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My First CMA Award: Blake, Luke, Miranda and More Recall the Years That Made Them Famous

My First CMA Award: Blake, Luke, Miranda and More Recall the Years That Made Them Famous

At the recording for "Forever Country," the biggest names in the biz posed for photos and shared with PEOPLE the moment that made them big

By Katie Kauss

Updated September 19, 2016 02:00 PM

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BLAKE SHELTON

Credit: Katie Kauss

With 25 nominations to his name – and nine wins – Shelton picked up his first CMA Award in 2010, winning male vocalist of the year. He went on to collect four more statuettes in that category, plus a top nod for entertainer of the year in 2012.

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LUKE BRYAN

Credit: Katie Kauss

Not many artists can say their first-ever CMA Award was for entertainer of the year – but that's exactly what happened to Bryan in 2014. The singer took home top honors again in 2015, but we'll have to wait until November to see if he makes the trifecta.

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MIRANDA LAMBERT

Credit: Katie Kauss

The singer started a Revolution when she won album of the year in 2010 along with the first of her six consecutive female vocalist of the year awards. You'll have to tune in to the CMA Awards on Nov. 2 to see if her streak continues – with 12 wins and nearly 40 nominations to her name, bet wisely.

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DIERKS BENTLEY

Credit: Katie Kauss

In 2005, a young Bentley took home the horizon (new artist) award – and with almost 20 nominations, he flew into the winners circle again in 2014 on Riser Air, winning music video of the year for "Drunk On a Plane."

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KEITH URBAN

Credit: Katie Kauss

In 2001, the Aussie took home the horizon (new artist) award – his first of 10 trophies, including three male vocalist and an entertainer of the year win. With four nominations in 2016, it's likely the "Blue Ain't Your Color" singer will be adding to his collection.

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LITTLE BIG TOWN

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If you don't have a 'crush' on this group yet, you're probably in the minority. They started partying on a Pontoon winning single of the year in 2012 and the first of four vocal group of the year wins; an award they're up for again this November.

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REBA MCENTIRE

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In 1984, McEntire took home female vocalist of the year; since, she's won that honor again three times, and scored nearly 50 additional nominations.

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TRISHA YEARWOOD

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The singer scored a double whammy in 1997 and 1998, winning female vocalist of the year.

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BRAD PAISLEY

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Paisley is no stranger to the CMA awards stage – not only has he won 10 trophies (he's been nominated almost 60 times), but he's also hosted the star-studded affair alongside Carrie Underwood since 2008. But it was in 2000 that the guitar slinger took home his first trophy, for new artist of the year.

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BRETT ELDREDGE

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The young singer won over country music fans with his Sinatra-like voice, winning new artist of the year in 2014.

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KACEY MUSGRAVES

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In four short years, Musgraves has amassed a mind-boggling 17 CMA Award nominations and taken home trophies for new artist in 2013 and song of the year, "Follow Your Arrow," in 2014. She's up for female vocalist of the year in November.

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LADY ANTEBELLUM

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In 2008, the trio took home the new artist award and spent the next three years winning vocal group of the year. With almost 20 nominations to their name, they could be adding a fourth trophy to their collection this November.

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DARIUS RUCKER

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While not new to the music industry as a whole, Rucker was new-ish to the country music world in 2009 when he took home new artist of the year honors.

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ALAN JACKSON

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With 16 trophies and more than 80 (yes, 80!) nominations, Jackson collected his first award in 1992, music video of the year for "Midnight in Montgomery," before winning three entertainer of the year awards over the next decade.

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MARTINA MCBRIDE

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McBride dominated the female vocalist of the year category in the early 2000s (she's won four times), but it was her music video for "Independence Day" that scored the singer her first CMA Award in 1994.

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RASCAL FLATTS

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The 2000s were a pretty good decade for this trio: They took home the horizon (new artist) award in 2002 and spent the next six years winning vocal group of the year from 2003 to 2008.

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VINCE GILL

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Gill scored his first CMA Award in 1990 for single of the year for his hit song "When I Call Your Name," but that was just the beginning: he's won 17 more awards since then.

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RANDY TRAVIS

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Travis snagged the horizon (new artist) award in 1986 and added four more awards to his collection over the next few years – to this day, he has nearly 25 nominations to his name.

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JASON ALDEAN

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The singer scored his first win with the coveted album of the year trophy for My Kinda Party in 2011, and teamed up with Kelly Clarkson that same year to win his second award, musical event of the year, for their hit song "Don't You Wanna Stay."

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CHARLEY PRIDE

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The country music legend collected two of his three trophies in 1971 for male vocalist, and top honors entertainer of the year.

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RONNIE MILSAP

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Milsap ruled country music in the late '70s, winning male vocalist of the year for the first of three times in 1974. He later went on to win album of the year four times in the next 12 years – not too shabby.

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ALABAMA

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Over the course of 30 years, the legendary music group has amassed more than 40 nominations and nine wins – collecting their first trophy in 1981 for vocal group of the year.

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SHANE MCANALLY

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If his name doesn't ring a bell, we bet you'll know the artists he's produced music for: Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert, to name a few. He scored his first CMA Award in 2014 for producing Musgraves's hit song "Follow Your Arrow." He's also the technical genius responsible for producing "Forever Country", which combined the voices of more than 20 country music superstars. No big deal.

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My First CMA Award: Blake, Luke, Miranda and More Recall the Years That Made Them Famous

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BLAKE SHELTON

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LUKE BRYAN

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MIRANDA LAMBERT

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DIERKS BENTLEY

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KEITH URBAN

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LITTLE BIG TOWN

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REBA MCENTIRE

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TRISHA YEARWOOD

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BRAD PAISLEY

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BRETT ELDREDGE

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KACEY MUSGRAVES

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LADY ANTEBELLUM

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DARIUS RUCKER

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ALAN JACKSON

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MARTINA MCBRIDE

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RASCAL FLATTS

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VINCE GILL

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RANDY TRAVIS

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JASON ALDEAN

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CHARLEY PRIDE

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RONNIE MILSAP

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ALABAMA

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SHANE MCANALLY

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