Photo: Brian Tipton

James Otto and Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood all shared similar excitement Wednesday morning (Sept. 10) after a special live edition of CMT Insider at Nashville's Sommet Center. In addition to announcing part of this year's CMA award nominations, they also shared their first CMA award nominations.

Otto and Lady Antebellum were both nominated in the new artist category alongside Kellie Pickler, Jason Aldean and Rodney Atkins. Lady Antebellum also picked up a nomination for vocal group of the year, a field that includes the Eagles, Emerson Drive, Little Big Town and five-time winners Rascal Flatts.

All three members of Lady Antebellum were clearly excited over their very first CMA nominations.

"When we had looked at the categories, that was one that we were just hoping so much we could get in," Kelley told CMT Insider just moments after the new artist category was announced. "I think of us to have everybody's stamp of approval on us, it just feels so amazing, and there's just great talent in there."

Scott agreed, noting, "There's just so many people, so many new artists, that have come out in the past year to two years that, I mean, it's almost like a new ... kind of freshmen class. So it's exciting to feel like we're a part of that."

"The way they did it," Kelley explained, "they each gave us a card to call out the nominees for different categories, and right before we went on stage, they gave us the last card -- I guess so while we were back there, nobody would peek at it. It happened to be one that ourselves as well as James Otto was in -- so I guess they didn't want us looking."

"And they definitely gave it to Charles on purpose," Scott laughed. "They didn't give it to me for a reason because I'd have been like, 'Ahhhh! Oh, my gosh!'"

"She wouldn't have gotten past our name," Kelley joked. "It was genuine shock. It was. It was very exciting."

The trio didn't expect to be in the vocal group category.

"The Eagles, they were my first concert ever -- when I was 10," said Haywood. "So to actually be in a category with them, that's pretty amazing. Yeah, the three of us were flipping out."

Otto has been in the music business for several years, so he knew better than to take a nomination for granted.

"Man, I'm sweating now actually thinking about just how crazy it is," Otto told CMT Insider. "It's amazing, man. This is a lifetime of work coming together. ... You know, there's a lot of people that have been in that category that have a lot more hits than I do and people that really deserve the award, so it feels amazing, man. And yes, nerve-racking for sure."

"I've been in Nashville for 11 years," he added. "This is not my first record deal, but the thing is, this is the first opportunity I've really gotten that was 100 percent about trying to make this happen for me, and I'm just really honored that people look at me as a new artist. I feel like a new artist. I feel like this is my first real shot at this, and I'm just very excited man, very excited."

"I honestly didn't let myself think about being nominated for this. This was something that I saw -- too many big names in the category -- people that are established and already are large stars. So I didn't really allow myself to think about the fact that we might actually make the short list like this."

Kenny Chesney received seven nominations -- more than anyone this year. With entertainer of the year and male vocalist nominations, he is also up for album, single and video of the year, along with two vocal event nominations for his work with George Strait and Reba McEntire.

"You never know how these things are going to go," Chesney said in a written statement. "We work so hard on this music, the tours, the videos. It's so much the focus of what I do, how I live. It's always a thrill to see that people are not just noticing but recognize what we're all trying to do."

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush received five nominations, including their first-ever entertainer of the year nod. Nominated for vocal duo of the year, their hit, "Stay," is up for single, song and video of the year, and they are in the musical event category for their recording of "Life in a Northern Town" with Little Big Town and Jake Owen. Additionally, Nettles received a sixth nomination -- for song of the year -- for writing "Stay."

"I almost spilt my tea this morning as I was watching and the nominations kept being added," Nettles said in a written statement. "Being in the entertainer of the year category is such an honor. We've been lucky enough to be out on the road with Kenny Chesney for a couple of tours over the last two years. Looks like rock by osmosis really does work."

Bush added, "I just finished watching the nomination announcements on TV from my sofa at home, and it is simultaneously humbling and encouraging to be in such amazing company as we are in all of the categories. It is one thing to play shows every week of the year and imagine ourselves striving to become entertainers of the year and another thing all together to have the voting members of the CMA believe that it is possible. Simply awesome."

