Lackluster Evening for Country Music Stars

By Bonnie Shelton, 11.08.06

The annual Country Music Association Awards returned to Nashville in its 40th year.

Airing live on ABC for the first time in the network’s history, country music’s biggest night of the year proved to be one of disappointing performances and award upsets.

The ceremony consisted of ten onstage performances, 17 award presentations, and three hall of fame inductions.

Without getting into the usual who won and who lost routine, the show had some highlights that made the program worth missing but worth having at the same time.

The first irksome stunt happened when four musicians who cannot sing together live opened the show. Brooks and Dunn sang their recent chart-topper “Building Bridges” with Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill. The song was performed off key so bad that ears rang with the stench of bad vocalization yeilding achy-breaky hearts throughout the crowd.

Miranda Lambert followed the quartet with a rendition of her new single, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” which was more like a crazy display of immature on-stage antics. The ending consisted of Lambert kicking over her microphone stand and smashing her guitar. Lambert’s battle of the bands style performance could be likened to an 80’s hair band, yet it lacked the velvet confidence of most country music artists. At 22 years old, Lambert’s age was no excuse for her wild onstage behavior.

The audience came to a well deserved standing ovation when the male vocalist of the year was announced. Keith Urban, who recently checked into a rehabilitation center, snatched this industry- respected award. Accepting the award on his behalf was his good friend Ronnie Dunn. Dunn read Urban’s acceptance speech where he thanked his colleagues and his actress-wife Nicole Kidman.

It was a touching moment which redeemed the first two hours of the evening.

Another bright spot followed when Carrie Underwood proved that newcomers really can achieve big dreams their first year in the business. Underwood picked up the other coveted award, female vocalist of the year. In comparison with Lambert, Underwood’s performance of “Before He Cheats” fashionably stirred the estrogen in the audience of all those who’ve been wronged by their men.

This year’s awards were mixture of heartwarming moments and so-so performances. Normally an event to look forward to, this years CMA’s lacked a little punch. We can only hope next year’s biggest evening in the Country Music business actually shines.