Oklahoma native and country music superstar Carrie Underwood performs at Sunday night’s 37th Annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles. (Associated Press photos)

The fan-voted 2009 American Music Awards took place Sunday night in Los Angeles, with the late Michael Jackson and country music starlet Taylor Swift emerging as the show’s big winners. The cross-genre show also featured more than a dozen performances, including ones from Carrie Underwood, Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert, Rihanna, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson.

Here are some photos from the awards show:

Rascal Flatts, which includes Joe Don Rooney…

Rascal Flatts accepts the award for favorite country band, duo or group title during Sunday’s American Music Awards in Los Angeles. (Associated Press photos)

Michael Jackson won a record four posthumous awards at Sunday night’s American Music Awards, while country starlet Taylor Swift won five trophies, including the top award, entertainer of the year.

The 19-year-old country music star was named the year’s favorite artist, giving Jackson his only loss of the night, according to the Associated Press. She also was awarded favorite female pop/rock artist, favorite female country artists, favorite country album…

Lady Antebellum won single of the year for “I Run to You” and vocal group of year at last week’s CMA Awards. (Associated Press photos)

Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum are enjoying their biggest sales week ever – even after an astounding 83 weeks on the Billboard country albums chart.

The group sold 45,228 albums this week (a 130 percent increase from last week) beating their self-titled platinum-selling debut album street week number of 43,384 albums sold.

After the group’s passionate CMA Awards performance of “Need You Now,” their…

Carrie Underwood smiles on the CMA Awards red carpet. (Associated Press photos)

Several of country music’s biggest stars donned their sparkling best to walk the carpet at Wednesday night’s CMA Awards at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. Check out these Associated Press photos of some of the music luminaries.

Carrie Underwood wore sparkling silver for the first of her many gowns for the evening.

Duet partners Chris Daughtry and Oklahoma native Vince Gill walked the red carpet together.

Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert went with a long black gown for the red carpet and…

Teen star Taylor Swift took home four awards, including entertainer of the year, at Wednesday night’s CMA Awards. (Associated Press photos)

The Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards took place Wednesday night at Nashville’s Sommet Center. It was a huge night for 19-year-old starlet Taylor Swift, who won four trophies, including entertainer of the year, to the outrage of many country purists and the delight of her legions of fans.

Here are some of the memorable moments from the awards show. All photos are from the Associated Press.

Martina McBride and George…

Carrie Underwood and a bevy of beautiful backup dancers perform “Cowboy Casanova” at the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards Wednesday night in Nashville. (Associated Press photos)

Along with co-hosting Wednesday night’s CMA Awards, Checotah native Carrie Underwood put in one of the showstopping performances of the night with her sexy rendition of her new No. 1 hit “Cowboy Casanova.” Check out these sexy Associated Press photos of Underwood singing and strutting her stuff in an outrageous outfit.

-BAM

For the second year, Brad Paisley and Checotah native Carrie Underwood co-hosted the CMA Awards at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. (Associated Press photos)

The Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards took place Wednesday night at Nashville’s Sommet Center. It was a huge night for 19-year-old starlet Taylor Swift, who won four trophies, including entertainer of the year, to the outrage of many country purists and the delights of her legions of fans.

Although Oklahoma’s stars went home winless, they represented our state quite well, with several of them performing…

Darius Rucker accepts the best new artist of the year award at the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards Wednesday night in Nashville, Tenn. He will perform tonight at Tulsa’s Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino. (Associated Press photo)

Darius Rucker became the first black singer to win new artist of the year at Wednesday’s CMA Awards, joining Charley Pride as the only African-Americans to win major individual awards from the Country Music Association.

When I spoke with Rucker in a recent phone interview, he said his plans for after the CMA Awards would remain virtually the…

Country singer Darius Rucker poses for pictures in the press room after winning the best new award at Wednesdayt night’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker will perform in concert tonight at Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa. (Associated Press photo)

A version of this story appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.

Country give warm welcome to musician at CMA Awards
Darius Rucker to perform tonight in Tulsa

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Darius Rucker still may be best known as the front man of 1990s pop sensations Hootie & the Blowfish.

But as one of his new hits…

Taylor Swift (Associated Press photo)

Country music star Taylor Swift was surprised backstage during the dress rehearsals for the 43rd Annual CMA Awards when Kix Brooks and former Tulsan Ronnie Dunn presented her with the 2009 CMA International Artist Achievement Award.

Brooks & Dunn, along with Dierks Bentley, were last year’s recipients of the award, which recognizes outstanding achievement by a U.S.-based artist who contributes to the awareness and development of country music outside the United States.

“This is beautiful!” said Swift, according to a news release. ”Thank you so much! This is an awesome way…