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…

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…

CMA Awards co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

7 p.m.: As previously announced, 19-year-old singer-songwriter sensation Taylor Swift is starting off the show with her new surefire hit “Forever & Always.” The performance started out with an interview and then morphed into a pretty spectacular production. The teen start has skipped out on her usually sparkly, short dress for a sexier black pant-and-top ensemble, which makes her look older.

Taylor Swift (Associated Press photo)

7:05: Overall, I would call Taylor’s performance a solid opener, but co-host Carrie Underwood’s first dress is a showstopper. She…

Taylor Swift at Tuesday night’s BMI Country Awards in Nashville, Tenn. (Associated Press photo)

Taylor Swift won her second straight song of the year award at Tuesday night’s BMI Country Awards.

Swift won for her song “Love Story” – and will compete for four more prizes, including entertainer of the year, at tonight’s CMA Awards.

Also honored at Tuesday’s BMI Awards were Bobby Pinson for songwriter of the year and Sony/ATV Music as publisher of the year, according to the Associated Press.

Kris Kristofferson, 73, was lauded as a BMI Icon. Oklahoma native Vince…

Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will co-host the CMA Awards tonight for the second straight year. (Associated Press photo)

From Wednesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.

Expect Oklahoma stars to shine bright tonight

Oklahoma’s constellation of country music stars will have the chance to shine tonight at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards.

Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert and Rascal Flatts are nominated for awards at the Country Music Association’s yearly industry honors. Several of the state’s stars also will perform on the awards show, which airs live from 7 to…

Brooks & Dunn (which includes former Tulsan Ronnie Dunn, left) and Reba McEntire are nominated for musical event of the year for their hit “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.” As much as I love the song, am I allowed to cry when Brooks & Dunn part ways next year? (Associated Press photo)

The Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards air from 7 to 10 tonight on ABC. Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts and Vince Gill are among the Oklahomans who are nominated for awards or will…

Taylor Swift (Associated Press photo)

The Country Music Association announced today that starlet Taylor Swift wil deliver the opening performance at Wednesday night’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards.

The 43rd Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, will air live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn., from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday on the ABC Television Network. Be sure to follow along with the show during my CMA Awards live-blog here at BAM’s Blog.

“Taylor is the perfect choice as the opening act for the 2009 CMA Awards,”…

Jamey Johnson

Kid Rock

Martina McBride

The performer lineup for the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards gets even more star-studded with the announcement that Kid Rock will join four-time nominee Jamey Johnson in their first televised duet.

Kid Rock will also present an award during the evening.

In addition, four-time Female Vocalist of the Year winner Martina McBride will perform.

Nine-time CMA Award winners The Judds, Country Music Hall of Fame member Kris Kristofferson, and six-time CMA Award winner Lee Ann Womack have been added as presenters.

The 43rd Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley…

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

Carrie Underwood’s got the write stuff for new album
Underwood co-wrote seven of 13 titles on her New album, ‘Play On’

Between the No. 1 hits and the TV appearances, the magazine covers and the red carpet fashions, music fans can be forgiven for forgetting that country superstar Carrie Underwood was once an aspiring journalist.

But the credits for her new album “Play On” serve as a pointed reminder that the Oklahoma native was sharpening her pen long before she…

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

Country

Carrie Underwood “Play On” (19 Recordings Limited/Arista Nashville)

Contemporary country star Carrie Underwood stretches her strong soprano, her songwriting skills and musical boundaries on her third album, “Play On.”

The Checotah native co-wrote seven of the 13 songs, ranging from “What Can I Say,” a twangy heartbreaker with country brother act Sons of Sylvia, to the anthemic title track, which could well be next season’s “American Idol” farewell theme. The album’s sonic diversity reveals the 2005 “American Idol” winner’s…