Even though I have lived in the South most of my life, I’m pretty ambivalent about country music. Of course I love the classics – Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Dolly Parton to name a few. But none of the current country music crop hasn’t done much to inspire me. I have a vague affection for Taylor Swift, but not enough to buy an album. And I really, really dislike Carrie Underwood, mostly because of her personality rather than her music.

But as it turns out, country music fans love some Carrie Underwood. She became the first woman since 2001 to win the American Country Music entertainer of the year, the highest honor at the ACMs. Since winning American Idol, Underwood has taken the country music industry by storm, even garnering a few pop-country crossover hits. I don’t get it – but I’m alone. Country music fans probably see her as the next Faith Hill, but that particular honor is still a long time away.

Carrie Underwood became the first woman since 2001 to be named ACM entertainer of the year – and only the seventh female to win the Academy of Country Music’s top honor since it was first handed out in 1970.

“I’ve had a lot of good moments in the last four years. This one takes the cake!” said a teary-eyed Underwood, her voice cracking onstage Sunday at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. “I don’t know what to say! I got nothing.” But she did remember one important person: Raising her trophy, she yelled, “Mike, baby, I wish you were here!” in a shout-out to her boyfriend, Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher.

Underwood also took home the award for top female vocalist, a repeat of last year’s win.

Earlier at the Las Vegas show, which aired on CBS, fellow young blonde phenom Taylor Swift beat out George Strait, Jamey Johnson, Montgomery Gentry and Underwood for album of the year for Fearless. “I think a lot of people who know me know that if I talk to you for more than five minutes, I’m probably going to write a song about you, so that being said I’d like to thank all the characters in my songs: Abigail, Hey Stephen, Tim McGraw and Romeo,” the 19-year-old said.

Brad Paisley also had something to celebrate. For the third year in a row, the singer accepted the honor of top male vocalist, this time from his home in Tennessee, where he and wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley were expecting their second child, due any day.

“As you can see, we had the baby!” Paisley joked, pointing to the pal sitting next to him, Little Jimmy Dickens – who started his career in the 1930s. “Kind of a Benjamin Button thing!” Thanking the crowd, Paisley said he wished he could be in Vegas for the show, but “I didn’t want to take the chance of missing the birth of our next child.”

Dancing with the Stars champ Julianne Hough took home her first singing award, nabbing top new artist honors – a fan-voted award this year – and earning a standing ovation from her peers. Clutching the back of her gold column gown, she took to the podium joking, “It’s a good thing my dress ripped – now I have something else to think about!” Hough, whose boyfriend and DWTS partner Chuck Wicks beamed from the audience, wiped away tears and tried to catch her breath as she spoke.

Sugarland became the first duo in 14 years to best powerhouse pair Brooks & Dunn for the top vocal duo ACM, and the band’s Jennifer Nettles thanked the crowd with a curtsey.

Rascal Flatts and Jamey Johnson took home the night’s first big prizes: Flatts for top vocal group, and Johnson for song of the year with “In Color.”

Performances by top stars included Swift (whom magician David Copperfield conjured up in a stage trick) singing “You’re Not Sorry,” Underwood performing “I Told You So” in a deep red cascade of a dress and Miley Cyrus with “Climb.”

The show broke out the big guns early with a medley led by Brooks & Dunn and featuring Swift, Sugarland, Underwood and Rascal Flatts. “What an opening!” said host Reba McEntire. “Now that’s what I call a stimulus package!”

Single of the Year winner (for “You’re Gonna Miss This”) Trace Adkins provided the most moving moment of the show, performing “Til the Last Shot’s Fired” with the West Point Glee Club, bringing many in the audience (including Nicole Kidman seated next to husband Keith Urban) to tears.

[From People]

My take is that Carrie Underwood is the placeholder for Taylor Swift, who is only going to get bigger, and have more and more pop-country crossover hits. Taylor’s album of the year victory proves that she’s got staying power within the industry.

I also think it’s pretty cool that Brad Paisley stayed at home with his pregnant wife, rather than make a big deal about going to the event and all of that stuff. Brad and his actress wife Kimberly Williams (best known as Steve Martin’s daughter in Father of the Bride) seem really happy together, and they have some great star power within the country music world. Let’s hope everything goes well with their second baby, due any day now.
Images thanks to PR Photos.com.