Strait also received five CMA nominations, including entertainer of the year and male vocalist. His latest album, Troubadour, is nominated for album of the year, and "I Saw God Today" is on the list for single of the year. Strait's fifth nomination this year is in the musical event category for his collaboration with Chesney on "Shiftwork."

"I'm sitting down here in South Texas, bracing for Hurricane Ike," Strait said in a press release. "This really brightens my day. I look forward to a great celebration of our great music. Thanks to all involved!"

Trace Adkins picked up two CMA nominations -- his first in 10 years -- for his hit single, "You're Gonna Miss This." Nominated for single and music video of the year, it also resulted in a song of the year nomination for songwriters Lee Thomas Miller and Ashley Gorley.

"'You're Gonna Miss This' has been such a special gift for me this year, so I'm really thrilled that the CMA and the industry recognized the strength of that song," Adkins said. "Not only was it one of the biggest hits of my career, when we performed it on the season finale of The Celebrity Apprentice, it helped raise a lot of money for my charity, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. So yeah, I'm really proud of this song."

Carrie Underwood is the recipient of two nominations, too. Her mention in the female vocalist division is complemented by an album of the year nomination for her second project, Carnival Ride.

"This is awesome!" Underwood said. "As an artist, you always hope the music you record will touch people's lives. There is nothing more rewarding than to be recognized by your peers and to know your fans are enjoying the same ride."

Taylor Swift was ecstatic when Rascal Flatts read her name among the female vocalist nominations during a segment of Good Morning America broadcast from New York's Times Square.

"This was definitely a day worth getting up really early for," she said. "Hearing my name called in the female vocalist category was a dream come true."

CMT Insider's writer/producer Terry Bumgarner contributed to this story.

View photos from the CMA award nominee announcements in New York and Nashville.

• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Trace Adkins
• Jake Owen
• Sugarland

Christina Aguilera's <i>Back to Basics</i>
Photo: RCA

Back to Basics has Christina Aguilera back on top. Sales of the double LP put the singer at #1 on Billboard's albums chart for the second time in her seven-year career.

Nearly 342,000 copies of the disc were scanned its opening week, outselling the debut of her previous effort, 2002's Stripped, according to the latest SoundScan data. Stripped failed to open on top, taking second place with more than 330,000 scans. Aguilera's self-titled 1999 debut did bow at #1 after moving 253,000 units.

Christina's climb to Billboard's apex was barely challenged by Lyfe Jennings, who sits in the chart's #2 slot with his sophomore offering, The Phoenix. With first-week sales reported at 136,000, the R&B crooner's latest failed to pose a serious threat to Aguilera's dominant release. And country star Trace Adkins didn't stand a fighting chance against the "Dirrty" girl. His new LP, Dangerous Man, sold 115,000 copies to claim the chart's #3 spot.

The Billboard albums chart's top five is packed with nothing but new releases, with Atlanta R&B quartet Cherish taking #4 after selling 91,000 copies of Unappreciated its first week out. The soundtrack to the Disney Channel movie "Cheetah Girls 2" opens at #5 with more than 87,000 sales.

The 22nd installment in the Now That's What I Called Music! compilation series slips three spots to #6, selling 83,000 copies its sixth week in stores. The previous chart champ, Rick Ross' Port of Miami, slides to #7 with 79,000 scans.

Eminem protégé Obie Trice is back with Second Round's on Me, which racked up close to 74,000 in first-week sales to debut at #8. The "Step Up" soundtrack steps three spots back to #9, selling 64,000 copies. Rounding out the top 10 is Nickelback's All the Right Reasons, which holds the #10 spot for a third week and moved another 53,000 units to reach a 46-week sales total of more than 3.3 million copies.

