Kenny Chesney Leads CMA Nominations

Kenny Chesney leads the pack of 2008 CMA Awards nominees with seven nods. The country superstar is up for Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single, Album and Video of the Year, along with two nods in the Musical Event category. Chesney has taken home the night's biggest award, Entertainer of the Year, for the past two years in a row.

Sugarland and George Strait follow Chesney with six nominations each. Sugarland is nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the first time, also marking the first time in seven years that a female is nominated in this category.

There were several surprises in this morning's announcements, including a few snubs. For the second year in a row, Faith Hill's name was not called in the CMA nominations, nor was hubby Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks or Sara Evans.

Other surprises include Taylor Swift's first nod in the Female Vocalist category. Trace Adkins is celebrating his first CMA nomination in ten years, as he is included in the Single and Video of the Year lists for 'You're Gonna Miss This.' And perhaps the toughest category to predict will be the Best New Artist award (formerly dubbed the Horizon Award), as the nominees in that category include Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Lady Antebellum, James Otto and Kellie Pickler.

2008 CMA Award Nominations

Entertainer of the Year

Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Sugarland
Keith Urban

Male Vocalist of the Year

Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year

Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Vocal Group of the Year

Eagles
Emerson Drive
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year

Big & Rich
Brooks and Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

New Artist of the Year

Jason Aldean
Rodney Atkins
Lady Antebellum
James Otto
Kellie Pickler

Album of the Year

'Carnival Ride' - Carrie Underwood
'Cowboy Town' - Brooks and Dunn
'Good Time' - Alan Jackson
'Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates' - Kenny Chesney
'Troubadour' - George Strait

Single of the Year (award goes to artist and producer)

'Don't Blink' - Kenny Chesney
'Gunpowder and Lead' - Miranda Lambert
'I Saw God Today' - George Strait
'Stay' - Sugarland
'You're Gonna Miss This' - Trace Adkins

Song of the Year (award goes to songwriter)

'Good Time' - Alan Jackson
'I Saw God Today' - George Strait, written by Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby
'Letter to Me' - Brad Paisley
'Stay' - Sugarland, written by Jennifer Nettles
'You're Gonna Miss This' - Trace Adkins, written by Lee Thomas Miller and Ashley Gorley

Musical Event of the Year

'Another Try' - Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
'Every Other Weekend' - Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
'Gone, Gone, Gone' - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
'Life in a Northern Town' - Sugarland, featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
'Shiftwork' - Kenny Chesney and George Strait

Music Video of the Year

'Don't Blink' - Kenny Chesney, directed by Shaun Silva
'Good Time' - Alan Jackson, directed by Trey Fanjoy
'Stay' - Sugarland, directed by Shaun Silva
'Waitin' on a Woman' - Brad Paisley, directed by Jim Shea
'You're Gonna Miss This' - Trace Adkins, directed by Peter Zavadil

Musician of the Year

Jerry Douglas
Paul Franklin
Dann Huff
Brent Mason
Mac McAnally