What's the story behind the Country Music Awards

�A.� The 35^th annual Country Music Awards took place last week at the Grand Ole Oprey House in Nashville Tennessee, and as always, it was an opportunity for the Country Music Association to award its musicians and writers and offer recognition of their talents.

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Q.� Is it popular

A.� Country music is massively popular, both in the US, and in the UK. Although the un-trendy bedfellow of such musical styles as hip-hop and Brit Pop, country music maintains a quiet, but large and loyal following, pretty much like the musical styles of country.

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Q.� What are the styles

A.� In common with most musical genres, there are various sub-categories within country music�- the broadest are the 'traditional' styles, and the more modern musicians, but the fundamental style umbrella embraces the traditions that country music has always employed, and they are unchanging.

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Q.� What are the traditions of country music

A.� Conservatism, with a small 'c' is the key to country music. Old fashioned values�- home and family, nationalism, loyalty, and human frailty, are all dealt with in the country lyrical coda, being happy or sad because of the vagaries of weather, war, and the opposite sex, are the staples of songs that have lasted from the early days until the present�- and the Awards underlined those values and beliefs once again this year. In view of the tragedy that struck America this autumn, it seems even more appropriate that people underlined the values and ideals that bind them together, and country music seems to do that more than just about any other genre.

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Q.� What were the highlights this year

A.� During the live national television broadcast of the Awards ceremony, which pulled in its customary enormous viewing figures, country fans were treated to the return to live work of modern country hero Garth Brooks who enjoyed a duet with George Jones, one of the stalwarts of country who earned a standing ovation from the Oprey crowd.

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The winning country album was the soundtrack to the Cohen Brothers film Oh Brother Where Art Thou proving the popularity of country music with its triple-platinum sales. The album also yielded the Single Of The Year�- I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow.

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Entertainer Of The Year was Tim McGraw, a huge star in country music�- Tim has been nominated no less than 25 times for a variety of awards, he has won seven times in the past, including Album Of The Year, Vocal Event Of The Year, and Male Vocalist Of The Year.

Q.� Who hosts the Awards

A.� Because country fans are comfortable with the familiar, and the traditional, they have taken country singer Vince Gil to their hearts�- his easy charm and professional delivery as host brought him back once again�- the 8^th year in succession.

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Q.� Is it just about country music

A.� Actually no�- history reveals that country music does far more to integrate itself into popular culture than other musical idioms�- 1999 saw pop / soul superstars 'N'Sync duetting with Alabama on the latter's hit God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You, and the same year, modern pop icon Jewel sang along side county legend Merle Haggard on That's The Way Love Goes.

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Q.� What about the much-mooted chauvinism of country music

A.� It's true that country music is dominated by male performers, but then so are most other musical styles. The Association did the right thing in 1999, awarding the coveted Entertainer Of The Year to Shania Twain, the first woman to win the award in thirteen years. Shania also won the International Artist Achievement Award that is offered to the artist who is considered to have done the most to promote country music outsides the US.

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Q.� So everyone turned up in boots and jeans

No, formal attire is 'encouraged' at the Awards, and the majority are delighted to comply.

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Q.� Does the event get a lot of coverage

A.� It does�- aside from the international television coverage, our own Radio Two has broadcast live from the event, Bob Harris and Nick Barraclough, the doyens of country at the BBC have been camped out in Nashville for over a week bringing the best of the event to the UK listeners, - proof once again of the huge importance of this event to country fans, and to interested listeners�- no doubt more converts to the style will be gained this year.

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