Taylor Swift accepts award for Entertainer of the Year at the 45th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 9, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

The 45^th Annual CMA Awards is in the books and it was another year to remember. Two artists took home their first CMA honors, a living legend was honored by three of country music’s biggest stars and another superstar made her return to the CMA stage for the first time in five years, just to name a few of the highlights. In no particular order, here are our Top 10 Moments from this year’s CMA Awards:

Taylor Swift – Taylor took home the biggest prize of the night when her name was called for Entertainer of The Year for the second time. “I am so happy right now!” Taylor exclaimed after accepting her award from Reba McEntire. Taylor thanked the artists who joined her for special appearances during her tour, reading each of their names from a list on her arm. She also thanked her fans for filling arenas and stadiums across the country night after night. “I’m so happy we had so many to play for this year,” she said. “You have made my year. Thank you so much!” Taylor also debuted new music during the show, performing “Ours” acoustically.

The Band Perry – It was a big night for The Band Perry, who won their first  CMA awards, taking home three trophies by the end of the night.  The sibling trio won Single of the Year for their hit “If I Die Young” and Kimberly Perry was honored as the track’s songwriter  with the Song of the Year award. “Thank you to the beautiful fans of country music,” Kimberly said while accepting the Single of the Year trophy. “It is the joy of our whole lives to sing this song night after night.”

The trio also won the CMA for New Artist of the Year. “We just wanted to thank everybody so much for the last few years that you’ve given my brothers and me,” Kimberly said with her brothers, Neil and Reid Perry, by her side. “We promise to keep working hard every day out on the road and here at home in Nashville to continue to earn this award. Thank you so much for the honor of tonight.”

Jason Aldean – Always a nominee but never a winner, Jason finally heard his name called. Jason took home two awards, one for Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” his duet with Kelly Clarkson, as well as the coveted Album of the Year award for his triple platinum My Kinda Party. A visibly-moved Jason thanked his wife Jessica for “putting up with my schedule and everything that’s been going on over the past few years” while accepting his Album of the Year trophy. He also thanked his producer, Michael Knox, and gave a shout out to his daughters, saying he hoped they were in bed soon.

“I definitely think Album of the Year is a big one,” Jason said backstage. “From the guys who play on every song to the producer to the management to the label. It’s kind of a group win. To me, it’s big. Hopefully this album will be around long after I’m gone.”

See photos from this year’s CMA Awards Red Carpet! >>

Glen Campbell Tribute –Vince Gill, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley teamed up for a moving tribute to country music legend Glen Campbell. The three performed a medley of Glen’s hits “By the Time I Get To Oklahoma,” “Wichita Lineman” and “Galveston” with Jimmy Webb, the man who penned the songs, joining in on piano. Glen, who announced earlier this year he’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and embarked on his farewell tour, sang along in the audience before joining the group onstage. “It was awesome, it really was,” Glen said backstage after the performance. “The whole thing was just wonderful.” Continue Reading

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(clockwise, l-r) Eric Stonestreet photo courtesy of ABC Television Network; Reese Witherspoon photo by John Russell, courtesy of CMA; Ginnifer Goodwin photo courtesy of ABC Television Network; and Kellan Lutz photo courtesy of 42 West.

ESPN sportscaster and “Good Morning America” correspondent Erin Andrews, actor Josh Dallas (star of ABC’s “Once Upon a Time”), 2011 World Series MVP and   St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese, actress Ginnifer Goodwin (star of ABC’s “Once Upon a Time”), actor Kellan Lutz (star of the “Twilight” movie series and the upcoming “Immortals”), Muppet icon Miss Piggy, Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet (star of ABC’s “Modern Family”), actress Emily VanCamp (star of ABC’s “Revenge”), and Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon have been added as presenters on The 45^th Annual CMA Awards.

The 45^th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 8-11 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

Previously announced performers for “Country Music’s Biggest Night(tm)” include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration “You and Tequila;” Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban performing a tribute to Glen Campbell; Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet “Easy;” Lionel Richie performing select duets with Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, and Darius Rucker; Blake Shelton joined by Continue Reading

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Glen Campbell photo courtesy of Big Hassle PR.

Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley and former CMA Entertainers of the Year Vince Gill and Keith Urban will pay tribute to Country Music Hall of Fame member and former CMA Entertainer of the Year Glen Campbell during The 45^th Annual CMA Awards. The three guitar virtuosos’ performance saluting the legendary singer/musician will be a highlight of “Country Music’s Biggest Night.”

The 45^th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration “You and Tequila;” Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet “Easy;” Lionel Richie performing a medley of hits with Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts and Darius Rucker; and co-hosts Brad and Carrie in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song “Remind Me.”

Check Out Our Complete CMA Awards Section >>

Glen Campbell was named both CMA Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1968, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. The legendary performer has sold more than 45 million albums and recorded such classic hits as “Wichita Lineman,” “Gentle On My Mind,” “Galveston,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Southern Nights,” and “Rhinestone Cowboy.” As a musician, Glen was part of the much-heralded Wrecking Crew that performed on a variety of artists’ albums. His guitar prowess is featured on the Beach Boys‘ seminal album Pet Sounds and on Frank Sinatra‘s megahit “Strangers in the Night,” among others. He acted alongside John Wayne in the movie “True Grit,” and hosted The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on television from 1968-1972. Earlier this year, Glen announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He is in the midst of his successful Goodbye Tour after releasing his final album, the critically-acclaimed Ghost on the Canvas.

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Grammy-winning artist Glen Campbell.

Glen Campbell sat down with Terry Moran, co-anchor of Nightline, for his first television appearance since announcing he has Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year. The pair, joined by Glen’s wife, Kim, discussed Glen’s career as well as how he is dealing with his diagnosis as he embarks on his final tour to say thank you to his fans. The Glen Campbell Goodbye Tour is in conjunction with the release of his final studio album, Ghost on the Canvas, to be released August 30.

“I have been blessed, I really have,” Glen said during the interview. “I figured it out that I’m not that bright, but God gave me a break.”

Kim, married to Glen for nearly 30 years, shared how she and their family are coping. “He’ll tell a joke, laugh at it and a few minutes later tell the same joke, laugh, and then we laugh at him because he’s just enjoying it so much,” she said. “You just make the best of each day and try not to worry about tomorrow.” Continue Reading

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Grammy-winning artist Glen Campbell.

Glen Campbell’s performance at the IP Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi on Friday marked his first performance since announcing he has Alzheimer’s disease. The performance was dubbed a triumph by the Associated Press. His family and road crew were concerned about the long layoff between performances, but except for a few flubbed lyrics that were corrected with teleprompters, Glen played a 22-song set that brought the crowd to its feet.

“I tell you I’m happy to be here,” Glen said during the show. “At my age I’m happy to be anywhere. It seems like I’ve been doing this since Hitler was a corporal.” Continue Reading

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Grammy-winning artist Glen Campbell.

In an exclusive interview with People magazine, Glen Campbell, 75, revealed he has Alzheimer’s disease.

Glen and his wife, Kim, decided to go public with Glen’s diagnosis because they wanted his fans to know what was wrong. Continue Reading

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l-r: Josh Turner photo courtesy of UMG Nashville; Carrie Underwood photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville; Blake Shelton photo courtesy of WBR Nashville.

The Grand Ole Opry and Cracker Barrel have teamed up to release four new albums. The three-CD series Grand Ole Opry Classic Collection and the contemporary Our Kind of Country albums together feature more than 50 legendary and contemporary country music stars spanning six decades.

“The classic collection is truly ‘classic’ in every sense of the word,” said Julie Craig, marketing manager for Cracker Barrel.  “It’s as close to an Opry experience as you can get without actually being in the Opry House.  Listeners will enjoy high quality sound on every track, songs by historically renowned artists and enduring examples of some truly great performances. And Our Kind Of Country is an incredible showcase of the Opry’s current superstars and more recent additions—a dozen of the Opry’s best available on one CD for the first time.”

Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Martina McBride and more are featured on the Our Kind of Country album. All artists are Grand Ole Opry members and have collectively won every major award presented by the Country Music Association. Continue Reading

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Country songs are often a mirror to the world, a reflection of the times. As a tribute to  the men and women who have served our country, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite songs and videos that honor our troops – heartfelt compositions that look at war through the eyes of the men and women who fight, as well as the families who are left behind to pray that their loved ones return home safely.  If you don’t see your favorite on our list, leave us a comment below and let us know!

We at GAC extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to all soldiers and their families!

“‘Til the Last Shot’s Fired” – Trace Adkins

This heartfelt song is about the life of soldiers through various wars, starting with America’s Civil War and continuing through our current conflicts in the Middle East. Trace Adkins conveys the soldiers’ fervent wish that their job would at some point be eliminated for good. Trace delivers as only Trace can.

“American Soldier” – Toby Keith

This song depicts the everyday life of a soldier, from not being able to call in sick to working through the holidays while standing up for liberty. Toby never fails to bring the soldiers to their feet when he performs this one on his many USO tours.

“Angel Flight” – Radney Foster/Darius Rucker

The title of this song refers to the flight on which a soldier killed in war comes home. Radney wrote the song with Darden Smith, then asked Darius Rucker to sing on it with him. The song was inspired by a series of Angel Flights that brought home a group of men known as the Red River Four. Proceeds from sales of the song benefit the groups who help families in crisis. Continue Reading

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Garth Brooks photo by Mark Tucker, courtesy of Pearl Records.

Superstar Garth Brooks will become a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 42^nd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner on Thursday, June 16 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

“I want to thank the Songwriters Hall of Fame for this distinguished honor,” said Garth. “To consider myself a ‘songwriter’ is something I find hard to agree with, for it is the songwriter that is the most gifted and most important ingredient in the music formula.  I am humbled and flattered by this award and want to thank the songwriters I have written with in the past.  I feel it is because of them I am receiving this award.”

If you’d like to salute Garth in person, you’d better have deep pockets. Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $1000 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, (212) 573-6933. Net proceeds from the event will go towards the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs.

Certified by the RIAA as the No. 1 selling solo artist in US history, Garth has sold more than 128 million albums and is the only solo artist in RIAA history to have six albums top the 10 million mark. His most recent release, The Ultimate Hits, has been certified 5x platinum. Since breaking onto the charts in 1989, Garth has brought a variety of styles, including working class blues, honky tonk, bluegrass and arena rock. As a songwriter his credits include “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “The Thunder Rolls,” “Unanswered Prayers” and “We Shall Be Free” to name a few. Continue Reading

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Dailey & Vincent photo courtesy of Rounder Records.

Dailey & Vincent continued their winning ways during the 21st annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Thursday at the Ryman Auditorium. The act collected five trophies, including its third consecutive Entertainer of the Year honor.

Dailey & Vincent also won Vocal Group and Recorded Event of the Year, the latter shared with Larry Stephenson for “Give This Message To Your Heart.” Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers, recorded for Cracker Barrel, led the band to two additional victories: Album of the Year and Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project.

Appropriately, they performed “Elizabeth” during the awards show with a guest appearance on the third verse by Jimmy Fortune, who wrote and sang lead on the Statlers’ original 1984 release.

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