In addition to the six newcomers who cracked this week's top 10, seven other new releases sneaked onto the Billboard chart. The soundtrack to America's #1 film, "Snakes on a Plane," comes in at #43. With tracks from Cobra Starship, Panic! at the Disco, the All-American Rejects, Fall Out Boy and Coheed and Cambria, the disc generated close to 19,000 in retail interest. Dancehall specialist Cham's Ghetto Story follows at #53, selling 15,000-plus units, while the inaugural release from Dave Navarro's the Panic Channel, (ONe), opens at #108 with more than 8,000 sales.

The incomparable Yanni returns to the chart at #124, selling 7,000 copies of his Live: The Concert Event. Arizona-bred punks Change of Pace bow at #155 with Prepare the Masses, which sold just over 5,000 units its first week in stores. And coming in at #180 with 4,000 copies sold is Gargolas Next Generation, a Latin reggaetón compilation featuring Tego Calderón, Mario VI and Valentino.

Check out "Christina Aguilera's Old Soul" for an inside look at Back to Basics.

• Christina Aguilera
• Lyfe Jennings
• Trace Adkins
• Cherish (Rap)
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

In the battle between booty-shaking and reckless driving, the edge still goes to rising star Carrie Underwood. For the fifth week in a row, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" clutches the No. 1 spot on Billboard's country airplay chart, as Trace Adkins' "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" apparently loses its shot at the top spot, falling from No. 2 to No. 3.

Both songs had a decrease in spins last week, which means that Brad Paisley's "When I Get Where I'm Going" -- No. 2 with a bullet -- is potentially poised to reach the summit next week.

Or maybe not. After 29 weeks on the chart, Josh Turner's "Your Man" continues its steady climb, now at No. 4 with a bullet. He's just ahead of Faith Hill's "Like We Never Loved at All" at No. 5, Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry" at No. 6 and Sugarland's "Just Might (Make Me Believe)" at No. 7. Rounding out the Top 10 are Tim McGraw's "My Old Friend" at No. 8, Kenny Chesney's "Living in Fast Forward" at No. 9 and Billy Currington's "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" at No. 10.

George Strait claims the week's highest debut with "The Seashores of Old Mexico," a cover of a Merle Haggard song, splashing in at No. 48. Other new singles include Neal McCoy's "The Last of a Dying Breed" at No. 52, Martina McBride's cover of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" at No. 53, Underwood's "Before He Cheats" at No. 59 and new artist Eric Church's "How 'Bout You" at No. 60.

Underwood returns to No. 1 on the country albums chart, trading places with Turner. The Legend of Johnny Cash lives on at No. 3, followed by the latest albums from Adkins, Rascal Flatts, Urban, Chesney and Sugarland. Walk the Line settles in at No. 9, followed by Miranda Lambert's Kerosene, at No. 10

New albums hitting the chart include Jamey Johnson's The Dollar at No. 20 and Alabama's three-disc boxed set, Livin' Lovin' Rockin' Rollin': The 25th Anniversary Collection, at No. 28. Kenny Rogers also makes several appearances on the chart: 21 Number Ones at No. 11, Golden Legends: Kenny Rogers at No. 57 and 42 Ultimate Hits at No. 75.

• Carrie Underwood
• Trace Adkins
• Brad Paisley
• Josh Turner
• Faith Hill

Dolly Parton
Photo: Sugar Hill

Dolly Parton will play a concert New Year's Eve in Nashville to provide scholarships for families of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. "The Red, White and Bluegrass Concert" at the Grand Ole Opry House will feature Parton with an "all-star acoustic band." "I wanted to show my true colors, which are red, white and blue, by being a good American and a good Samaritan," she said in a statement. Money will go to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund. Guest artists and ticket information will be announced later. Parton said she would like to do an ongoing series of concerts featuring talent from the bluegrass and roots music community to benefit the fund. Bill Clinton and Bob Dole head up a $100 million fundraising campaign to support the scholarship fund. ...

