I liked Snoop Dogg, but last night Carrie was top dawg.

Whew doggie, that was some good entertainment at last night’s CMT Music Awards.After I got snubbed at the red carpet down at Belmont University’s Curb Events Center, I decided my futon just down the road was a much better place to watch the show anyway. So I hit the trail for home.

I thought there were some great Country Music performances between those belt buckles they were giving away. Where’d they get those buckles anyway, Charlie Daniels? So I buried a few of my favorites in my memory to tell you about today.

Now mind you, I didn’t see every performance last night, as I got distracted sometimes by chewing bones in the other room, squirrels in the back yard and such. But from what I did see, here’s the ones that had me wagging:

• Brad Paisley’s performance of his most recent single “I’m Still A Guy” was good, and it got even better when Bocephus joined him. It just seemed right for that song. And with all due respect to campaigns to spay or neuter your pet, I love that line at the end that says “I still got a pair.”
• Like I said, Snoop Dog at the CMT Music Awards…that’s some good stuff there.
• What about Leann Rimes’ dress? Something like that makes it hard for a hound to stay on the trail. I thought they’d done thrown her in jail for it when I saw her performance.
• That whole Nationwide stage thing made me drool a bit too. Great acts on it like Lady A, Ashton Shepard, Luke Bryan, and a whole bunch I’m forgetting.
• Of course Taylor is Taylor Swift and she’s going to put on a good show, but I sure wouldn’t want to be a runaway of hers. Talk about getting your hackles up.
• But most of all I’m glad I stayed awake (okay I was dog-tired and took a little nap but I was awake for the end) to see Carrie Underwood’s performance. That’s an awful big voice to come out of such a little body. Most of the other performers sounded like they were singing on a Country Music television award show (you’d think some human would figure out a way to fix that by now), but not Carrie. Carrie’s voice was strong. I’m thinking it must be something in the drinking water in Oklahoma, because it’s the same with fellow Oklahoma native Martina McBride.

So I want to give a big lick to all the winners last night, and thank CMT and all the performers for an entertaining evening. I guess in the end it's only right that the biggest winners were the fans who got to see the show, especially since the awards are fan-voted. But if I were going to give an award for best performance on the CMT Music Awards, it would have to go to Carrie.