The CMA Voters Made A Statement

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

You can win all the talent shows ... be the coolest singer in your high school class ... swig all the beer in the room and you still don't necessarily win a CMA Award.

You earn CMA Awards. The Sunday School lesson of this CMA week: Work hard, wait your turn, don't quit and write your own songs. Originals, not copies, only accepted.

The "write your on songs" is optional ... just cut the best songs ... if they are yours, all the better. And for so many ... stop trying so hard! Jeez..

The CMAs are a well-oiled machine. It lacks the fun of the CMTs, but this show is the industry standard like the Oscars are for Hollywood. WE can't really have Honey Boo Boo come over, though it would be fun!

The CMAs are Grammy- esque in staging, presentation, venue and press coverage. Like the Grammys and all other award shows, there are more losers than winners ... and people often leave the premises shaking their head. Not everyone can win, but when they do, "the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air."

Look at how overwhelmed Blake was ... how touched Miranda was ... how excited Little Big Town was. It is a sign you have made it. I'm sure Eric Church was excited in his own way. Just like others were sad and dejected, but that's they way the ball bounces...

Look at those CMA winners: Little Big Town, 14 years to the top of the game ... little Hunter Hayes, a child star beginning at 2 ... now 21 ... 19 years to recognition as a new artist. Eric Church hardly an overnight success. He had to go off into the woods to write the "Chief" album to show he was the real deal and ready for his CMA spotlight.

The debate about what is Country music is boring. It's a touchy subject. Taylor Swift had a beautiful, classy "country" performance Thursday night. It was tasteful.

Her CD has blown the doors off the stores. I plan to borrow my child's copy and take another listen to it this weekend. She is a brilliant artist and "self-policer." How much pressure is she under and how well does she publicly handle it. Impressive.

At some point an artist paints what they want to paint, not what they have to paint. Taylor painted something "Red."

Talked to Willie Nelson last night ...Willie, what genre of music are you into this week. Blaspheme, you ask the God of Country what music? He said the man just cut an album of Irving Berlin songs. So there!

Blake and Miranda ... the cover of this week's People Magazine. You could see this night coming in the press machine's office. The "moment" where Blake and Miranda won their first award together songwriting. The moment when Blake won Entertainer of the Year. It doesn't get any bigger than that if you are an active artist. (Hall of Fame membership comes in the after career life for the most part)

Blake was exhausted and humbled after the win. You wonder if it will change him. He says it might. Blake said he feels the weight on the EOY honor. I'm happy for him. Great guy!

Saw some others headed to their buses after the show. I felt sad for them. But it will make their wins, when they happen, that much sweeter.