Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris lead 2016 CMA Awards nominations

Eric Church, Chris Stapleton and Maren Morris are locked in a three-way tie for top-nominee honors for the 50th annual CMA Awards.

With five nominations apiece, the three artists serve thoughtful lyrics instead of easy listening fare and pride themselves as songwriters able to attract wide audiences,  as well as appease the genre’s most loyal fans.

The trio of artists and more than a dozen other nominees will find out who will emerge with the most trophies when the 50th annual CMA Awards air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena 7 p.m. Nov. 2 on ABC.

Church and Stapleton share nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of Year and Video of the Year. Church is also nominated for Song of the Year and Album of the Year  fo Mr. Misunderstood, a surprise album he released immediately before the 49th annual CMA Awards in November of 2015.  Stapleton is included in the prestigious Entertainer of the Year category and in Musical Event of the Year with his wife, Morgane Stapleton.

Stapleton has been a beloved singer and award-winning songwriter around Nashville for years, but his breakthrough moment – a duet with Justin Timberlake – came during last year’s CMA Awards when the pair performed Stapleton’s cover of Tennessee Whiskey and Timberlake’s Drink You Away.

Morris, a first-time nominee, was included in Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and single, song and New Artist of the Year.

Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban each come away with four nominations. Underwood and Urban both landed in the Entertainer of the Year category – a first for Underwood. Urban won the Country Music Association’s top prize in 2005.

Buoyed by the Lori McKenna-penned ode to goodness Humble and Kind, Tim McGraw picked up three nominations.

Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Cam, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, and Thomas Rhett are each included in two categories.

Blake Shelton, reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and Sam Hunt are among the superstars without any  nominations.
Urban, Cam and Bentley started the announcement for the nominees for the 50th annual CMA Awards Wednesday morning live from the Grand Ole Opry House on “Good Morning America” and revealed the last half of the nods online a new minutes later.

Brad Paisley and Underwood will host the 50th annual CMA Awards that will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena 7 p.m. Nov. 2 on ABC.

The Final Nominees for “The 50th Annual CMA Awards” (by ballot category order):

Early 50th annual CMA Awards nominations:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
Black
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Ross Copperman and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Hero
Maren Morris
Produced by busbee, Maren Morris, and Brad Hill
Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville

Mr. Misunderstood
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
EMI Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Ripcord
Keith Urban
Produced by Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson, Dann Huff, Greg Wells, Nile Rodgers, busbee, K-Kov, Nathan Chapman, Jonny Price, and Keith Urban
Hit Red Records/Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Storyteller
Carrie Underwood
Produced by Jay Joyce, Mark Bright, and Zach Crowell
19 Recordings/Arista Nashville/Sony Music Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
Burning House
Camaron Ochs, Tyler Johnson, Jeff Bhasker

Die a Happy Man
Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett, and Joe Spargur

Humble and Kind
Lori McKenna

My Church
Busbee and Maren Morris

Record Year
Eric Church and Jeff Hyde

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Director(s))
Burning House
Cam
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

Fire Away
Chris Stapleton
Directed by Tim Mattia

Humble and Kind
Tim McGraw
Directed by Wes Edwards

Record Year
Eric Church
Directed by John Peets and Reid Long

Somewhere On A Beach
Dierks Bentley
Directed by Wes Edwards

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory
Maddie & Tae

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to each Artist)
“Different For Girls”
Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Home Alone Tonight
Luke Bryan featuring Karen Fairchild
Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

The Fighter
Keith Urban (featuring Carrie Underwood)
Hit Red Records/Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Think of You
Chris Young (duet with Cassadee Pope)
RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville

You Are My Sunshine
Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton
Low Country Sound/Elektra Records

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas (Dobro/Lap Steel Guitar)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Brent Mason (Guitar)
Derek Wells (Guitar)

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Director(s))
Burning House
Cam
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

Fire Away
Chris Stapleton
DiVOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory
Maddie & Tae

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to each Artist)
Different For Girls
Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Home Alone Tonight
Luke Bryan featuring Karen Fairchild
Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

The Fighter
Keith Urban (featuring Carrie Underwood)
Hit Red Records/Capitol Records Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville

Think of You
Chris Young (duet with Cassadee Pope)
RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville

You Are My Sunshine
Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton
Low Country Sound/Elektra Records

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas (Dobro/Lap Steel Guitar)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Brent Mason (Guitar)
Derek Wells (Guitar)

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Director(s))
Burning House
Cam
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

Fire Away
Chris Stapleton
Directed by Tim Mattia

Humble and Kind
Tim McGraw
Directed by Wes Edwards

Record Year
Eric Church
Directed by John Peets and Reid Long

Somewhere On A Beach
Dierks Bentley
Directed by Wes Edwards

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne
Maren Morris
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell