Pa.'s Taylor Swift named breakthrough artist at CMAs

NASHVILLE - Kenny Chesney was named entertainer of the year and Carrie Underwood took home female-vocalist and single-of-the-year honors at the Country Music Association Awards last night. Taylor Swift, 17, from Wyomissing, Pa., won the Horizon Award for breakthrough artist.

"This is definitely the highlight of my senior year," joked a tearful Swift, who has seen her self-titled debut album sell 1.2 million copies since its release last fall.

Underwood, who first gained fame by winning American Idol, won for her single "Before He Cheats."

"God has blessed me with so many wonderful things," she said. "If you told me a few years ago I had been nominated with the people I'm nominated with, I would have called you absolutely insane."

Brad Paisley, who won male vocalist, teared up as he thanked his father, who he said carried amplifiers and ran sound "even though he didn't know what he was doing."

"I can't tell you what this means to me to win this. I always wanted to win this award at least once - this will do," said Paisley, who also won music video for his hit "Online."

Sugarland won vocal duo of the year, breaking Brooks & Dunn's long-standing lock on the award.

"If we're standing up here, we have this lofty view because we're standing on the shoulders of giants who've come before us," said Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles.

Brooks & Dunn had won the duo category 14 of the last 15 years, including the last six in a row.

Rascal Flatts was named top vocal group, and George Strait took top album for It Just Comes Natural.

Rascal Flatts' Gary LeVox thanked country radio for "being our mouthpiece."

"What we do means nothing if no one gets to hear it," he said.

Strait had said that of his five nominations, which tied him with Paisley for the most of the night, he wanted to win the album trophy the most.

Strait's hit "Give It Away" won song of the year.

Other early winners included Tracy Lawrence, featuring Tim McGraw and Chesney, for musical event for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are"; Dobro great Jerry Douglas of Union Station as musician of the year; and Paisley's "Online" for music video.

"This was something that we all wanted to sing," Lawrence said of the hit. "It was something that was in our wheelhouse. I think we all related to it."

Vince Gill introduced the Eagles, who played their single "How Long" and received a standing ovation.

"For 35 years or more, these next guys have been writing songs like we wished we could write," Gill said.

Rascal Flatts opened the show with the title track to its latest album, Still Feels Good, while a montage of country stars flashed on large screens behind them, including a photo of Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. Wagoner died last month of lung cancer.

Dwight Yoakam also paid tribute to Wagoner, calling him a pioneer and a groundbreaker to the end.

The show was broadcast live on ABC.