Carrie Underwood takes the wheel at Academy of Country Music Awards; Kenny Chesney gets the boot
Victories at the Academy of Country Music Awards by Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift hit the Nashville music scene like earthquakes. Sure, Carrie Underwood had won ACM prizes in the past, but just a few years ago she had trouble pushing aside Dixie's good ol' boys so she could be taken seriously by these industry establishment awards. This year she blasted through, taking Taylor Swift with her, knocking the boys on their keisters.
No doubt Kenny Chesney is already blaming his loss as the Academy of Country Music's entertainer of the year to the introduction of fan voting again, just like he griped last year — when he nonetheless won, as usual. But Kenny Chesney's defeat this year by Underwood was part of a bigger shakeup. Kenny's fellow good ol' boys, Brooks & Dunn, lost best duo group to Sugarland. Taylor Swift's triumph in the best-album race is a shockeroo considering she's only 19 years old — that is, less than half the age of the average voters, who tend to reward the same veterans year after year, like favored kin.
That's the history of the ACM Awards. Lots of artists on repeat winning streaks. They tend to hold on faithfully for years, then suddenly get jilted. Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Alabama and George Strait may still win a stray prize now and then, but their dominant reigns seem to be over.
So now we must wonder: is the same true for Kenny Chesney and Brooks & Dunn? New artists seem to be firmly in the country-music saddles these days including Brad Paisley, who, like Carrie Underwood, faced trouble breaking in just a few years ago.
See a rundown of all Academy of Country Music Awards winners and losers this year here.
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Photo of Carrie Underwood by Mark J. Terriill / Getty Images
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I personally agree with Judi. Carrie's award is not the same as the other women that won. They were chosen by their peers. Yes she is a woman who won after many years, but she did not win under the same pretense that all those women won. Fan voting should not be on the ACM's. I thought that last year even when Kenny won. I think that this year, whether it would have been Carrie or one of the others. These awards are supposed to be peer voted, not fan voted. When a group of your peers chooses you for an award it is a lot different than the fans. Fan voting is for the People's Choice or CMT Awards. Kenny did not complain or throw a fit that Carrie won. He hugged her, told her he was proud of her, and hugged her mom and congratulated her also. Entertainer of the year is supposed to be one of the most honored awards and it's turned into a popularity contest. And if you want to talk about people being unhappy, did you catch the look on George Strait's face when they called her name? King George did not look happy and I don't blame him. He is a country icon who sells out stadiums and just got beat out by someone who has barely headlined her own show. I ask this question, how many George Strait fans do you think there are that sit in front of a computer and vote? Look at the difference in fan base, of course Carrie is going to win over George, he has older fans that don't sit in front of the computer like Carrie's do.
Posted by: Julie | April 08, 2009 at 07:16 AM
Carrie's ETOY award was fan voted, not peer voted, and frankly, doesn't count for much, except that her peeps voted for her in large numbers. Kenny was very gracious to the winner, stood up and hugged Carrie and then turned around to say something to her mother. He is a gentleman and I am sure realizes he cannot win ETOY every year. Kenny was correct, however that it is not right to have the evening's most important award fan voted. Carrie did not deserve to win, as she is not in the same league as Keith, Kenny, George, or Brad. But this will keep happening until the academy realizes it's error and reverts back to the award being peer voted.
Posted by: Judi | April 07, 2009 at 04:58 AM