My Favorite CMA Awards Moments [VIDEO]

In honor of the 53rd annual CMA Awards tonight in Nashville, I thought I would reprise my list of favorite moments from years past. It's always fun to look back on some of the crazy moments that have spontaneously happened on live TV, and remember that most of these would NEVER fly in today's world. Be sure and tune in to country music's biggest night tonight on ABC starting at 7:00 pm CST.

A few weeks after 9/11 Alan Jackson wrote a heartfelt tribute to that terrible day, and performed  it on the 2001 CMA Awards show. Everyone in the audience, and at home, was crying, and Alan later went on to win many many accolades and awards for his beautiful song. I was in the audience when he performed this, and it is a moment I will never forget.

In 1975, one of the most infamous incidents in country music history happened at the CMA Awards. Charlie Rich, when announcing that John Denver had won the Entertainer of the Year award, promptly set the envelope on fire in disdain. On stage. On live TV. This is probably my most favorite moment of all time, and I especially love that Glen Campbell, who was the host of the show, was smoking on stage during the entire live broadcast. Check out singer Margo Price's NSFW tweet about the incident, which seems to be the only video available on the internet, strangely enough.

In 1999, Alabama performed 'God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You' with the members of N'SYNC. I thought it was a brilliant pairing, especially since I got to meet some members of the hottest boy band on the planet at a party afterwards! It is still one of my favorite versions of the song, and way ahead of it's time as far as collaborations go.

In 1993 George Jones won the award for Vocal Event of the Year for 'I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair'. The only problem was, he was in the bathroom when his name was called onstage, and his wife Nancy awkwardly accepted the trophy for him. They didn't call him 'No Show Jones' for nothin'!

Alan Jackson, in 1999, was irked at the CMA for what he perceived was their mistreatment of George Jones, so he cut his own performance short on live TV to glide into the Jones tune 'Choices'. The slap in the face to the CMA was loud and clear, and honestly, they deserved it.

In 2009, Faith Hill was caught on camera after she lost the Female Vocalist of the Year award to Carrie Underwood. She definitely didn't look pleased, and clearly said 'WHAT?!" straight into the camera. She and her management later said it was just a joke. Oh, ok