KENNY CHESNEY TOPS COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION AWARDS

Kenny Chesney may have been dwarfed onstage by big guy Alan Jackson during Tuesday night’s 38th Annual Country Music Association Awards at the Grand Ole Opry, but he stood tall when he picked up the two biggest awards, Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year, and a third for co-producing his album, When the Sun Goes Down (BNA). The awards are his first from the CMA.

Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss also picked up two biggies, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year, for “Whiskey Lullaby." Paisley thanked Country radio for playing the song and said, “It says a lot about our format when they’ll take a chance on a double-suicide drinking song.”

Tim McGraw also won two awards, as artist and producer of the Single of the Year, “Live Like You Were Dying,” which also won in the Song of the Year category for writers Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman.

Australian transplant Keith Urban and Martina McBride picked up Male and Female Vocalist of the Year, respectively, while newcomer Getchen Wilson won the CMA’s Horizon Award.

Highlights of the performance-packed wing-ding included Willie Nelson inducting Kris Kristofferson into the Country Music Hall of Fame and a male-vocalist roundup for Jimmy Buffet’s take on Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin’,” which featured Chesney, Jackson, Clint Black, George Strait and Toby Keith.

Legendary Nashville executive Jim Foglesong was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.

And the winners are:

Entertainer of the Year
Kenney Chesney

Male Vocalist of the Year
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year
Martina McBride

Horizon Award
Gretchen Wilson

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn

Vocal Group of the Year
Rascal Flatts

Album of the Year (award to artist and producer)
When the Sun Goes Down
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon/Kenny Chesney
BNA Records

Song of the Year (award to songwriter and primary publisher)
“Live Like You Were Dying”
Tim Nichols/Craig Wiseman
Warner-Tamerlane/Big Loud Shirt

Single of the Year (award to artist and producer)
“Live Like You Were Dying”
Tim McGraw
Produced by Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw/Darren Smith
Curb Records

Music Video of the Year (award to artist and director)
“Whiskey Lullaby”
Brad Paisley featuring Alison Krauss
Directed by Rick Schroder

Musical Event of the Year
Brad Paisley featuring Alison Krauss
“Whiskey Lullaby”
Arista Nashville

Musician of the Year
Dann Huff