NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Lakeside High School graduates Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley, who along with bandmate Hillary Scott make up Lady Antebellum, captured the vocal group and single of the year categories at Wednesday’s Country Music Association Awards show.
The win in vocal group ended Rascal Flatts’ six-year dominance in that category.
“Rascal Flatts, you’ve inspired us for such a long time,” Mr. Kelley said. “Thank you so much for letting us be up here.”
Taylor Swift made history, becoming the youngest person to win entertainer of the year and the first solo female to win it in a decade.
The tearful 19-year-old – the evening’s top winner with four awards – cried as she accepted her trophy and said: “I will never forget this moment.”
No woman had won the award since Shane Twain did in 1999.
Darius Rucker became the first black singer to win new artist of the year , joining Charley Pride as the only black performer to win a major individual award from the CMA .
Mr. Rucker, whose first country album, Learn to Live, sold more than 1 million copies, took the stage Wednesday night to wild cheers from the crowd and shouted, “What a year!”
“First of all, to the fans, thank y’all for accepting me,” he said. “And I think most importantly, to country radio, you took a chance on a pop singer from Charleston, S.C. Thank you so much for that!”
Ms. Swift’s thanked the fans for their support of Fearless, the top-selling album of the year. She won album of the year and video of the year for Love Story.
“You guys, this album is my diary, and so to all the people who voted for me, this is a thank you for saying you love my diary because that’s the nicest compliment,” she said.
Jamey Johnson, along with James Otto and Lee Thomas Miller, won song of the year for In Color.
Brad Paisley, up for a leading seven awards, took male vocalist for the third year in a row and won event of the year for the duet Start a Band with Keith Urban, nominated for five awards.
Co-hosts Mr. Paisley and Carrie Underwood opened the show with a few new songs of their own, skewering Kanye West for his interruption of Ms. Swift’s MTV Video Music Awards win – “Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be Kanye” – and lamenting the break up of Brooks & Dunn.
Later in the show , country novelty singer Little Jimmy Dickens interrupted Mr. Paisley after Ms. Underwood told him that Welcome to the Future was one her favorite videos.
“Excuse me sir, excuse me. I’ll let you finish later. Now, Brad Paisley, I know you had a nice video, but … Taylor Swift made the best video in her time. You go girl,” the diminutive Mr. Dickens said, goofing on Mr. West.
Brooks & Dunn, the best-selling duo who announced their split earlier this year, teamed with ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons on a scorching version of Honky Tonk Stomp in what was billed as their last performance at the show.
CMA voters weren’t moved by sentiment in the vocal duo of the year category, again awarding Sugarland with the honor over Brooks & Dunn.
“We don’t usually expect this but we obviously didn’t this year,” said Jennifer Nettles, half of the duo. The band extended an invitation to Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn to come up and speak to their fans, but they declined.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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congratulations Lady Antebellum! I love your music- hometown proud.
Congrats !!! We are proud of you!
Way to go Lady Antebellum... Augusta is proud of you.
Great music. Can't wait for next CD...
It couldn't happen to nicer or more talented people.