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In a year when country music edged ever further from the roadhouse toward the middle of the road, Reba McEntire takes home the most Country Music Association awards nominations-six. But unlike in the past, when veterans could be assured of winning if they kept their sales up, a plethora of platinum-selling newcomers clouds the forecasting for this year's CMA awards (airing Oct. 5). Some things haven't changed, though: Nashville still controls the balloting (especially if there's any truth to the long-rumored practice of bloc voting by labels), and rewards moneymakers. Given that, here are our predictions. ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Brooks & Dunn; Garth Brooks; Vince Gill; Alan Jackson; Reba McEntire. *Will Win: Touring giants Brooks & Dunn win out based on sheer dollar-generating clout. *Should Win: Perennially jilted nominee Jackson, whose showmanship and dues-paying never seem to overcome a bad industry rep.
FEMALE VOCALIST: Mary Chapin Carpenter; Reba McEntire; Pam Tillis; Wynonna; Trisha Yearwood. *Will Win: Odds favor the universally liked Carpenter, who has an impeccable reputation (backed by Sony's voting clout) and a strong new album. *Should Win: Wynonna. It's about time Nashville acknowledged the city's finest vocalist as a solo act.
MALE VOCALIST: John Anderson; Vince Gill; Alan Jackson; George Strait; Dwight Yoakam. *Will Win: Gill, who's been nominated four years running, is too huge not to win something. *Should Win: Nashville outcast Yoakam, whose artistic daring thankfully clashes with the conventionalism of his hat-act peers.
SINGLE: ''Does He Love You,'' Reba McEntire with Linda Davis; ''Don't Take the Girl,'' Tim McGraw; ''He Thinks He'll Keep Her,'' Mary Chapin Carpenter; ''How Can I Help You Say Goodbye,'' Patty Loveless; ''I Swear,'' John Michael Montgomery. *Will Win: McGraw and Montgomery both fulfill the twin requisites-they're hot, and they're gettin' hotter. But Montgomery will win over the less classy McGraw. *Should Win: Loveless' heartbreaking yet never sentimental cut.
ALBUM: Various Artists, Asleep at the Wheel Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys; Various Artists, Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles; George Strait, Easy Come Easy Go; Various Artists, Rhythm, Country & Blues; Alan Jackson, Who I Am. *Will Win: Jackson's platinum effort is too strong to be ignored. *Should Win: Don Was' platinum cross-genre experiment, Rhythm, Country & Blues, should get an award just for taking an artistic chance.
HORIZON AWARD: Faith Hill; Martina McBride; Tim McGraw; John Michael Montgomery; Lee Roy Parnell. *Will and Should Win: Montgomery-a master at hardcore honky-tonk and mainstream pop-deserves the nod for defeating attempts to turn him into a Garth Brooks clone.