Charges against Trace Adkins for DUI, speeding and violating the open container law have been carried over to November 26 in Williamson County, Tennessee. The case went to the grand jury Monday (October 8). Adkins was arrested July 5 in Nolensville, Tennessee, while on his way home from his farm in Rutherford County. ...

William E. "Smoky" Dacus, the first drummer for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, died Tuesday at Kellmark Nursing Center in Rogers, Arkansas. He was 90. One of country music's first drummers, Dacus joined the Texas Playboys in 1935 and played on classic recordings such as "Maiden's Prayer," "San Antonio Rose" and "Steel Guitar Rag." He left the band in the early 1940s when Wills went to Hollywood. In his Wills biography, "San Antonio Rose," Charles Townsend points out that Dacus played an important role in western swing and country music history. "This was the first time drums were successfully used in a string band," he writes of Dacus' tenure. Dacus helped create the solid dance beat Wills was after, and his drumming "moved the band further from traditional fiddle or string band music and even closer to jazz." Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday (October 11) at Immanuel Baptist Church in Rogers. ...

Billy Ray Cyrus appears barechested and tattooed in the David Lynch movie "Mulholland Drive," which opens Friday at selected theaters nationwide. The movie, which was originally written as a television pilot for ABC, won the Best Director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. ...

Martina McBride will perform a concert on Pay-Per-View on Saturday. Joining her on the "Greatest Hits: Live in Concert" show from the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis will be special guest Tim McGraw. ...

Vince Gill will take part in "The Motor City Revue" at Universal Studios in Los Angeles on Thursday. He'll join Shelby Lynne, Amy Grant, Smokey Robinson and others in the tribute to Motown at the City of Hope Spirit of Life dinner. ...

Tim McGraw and Charlie Daniels are the latest additions to the lineup for the Country Freedom Concert. They'll join George Strait, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, Lonestar, Vince Gill, Sara Evans, George Jones, Brooks & Dunn, Clint Black and Martina McBride in the October 21 show at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center. The concert will benefit the Salvation Army. ...

Jeff Carson has been named national spokesperson for NASO, the National Association of Slain Officers, a non-profit organization created in 1998 to provide support and encouragement for the immediate family members of slain police officers. Carson will record a series of radio PSAs for national distribution and will perform at a November 17 fund raiser for NASO in Portland, Oregon. ...

A concert by Tracy Byrd and Mark Chesnutt on Wednesday (October 10) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will benefit the New York Firefighters 9-11 and WTC Police Disaster Relief Funds. ...

Doug Supernaw, known for his #1 country hit "I Don't Call Him Daddy," is behind bars in Houston for failing to pay $135,000 in overdue child support and for contempt of court, according to reports from a Houston media outlet. His official Web site, dougsupernaw.com, acknowledges the situation: "Doug was arrested on Oct. 4 for not paying back child support. After he has served 10 days for contempt he will go back to the judge. As it looks now, all shows appear to be on hold." Supernaw, 41, was held in contempt of court after allegedly lashing out at a Harris County court judge when she handed him a six-month jail sentence, Houston television station KPRC reports. ...

Lee Ann Womack and other country artists have been added to the upcoming Country Freedom Concert lineup. Clint Black, Vince Gill, Sara Evans, George Jones and Lonestar have been added to a bill that already includes George Strait, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn and Martina McBride. The concert to benefit the Salvation Army will be televised live from Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center on October 21. ...

Billy Gilman met Elisabeth Wagner, the 21-year-old woman who inspired "Elisabeth," on Saturday at the State Fair of Texas. Wagner has struggled with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes small growths on her nerves, since she was 2 years old. Her positive attitude led her aunt and a friend to write the song, which Gilman recorded. … Garth Brooks' press conference to announce the release of his single "Wrapped Up in You" and a forthcoming album will take place Tuesday (October 9) at Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame at 7:45 a.m. The public is invited to attend. …

Alan Jackson's induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, which was postponed due to the events of September 11, has been rescheduled for October 22 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. ...

