9/11 ... Ten Years After ... From Naval Station Mayport

Jimmy Carter at U.S. Navy Base at Mayport,FL

Country music came to Mayport on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary. Brad Paisley & Friends set up a free concert for the Navy right in the middle of their port near Jacksonville, FL.

Brad Paisley is again up for Entertainer of the Year and if he wins again, who could complain? He is every bit as solid and COUNTRY as any of the great EOY winners of the last 40 something years. Brad's contemporary video support, along with his solid Country songs, make him a Entertainer of the Year. Any year...

Jason Aldean said third week that he wants to win Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year. Politics are such a huge part of these proceedings. Brad can win again; Jason's nomination is good but a win would be way too premature.

Blake Shelton could win the EOY this year. It has been the year of The Blake. He has worked very hard and has been the face of Country music on magazines and TV for the past year. Add the fact he was asked to be a member of the Opry and you have it all. A deserved nomination and maybe even a win.

Keith and Taylor are nominated for EOY, too. I liked Keith's show ... the best this year. Taylor has done nothing but grow every year. Major growth and is still growing .Both have won this award before. Doubt either would repeat this year. (Keith's show is fantastic.) And yes, how did Kenny NOT get a nomination? He is a very private person, but puts more butts in the seats than anyone!

The CMAs are an infomercial for the recording companies. Nothing wrong with that. The Grammys and Oscars are, too. Nashville's "Oscars" are a little more manipulated and you can't take them too seriously. The New Artist category is simply crazy. Even the casual fans scratch their heads on someone with a third CD called out as a New Artist.

Country music was the soundtrack for 9/11 and how the country was feeling. Alan's "Where Were You" was an example of Country music at its best! That song put him into the Hall of Fame. He and that song are classics.

At an outdoor concert today and at one yesterday. The subject of the Indiana stage disaster seems to come up. As time passes, you still see NO ONE in the industry stepping up to put a public guideline on how to plan and what to do in severe weather. An industry standard and checklist. Time marches on.

Some will do the right thing. Others -- who do one show a year -- may not.

Football is back and things are going to be alright.