Alan Jackson
"Thanks again, y'all. You grow up in a small town, you dream and pack up and move to Nashville, and you're too ignorant to know any better, and you pound your head against a wall for a few years; you get a break or two, play clubs, do what whatever you have to do, sing demos for $25, and some reason God sat down and blessed me. I've been very fortunate." -- Alan Jackson

Joe Nichols
"I gotta thank God for all the blessings I've received in the last two years. Without Him, nothing is possible." -- Joe Nichols

Martina McBride
"I don't know what to say. I'm so honored to be in this category with the women that are in this category. ... I'm very grateful and very proud." -- Martina McBride

Rascal Flatts
"There's some heroes in this category with us tonight, and they say that they're on their farewell tour, and they're the reasons we do this. We think they deserve this award. We want to give it to Alabama. Randy, come up here." -- Jay DeMarcus

Carl Smith
Carl Smith was known as "Mr. Country" when he rattled off 30 Top 10 hits in the 1950s. He is the father of singer Carlene Carter from his previous marriage to June Carter. Smith retired from music in 1979 to run his Tennessee ranch and raise show horses. He is married to former country singer Goldie Hill. His hits included "Hey Joe!" and "Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way."

Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer became best known for his "slip-note" piano playing on the hit "Last Date." He also played hundreds of recording sessions in Nashville, including Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" and toured with Presley. Working for producer Chet Atkins, he was a principal figure in the pop-sounding "Nashville Sound." He died of cancer in 1997 at age 64.

Alan Jackson
"Thank y'all, thank you very much. I thank the CMA for recognizing me again, but I've been doing this a long time, I've won a lot of awards and I just 'soon hand it off. There's a lot of new guys that are making a lot of good music." -- Alan Jackson

American IV: The Man Comes Around -- Johnny Cash
"My father's work came to completion at the end of his life, not with the completion of this record. I've never seen someone more dedicated and stronger than that man at what he did." -- John Carter Cash

"Three Wooden Crosses" -- Randy Travis
"My dad passed away about four years ago, wish he could be here. This is for my mom and my dad." -- Doug Johnson

"I lost a brother, a co-writer and a good friend in January, my brother Larry Williams. I want to dedicate it to him." -- Kim Williams

"Hurt" --Johnny Cash
"My father could take any song it seemed, and he could look at it and he could know if it would work for him or not. When he recorded that in the studio, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. He would be grateful." -- John Carter Cash

Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
"It looks like a rocket ship. ... Thank you, Alan Jackson, I'm glad I could help your struggling career. It was about 31 years ago that I came to this town to pursue my musical madness, and I've never won anything for anything, and it's great to do it here." -- Jimmy Buffett

"Hurt" -- Johnny Cash
"It's amazing my father had such a life that he could expose himself and still never lose his dignity and his charm and his beauty that was in his spirit. It just shown through. It's a great blessing." -- John Carter Cash

"Thank you, dad." -- Kathy (Cash) Tittle

Brooks & Dunn
"They didn't know it. I've taken over the show and taken Walter (Miller) hostage. The duo of the year this year was not gonna be on television, and I thought that was wrong, so I brought these guys their award out. Congratulations." -- Vince Gill

"Thanks y'all, we're working on our second decade. Thank you for keeping us around, we love ya." -- Ronnie Dunn

"Appreciate it very much. Yip, yip." -- Kix Brooks

Randy Scruggs
Awarded prior to the telecast.