Alan Jackson cleaned up at the thirty-sixth annual Country Music Association Awards, taking home a record-tying five awards, including top honors as Entertainer of the Year. Only Johnny Cash in 1969 and Vince Gill in 1993 received as many CMAs in a single year.

Jackson's September 11th-inspired hit single "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" won a pair of awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year. His Drive, released earlier this year, won Album of the Year, and he also took home Male Vocalist of the Year. Jackson was nominated for a record ten awards.

With five of the evening's twelve honors going to Jackson, the rest of the scraps were picked up in categories for which he wasn't nominated, with the exception of Music Video of the Year, in which Jackson's "Where Were You" and "Drive," were beat out by Brad Paisley's "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)." The Dixie Chicks won their fourth Vocal Group of the Year, Martina McBride won Female Vocalist of the Year for the second time, and Brooks and Dunn continued their duopoly on Vocal Duo of the Year, winning for the tenth time.

The awards show also served as the official induction for the Country Music Hall of Fame's 2002 class. Dolly Parton inducted her former mentor Porter Wagoner, as well as former Opry mainstay "Jumping" Bill Carlisle.

Among the evening's live performers was Shania Twain, who ended a three-year hiatus with a performance of "I'm Gonna Getcha Good," from her upcoming album, Up!.

Country Music Association Award winners:

Entertainer of the Year
Alan Jackson

Male Vocalist of the Year
Alan Jackson

Female Vocalist of the Year
Martina McBride

Horizon Award of the Year
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Group of the Year
Dixie Chicks

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn

Single of the Year
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," Alan Jackson

Album of the Year
Drive, Alan Jackson

Song of the Year
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," Alan Jackson

Vocal event of the Year
"Mendocino County Line," Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack

Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas, dobro

Music Video of the Year
"I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)," Brad Paisley, director Peter Zavadil

ANDREW DANSBY
(November 7, 2002)