19-year-old sensation, hottest ticket in music, could take top prize

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Kenny Chesney has made the very hard work of dominating country music look easy.

And Taylor Swift is paying close attention.

The 19-year-old sensation has the record sales. She beat out every living artist — no matter the genre — this year with more than 3 million copies of her “Fearless” CD sold and counting (only Michael Jackson has sold more). The album remains No. 3 after 51 weeks on the charts.

And she’s moving concert tickets as fast as they can print them.

That might be enough to sway the more than 5,000 members of the Country Music Association, who decide who gets the trophy for entertainer of the year, the CMA’s highest honor, at the CMA Awards on Wednesday night (the broadcast will air live on ABC).

She’s the youngest ever nominated for the award and the first solo female act since Faith Hill in 2000, and she’s faced a lot of questions about whether either is a limiting factor.

“I think you have to do the work and put in the effort and do the touring that it takes to win entertainer of the year,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And I don’t really think it has anything to do with gender. I think if you want to compete with the boys, play on a level that they’re playing at.”

And the guys in this category are playing at the highest.

Using a combination of unparalleled album and ticket sales, Chesney has dominated the CMA Awards’ most prestigious category with three straight wins and four of the last five. A fifth win would move him past Garth Brooks for most in the 43 years of the awards. This is the eighth straight year he’s sold more than a million concert tickets, and fans are drawn to his brand of Caribbean cool like no other.

Brad Paisley leads all nominees with seven and is entering his second year as co-host with Carrie Underwood. His album “American Saturday Night” debuted at No. 2 on the album charts when it was released earlier this year and he’s had 11 straight No. 1 singles on the country charts.

Keith Urban’s supercharged live show has made him one of country’s most bankable stars and his album “Defying Gravity” hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He’s the only artist to interrupt Chesney’s recent domination in the category, winning in 2005.

And then there’s George Strait, a two-time winner in the category and CMA’s career leader in nominations (79, with Alan Jackson) and wins (22) whose “Twang” also debuted as the nation’s No. 1 album. Paisley said he’s put together the kind of career and rapport with his fans that’s really only possible in country music, and that “always” makes him a contender.

“Look at George Strait,” Paisley said. “It’s just unbelievable. He first won entertainer of the year 20 years ago in 1989. Isn’t that crazy?”

But 2009 might be Swift’s year — and she could soon be in the company of icons like Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire, three of the six other female acts to win entertainer of the year.

But tell that to Swift, and she modestly dismisses the idea: “Don’t fill my head with that.”

Britney Spears has spoken out over the miming row that has surrounded her first Australian tour, acknowledging it had created some “controversy”.

The star said: “Some reporters have said they love it and some don’t. I came to Australia for my fans.”

Australian media suggested some fans left after three songs due to Spears’s miming and “lacklustre” performance at Perth’s Burswood Dome.

Promoter Paul Dainty said the singer was “extremely upset” over the claims.

He labelled the reports the “biggest lie I’ve ever heard”.

He added: “I’m so angry. We can take heat if there’s something wrong and people can review shows badly - that’s something you have to live with - but to say people stormed out of the show was an absolute fabrication.

“Britney is aware of all this and she’s extremely upset by it - she’s a human being.”

‘Positive messages’

In a statement Spears said: “I hear there is a lot of controversy in the media about my show.”

A spokesman for the 27-year-old pop star said “thousands of positive messages” had flooded in from fans backing the concerts.

The singer has been at the centre of debate over lip-synching since she arrived in Australia last week, even though it is no secret she mimes during her show.

Virginia Judge, the fair trade minister for the state of New South Wales, ignited the argument by suggesting concert tickets should carry disclaimers about whether parts of concerts were pre-recorded and mimed.

Mr Dainty said it was well known parts of Spears’s concert was lip-synched and denied the suggestion it was hidden.

“It’s been all over the internet for nine months - this show is about an incredible spectacle, which it is,” he said.

More than 17,000 fans, who had paid between AUS$200-$1500 (£110-£830) for a ticket, attended the first date on Spears’s tour.

