CMAs celebrate music with Sandy on their mind

AAA??Nov. 1, 2012?12:17 PM ET
CMAs celebrate music with Sandy on their mind
By CHRIS TALBOTTBy CHRIS TALBOTT, AP Music Writer??

FILE - In this March 18, 2011 file photo, country singer Eric Church performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA awards show on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. From Taylor Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason Aldean, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the awards. (AP Photo/Ed Rode, File)

FILE - In this March 18, 2011 file photo, country singer Eric Church performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA awards show on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. From Taylor Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason Aldean, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the awards. (AP Photo/Ed Rode, File)

FILE - This Tues., Oct. 23, 2012 file photo shows Taylor Swift performing on ABC's "Good Morning America," in New York. From Taylor Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason Aldean, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the CMA awards. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA awards show on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, file)

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2012 file photo, Miranda Lambert performs at the iHeart Radio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA awards show on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. When country music's biggest stars take the stage, you'll see many of your favorites from the last 10 years, though increasingly, new faces are dominating the genre as country's fan base shifts to a younger-skewing audience. (Photo by Eric Reed/Invision/AP)

FILE - In this Tues., Oct. 23, 2012 file photo, Taylor Swift performs on ABC's "Good Morning America," in New York. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA awards show on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. From Taylor Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason Aldean, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the awards. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2012 publicity file photo provided by Target, Taylor Swift and Target celebrate the Target Deluxe Exclusive Edition of "Red," in New York. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA awards show on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. From Taylor Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason Aldean, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the awards. (AP Photo/Target/Jordan Strauss, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Handing out trophies isn't the only mission when country music's biggest stars take the stage Thursday night for the Country Music Association Awards: They'll be reaching out to help those affected by superstorm Sandy.

"Country fans are so amazing and so giving," co-host Carrie Underwood said. "To make sure everybody can pitch in, that's going to be really important."

Underwood and fellow host Brad Paisley said in a Wednesday interview there are plans to seek Red Cross donations during the broadcast, just three days after Sandy killed dozens and caused billions in damage in the northeastern U.S.

This year's ceremony is also reaching out to a younger-skewing audience with the faces that are helping shift country's fan base.

"I think it's great for the format because going forward you have this youth and vitality in the format, in the fan base," lead nominee Eric Church said. "It's a chance to grow a format that I don't think we've ever had in country. I don't know if it's ever been like it is now, especially with young people, in country music."

From Taylor Swift's army of empowered young women to the power-drinking party boys who prefer Church and Jason Aldean, country's audience is much different than it was 10 years ago and that's reflected in the awards. Church benefited with five nominations, including first-time appearances in the album and male vocalist of the year categories.

He's not the only one. Country performers who have tasted their most significant success within the last five years outnumber the more established stars who've counted hits for a decade or more. Those newer artists also received the lion's share of the nominations.

That may not be unusual in the pop, rock and hip-hop worlds. But country has long been a genre defined by listeners ? and often stars ? 35 and over.

The CMAs show that time may be over.

Swift and Aldean are nominated in the entertainer of the year category with Kenny Chesney, Paisley and Blake Shelton. Luke Bryan and Eric Church rewrote the script in two categories ? male vocalist where they elbowed out established stars like three-time winner Paisley and Chesney and album of the year. They join young acts Miranda Lambert and Lady A in that category with Dierks Bentley rounding it out.

The vocal group category also is stocked only with younger hitmakers ? Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, The Band Perry and Eli Young Band join industry veterans Little Big Town. And new acts The Civil Wars, Love and Theft and Thompson Square join Big & Rich and Sugarland in the vocal duo category.

Whether that new wave will go home with a majority of trophies remains to be seen. Paisley and Underwood co-host the awards show at 8 p.m. EDT, live on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Winners were announced in two categories Thursday morning: Chesney and Tim McGraw's "Feel Like a Rock Star" won musical event of the year and Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" won video of the year.

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AP writer Caitlin R. King in Nashville contributed to this report.

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Online:

http://cmaworld.com

http://abc.go.com/shows/cma-awards

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For the latest country music news from the Associated Press: http://twitter.com. Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott.

Associated PressNews Topics: Arts and entertainment, Music, Entertainment, Country music, Rock music, Celebrity, Hurricane Sandy 2012, Award shows, Events, Hurricanes, Tropical cyclones, Natural disasters, Accidents and disasters, General news, Storms, Weather, Country Music Association Awards, Music awards
People, Places and Companies: Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, United States, Nashville

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-11-01-Music-CMA%20Awards/id-09accb70c9f746c0b0e901544020ac26

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