As has been the buzz on Twitter, Country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will be returning to host “Country Music’s Biggest Night™” for a fifth time in 2012. “The 46th Annual CMA Awards” airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Thursday, Nov. 1 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.
“I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we are extremely excited to be back for a fifth year hosting the CMA Awards,” said Underwood. “Each year we work harder so that we can help present the best show possible.”
“We’re waiting on someone to do something really stupid between now and then,” said Paisley. “I have faith. We are excited. I think you walk out there with people expecting a certain thing now and that’s a great place to be. I think they know who we are. They know what we do up there together and we’ve become something different together than we are separately I think, which is fun.”
Paisley has won 14 CMA Awards since receiving the Horizon Award (now the New Artist Award) in 2000, including Entertainer of the Year (2010), Male Vocalist (2007, 2008, 2009) and Album (2006 for Time Well Wasted). He won Musical Event of the Year three times, first in 2004 with Alison Krauss for “Whiskey Lullaby,” second in 2006 for “When I Get Where I’m Going” with Dolly Parton, and a third time in 2009 for “Start a Band” with Keith Urban. He claimed the Vocal Event of the Year trophy in 2001 for “Too Country” with Bill Anderson, George Jones, and Buck Owens and won Music Video of the Year three times, first in 2002 for “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” second in 2004 for “Whiskey Lullaby” (again with Krauss), and third in 2007 for “Online.” He is No. 5 on the list of top CMA Award winners of all time.
“I really think that the CMA Awards are a very special thing in our town,” said Paisley. “When they say it’s ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night™,’ it is. It’s the biggest night of ratings that we ever get. The reason that I think it has worked is because we both take it so seriously that we’re ready when we walk out there. We are focused on making sure that we’re not just crossing our fingers that it works, that what we have ready is ready.”
Underwood has received five CMA Awards in her career, including three consecutive wins as Female Vocalist (2006, 2007, 2008), as well as Single of the Year (2007 for “Before He Cheats”), and the Horizon Award (2006).
“I feel like each year our hosting gets better and better,” said Underwood. “We want to top that every year, so it’s a good challenge.”
“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 was shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
Chevrolet™ is the Official Ride of Country Music. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the CMA Awards