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Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich kick off CMA Awards month with co-headline tour
Country hitmakers Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich , each nominated for multiple CMA awards, have carved room for the Nashville awards ceremony into a November tour itinerary.
Wilson's "Here for the Party" is the highest-selling debut by a female in any genre in 2004, according to her label, and has remained a fixture in the Top 5 of the Billboard Country Album Chart since its May release. Much of the album's early sales momentum was propelled by the single "Redneck Woman," a smash hit that has been a country-radio staple since its release.
Big & Rich, songwriting and production partners on Wilson's album, released their own "Horse of a Different Color" a week before "Here for the Party," and the two albums have paced each other on the Billboard chart through the spring and summer, remaining side by side in the Country Top 5.
Heading into the Nov. 9 CMA Awards, Wilson is nominated for five awards: Horizon Award for new artists, Single of the Year for "Redneck Woman," Album of the Year for "Here For The Party," Music Video of the Year for "Redneck Woman" and Song of the Year for "Redneck Woman." The Song of the Year nomination for "Redneck Woman" extends to Big & Rich's John Rich, who co-wrote the track with Wilson.
Big & Rich will compete with Wilson for the Horizon Award, and also hold a nomination in the Vocal Duo of the Year category.
Wilson spent the late summer on tour, and will continue through October on the road as opening act on a tour package with Montgomery Gentry and Brooks & Dunn , who are touring behind this spring's "You Do Your Thing" and last year's "Red Dirt Road," respectively.
Following the Dallas show, Wilson is expected to fly to Los Angeles to perform at the American Music Awards show, which will be boardcast live on Nov. 14. She's nominated for two awards at the event: Favorite Female Artist - Country Music and Breakthrough Artist - All Genres.
