Satiny-voiced Vince Gill bumped Garth Brooks from the top of the country music hill, winning entertainer-of-the-year honors at the Country Music Association awards.
Gill, 36, won or shared five honors Wednesday night at the CMA's 27th annual awards, including top male vocalist. His poignant "I Still Believe in You" won best song and top album.Brooks, country music's top seller and concert draw, had also been nominated as entertainer of the year, an award he won the previous two years.
"I never cared where I sat on the totem pole," Gill said afterward. "I'm just glad to be part of it."
Alan Jackson won three honors, Brooks one and Willie Nelson got the biggest ovation at the Grand Ole Opry House as he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as its 54th member. The 60-year-old Nelson was decked out in formal attire instead of the usual bandanna, T-shirt and jeans.
"I really thought you had to die to get here," he said. "So I went ahead and dressed up just in case."
Gill, who led the nominations with eight, said he was surprised to win best entertainer.
"I've always operated under the theory that I don't feel like I'm an entertainer. I just feel like I'm a musician and I sing songs," he said. "I don't have the big stage show. I don't run around and do a lot of those things. I've got a killer band and it's just great singing and playing."
Gill and Brooks were among 11 stars who shared the vocal event of the year award for "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair." The contingent was led by George Jones, who missed the presentation because he was in the bathroom.
Others who shared the award were Mark Chesnutt, Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie, Pam Tillis, T. Graham Brown, Patty Loveless and Clint Black.
Alan Jackson won three awards, including single of the year and music video of the year for his rollicking "Chattahoochee," about summer fun on a Georgia river. He also shared the vocal event of the year honor.
Mary-Chapin Carpenter won her second straight award as top female vocalist.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Musical winners
Vince Gill, entertainer of the year.
Vince Gill, male vocalist of the year.
Mary-Chapin Carpenter, female vocalist of the year.
"I Still Believe in You," Vince Gill, album of the year.
"Chattahoochee" by Alan Jackson, single of the year.
Willie Nelson, Country Music Hall of Fame.
Brooks & Dunn, vocal duo of the year.
Diamond Rio, vocal group of the year.
"Chattahoochee" by Alan Jackson, music video of the year.
"I Still Believe in You," by Vince Gill and John Barlow Jarvis, song of the year, (award to songwriter).
Mark Chesnutt, Horizon Award for most promise.
"I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair," George Jones with Vince Gill, Mark Chesnutt, Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie, Alan Jackson, Pam Tillis, T. Graham Brown, Patty Loveless and Clint Black, vocal event of the year.
Mark O'Connor, instrumentalist of the year.