CMT ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR THE 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS

[tropicalfever]

CMT ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR THE 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS AND FANS PICK THE WINNERS
First Round Nominees Announced and Online Voting Begins Wednesday, February 15 on CMT.com

NASHVILLE – February 15, 2006 – It has been dubbed “eclectic,” “irreverent,” and this year is sure to be no exception as fans go online to choose the finalists for the 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, country music’s only fan-voted awards. Beginning Wednesday, February 15 on CMT.com, fans can vote for their favorite videos to determine the finalists for CMT’s fifth annual awards show. With comedian Jeff Foxworthy returning as host, anything goes when the 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS premiere live from the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville on Monday, April 10 at 8-10 p.m., ET.*

The first round of voting runs from February 15 through March 9 only at CMT.com, where fans will select from the top eight nominees in each of the 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS categories. On March 15, CMT will announce the four finalists in each category except Video of the Year. Fans can then vote online at CMT.com through Friday, April 7 to determine the winners. The final nominees for Video of the Year will be announced at the beginning of the show, and fans can vote at CMT.com throughout the live broadcast (8-10 p.m. ET/CT only) to determine the night’s big winner.

Videos that debuted on CMT between February 1, 2005 and January 31, 2006 are eligible for the 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS. Log on to CMT.com to view streaming clips of nominated videos.

The eight nominees in the 2006 CMT MUSIC AWARDS categories include:

CMT MUSIC AWARDS VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Final four nominees announced during live telecast, with final voting held online at CMT.com during the show:

Brad Paisley - "Alcohol"
Brooks & Dunn - "Believe"
Faith Hill with Tim McGraw - "Like We Never Loved At All"
Gretchen Wilson - "All Jacked Up"
Keith Urban - "Better Life"
Kenny Chesney - "Who You'd Be Today"
Toby Keith - "As Good As I Once Was"
Trace Adkins - "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist:

Brad Paisley - "Alcohol"
Dierks Bentley - "Come A Little Closer"
Gary Allan - "Best I Ever Had"
Keith Urban - "Better Life"
Kenny Chesney - "Who You'd Be Today"
Tim McGraw -"Drugs Or Jesus"
Toby Keith - "As Good As I Once Was"
Trace Adkins - "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist:

Carrie Underwood - "Jesus Take The Wheel"
Faith Hill - "Mississippi Girl"
Gretchen Wilson - "All Jacked Up"
LeAnn Rimes - "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way"
Lee Ann Womack - "Twenty Years And Two Husbands Ago"
Miranda Lambert - "Kerosene"
Sara Evans - "A Real Fine Place To Start"
Trisha Yearwood - "Georgia Rain"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS GROUP / DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group or duo; awarded to the artists:

Big & Rich - "Big Time"
Brooks & Dunn - "Believe"
Cross Canadian Ragweed - "Fightin' For"
Little Big Town - "Boondocks"
Montgomery Gentry - "Something To Be Proud Of"
Rascal Flatts - "Skin (Sarabeth)"
Sugarland - "Just Might (Make Me Believe)"
Van Zant - "Help Somebody"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
The best video that featured a special collaborative appearance by artists; awarded to the artists (male, female or group/duo):

Billy Joe Shaver with Big & Rich - "Live Forever"
Bon Jovi feat. Jennifer Nettles -"Who Says You Can't Go Home"
Brad Paisley feat. Dolly Parton - "When I Get Where I'm Going"
Cowboy Troy feat. Big & Rich - "I Play Chicken With The Train"
Faith Hill with Tim McGraw - "Like We Never Loved At All"
George Jones & Dolly Parton -"The Blues Man"
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon -"Jackson"
Willie Nelson feat. Toots Hibbert -"I Am A Worried Man"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS HOTTEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Sexiest video, awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration):

Billy Currington - "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right"
Dierks Bentley - "Come A Little Closer"
Faith Hill with Tim McGraw- "Like We Never Loved At All"
Jo Dee Messina - "My Give A Damn's Busted"
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon - "Jackson"
Keith Urban - "Making Memories Of Us"
Sara Evans - "A Real Fine Place To Start"
Trace Adkins - "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist's major debut album; awarded to the artist (male, female, or group/duo):

Carrie Underwood - "Jesus Take The Wheel"
Cowboy Troy feat. Big & Rich - "I Play Chicken With The Train"
Jason Aldean - "Hicktown"
Keith Anderson - "Pickin' Wildflowers"
Miranda Lambert - "Kerosene"
Shooter Jennings - "The 4th Of July"
Sugarland - "Something More"
Van Zant - "Help Somebody"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS MOST INSPIRING VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Video that celebrates the human condition in a positive and optimistic way; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration):

Billy Joe Shaver with Big & Rich - "Live Forever"
Brad Paisley feat. Dolly Parton - "When I Get Where I'm Going"
Brooks & Dunn - "Believe"
Carrie Underwood - "Jesus Take The Wheel"
Dolly Parton - "Imagine"
Jamie O'Neal - "Somebody's Hero"
Reba McEntire - "You're Gonna Be"
Tim McGraw - "Drugs Or Jesus"

CMT MUSIC AWARDS VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Video with the best direction (video that best captures the mood, tempo, and intensity of the song); awarded to the video director for work on a specific video and accepted by the director and the artist:

Chris Hicky / Keith Urban - "Better Life"
David McClister / LeAnn Rimes - "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way"
Deaton Flanigen / Brooks & Dunn - "Believe"
Michael Salomon / Toby Keith - "As Good As I Once Was"
Paul Boyd / Gary Allan - "Best I Ever Had"
[b]Shaun Silva / Kenny Chesney - "Who You'd Be Today" [/b]
Sophie Muller / Faith Hill with Tim McGraw - "Like We Never Loved At All"
Trey Fanjoy / Miranda Lambert - "Kerosene

[Fragile Magic]

After listening to "some country music" after JB's License to Chill, I've discovered that I like just a select few country stars. I have already voted for my favorite of the bunch, KEITH URBAN to win all that he's up for. IMHO he has a great talent for singing, guitar playing, and songwriting! It doesn't hurt that he's quite a good looking Aussie also!

[Jahfin]

Keith Urban still sucks but it's cool to see Billy Joe Shaver's name mentioned in there except for the fact that it's next to Big & Rich.

[TikiTom]

Keith Urban still sucks but it's cool to see Billy Joe Shaver's name mentioned in there except for the fact that it's next to Big & Rich.

Do you like Shooter Jennings?
I'm wondering if I've asked you this before, but I can't recall.

[parrothead8587]

i just voted for Miranda Lambert. That new song "Kerosene" is great in my opinion.

[Jahfin]

Do you like Shooter Jennings?

I haven't heard his entire album but I haven't been overly impressed with what little I have heard. In other words, I haven't heard anything from it that's compelled me to rush out to buy it.