Country at Sunday’s American Music Awards

Fans will see a lot of country faces on Sunday’s (11/22) 2009 American Music Awards, taking place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The show starts at 7 PM/CT on ABC with Taylor Swift leading the nominations with six nods. Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban scored performance slots on the show.

Swift is up for Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Artist (in both Pop/Rock and Country) and Favorite Album (in both Pop/Rock and Country). Other notable Nashvillians in the lead are rockers Kings of Leon with three nominations, including one for Artist of the Year. Rascal Flatts and Zac Brown Band are nominated for Favorite Country Album, and Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group. Getting one nomination apiece were Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, Urban, Reba McEntire, Underwood, Sugarland, and Gloriana.

Gloriana is up for the T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist Award, which is the only award where fans can text in their votes and continue to vote during the show here. For the third year in a row, winners will be determined by online fan voting, which closed on Friday Nov. 13. An abbreviated list of the nominees is below. Get the full list here.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR Kings of Leon
, Taylor Swift
, Lady Gaga, 
Eminem
, Michael Jackson
POP/ROCK–Favorite Female Artist Beyonce
, Lady Gaga, 
Taylor Swift

POP/ROCK–Favorite Album Fame Lady Gaga, 
Number Ones Michael Jackson, 
Fearless Taylor Swift
COUNTRY–Favorite Male Artist Jason Aldean
, Darius Rucker
, Keith Urban
COUNTRY–Favorite Female Artist Reba McEntire, 
Taylor Swift, 
Carrie Underwood
COUNTRY–Favorite Band, Duo or Group Rascal Flatts
, Sugarland, 
Zac Brown Band
COUNTRY–Favorite Album Unstoppable Rascal Flatts, 
Fearless Taylor Swift, 
Foundation Zac Brown Band
SOUNDTRACKS–Favorite Album Hannah Montana: The Movie
, Hannah Montana 3, 
Twilight Soundtrack
ADULT CONTEMPORARY–Favorite Artist Daughtry
, Jason Mraz
, Taylor Swift
CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL–Favorite Artist Jeremy Camp, 
Brandon Heath
, Mary Mary

Interesting note: Wikipedia says, “The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year’s show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC.” Clark has long been involved with ABC.

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Sarah Skates

Sarah Skates has been a writer and editor in the music business since 2004. She is a longtime contributor to MusicRow.

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