KENNY CHESNEY LEADS FINALISTS WITH SEVEN NOMINATIONS FOR "THE 42nd ANNUAL CMA AWARDS," COUNTRY MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT

George Strait and Sugarland Receive Five Nominations Each; Jennifer Nettles Receives a Total of Six Nominations, Including Songwriter Nod for "Stay;" Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley Score Four Nominations Each

2008 CMA Awards Will Broadcast Live from the Sommet Center in Nashville Wednesday, November 12 on the ABC Television Network

The announcement of the final nominees in five of the 12 CMA Awards categories was made today on "Good Morning America" studios in the heart of New York City's Times Square by Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift. "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, November 12 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"We look forward to this exciting time of the year when ABC spotlights the best and brightest of today's Country music artists and their achievements," said Vicki Dummer, senior vice president, Alternative Series, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment. "Today's announcement of these exceptional nominees begins our celebration of one of our biggest nights in programming, the CMA Awards."

"Country Music thrives on the talent and creativity of an outstanding group of artists, and they are well represented with our nominees," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese. "These talented performers, musicians, songwriters, producers and directors demonstrate the artistic depth and creativity of our format, and the 2008 CMA Awards will definitely reflect that in November."

At the conclusion of the announcements, Kenny Chesney led the list of nominees with seven nominations. Chesney, the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, was nominated in that category again, as well as Male Vocalist; Album for "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates"; Single for "Don't Blink"; two Musical Event nominations, one with Reba McEntire for "Every Other Weekend" and one with George Strait for "Shiftwork"; and Music Video of the Year for "Don't Blink," which was directed by Shaun Silva. Chesney could receive two additional trophies for producing his Album and Single with Buddy Cannon.

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland collected six nominations � five for Sugarland and a solo nod for writing "Stay," which was nominated for Song of the Year. The duo's five nominations include Entertainer, their first nomination in this coveted category; Single for "Stay"; Vocal Duo, which they won for the first time in 2007; Musical Event for "Life in a Northern Town" with Little Big Town and Jake Owen; and Music Video of the Year for "Stay," also directed by Silva. Nettles and Kristian Bush may also receive a second trophy for producing "Stay" with Byron Gallimore.

Strait also received five nominations including Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for "Troubadour"; Single for "I Saw God Today"; and Musical Event of the Year with Chesney on "Shiftwork." Strait could also receive two additional trophies for producing his Single and Album with Tony Brown. Other nominees benefiting from Strait's windfall are songwriters Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby, who were nominated for Song of the Year for "I Saw God Today." Strait now has 75 career CMA Awards nominations, trailing only Alan Jackson, who has 79 with this year's nominations for Male Vocalist; Album for "Good Time," which was produced by Keith Stegall; Song for "Good Time," written by Jackson; and Music Video of the Year for "Good Time," directed by Trey Fanjoy.

Brad Paisley also received four nominations this year, including Entertainer; Male Vocalist, which he won in 2007; Song for "Letter to Me," written by Paisley; and Music Video of the Year for "Waitin' on a Woman," directed by Jim Shea. Keith Urban rounds out the list of Entertainer of the Year nominees. Urban is also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year. He won the category in 2005.

After winning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 2006 and 2007, Carrie Underwood is back in 2008 with two nominations for Female Vocalist, and Album of the Year for "Carnival Ride," produced by Mark Bright.

Alison Krauss is also nominated for Female Vocalist, as well as Musical Event for her performance with first-time CMA Awards nominee Robert Plant on "Gone, Gone, Gone." Miranda Lambert is nominated for Female Vocalist for the second year and is also nominated for Single of the Year for "Gunpowder & Lead," produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke. Completing the Female Vocalist of the Year category are reigning Horizon Award winner Taylor Swift, making her debut in the category, and Martina McBride. McBride has won the category four times (1999, 2002-2004). She is currently tied with Reba McEntire (1984-1987) for the most Female Vocalist wins in CMA Awards history � even surpassing Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette's previous records. With McEntire's nomination for Musical Event of the Year with Chesney, she retains her position as the female artist with the highest number of nominations in the 42-year history of the CMA Awards, with 46.

