The 36th Annual CMA Awards (List of 2002 Winners)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CMA Awards) - Winners of the Country Music Association Awards (2002):

Entertainer: Alan Jackson
Male Vocalist: Alan Jackson
Female Vocalist: Martina McBride
Horizon Award: Rascal Flatts
Vocal Group: Dixie Chicks
Vocal Duo: Brooks & Dunn
Single: "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" Alan Jackson - producer Keith Stegall
Album: "Drive" Alan Jackson - producer Keith Stegall
Song: "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" Alan Jackson - EMI April Music/Tri-Angels Music
Vocal event: "Mendocino County Line" Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack
Musician: Jerry Douglas, dobro
Music Video: "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" Brad Paisley - director Peter Zavadil.

Since last year's Country Music Association awards show, this year's seemed inevitable. When Alan Jackson sang "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" for the first time on the 2001 awards show, most everybody present understood that they would watch Jackson accept awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year on the next show.

Jackson won both those awards last night, as well as three more, tying a record for the most single-year CMA awards set in 1969 by Johnny Cash and matched in 1993 by Vince Gill. Jackson, up for a record-setting 10 nominations, also won Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year (for Drive).

Of the five, the male-vocalist honor seemed to touch Jackson most. "I've never won Male Vocalist," he said, choking back emotion during his acceptance speech. "When I was starting in Georgia and I used to watch this show on television, I always thought that was the award that was best for a man that sings for a living."

Backstage, the historical importance of his achievement began to sink in, as Jackson realized he'd accomplished something that his heroes like Merle Haggard and George Jones had never done. "When I look at George Jones, George Strait, Haggard, some of those guys, there's no way I could qualify to be in the category with those guys."