Taylor Swift [ tickets ], Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn and Brad Paisley are among the first round of performers announced for "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards," according to a press release. The initial star-studded lineup also includes Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland and Carrie Underwood.

This year's CMAs, hosted by Paisley and Underwood, will air live from Nashville's Sommet Center Nov. 11 on the ABC Television Network.

Paisley, the reigning Male Vocalist for the past two years, is this year's top-nominated artist with seven nods, including Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album, Single and Song of the Year. He also will come to this year's CMAs with nominations for Musical Event and Music Video for "Start a Band" with Urban.

Urban also is nominated in several categories, including Entertainer, Male Vocalist and Album of the Year, as well as a production award for "Defying Gravity" with Dann Huff.

Chesney, the reigning Entertainer of the Year, was nominated for three awards this year: Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, as well as and Musical Event with Mac McAnnaly for "Down the Road."

Swift, Underwood, Sugarland, Strait and McEntire are also recipients of multiple nominations.

Rucker, who released his debut solo country album in 2008, received his first CMA nomination this year for New Artist and Male Vocalist. The Hootie & the Blowfish singer's first country music album, "Learn to Live," yielded three No. 1 songs, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," "It Won't Be Like This for Long" and "Alright."

Tickets for the 2009 CMA Awards can be purchased at the Sommet Center box-office, by phone (800-745-3000) or on-line at Ticketmaster. (LiveDaily is an operating unit of Ticketmaster Entertainment, which also owns Ticketmaster.)