Nov 12, 2008
The 42nd annual Country Music Association Awards were held November 12, 2008 in Nashville and were broadcast on ABC.
Kenny Chesney had the most nominations with seven, but only won one award - his fourth Entertainer of the Year.
George Strait won two awards which brought his career total to 22 CMA Awards - the most in CMA history.
The awards were hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood who won Male Vocalist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year respectively.
42nd Annual CMA Award Winners
| Entertainer of the Year | |
| Kenny Chesney | |
| Other Nominees: Brad Paisley; George Strait; Sugarland; Keith Urban | |
| Album of the Year | |
| George Strait (Troubadour) | |
| Other Nominees: Carrie Underwood (Carnival Ride); Brooks & Dunn (Cowboy Town); Alan Jackson (Good Time); Kenny Chesney (Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates) | |
| Female Vocalist of the Year | |
| Carrie Underwood | |
| Other Nominees: Alison Krauss; Miranda Lambert; Martina McBride; Taylor Swift | |
| Male Vocalist of the Year | |
| Brad Paisley | |
| Other Nominees: Kenny Chesney; Alan Jackson; George Strait; Keith Urban | |
| Vocal Duo of the Year | |
| Sugarland | |
| Other Nominees: Big & Rich; Brooks & Dunn; Montgomery Gentry; The Wreckers | |
| Vocal Group of the Year | |
| Rascal Flatts | |
| Other Nominees: Eagles; Emerson Drive; Lady Antebellum; Little Big Town | |
| Single of the Year | |
| George Strait (I Saw God Today) | |
| Other Nominees: Kenny Chesney (Don't Blink); Miranda Lambert (Gunpowder & Lead); Sugarland (Stay); Trace Adkins (You're Gonna Miss This) | |
| Song of the Year | |
| Sugarland (Stay) | |
| Jennifer Nettles | |
| Other Nominees: Good Time; I Saw God Today; Letter To Me; You're Gonna Miss This | |
| Horizon Award | |
| Lady Antebellum | |
| Other Nominees: Jason Aldean; Rodney Atkins; James Otto; Kellie Pickler | |
| Music Video of the Year | |
| Brad Paisley (Waitin' On A Woman) | |
| Jim Shea & Peter Tilden (Directors) | |
| Other Nominees: Kenny Chesney (Don't Blink); Alan Jackson (Good Time); Sugarland (Stay); Trace Adkins (You're Gonna Miss This) | |
| Musical Event of the Year | |
| Robert Plant (Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)) | |
| with Alison Krauss | |
| Other Nominees: Josh Turner with Trisha Yearwood (Another Try); Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney (Every Other Weekend); Sugarland with Little Big Town and Jake Owen (Life In A Northern Town); Kenny Chesney with George Strait (Shiftwork) | |
| Musician of the Year | |
| Mac McAnally | |
| Other Nominees: Jerry Douglas; Paul Franklin; Dann Huff | |
