Jackson's Award tally included Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album (for Drive), and Song and Single of the Year for "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)," which he dramatically debuted on the 2001 CMA Awards gala. The song became an instant hit and catapulted Jackson to the top of the album charts in early 2002 and has gone on to sell triple Platinum. Jackson performed "That'd Be Alright" during the broadcast.

Having never won the Male Vocalist of the Year Award before, Jackson said, "It seems like I have been nominated for this category hundreds of times.  It's been worth the wait."   Jackson won the Entertainer of the Year Award in 1995, and professed that his philosophy has not changed since then.  "I just get up there and sing," he said.   

More than 40 of Country's most popular entertainers appeared during the live, three-hour broadcast on the CBS Television Network, which was packed with 27 performances making it "Country Music's Biggest Night."

Country superstar Shania Twain kicked off the show with new single "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" In her first television performance since 1999, Twain pulled out all the stops, launching a Harley-Davidson motorcycle down an aisle and up to the stage.  "I'm basically a bar singer," Twain said backstage after her performance.  "I am a bar singer who ended up on a concert stage."

Bluegrass-fusion group Nickel Creek performed the title-track from their second Sugar Hill Records release, This Side.  New parents Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black presented the Vocal Group of the Year Award to the absent Dixie Chicks.  The trio, who won the Vocal Group Award in 2000, released their third album, Home, in August.

BNA recording artist Kenny Chesney performed the reflective "A Lot Of Things Different," a song written by Country Music Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson and Dean Dillon about life's missed opportunities.

Newly engaged Brad Paisley performed the tongue-in-cheek hit "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" before taking home the Award for Music Video of the Year. 

The star-packed video featured Paisley's fiancé Kimberly Williams ("Father of the Bride"), Little Jimmy Dickens, talk show host Jerry Springer, ESPN's Dan Patrick and professional anglers Hank Parker and Forrest L. Wood.  Director Peter Zavadil picked up his second Music Video Award in a row, winning in 2001 for Sara Evans' "Born To Fly."

Toby Keith roused the crowd with "Who's Your Daddy?" off of his album Unleashed.  Alison Krauss and Union Station performed a song from their current album New Favorite entitled "The Lucky One," featuring Musician of the Year Jerry Douglas on dobro.

Lyric Street trio Rascal Flatts performed "These Days" off of their sophomore album Melt, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week.  The group later picked up the coveted Horizon Award, which is given to the artist who has demonstrated significant growth in Country Music over the past year.

Vocal Duo of the Year nominee Montgomery Gentry performed their tribute to small town life, "My Town," the title track from their latest Columbia Records album.  Legendary duo The Bellamy Brothers were presented with the International Artist Achievement Award before the broadcast.

Brooks & Dunn picked up their 10th Vocal Duo of the Year Award after performing "Every River."  "We sweat bullets every time we come up here," said Ronnie Dunn.  "I know y'all are tired of seeing us up here, but we still love it."

Country diva Faith Hill previewed "When The Lights Go Down," a sultry ballad on her newly released Warner Bros. album, Cry.  Lee Ann Womack, 2001's CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, performed the traditional Country song "He'll Be Back," written by Red Lane, Hank Cochran and Dale Chris Dodson.

After singing "Concrete Angel," Martina McBride won her second Female Vocalist of the Year Award (1999). "I didn't expect to get this emotional," a teary McBride said.  "It is so amazing that I get to live this dream and am so grateful."  

Columbia recording artist Travis Tritt performed his tribute to late Country outlaw Waylon Jennings in front of a video screen chronicling Jennings' life and career.

Living legends Porter Wagoner and Bill Carlisle were officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame by fellow Hall of Fame member and Wagoner's early protégé Dolly Parton. "I like to think of myself as a link between the Country stars of the past and the ones of today," Wagoner said, "I have never felt more humble in my life than I do tonight."
 
Parton performed "Hello God," a song she wrote in the wake of September 11th, with the Christ Church Choir.

Host Vince Gill, who wore the hat for a record 11th year in a row, performed "Next Big Thing," a song off his first album in two years to be released in early 2003. 

Other performances included Deana Carter ("Strawberry Wine"); Kellie Coffey ("When You Lie Next To Me"); Rebecca Lynn Howard ("Forgive"); Carolyn Dawn Johnson ("One Day Closer To You"); George Jones ("He Stopped Loving Her Today"); Joe Nichols ("The Impossible"); George Strait ("She'll Leave You With A Smile"); Keith Urban ("Somebody Like You"); Phil Vassar ("American Child"); and Darryl Worley ("I Miss My Friend").
Winners of "The 36th Annual CMA Awards" are voted on by nearly 5,000 professional members of the Country Music Association.  CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

The CMA Awards became the first music awards special to be carried on network television in 1968.  Since then, the program has consistently earned top ratings and is traditionally one of the highest-rated in the television season.

The CMA Awards is produced by Walter C. Miller, directed by Paul Miller and scripted by David Wild.  A stereo-radio simulcast of the Awards was satellite delivered by MJI Programming.

The winners of "The 36th Annual CMA Awards" are:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR:
ALAN JACKSON

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
MARTINA MCBRIDE

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
ALAN JACKSON

HORIZON AWARD: RASCAL:
FLATTS

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR:
BROOKS & DUNN

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR:
DIXIE CHICKS

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: (Award to artist and producer)
Drive ALAN JACKSON
KEITH STEGALL, producer

SONG OF THE YEAR: (Award to songwriter)
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)"
ALAN JACKSON

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: (Award to artist and producer)
"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning"
ALAN JACKSON
KEITH STEGALL, producer

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR: (Awards to artist and director)
"I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)"
BRAD PAISLEY
PETER ZAVADIL, director

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR:
"Mendocino County Line"
WILLIE NELSON with LEE ANN WOMACK

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR:
JERRY DOUGLAS

'With Thanks To The Country music Association'