CMA Awards   -  Archives

Merle Haggard is the night's big winner. He is nominated for nine awards (a record at the time) and takes home four awards -- including entertainer, male vocalist and single of the year for the self-penned "Okie From Muskogee." Two of Haggard's records are nominated, but it is Okie From Muskogee that earns the CMA award for album of the year. Kris Kristofferson wins his first CMA award as a songwriter for the now classic "Sunday Morning Coming Down," and guitarist Jerry Reed unseats Chet Atkins as instrumentalist of the year. The CMA awards the first duo of the year award to Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. Tammy Wynette continues her reign as CMA female vocalist, and the affable Roy Clark is named comedian of the year with the help of the popular show Hee Haw. This will be the last year for the comedian category. Folk singer and actor Burl Ives inducts the original Carter Family (A.P. Carter, Maybelle Carter and Sara Carter) into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe is also inducted.