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CMT country music awards give Taylor Swift a bunch of stuff, boo Snoop, make fun of Billy Ray Cyrus
Last night’s CMT Music Awards—think the MTV Video Music Awards for, well, country — reminded viewers that the country music industry is nothing if not professional, at least on the outside. It wrapped up on time, yet still felt casual and just folks.
One was also reminded that country music is one of the most important musics, if not the most important, in America: Sen. McCain, Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton all made appearances in a skit about Trace Adkins trying to score tickets for his kids, what with Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus hosting and all.
A few notes from watching it last night:
Seeing Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus joke about Miley paying all the bills these days, it occurs to one that we seem to have come a very long way indeed from Bill Hicks’ old joke about a game show called “Let’s Hunt and Kill Billy Ray Cyrus.” She even makes a joke about paying his phone bill, which comes off as more than a little creepy.
LeAnn Rimes is an industry vet at 25; her first hit was 12 years ago. Based on the recreation of her “Chicago”-themed video for “Nothing Better to Do,” I await her techno-pop album and collaboration with, say, Rihanna.
Kellie Pickler, who ended up nabbing three awards, seemed genuinely unsure what to say and even said, “You can take the camera off of me now.” Hard to imagine anyone on the MTV Video Music Awards asking for the camera to be taken off them. Ever. No wonder country fans love their stars so much.
Sugarland, Little Big Town and Jake Owen ran through their cover of Dream Academy’s “Life in a Northern Town.” I think I’m the last person in the world who didn’t know that song was about Nick Drake. I wonder if they’re big Nick Drake fans. A Little Big Town album of Nick Drake covers could sound amazing.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are dueting. Tim looks fine, Faith has mom hair and looks a little swollen in the face. Has she been ill?
Tim Daly introduced the female video of the year, which was a bunch of really young women and poor Martina McBride, who looked as if she knew just how screwed she was. Taylor Swift won it.
Jason Aldean and Snoop Dogg introduce Alan Jackson, who is looking these days like a grandfather. Man, I’m old. Everyone seems to be booing Snoop, which, given the historical baggage country music has to tote around, is pretty unfortunate.
“Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore,” by Bon Jovi featuring LeAnn Rimes, picked up the Collaborative video award. Based on the length of Rimes’ dress, nobody in the front row is a stranger anymore.
Here’s the complete list of winners:
Video of the year: Taylor Swift, “Our Song.”
Female video: Taylor Swift, “Our Song.”
Male video: Trace Adkins, “I Got My Game On.”
Group video: Rascal Flatts, “Take Me There.”
Duo video: Sugarland, “Stay.”
Breakthrough video: Kellie Pickler, “I Wonder.”
Collaborative video: Bon Jovi featuring LeAnn Rimes, “Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore.”
Performance of the year: Kellie Pickler, “I Wonder” from 41st Annual CMA Awards.
Supporting character of the year: Rodney Carrington from Trace Adkins’ “I Got My Game On.”
Wide Open Country video: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, “Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On).”
Tearjerker video: Kellie Pickler, “I Wonder.”
Comedy video: Brad Paisley, “Online.”
Video director: Michael Salomon for Toby Keith’s “High Maintenance Woman” and Trace Adkins’ “I Got My Game On.”
Comments
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By Stan
April 15, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
No boos, they were yelling “Snoop!!!”.
By libbyrose
April 15, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this
Was so thrilled that Kellie Pickler won because she is so deserving and what you see is what you get. She has been such a gift to country music and enriches so many lives with her music, personality, and beauty (inside and out).
By kezia campbell
April 15, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
wow the cmts awards were so cool!!! great job out there every one!!!
By Jon
April 15, 2008 11:52 PM | Link to this
i don’t think they were booing Snoop, i think they were saying “Snooooop”
By Jim
April 15, 2008 11:54 PM | Link to this
I heard the comments about Snoop…and at first I thought they were booing him, then realized they were saying. “Snoop”.
Listen to it again and see if you agree.
Jim
By Jericho19
April 16, 2008 1:50 AM | Link to this
They should definitely be booing Snoop Dogg. He’s a piece of trash and is not wanted anywhere near the Country music circles, which has way more ‘class’ than the type of ‘riff raff’ that loser associates with.
By C Waibel
April 16, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this
Gosh Jericho, dont be so cruel! Look at it this way, with Snoop just agreeing to be at the CMT awards…does`nt that tell us something?
By john
April 21, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
a lot of what jericho is saying seems to be rooted from some underlying hatred towards a certain group of people. all of which is ignorant and narrow minded.