Music industry reaction to the list of CMA Awards nominees has focussed on the omission of Rascal Flatts from the Entertainer of the Year category.
It is no secret that the group earnestly desires the recognition that comes with the Entertainer award, the most sought after CMA trophy. Lyric Street Records, the Flatts' record company, even went so far as to take out a number of large ads in the Tennessean newspaper promoting the group as potential Entertainer nominees.
Despite the campaign, the Flatts failed to get a mention other than in the Vocal Group list, which consisted of George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Sugarland and Keith Urban. The Tennessean ran a headline "CMA Voters Snub Rascal Flatts" as their top headline the day after the nominations were announced, perhaps smarting from the failure of Lyric Streets' ad buy to have any perceivable result.
The controversy is not the first time Rascal Flatts have been caught up in an Entertainer of the Year dispute. At this year's ACM Awards, after it was announced that fan votes would determine the winner, the Flatts offered a free download to fans who voted in that category, in an apparent attempt to influence the outcome. They revoked the offer shortly thereafter following a torrent of criticism.
Email barryandpat@voiceofcountry.com and let us know if you think: Should Rascal Flatts be included in the Entertainer of the year award?
We will publish the results on VoC next week.
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