Shania Twain Wins Top Country Music Honors

Shania Twain won best entertainer while the Dixie Chicks picked up three awards Wednesday night at the Country Music Assn. Awards, and the presence of George Jones was strongly felt despite his absence.

“I’m embarrassed that I’m crying, but it’s just such an honor,” said Twain, who said her celebration would include trying to meet Dolly Parton, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Show host Vince Gill cheered Twain on, debunking critics who say her pop-leaning music isn’t really country. “Well, Shania, that should shut everybody up,” Gill said. “You did it, baby.”

The Dixie Chicks--Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Seidel--won for best vocal group, and their “Wide Open Spaces” was named best single and video.

Tim McGraw won best male vocalist, and Martina McBride was named best female vocalist.

Jones boycotted the awards because he was asked to shorten a performance of his single “Choices,” which lost out to “Wide Open Spaces” in the race for best single.

But Alan Jackson, a close friend, closed his own performance of “Pop a Top” with a snippet of “Choices” in support of Jones, bringing the audience at the Grand Ole Opry to their feet.

Jackson was inspired by a visit to Jones earlier this year in the hospital, after Jones nearly died because of a car wreck, said Jackson spokeswoman Kay West.

“Alan said that had George Jones died there, there would have been a 10 minute tribute to him on the show,” West said. “But he lived, and they wouldn’t give him three minutes.”

Brooks & Dunn won their eighth straight trophy for best vocal duo.

Dunn and Kix Brooks have won the duo award every year since The Judds ended their 1988-’91 domination of it.

Jo Dee Messina won the Horizon Award for career progress, and McGraw’s “A Place in the Sun” was named best album.