Kenny Chesney favoured for top CMA prize

NEWS RELEASE

COUNTRY MUSIC TELEVISION

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Cowboy hats and blonde beauties among faves predicted to win the "40th Annual CMA Awards" in first ever CMT poll

Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood Favored to take top awards

Respondents rank Brooks & Dunn as the best companion with their coffee

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - America tips its hat to established country artists, cowboys and blondes, according to the findings of a recent CMT poll to predict winners of the "40th Annual CMA Awards."

In celebration of one of country music's most glam events, CMT commissioned the telephone poll using a random national sample of 1,002 adults 18 and older, and asked who they personally thought would win CMA's Entertainer, Album, Song, Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist and Horizon categories.

Respondents ranked Kenny Chesney as their top choice for Entertainer of the Year with 22 percent of the vote, but the race was close with Brooks & Dunn taking 19 percent.

Respondents also ranked Brooks & Dunn the clear favorite when asked who, of the Entertainer of the Year nominees, they would most like to invite over for coffee.

Alan Jackson is predicted to receive two category wins, with Precious Memories ranking as the clear winner for Album of the Year.

Jackson was also predicted to receive Male Vocalist of the Year.

The only newcomer to top the list, Carrie Underwood's hit song "Jesus Take the Wheel" took top honors for Song of the Year.

She also received nearly half of all votes for the Horizon Award category with a whopping 47 percent.

Complete CMT poll results are as follows:

-Entertainer of the Year - Kenny Chesney (22 percent)
-Album of the Year - Alan Jackson's Precious Memories (33 percent)
-Song of the Year - Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel" (26 percent)
-Female Vocalist of the Year - Faith Hill (32 percent)
-Male Vocalist of the Year - Alan Jackson (29 percent)
-Horizon Award - Carrie Underwood (47 percent)
-Invite for Coffee - Brooks & Dunn (24 percent)

CMT goes live once again with its annual, exclusive coverage of "The 40th Annual CMA Awards," with CMA Red Carpet 2006 airing from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, November 6 at 7:00-8:00 p.m.

CMT hosts Lance Smith and Katie Cook are joined by "American Idol" sweetheart, Kellie Pickler, to bring the audience unparalleled coverage of the 40th anniversary of the CMA Awards.

In addition, fans can log on to CMT.com for an exclusive all-access pass to the "40th Annual CMA Awards" with a dedicated fan site, streaming news and live red carpet coverage on CMT Loaded.

CMT.com has the inside scoop with in-depth news coverage, photo galleries, interactive games, fan voting, video and Radio CMA, a web broadcast featuring music by current nominees and past winners.

CMT, America's Number 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos.

Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches more than 83 million households in the United States.

Go to country music's biggest web site at CMT.com.

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