2009 CMA Awards highlights

Taylor Swift

"Nashville's biggest night" turned into Taylor Swift night, as the 43rd annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards bestowed four trophies upon the 19-year-old singer, including the evening's biggest prize, Entertainer of the Year. Swift is the youngest artist ever to win the award. Other upstart country acts also won big at this year's CMAs, including Lady Antebellum (two awards) and Jamey Johnson (Song of the Year). But don't worry—Nashville veteran Brad Paisley still managed to nab Male Vocalist of the Year for the third year in a row.

The other big headline at this year's CMAs was the parade of guest performers from the rock 'n' roll world. Chris Daughtry dueted with Vince Gill; ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons sat in with Brooks and Dunn; Kid Rock shared the stage with Jamey Johnson; even Dave Matthews dropped by to perform "I'm Alive," his duet with Kenny Chesney. One of the evening's few performers who didn't enlist a guest rocker: ex-Hootie and the Blowfish singer Darius Rucker, who cemented his transformation into a bona fide Nashville star by winning New Artist of the Year.

Visit our Metromix Nashville site for a complete list of CMA Awards winners, along with more CMA red carpet photos and commentary.