While the likes of Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban are established players on the country music scene, the same can't be said for rocker Jon Bon Jovi. He nevertheless joined the cream of the genre at the CMT awards in Nashville on Monday to perform his band's single Make A Memory from his new, country-inspired album Lost Highway.
The heart-throb, who duets on the disc with country sensation LeAnne Rimes, says he's "very respectful" of the country format. "Could you have imagined me walking into an award show… and saying,' Howdy, y'all,' with straw in my teeth and a cowboy hat on? I would have expected them to run me out of Dodge," he said recently.
One man looking good in his cowboy hat on the night, however, was Kenny Chesney, who was briefly wed to Cold Mountain actress Renee Zellweger. He wowed the crowd with his hit Summertime and scooped the male video of the year for You Save Me.
And American Idol winner Carrie Underwood added yet more gongs to her already healthy awards haul. The blonde beauty, who gave a rousing onstage performance in metallic hotpants, picked up the video of the year title for her dark hit Before He Cheats and best female video.
"It was at the CMT awards last year that I gave my first acceptance speech ever," said Carrie, who won three Grammy awards in February. "It's been such an amazing and blessed two years."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
