CMT ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND FINALISTS FOR THE "2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS"

Online Voting Begins Monday, April 13 on CMT.com and Ends May 11

Sugarland leads nominations with six followed by Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift, each with four

NASHVILLE � April 13, 2009 � Voting begins today for the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, country music's only fan-voted award show, with the announcement of this year's first round finalists. Country duo, Sugarland, lead the pack in first round nominations with six followed by Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift who have each garnered four. Beginning today, Monday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m., ET, fans can vote on CMT.com for their favorite artists to determine the final nominees for CMT's eighth annual awards show. Country music's biggest stars will rock Nashville when the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS premieres LIVE on Wednesday, June 17 on CMT and CMT.com.

The first round of voting for the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS runs from April 13 through May 11, only at CMT.com, where fans will select from the top nominees in each category. On Tuesday, May 19, CMT will announce the four finalists in each of the categories, except VIDEO OF THE YEAR. Fans can then vote online at CMT.com through June 15 to determine the winners of the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS. The final nominees for VIDEO OF THE YEAR will be announced at the beginning of the live show and fans can vote at CMT.com and via text message throughout the live broadcast (ET/CT only) to determine the night's big winner.

The nominees in each of the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS categories include:

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

Trace Adkins - "You're Gonna Miss This" (Director: Peter Zavadil)
Kenny Chesney featuring The Wailers - "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" (Director: Shaun Silva)
Toby Keith - "God Love Her" (Director: Michael Salomon)
Kid Rock - "All Summer Long" (Director: Deaton Flanigen)
Lady Antebellum - "Lookin' For A Good Time" (Director: Chris Hicky)
Brad Paisley - "Waitin' On A Woman" (Directors: Jim Shea & Peter Tilden)
Rascal Flatts - "Every Day" (Director: Deaton Flanigen)
Sugarland - "All I Want To Do" (Director: Shaun Silva)
Taylor Swift - "Love Story" (Director: Trey Fanjoy)
Carrie Underwood - "Just A Dream" (Director: Roman White)

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

Trace Adkins - "You're Gonna Miss This"
Jason Aldean - "She's Country"
Alan Jackson - "Good Time"
Jamey Johnson - "In Color"
Toby Keith - "God Love Her"
Brad Paisley - "Waitin' On A Woman"
Darius Rucker - "Don't Think I Don't Think About It"
Keith Urban - "Sweet Thing"

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

Julianne Hough - "That Song In My Head"
Miranda Lambert - "More Like Her"
Martina McBride - "Ride"
Heidi Newfield - "Johnny & June"
Kellie Pickler - "Don't You Know You're Beautiful"
Taylor Swift - "Love Story"
Carrie Underwood - "Just A Dream"
Lee Ann Womack - "Last Call"

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

Eli Young Band - "When It Rains"
Gloriana - "Wild At Heart"
Lady Antebellum - "Lookin' For A Good Time"
Little Big Town - "Fine Line"
The Lost Trailers - "Hollerback"
Rascal Flatts - "Bob That Head"
Rascal Flatts - "Every Day"
Zac Brown Band "Chicken Fried"

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

Brooks & Dunn - "Put A Girl In It"
Caitlin & Will - "Stupid Boy"
Carter Twins - "Heart Like Memphis"
Joey + Rory - "Cheater Cheater"
Montgomery Gentry - "Roll With Me"
Sugarland - "All I Want To Do"
Sugarland - "Already Gone"
Sugarland - "Love"

USA WEEKEND BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist's major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female, or group/duo)

Carter Twins - "Heart Like Memphis"
Gloriana - "Wild At Heart"
Julianne Hough - "That Song In My Head"
Joey + Rory - "Cheater Cheater"
Jamey Johnson - "In Color"
Lady Antebellum - "Lookin' For A Good Time"
James Otto - "Just Got Started Lovin' You"
Zac Brown Band - "Chicken Fried"

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video that featured a special collaborative appearance by artists; awarded to the artists (individual, group or duo)

Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire - "Cowgirls Don't Cry"
Kenny Chesney featuring The Wailers - "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven"
Brad Paisley and Keith Urban - "Start A Band"
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - "Please Read The Letter"
The Raconteurs featuring Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe - "Old Enough"
Rehab featuring Hank Williams, Jr. - "Bartender Song"
Sugarland, Little Big Town and Jake Owen - "Life In A Northern Town"
Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood - "Another Try"

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR*
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

Caitlin & Will - "Stupid Boy" from CAN YOU DUET
Alan Jackson, George Strait, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley - "Country Boy" from CMT GIANTS: ALAN JACKSON
Toby Keith - "She's A Hottie" from the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" from CMT CROSSROADS: ROBERT PLANT AND ALISON KRAUSS
LeAnn Rimes - "Nothin' Better To Do" from the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS
Sugarland, Little Big Town and Jake Owen - "Life In A Northern Town" from the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS
Taylor Swift and Def Leppard - "Photograph" from CMT CROSSROADS: DEF LEPPARD AND TAYLOR SWIFT
Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn - "Raise The Barn" from the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS

WIDE OPEN COUNTRY VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist outside the mainstream of country music; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration)

Kevin Costner & Modern West - "Backyard"
Def Leppard and Tim McGraw - "Nine Lives"
Def Leppard and Taylor Swift - "Photograph"
Kid Rock - "All Summer Long"
John Mellencamp featuring Karen Fairchild - "My Sweet Love"
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - "Please Read The Letter"
The Raconteurs featuring Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe - "Old Enough"
Rehab featuring Hank Williams, Jr. - "Bartender Song"

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Best video director of the year; awarded to the director for his or her body of work from the past year

Kristin Barlowe (award eligible videos include: Martina McBride's "Ride" and Chuck Wicks' "All I Ever Wanted")
Deaton Flanigan (award eligible videos include: Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" and Rascal Flatts' "Every Day")
Trey Fanjoy (award eligible videos include: Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and George Strait's "Troubador")
Wayne Isham (award eligible videos include: Darius Rucker's "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" and "It Won't Be Like This For Long")
Shaun Silva (award eligible videos include: Sugarland's "All I Want To Do" and Kenny Chesney's "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" featuring The Wailers)
Eric Welch (award eligible videos include: Heidi Newfield's "Johnny & June" and the Carter Twins' "Heart Like Memphis")
Roman White (award eligible videos include: Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream" and Reba McEntire's "Every Other Weekend")
Peter Zavadil (award eligible videos include: Trace Adkins' "You're Gonna Miss This" and Joey + Rory's "Cheater Cheater")

*indicates new category for 2009

Videos that debuted on CMT between January 18, 2008 and February 23, 2009 are eligible for the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS. Finalists were determined by an industry panel that includes noted country music journalists, as well as music industry, music retail and CMT executives. Log on to CMT.com to view streaming clips of nominated videos.

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