POP/ROCK - Aug. 19, 1987

Country music phenom Randy Travis was named a finalist in five categories in the 21st annual Country Music Assn. awards, made public in Nashville on Monday. Reba McEntire and George Strait each received nominations in four categories. Travis, who cooked in a Nashville nightclub until two years ago, was nominated for entertainer of the year, top male vocalist, single of the year (for “Forever and Ever, Amen”), album of the year (for “Always and Forever”) and video of the year for “Forever and Ever, Amen.” Other finalists for entertainer of the year were McEntire, Strait, the mother-daughter duo the Judds, and Hank Williams Jr.