Brooks Wins Top Country Music Award

Garth Brooks was voted entertainer of the year and won three other awards from the Country Music Assn. on Wednesday. Brooks, 29, was honored for the single “Friends in Low Places,” the album “No Fences,” plus No. 1 video for “The Thunder Rolls.” Under CMA rules, the award was presented to director Bud Schaetzle.

Vince Gill won or shared three awards, including male vocalist of the year. Gill, 34, shared song of the year honors with Tim DuBois, his co-writer on “When I Call Your Name.” Gill also shared vocal event of the year, which went to fiddler Mark O’Connor and the New Nashville Cats featuring Steve Wariner, Ricky Skaggs and Gill.

O’Connor was voted No. 1 musician.

President Bush, a longtime country music fan, was seated in the second row with his wife, Barbara, and country stars Crystal Gayle, Roy Acuff, Larry Gatlin and his brothers Steve and Rudy.

Tanya Tucker won female vocalist of the year for the first time in four years as a finalist. The Judds, a mother-daughter duo, were voted vocal duo of the year for the fourth straight time in their farewell awards show together. The Kentucky HeadHunters won best group for the second straight year.