Miranda Lambert tops CMA Awards with 9 nominations

NASHVILLE — Miranda Lambert made history yesterday morning when she was nominated for nine CMA Awards, the most for a female country music artist.

She will celebrate with close friends Lady Antebellum and fiance Blake Shelton. Lady A earned the second most nominations with five and Shelton was next with four, tied with the Zac Brown Band.

Lambert and Dierks Bentley announced nominations in five categories yesterday morning on Good Morning America. The first seven categories were announced Tuesday in Nashville.

Lambert, Lady A, the Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban were nominated for entertainer of the year, the Country Music Association's top award.

Lambert, whose last album “Revolution” was widely hailed by her peers and critics, fell just short of Alan Jackson's overall record of 10 nominations, set in 2002. Merle Haggard is the only other artist to receive nine or more nominations.

The fiery Texan also earned nominations for female vocalist of the year, album of the year, single of the year for both “White Liar” and “The House That Built Me,” song of the year for “White Liar,” musical event for “Bad Angel” with Bentley and Jamey Johnson, and video of the year for both “White Liar” and “House.”

She's had a fairy tale 2010, first winning three trophies at the Academy of Country Music Awards, then accepting Shelton's marriage proposal before yesterday's coup.

“I'm going to start putting 10 on everything,” Lambert said on the Good Morning America broadcast. “It's my lucky number, I guess.”

Lady A continued to ride the success of “Need You Now,” the year's top-selling country album. Along with the entertainer nod, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott received nominations for vocal group of the year, for album of the year, single of the year and music video of the year.

The Zac Brown Band also is up for vocal group of the year, new artist of the year and musical event for “Can't You See” featuring Kid Rock. The Atlanta six-piece is the first act to be nominated for both entertainer and new artist in the same year since Ricky Skaggs in 1982.

Shelton is up for male vocalist of the year, and his collaboration with Trace Adkins on “Hillbilly Bone” earned him nominations for single, music event and video of the year. That means Adkins also has three nominations.

Paisley moved into No. 3 on the CMA's list of career nominations with three nods, including music video of the year and male vocalist, which he's won three consecutive times. Paisley has been nominated every year since 2000 and has 52 career nods. Only George Strait (81, including two this year) and Alan Jackson (79) have more.

Bentley also has three nominations with nods for male vocalist of the year, album of the year for “Up On The Ridge” and the “Bad Angel” collaboration.