Noticeably lacking in the ranks of The X Factor's contestants: budding country music stars. (Maybe they didn't want to risk another Scotty McCreery-style steamroller upstaging upstarts like "Astro.") And now, as the Top 11 square off, Fox's overblown singing contest (8/7c) faces its toughest competition to date: another musical extravaganza, ABC's three-hour broadcast of The 45th Annual CMA Awards (8/7c) from Nashville, with Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley co-hosting for the fourth year in a row. (They'll perform their hit "Remind Me" during the show.)
read moreForget rockin'. Is it possible to boot-scoot around a Christmas tree? Tonight, some of country music's biggest names gather to celebrate the holiday season in CMA Country Christmas (9:30/8:30c, ABC). Hosted by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles, the special boasts performances from the likes of Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Reba and admitted Yuletide fanatic Darius Rucker.
read moreTim McGraw, LeAnn Rimes and Kellie Pickler are among the presenters at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards.
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McGraw is an 11-time CMA award winner and took home the top prize — entertainer of the year — in 2001. Rimes won the CMA Horizon Award in 1997, while Pickler is a two-time CMA nominee.
Miranda Lambert leads Country Music Awards nominations
Also presenting are ...
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