Underwood early winner at country awards

Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" won single of the year and George Strait's hit "Give It Away" won song of the year at Wednesday's Country Music Association Awards.

The single honor goes to the artist and the producer, while the song award goes to the songwriters and publisher.

"You all been letting me do this for 50 years, and I love you," said Bill Anderson, who co-wrote "Give It Away" with Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson.

Other early winners included Tracy Lawrence, featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney, for musical event for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are"; dobro great Jerry Douglas of Union Station as musician of the year; and Brad Paisley's "Online" for music video.

Paisley performed "Online" with the Brentwood, Tenn., High School marching band.

Other performers were Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Big & Rich and Rodney Atkins.

Rascal Flatts opened the show with the title track to its latest album, "Still Feels Good," while a montage of country stars flashed on large screens behind them, including a photo of Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. Wagoner died last week of lung cancer.

The show was broadcast live on ABC and was hosted by James Denton of "Desperate Houswives," Kate Walsh of "Private Practice" and Kimberly Williams-Paisley — Brad Paisley's wife — of "According to Jim."

Paisley and Strait were the night's two leading nominees with five apiece, including the prestigious entertainer of the year.

The CMAs traditionally reflect who's hot in the industry, but there are usually one or two surprises. This year's best bet might be Vince Gill, who is nominated for album of the year for his ambitious four-disc set, "These Days."

Gill wrote or co-wrote all 43 tracks, co-produced them, sang, played guitars and assembled a dream team of guests including Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Diana Krall, Krauss and Emmylou Harris.

"These Days" earned Gill rave reviews and will certainly go down as a creative peak in his career, but it sold modestly and received scant radio airplay compared with its competitors: Paisley's "5th Gear," Strait's "It Just Comes Natural," Keith Urban's "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing" and Dierks Bentley's "Long Trip Alone."

Other categories to watch are female vocalist, for which Underwood and Lambert are up against stalwarts Reba McEntire, Martina McBride and Krauss; and vocal duo, for which perennial favorites Brooks & Dunn have stiff competition from Big & Rich, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland and the Wreckers.

Krauss, a contemporary bluegrass star, has four nominations in all, even though she's not a regular on country radio. She took home the female vocalist award in 1995.

The Dixie Chicks were nominated for vocal group of the year, their first nomination since lead singer Natalie Maines' slam on President Bush in 2003, on the eve of the war with Iraq, made them country music pariahs.

This year, neither the entertainer nor the album slot have a single female nominee.