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Chesney, Strait, Sugarland Lead CMA Noms

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Kenny Chesney leads all finalists with seven nominations for the 42nd annual Country Music Association Awards. George Strait and duo Sugarland each nabbed five nominations, with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles picking up a sixth for song of the year. Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson scored four nods each.

Chesney, the reigning entertainer of the year, was nominated in that category again, as well as male vocalist, album, single, two musical event nominations ("Every Other Weekend" with Reba McEntire and "Shiftwork" with Strait) and one for video.

Nettles was tapped with a songwriter nomination for the duo's hit "Stay" and the twosome also picked up nods for entertainer, single, vocal duo, musical event ("Life In A Northern Town" with Little Big Town and Jake Owen) and video.

In addition to the musical event nod with Chesney, Strait is up for entertainer, male vocalist, album and single. Strait now has 75 career CMA nominations, trailing only Jackson, who now has 79 with this year's nominations for male vocalist, album, song and video.

Paisley is up for entertainer, male, song and video. Keith Urban, also nominated as male vocalist, rounds out the list of entertainer nominees.

The tide is turning toward newer artists in the female vocalist category where Alison Krauss (also nominated for musical event with Robert Plant), Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood join perennial Martina McBride.

The Eagles picked up their first vocal group nomination in over 30 years (they were nominated in 1976 and 1977) and were joined in the category by newcomers Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town and Emerson Drive.

James Otto, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins and Kellie Pickler round out the new artist category, which was previously known as the Horizon Award.

The CMA Awards will be held Nov. 12 at the Sommet Center in Nashville and will be broadcast on ABC.

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