By M&C Smallscreen May 19, 2008, 16:22 GMT
The Country Music Awards had some notable moments last night.
US country singer Kenny Chesney at the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada 18 May 2008. Chesney won for Entertainer of the Year EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT
During Sunday night's telecast, singer Kenny Chesney accepted his fourth consecutive entertainer of the year trophy at the May 18th Academy of Country Music Awards, yet it was backstage that Kenny expressed his opinion that he does not think it's right that fans decide who takes that top prize.
He claims was not trying to blame fans, but cited it as an industry-wide problem.
Sunday marked the first time in the awards' 43-year history that the entertainer of the year award was given to an artist picked by online voting, as opposed to being selected by ACM members.
''The entertainer of the year trophy is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment, and focus,'' Chesney said. "That's the way Garth [Brooks] won it four times, that's the way I won it, that's the way [George] Strait won it, Reba [McEntire], Alabama all those years.
That's what it's supposed to represent.''
Chesney said to AP reporters that the academy turned the award ''into a sweepstakes to see who can push people's buttons the hardest on the Internet.''
Chesney led all nominees with 11 nominations, and ended up winning twice.
The ACM honors also went to Carrie Underwood, who won her second consecutive female vocalist award, Brad Paisley, who nabbed his second straight male vocalist award, band Rascal Flatts, which won top vocal group for a sixth consecutive year, and Brooks & Dunn, taking their 13th straight vocal duo award.
Was Kenny right in criticizing the CMA awards decision to allow online voting for fans?
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