It’s been another great year in country music…and as we get ready for 2010, we’re looking back at some of the highlights of 2009.
IN NOVEMBER…
• Carrie Underwood released her third CD, Play On, featuring the hit song, “Cowboy Casanova.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Speaking of Carrie Underwood and her hit song, “Cowboy Casanova,” it went to number-one. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• And speaking of going to number-one, Brad Paisley‘s “Welcome to the Future” also found its way to the top of the chart! (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Now if there was only a way to include a Brad Paisley AND Carrie Underwood highlight for November 2009…oh, wait, there is. They co-hosted The 43rd Annual CMA Awards — it’s their second year in a row handling the emceeing duties. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• At the 2009 CMA Awards, Brad Paisley wins Male Vocalist of the Year. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• At the 2009 CMA Awards, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban win Musical Event of the Year for “Start a Band.”
• For our non-Brad and Carrie highlight, Kellie Pickler appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
009 HIGHLIGHTS: November" width="16" height="14" /> Carrie Underwood talks about her new album, Play On. (:27)
“I think Play On has something in it for everyone. And I think I have been lucky enough to have very versatile singles and songs on my albums. And I think this is definitely an extension of that. And I think people can enjoy my writing more and things that, you know, are truly coming from my heart more. So I hope we just take everything and just take it to a new level and give something that everybody can enjoy.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: November" width="16" height="14" /> Carrie Underwood talks about her hit, “Cowboy Casanova.” (:32)
“‘Cowboy Casanova.’ We basically didn’t take ourselves too seriously and wrote this song, and then, it was like, ‘Holy cow!’ Like, ‘What is this? What did we do? This is awesome!’ Just getting it back was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is bigger than any of us could have even imagined.’ Everything about this song is so much fun, and it’s so strong and female empowering. Very anthemic…just a lot of fun. And, you know, I got a little sassy streak, and I like songs that get to showcase that.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: November" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley says that “Welcome to the Future,” is his most important recording yet. (:17)
“I firmly believe this is the most important thing I’ve ever recorded. There are songs that are meant to entertain. Others are meant to rip your heart out, and others are meant to just observe. But it’s rare to do sort of all three of those, and I think this is one of the few times I ever have is on this song.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: November" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley sums up what he likes about co-hosting with Carrie Underwood. (:09)
“Everything about her. She is exactly what she wants the show to be. I mean, you know, it’s classy, the minute she walks out…and then there’s me.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: November" width="16" height="14" /> Carrie Underwood talks about her CMA Awards co-host Brad Paisley and why she thinks they make a good team. (:18)
“He’s fun, and he’s smart, and he’s quick, and he’s…he knows how to make fun of people, and with people, in a way that isn’t gonna offend anybody. And, you know, I think we both do respect the CMA so much that we do want to do a good job, so therefore, the two of us together, I feel like we make a good team.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: November" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley shares what it means to win a CMA Award. (:36)
“It means that you’ve made history in a way that very few people in country music ever will, and every CMA represents something. You know, if it’s a Male Vocalist of the Year award, it’s a representation of a year when the industry thought that you did something exceptionally. And if you’re a singer, and — like Carrie or I happen to be — and do this for a living, and they vote you the vocalist of the year in one of those things, it’s really crazy…and means a lot.”