Country music show draws a diverse A-list

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Snoop Dogg was there and so was Bobby Brown. Sisqo was in the house and Ryan Seacrest appeared in the show's opening skit. The MTV Video Music Awards? Nope, it was the 2008 CMT Music Awards.

Reality show stars were omnipresent at the country music awards show, which was held April 14 at Nashville's Curb Event Center at Belmont University and broadcast on cable music channel CMT and cmt.com.

In fact, the night's big winner, Kellie Pickler, who took home three awards, is herself the product of a reality show, having been a finalist on the fifth season of "American Idol." Paradoxically, she was not able to make it because of a prior performing commitment in Arizona.

Fellow North Carolinian and "American Idol" season-five finalist Bucky Covington did play at the event, and was a nominee in the breakthrough category that Pickler won. Season-four winner Carrie Underwood, a two-time nominee, also performed. Diana DeGarmo, who starred on "American Idol" in season three and was recently part of the cast of CMT's "Gone Country," was on hand.

continue...

Comments