Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood rehearse on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Sommet Center in Downtown Nashville for "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards," which will broadcast live on the ABC Television Network on Wed., Nov. 11th, 8-11PM/ET. Photographer: John Russell / CMA

The Country Music Association presents its 43rd annual awards in Nashville on Wednesday, and Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are already repeats — whether they win trophies or not.

The two co-hosted the 2008 show for the first time, and the ceremony went well enough they’re back to do it again. Each of them is taking their duties seriously. After all, they’re at the center of all the action on one of the most important nights for country music in the entire year. But they also recognize that it’s a big night for every single person that gets to make an acceptance speech.

“It means that you’ve made history in a way that very few people in country music ever will,” Brad says. “And every CMA represents something. You know, if it’s a Male Vocalist of the Year award, it’s a representation of a year when the industry thought that you did something exceptionally. And if you’re a singer — like Carrie or I happen to be — and do this for a living, and they vote you the vocalist of the year in one of those things, it’s really crazy…and means a lot.”

The awards are intended only to recognize the accomplishments of a single year, but there’s a sense of permanence about them.

“They pass out [program] booklets to all the people in the audience, and there’s, like, pictures from past CMAs and stuff like that,” Carrie explains. “In the back… they have winners listed for every award, so you get to see every single year — you get to see all the people that have ever won Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, Entertainer. All that stuff. And it’s so amazing when you see your name there with all the other names. That is something that can never be taken away from you. You know, somebody else might win it the next year, but who cares? My name’s in the book!”

Carrie has a chance to leave an even more impressive mark this year. She could join fellow Okie Reba McEntire as the only artists ever to win Female Vocalist of the Year four times in a row. Brad meanwhile has his name in the book 11 times already. In fact, he’s tied with Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw for the fifth most wins in CMA history. The only acts with more are Alan Jackson, 16; Vince Gill, 18; Brooks & Dunn, 19; and George Strait, 22.

The 43rd annual CMA Awards air Wednesday on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

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