Hal Ketchum, Kacey Jones and Billy Hoffman will join a number of pop and rock artists in Los Angeles for an unplugged benefit performance and auction to raise money for the American Red Cross. The Acoustic Americans Benefit will take place Tuesday (October 9) at the Renberg Theatre. ...

Chely Wright will make her movie debut in "Max Keeble's Big Move." She plays a homeroom teacher. ...

A previously unreleased single from the late rockabilly legend Carl Perkins should soon be available for download and for sale to benefit New York firefighters. Perkins recorded the spoken-word tribute "The Fireman" during his final 1998 recording sessions. His producer, Bob Johnston, who wrote the song, plans to make it available on a Web site and to release it as a single. It is scheduled to be included on Celebration, a Perkins CD set for January release. Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Tom Petty also appear on the album. ... Jo Dee Messina launches her fall tour Thursday (October 4) with a show in Salem, Virgina. She'll play 21 dates, winding up December 15 in Champaign, Illinois. ...

Lee Ann Womack has set dates for her Christmas tour with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, featuring Mercer Ellington. The tour will launch on November 29 in Sewell, New Jersey, and play 18 dates, finishing in Maryville, Tennessee, on December 22. ...

Brad Paisley has co-authored a book based on his hit single "He Didn't Have to Be." The song, about a stepfather taking on a new family, was a #1 hit for Paisley in 1999. Along with the song's co-writer, Kelley Lovelace, Paisley collected memories about the composition of the song as well as photographs, letters and messages from fans about the song's impact on them. The book comes with lyrics and a CD of the song. ...

The Dixie Chicks' a cappella recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is available for download on the trio's Web site, www.dixiechicks.com. While there is no charge to download the track, the Dixie Chicks are asking fans to make a donation to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund. "In this time of great need, together let's celebrate America's heroes by donating to the American Red Cross," the group said in a statement. "Let's support the families of those who gave their lives to preserve our wide open spaces." It is the trio's first recording since their 1999 album, Fly. ...

Two days after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Randy Travis and a team of writers composed a new song, "America Will Always Stand." Now Travis has recorded the song and made it available to radio stations across the country. "We pray that it will help America and its people, in the worst of times, to stay brave and united," he said in a statement. Co-writers include Mike Curtis, Yvonne Sanson, Becky Bluefield and Doc Walley. Travis recorded "Point of Light" during the Gulf War at the request of President George Bush. Relentless Records will release "America Will Always Stand" and "Point of Light" as a single in the next week. All proceeds from the sale of the single will go to the American Red Cross ...

George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith and Lee Ann Womack will perform new singles, while Diamond Rio will do a chart-topping hit from earlier this year on the 35th Annual CMA Awards show. During the CBS broadcast on November 7, Strait will sing "Run," from his upcoming album. Brooks & Dunn will do the flag-waver "Only in America," their summer set-opener. Keith's choice is "I Wanna Talk About Me" and Womack will sing the rootsy "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger." Diamond Rio will go with "One More Day," nominated for Single and Song of the Year. Vince Gill will host the awards for the 10th consecutive year. (MTVi's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS) ...

Tim McGraw has added a new beneficiary to his annual Swampstock charity softball game and concert in Rayville, Louisiana on October 28. Proceeds from the event will go to the New York Police & Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund in addition to McGraw's usual beneficiaries, area children's causes. Also taking part this year are McGraw's wife, Faith Hill; Martina McBride; Carolyn Dawn Johnson; the Warren Brothers; and Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. ...

Daryle Singletary was hit with a DUI charge on Wednesday, although he wasn't driving at the time. The 30-year-old Singletary and a friend, Joseph Dockens, were pulled over in downtown Nashville at around 3 a.m. after an illegal turn. Dockens, who was driving Singletary's truck, failed a field sobriety test, refused a breath-alcohol test and was charged with DUI. Singletary was riding in the passenger seat and was arrested for DUI because he was allowing Dockens to drive, a police spokesman said. Singletary was released from the jail on his own recognizance. Dockens posted $3,000 bail. ...

