Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will reunite to host “Country Music’s Biggest Night(TM)” for a third time in 2010. The 44th Annual CMA Awards airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Carrie and Brad have done a tremendous job hosting and we are very happy to have them back again this year,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “They have developed a natural rhythm and have a great rapport with the audience – both in the house and our fans watching at home. They each have a great sense of humor and timing, which are two essential ingredients for hosting a live awards broadcast.”

“The CMAs are different from any other awards night,” said Paisley. “You’re looking at a roomful of people who love each other. And any new viewer will be pleasantly surprised at what they relate to on the Awards and what they like that they had no idea they would like. For that reason alone, this is the most important night of the year for country music.”

“It’s all about country music,” said Underwood. “We all live here. This is our community. The CMA Awards are in Nashville, the home of country music. It’s great to come here and celebrate that every year.”

The 44th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer. Paul Miller is the Director. David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

Country music’s top artists and celebrities from all facets of entertainment will gather for an evening of star-studded performances, tributes and camaraderie in celebration of the first ever, CMT Artists of the Year, a 90-minute special premiering Friday, December 3 on CMT. Performers and host to be announced.

CMT Artists of the Year will recognize five of the year’s top acts based on album and download sales, radio airplay, online activity and touring. The evening will also include multiple musical performances from the country world and beyond. Taping in Nashville, CMT Artists of the Year will take place in an elegant, yet relaxed setting that allows attendees to kick back, cut loose and enjoy the show.

“Make no mistake: This is not an awards show or a competition, but a year-end party on a grand scale,” said John Hamlin, senior vice president, music events and talent, CMT. “CMT Artists of the Year celebrates the artists that made this year a great one for country music. It’s their night because it’s been their year and they deserve to be wined, dined and entertained like no other evening anywhere else.”

CMT Artists of the Year is produced by Audrey Morrissey and Chad Hines. Hamlin and Margaret Comeaux serve as executive producers for CMT.

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives celebrated the release of their new album, Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions, with an SRO performance at Nashville’s Belcourt Theater last night (8/25). The perfectly paced show featured plenty of virtuosic mandolin and guitar picking from traditionalist Stuart and showcased his Superlatives – guitarist Kenny Vaughan, drummer Harry Stinson, bassist Paul Martin and steel guitarist Gary Carter. From full-band country workouts like “Tempted” to harmony-soaked, a capella gospel numbers like “Working On A Building,” the Superlatives more than lived up to Stuart’s description as “the best hillbilly band in town.” (photo by www.izzynashville.com)

L-R: Marty Stuart, Harry Stinson and Paul Martin

Grand Ole Opry officials today announced that the show, displaced from its permanent home due to May’s historic Nashville flood, will return to the Grand Ole Opry House with a star-packed show Tues., Sept. 28. Among the artists scheduled for the show are Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels Band, Diamond Rio, Jimmy Dickens, Del McCoury Band, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Mel Tillis, and Josh Turner.

The show will air live on GAC: Great American Country. Special events and artist appearances will follow throughout October in celebration of both the show’s return and its 85th Birthday.

The announcement came just before the Opry House’s signature element, a six-foot circle of oak wood taken from the historic Ryman Auditorium when the show moved to the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, was returned this morning to its home center stage at the Opry House. The circle, along with the full Opry stage, had been covered by 46 inches of water during May’s flood. Rescued immediately after waters receded from the Opry House, the circle has been painstakingly refurbished. The country music treasure was placed in its rightful spot with assistance from Dickens and Paisley. The two Opry members then took to the circle behind an Opry microphone stand for an acoustic performance of the country classic “Will the Circle be Unbroken.”

“It is the best feeling in the world to see our beloved circle back home,” said Grand Ole Opry Group President Steve Buchanan. “We can not wait for the curtain to go up as we launch a new chapter in the Opry’s history on September 28, just in time to celebrate our 85th birthday. There is no doubt the next two months are going to be some of the most memorable and emotional ever for our performers and fans.”

“It is as it should be,” said Paisley. “That circle means the world to all of us who love country music. I’ve always said that the circle still contains the dust from Hank Williams’ cowboy boots. Well now it contains that dust, but also the heart and soul of this town and all the people who have worked to rise above this spring’s floods. I know I speak for all my fellow Opry members when I say, ‘we are so excited to come home!’”

The Opry has not missed a single show since the flood, broadcasting from several Nashville venues including former Opry homes the Ryman Auditorium and the War Memorial Auditorium.