It's been more than 30 years since their last CMA Awards nomination for Vocal Group of the Year (1976, 1977), but the Eagles are back in the category in 2008. A new addition to the category this year is Lady Antebellum, who are also nominated for New Artist of the Year. Rascal Flatts has swept the Vocal Group of the Year category the past five years and is nominated in that category again in 2008. Rounding out the groups are Emerson Drive, their second year in the category, and Little Big Town, who are also nominated for Musical Event of the Year with Sugarland and Jake Owen.

An artist may only be nominated for the New Artist of the Year Award (formerly Horizon Award) two times, and this year there are a mix of new hopefuls with Lady Antebellum and James Otto, joining two-time nominees Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins and Kellie Pickler.

Brooks & Dunn hold the title of most career CMA Awards wins with 19. They may increase that total by two this year with nominations for Vocal Duo, which they have won a record-setting 14 times, and Album of the Year for "Cowboy Town," produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks.

Trace Adkins also received two nominations this year for the poignant "You're Gonna Miss This," which was nominated for Single and Music Video of the Year. The No. 1 hit was also nominated for Song of the Year for songwriters Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller.

The final list of nominees for "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" covers the broadest spectrum of the format, from celebrated hit makers to crossover innovators, with several fresh faces added to the mix:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Sugarland and Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, George Strait and Keith Urban

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Lady Antebellum, James Otto and Kellie Pickler

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR: Eagles, Emerson Drive, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR: Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland and The Wreckers

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: (Award goes to Artist and Producer)
"Don't Blink" (Kenny Chesney) produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney/BNA Records
"Gunpowder & Lead" (Miranda Lambert) produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke/Columbia Records
"I Saw God Today" (George Strait) produced by Tony Brown and George Strait/MCA Nashville
"Stay" (Sugarland) produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles/Mercury Nashville
"You're Gonna Miss This" (Trace Adkins) produced by Frank Rogers/Capitol Records Nashville

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: (Award goes to Artist and Producer)
"Carnival Ride" (Carrie Underwood) produced by Mark Bright/19 Records Limited/Arista Nashville
"Cowboy Town" (Brooks & Dunn) produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks/Arista Nashville
"Good Time" (Alan Jackson) produced by Keith Stegall/Arista Nashville
"Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates" (Kenny Chesney) produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney/BNA Records
"Troubadour" (George Strait) produced by Tony Brown and George Strait/MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR: (Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)
"Good Time" (Alan Jackson) EMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music
"I Saw God Today" (Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade Kirby) Big Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music
"Letter To Me" (Brad Paisley) EMI-April Music/New Sea Gayle Music
"Stay" (Jennifer Nettles) Jennifer Nettles Publishing
"You're Gonna Miss This" (Ashley Gorley/Lee Thomas Miller) EMI Blackwood Music/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah's Little Boat Music/Songs of Combustion Music

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR: (Award to each Artist)
Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood "Another Try" MCA Nashville
Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney "Every Other Weekend" MCA Nashville
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss "Gone, Gone, Gone" Rounder Records
Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen "Life in a Northern Town" Mercury Nashville
Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait) "Shiftwork" BNA Records

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR: (Award goes to Artist and Director)
"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 (Dobro), Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar), Dann Huff (Guitar), Brent Mason (Guitar) and Mac McAnally (Guitar).

The 2007 CMA Awards, held in Nashville during November Sweeps (Nov. 7), ranked behind only the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards during the 2007-2008 season for awards shows among Total Viewers. With "The 41st Annual CMA Awards," ABC won Monday evening in both Total Viewers (16 million) and adults 18-49 (5.4/13). According to Nielsen, research estimates that 34.6 million viewers watched all or part of the ceremony.

The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000 industry professional members of CMA, which was the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music in 1958.

The first "CMA Awards Banquet and Show" was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast on NBC Television for the first time � making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television. The show aired on NBC through 1971, and on the CBS Television Network from 1972 through 2005.

Winners of "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

"The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Producer. Paul Miller is the Director. David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.