Blake Shelton won the Country Music Association's male vocalist of the year Wednesday night, ensuring a sea change in a genre that's been dominated by very familiar faces. Reports CBS News.
"Ooooh, shake it up CMA," Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles said as she watched Shelton hug fiancee Miranda Lambert on his way to the stage.
Country's "it" couple, who got engaged in the spring, took home five awards in all - Lambert earned three (for Album, Female Vocalist and Video of the Year) and Shelton received two (Male Vocalist and Musical Event of the Year, for "Hillbilly Bone" with Trace Adkins).
Shelton, who has long felt like an outsider in Nashville, gave Lambert a bear hug, then stomped on each step as he walked up to the stage. Reba McEntire, wife of Shelton's manager, Narvel Blackstock, openly cried as Shelton made his way to the stage.
"It's about 34 years worth of steps right there for me, y'all," Shelton said. "This is a really big deal for me."
Shelton's male vocalist win broke Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley's three-year streak of winning the award.
"After the night that Blake and Miranda are having, I think we can expect a baby in about nine months," Paisley joked.
