Entertainer of the Year; Musical Event of the Year for “Feel Like A Rock Star” with McGraw; and Music Video of the Year for “Come Over,” directed by Shaun Silva. 
If Chesney wins Entertainer of the Year, he’ll take the record for the most wins in the category. Chesney is currently tied with Garth Brooks winning the trophy four times in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
McGraw is performing with Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, and Blake Shelton as part of the Willie Nelson tribute during tonight’s broadcast. He has now received 12 CMA Awards including the 2001 Entertainer of the Year. This marks the second time McGraw has won a CMA Award for a collaboration with Chesney. The two received CMA Vocal Event of the Year Awards for their work on Tracy Lawrence’s “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” (2007).
Keith has received 28 CMA Award nominations in his career, and this marks his third CMA Award win. He was named Male Vocalist of the Year in 2005 and also won Music Video of the Year with Salomon in 2005 for “As Good As I Once Was.” Salomon won Music Video of the Year in 1995 for “Baby Likes To Rock It” with The Tractors.
The winners were announced during the “Good Morning America” broadcast live from Nashville. The program featured musical performances by Reba and an appearance by Paisley announcing the donation of a Chevrolet Traverse to Metro Nashville Public Schools for the new instrument repair facility funded by CMA’s Keep the Music Playing music education campaign.
The two categories announced on “Good Morning America” are normally presented during pre-televised activities and acknowledged during the CMA Awards broadcast, which will happen again this year. Two-time CMA Awards nominee Love and Theft will host pre-tel ceremonies tonight and will present the trophies to the winners as well as Musician of the Year and the CMA Broadcast Awards winners for Radio Station and Personality of the Year. The recipients will be acknowledged during the broadcast and invited to participate in backstage media interviews.
The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 11,000 industry professional members of CMA, which was formed in 1958 as the first trade organization to promote an individual genre of music. The first “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast on NBC television for the first time – making it the longest-running annual music awards program on network television. The Awards aired on NBC through 1971 and on the CBS Television Network from 1972 through 2005 before moving to ABC in 2006. ABC will be the network home of the CMA Awards through 2021.
“The 46th Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG,D,L parental guideline.
“Good Morning America” is a two-hour, live program anchored by Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos. Josh Elliott is the news anchor, Lara Spencer is lifestyle anchor, and Sam Champion is the weather anchor. The morning news program airs Monday-Friday (7:00-9:00 AM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.
RCA Nashville duo Love And Theft (Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles) is picking up steam as “Runnin’ Out of Air” becomes their second single from their self-titled album. The new single impacts country radio today and promises to follow their Gold-certified #1 hit, “Angel Eyes,” to the top of the charts. Recently nominated for two CMA Awards, the duo is now nominated for an American Country Award.