The singer is performing 15 dates across the country as part of her Circus tour which kicked off in New Orleans in March.

Country Singer Co-Hosting CMA Awards with Carrie Underwood, Also Up for Seven Trophies

Brad Paisley performing at an outdoor show in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 10, 2009. Paisley and Carrie Underwood will host the 2009 Country Music Association Awards show.

Brad Paisley is up for seven trophies at Wednesday’s Country Music Association Awards, but his duties as co-host with Carrie Underwood and performer will keep his attention elsewhere.

He welcomes all distractions.

“It’s a good problem to have to be that busy because I’ve had six nominations and went away empty-handed,” Paisley said. “And when you’re just sitting in the audience for three hours and perform one time in the middle of that, and then lose six times, that’s a long night, you know.”

Paisley learned last year when he won two awards, including his second straight male vocalist trophy, that time flies when you’re having fun, and hosting with Underwood turned out to be a blast - in a lot of different ways.

Underwood even served as a distraction with 10 dress changes from red carpet to after parties. Paisley joked he served as her designated zipper technician.

“This year I think we might actually hire a zipper tech to take care of that and have that person standing by with hands ready to zip or button accordingly, someone who is an expert, a former Boy Scout who knows all kind of knots or something,” Paisley said.

Paisley could have more on his hands if things go just right. The leading nominee is up for the biggest awards of the evening, including entertainer, male vocalist and album of the year.

Keith Urban is next with five nominations and Taylor Swift, Zac Brown, George Strait and Jamey Johnson have four.

While the entertainer of the year category has been fairly predictable the last five years with Kenny Chesney winning four out of five times, there seems to be plenty of mystery around this year’s awards.

The biggest question is whether Taylor Swift - this year’s top-selling music artist in all genres outside of Michael Jackson - can end his reign and also become the first female solo artist to win the category since 1999 when Shania Twain won. In addition, she can end Carrie Underwood’s streak: Swift is competing with her for female vocalist of the year, an award that Underwood has won three straight years.

Underwood thinks it will be tough to win as she faces off with Swift, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride.

“I’d so be lying if I said, ‘Oh, I don’t care,”‘ Underwood said. “I’m competitive. Of course I want to win. But I’ll completely understand if I don’t. I mean, they have Reba nominated. I mean, like, hello. I would be so happy if she kicked all our butts. That would be so awesome.”

There are several other interesting races.

Brooks & Dunn, who earlier this year announced the end of their two-decade partnership, are nominated for vocal duo and musical event (with McEntire), for instance.

And there will be plenty of attention on Darius Rucker, who will be looking to join Charley Pride as the only black performer to win male vocalist of the year. But he faces a who’s who of country music - Paisley, Urban, Chesney and George Strait.

He also is up for new artist against the Zac Brown Band, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson and Jake Owen.

“I might have a chance at new artist just because I’ve had such a cool year,” Rucker said. “But I think Zac’s going to win, the Zac Brown Band. But I have zero chance in male vocalist. I would love to see what the odds are in Vegas of me winning male vocalist of the year.”

Scratch that. Steven Tyler is, in fact, not walking far, far away from Aerosmith, the iconic rock band for whom he’s sang, screeched and screamed since 1969.

Tuesday night, Tyler and Aerosmith guitar guru Joe Perry performed the musical equivalent of hugging it out, reuniting on a New York City stage and announcing that Tyler was sticking with the group, contrary to what Perry previously reported.

“I just want New York — New York, I just want you to know I am not leaving Aerosmith,” Tyler told a crowd of raucous fans at Irving Plaza, according to British music outlet New Musical Express, aka NME. He then launched into a rousing rendition of “Walk This Way” with Perry and co.

Perry didn’t seem like he wanted to walk anywhere with Tyler Monday, when he turned their 40-year-long friendship into a public feud through Twitter, proclaiming Tyler’s impending absence and insisting the band keep on rocking.