Reba McEntire and Billy Gilman sing on Michael Jackson's new all-star recording, "What More Can I Give." Proceeds from the single will aid survivors and families of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. McEntire and Gilman recently recorded their parts in Los Angeles. Jackson was originally inspired to write "What More Can I Give" in 1999 after a meeting with Nelson Mandela. No release date has been set for the single, and the tune will not appear on Jackson's upcoming album. ...

The first single from Garth Brooks' upcoming album will be "Wrapped Up in You," not the George Jones duet "Beer Run (B Double E Double Are You In?)," as originally planned. Brooks explained his decision in a statement: "I think 'Beer Run' would have been the perfect first single from this album if it were not for the tragic events of September 11, but if we are to come with music now, 'Wrapped Up in You' is one of the best-feeling songs I've ever had the honor of recording." Brooks will launch the single October 9 — the day it goes to radio — during a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, where he will also discuss plans for his next album. "Beer Run" will be available Tuesday on Jones' The Rock: Stone Cold Country 2001. ...

Merle Haggard will perform at the Christian Country Music Awards November 1 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. John Berry and Crystal Gayle will host and perform and Tammy Cochran, Jeff Carson and Stella Parton will sing. The awards show is syndicated to various cable outlets. ...

— sonicnet.com staff report

• Dolly Parton
• Trace Adkins

Photo: Capitol Nashville

Country releases are led this week by Trace Adkins' latest and by a solo outing from Nickel Creek's bright young star. The Charlie Daniels Band go Live and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver present a Gospel Parade.

Adkins' Chrome (Capitol) includes his current single, "I'm Tryin'," which was at #14 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for October 13. Dann Huff and Trey Bruce produced the album.

Young mandolin wizard Chris Thile steps outside his Nickel Creek group to release a solo album, Not All Who Wander Are Lost (Sugarhill), which was named after a quotation in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Ring." Thile, who last week was named Bluegrass Mandolin Player of the Year at the IBMA Bluegrass Awards show in Louisville, Kentucky, surrounds himself with blue-chip pickers here, from banjoist Bela Fleck to dobro player Jerry Douglas to bassist Edgar Meyer.

The Charlie Daniels Band: The Live Record (Audium) includes 15 of the CDB's fan favorites over the years. Besides such predictable cuts as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," "Long Haired Country Boy" and "Road Dogs," Live includes an update of Daniels' patriotic number "In America." Singer Jimmy Hall makes a guest appearance on "The South's Gonna Do It (Again)."

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver were named IBMA Bluegrass Vocal Group of the Year last week at the Bluegrass Awards, dethroning IIIrd Tyme Out, who had held the title for seven straight years. Lawson & Quicksilver's new release, Gospel Parade (Sugarhill), includes 12 gospel songs.

Also out this week is Christmas Time in Texas (Audium) by Dale Watson. In addition to such traditional fare as "Silver Bells" and "The Christmas Song," the album includes such Watson originals as "Santa and My Semi," "Christmas Without an Angel" and "Honky Tonk Christmas."

Dyed-in-the-wool western music group Wylie & the Wild West release Paradise (Rounder) this week, which includes the tracks "Saddlebum," "Swinging on a Star," "Hooked on Honky Tonk" and "The Gal Who Invented Kissin'."

• Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins
Photo: Capitol Nashville

NASHVILLE — Trace Adkins was in Williamson County, Tennessee, General Sessions Court Wednesday (September 26) to answer charges of DUI, speeding and violating the open-container law.

All three charges were bound over to the grand jury, which convenes on October 8.

Adkins was arrested July 5 in Nolensville, Tennessee, while on his way home from his farm in Rutherford County, Tennessee. He was automatically charged with DUI when he refused breath and blood alcohol tests. His next album, Chrome, is due for release from Capitol Nashville on October 9.

• Trace Adkins