BRAD PAISLEY LEADS FINALISTS WITH SIX NOMINATIONS FOR "THE 43rd ANNUAL CMA AWARDS," COUNTRY MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK

Taylor Swift, 19, is Youngest Nominee Ever for Entertainer of the Year

For the fourth year, the announcement of the final nominees in five of the 12 CMA Awards categories was made on ABC News' "Good Morning America." Darius Rucker and Lee Ann Womack delivered the news today from the "Good Morning America" studios in the heart of New York City's Times Square. The final list of nominees for "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" features fresh faces in 10 of the 12 CMA Awards categories, with new artists layered throughout the finalist field, the continued dominance of the established superstars, and crossover favorites making huge gains in 2009. "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalist of the Year Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return for a second year to host "County Music's Biggest Night�."

At the conclusion of the announcements, Paisley led the list of finalists with six nominations, and Taylor Swift had four nominations, including her first for Entertainer of the Year -- she is the youngest nominee ever for that award. Paisley was nominated for Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for American Saturday Night, which was produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois; Single and Song for "Then" (DuBois and Ashley Gorley are also nominated as songwriters); and Music Video for "Start a Band" with Keith Urban, which was directed by Jim Shea. Urban, along with Jamey Johnson, George Strait, Taylor Swift and Zac Brown (frontman of the Zac Brown Band), each received four nominations.

The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000 plus 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 were 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 before moving to ABC in 2006.

Winners of "The 43rd 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 overseen by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. "The 43rd 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 will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

For more information, visit www.abcmedianet.com or www.CMApress.com.

The final nominees for the 2009 CMA Awards are:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Darius Rucker
George Strait
Keith Urban

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Randy Houser
Jamey Johnson
Jake Owen
Darius Rucker
Zac Brown Band

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eagles
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland

SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Producer)

"Chicken Fried"
Zac Brown Band
Produced by Keith Stegall
Atlantic Records

"I Run to You"
Lady Antebellum
Produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley
Capitol Records Nashville

"In Color"
Jamey Johnson
Produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys
Mercury Nashville

"People Are Crazy"
Billy Currington
Produced by Carson Chamberlain and Billy Currington
Mercury Nashville

"Then"
Brad Paisley
Produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois
Arista Nashville

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Producer)

American Saturday Night
Brad Paisley
Produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois
Arista Nashville

Defying Gravity
Keith Urban
Produced by Dann Huff and Keith Urban
Capitol Records Nashville

Fearless
Taylor Swift
Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift
Big Machine Records

Love on the Inside
Sugarland
Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush, and Jennifer Nettles
Mercury Nashville

That Lonesome Song
Jamey Johnson
Produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys
Mercury Records

SONG OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Songwriter(s))

"Chicken Fried"
Zac Brown/Wyatt Durrette

"I Told You So"
Randy Travis

"In Color"
Jamey Johnson/Lee Thomas Miller/James Otto

"People Are Crazy"
Bobby Braddock/Troy Jones

"Then"
Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Ashley Gorley

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR (Award goes to each Artist).

"Cowgirls Don't Cry"
Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire
Arista Nashville

"Down the Road"
Kenny Chesney (with Mac McAnally)
Blue Chair Records, LLC & BNA Records

"Everything But Quits"
Lee Ann Womack (duet with George Strait)
MCA Nashville

"I Told You So"
Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis
19 Recordings/Arista Nashville

"Old Enough"
The Raconteurs featuring Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe
Third Man Records/Warner Bros. Records

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR (Award goes to Artist and Director)

"Boots On"
Randy Houser
Directed by Eric Welch

"Love Story"
Taylor Swift
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

"People Are Crazy"
Billy Currington
Directed by The Brads

"Start a Band"
Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban)
Directed by Jim Shea

"Troubadour"
George Strait
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Eddie Bayers� Drums
Paul Franklin � Steel Guitar
Dann Huff � Guitar
Brent Mason � Guitar
Mac McAnally � Guitar