“Aerosmith is positively looking for a new singer to work with. You just can’t take 40 years of experience and throw it in the bin!” Perry tweeted Monday. “Band is playing hotter than ever and our songs need to be played live! Don’t despair; Aerosmith not splitting up. Promise that’s the last you’ll hear from me on the subject till we gear up again.”

Tyler’s whole “should I stay or should I go” refrain started last week when he gave an interview to a British music magazine and said he was preparing to focus on a solo career.

It’s not hard to imagine why Tyler would want to bail from the band and kick back a bit — at 61, the aging frontman doesn’t sport the swagger he rocked during Aerosmith’s heyday in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. In August, Tyler plummeted sideways off the stage during a South Dakota show, injuring his head, neck and breaking his shoulder, and forcing the band to scrap the rest of their 2009 tour, save for two October concerts.

Perry can’t have mishaps like that messing up Aerosmith’s mojo, and Tyler probably doesn’t have a death wish. Which is why, should Tyler break off from the band in the future, Perry might want to think outside the box in searching for his replacement. After all, as many ABCNews.com readers noted Wednesday, no one can fill the boots of the large-lipped, crazy-haired rock icon.

“I thought this was a joke when I read the reports yesterday,” wrote Brady Augustine from Vancouver, Wash. “We need to facilitate a sit down meeting right now to resolve the communication breakdown with both of them present. It has to get done!”

“No one can fill Steven Tyler’s shoes (or should i say lips),” wrote Robert Quiroga from Pomona, Calif. “He is as iconic to Aerosmith as Michael Jordan is to basketball.”

“There will never be a replacement for Steven Tyler,” wrote Barbara from Riverside, Calif. “He is the biggest part of Aerosmith. They should just retire and keep their dignity.”

American presidents often face their greatest speaking challenges when called upon to serve as consoler-in-chief to a nation grieving a collective loss.

But national calamities also give U.S. leaders an unequaled chance to inspire and provide solace.

Remember President Reagan’s evening address to the nation on the day America suffered through the Challenger disaster that claimed the lives of 7 astronauts:

“Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.”

That speech is remembered as one of Ronald Reagan’s finest and most moving – especially its ending.

“The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and ’slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.’”

In 1995, President Clinton found himself in a similar situation, trying to comfort the nation after the worst episode of terrorism to hit the U.S. to that time: the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.

“This terrible sin took the lives of our American family, innocent children in that building only because their parents were trying to be good parents as well as good workers, citizens in the building going about their daily business and many there who served the rest of us, who worked to help the elderly and the disabled, who worked to support our farmers and our veterans, who worked to enforce our laws and to protect us.”

The loss of 168 lives was an unimaginable blow to the people of Oklahoma City and Mr. Clinton tried to offer relief.

“You have lost too much, but you have not lost everything. And you have certainly not lost America, for we will stand with you for as many tomorrows as it takes.”

Six years later, President George W. Bush addressed the nation after a day of terror attacks from abroad that forever changed the notion of national security in America.

“Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.”

After spending the day flying from Florida to Louisiana to Nebraska, until it was deemed safe for him to return to the nation’s capital, President Bush sought to help Americans renew their courage.

“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.”

And it may well be determined an act of terrorism that brought President Obama to Fort Hood today, to speak of the 13 lives lost in a shooting spree last Thursday.

“This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. This is the fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible.”

President Obama held up the victims of the shooting as heroes to be admired and remembered.

“We are a nation that endures because of the courage of those who defend it. We saw that valor in those who braved bullets here at Fort Hood, just as surely as we see it in those who signed up knowing that they would serve in harm’s way.”

Interestingly, the president even chose to make a veiled reference to the Army psychiatrist seen to have opened fire on his comrades - and of the extremist Islamic statements attributed to him.

“No faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice – in this world, and the next.”

And like the presidents who preceded him at times of tribulation, President Obama ended his speech with appeals to the Lord.

“So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity. We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those we lost. And may God bless the United States of America.”

History has show that American presidents best earn the trust and confidence of the people they serve, based on their performance at times like these.