Carrie Underwood added two more CMT Music Award buckles to her collection winning the coveted “Video of the Year” award for “Good Girl” and “Collaborative Video of the Year” with Brad Paisley for “Remind Me” at the 2012 CMT Music Awards.
Luke Bryan took home “Male Video of the Year” for “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” a first time win for him in this category. Multi-platinum group Lady Antebellum won ‘Group Video of the Year” for the third straight year, this time for their video “We Owned The Night”, and Miranda Lambert scored her third consecutive trophy in the “Female Video of the Year” category, this year for the touching song, “Over You.”
Scott McCreery claimed the “USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year” with “The Trouble with Girls,” Jason Aldean took home his first CMT award for “CMT Performance of the Year” with his “Tattoos on This Town” 2011 CMT Artists of the Year performance. Thompson Square walked away with their first-ever buckle for “Duo of the Year” with their hit “I Got You”.
The show’s opening performance, a stellar mash-up with Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned the Night” and Hot Chelle Rae’s mega-hit “Tonight Tonight,” was followed by a surprising, star-filled opening segment that CMT fans have come to expect each year. Featuring political rivals, incumbent President Barack Obama and Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney chiming in on a satirical campaign between hosts Toby Keith and Kristen Bell, the show open also featured NBC’s Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Kroft, Maria Menunos and Mario Lopez and Robin Meade. After making their grand entrance in a giant-sized red solo cup, a nod to the Toby Keith hit, the twosome kicked-off the party.
The night was filled with performances including Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You,” Zac Brown Band who performed their new single, “The Wind” and Pistol Annies “Takin’ Pills.” Family trio The Band Perry sang their latest single, “Postcard From Paris” and Little Big Town rocked the boat with the summer anthem “Pontoon.” The legendary Willie Nelson made a rare appearance to perform “Roll Me Up” with Toby Keith, Jamey Johnson, Zac Brown Band and Darius Rucker and Kenny Chesney introduced his new single “Come Over” to fans. Host Toby Keith premiered his rollicking number “Beers Ago” and Carrie Underwood wowed with “Good Girl.” Rascal Flatts closed the show with “Banjo,” featuring a surprise appearance by rock band Journey with whom the trio sang the classic hit “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
For the first time ever, the show included two live outdoor performances, which allowed fans to pack the streets of downtown Nashville. Hank Williams, Jr. got rowdy with Brad Paisley singing “I’m Going To Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams All Night Long” and Eric Church raised a glass to fans with “Drink In My Hand.”
Hosts Toby Keith and Kristen Bell proved they were a dynamic duo on-stage, being joined by presenters Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, CMT’s My Big Redneck Vacation host Tom Arnold, Redneck Island host Steve Austin, Big & Rich, Luke Bryan, “American Idol” finalists Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine, Ronnie Dunn, CMT One Country spokesperson Sara Evans, 2012 Indianapolis 500 Winner Dario Franchitti, “Twilight” star Ashley Greene, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, Alan Jackson, Jake Owen, Hayden Panettiere, Kellie Pickler, actress Denise Richards, television and movie star Dax Shepard, Jordin Sparks and The Band Perry and Carrie Underwood.
For the fifth year in a row, the CMT MUSIC AWARDS featured a second concert stage sponsored by Nationwide Insurance that included performances by Lauren Alaina, Casey James, Jana Kramer, Scotty McCreery, Kip Moore and The Farm.
