Live Blog: Introductions

It's that time again, my friends!  The time of year when folks from all over the world travel thousands of miles to gather with their families to celebrate the season!  No, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving.  And it ain't Christmas or New Year's either! Stop thinking small, ya'll!  I'm talking big, big, BIG!  And what could be bigger than the 2008 CMA Music Festival?  Armageddon, maybe, but that's a long way off so while you've got the time, join the festivities as we cover the whole shebang from beginning to end with CMT's 2008 CMA Music Festival Big, Bad, Beautiful Live Blog right here on CMT.com.  As always, I'll be joined by trusty typist and all-around good egg Jen Morrison as we take to the streets, clubs, and venues to keep you up to date on events, music and of course, your favorite stars.  And keep a look out because we might just bring a camera along and turn you into a Internet sensation!  The fun starts tonight so log on and lock yourself in for CMT's 2008 CMA Music Festival Live Blog! DON'T...YOU DARE...MISS IT!

This Sunday night, May 18th, the CMT Blog Squad will once again be bringing you a big barrel of catty comments and ripping reports from the 43rd Annual ACM Awards in beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada!... Okay, to be honest, we won't actually be in Las Vegas, we'll be in Nash Vegas watching from the exotic Employee Lounge on the 4th Floor of the CMT Building in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee! You see, anybody can go to an event, hang out backstage and give you the same old boring reports on who's got the biggest entourage, who's being a screaming diva and who's more pilled-up than Paula Abdul on a pogo stick. That's easy. That's why this time, we've decided to do something special. Just like you at home, we'll be watching the show as it happens and sharing our smart-assed remarks with you on a live blog. Plus, you'll be able to post your own comments about the show. It'll be like we're right there in your living room, yelling at the TV right along with you. AND as an added bonus, some of your favorite artists will be guest blogging with us, but you'll have to stop by to find out! So put on a pair of sweats, grab a bag of chips and join us this Sunday, May 18th for the ACM Awards Live Blog right here on CMT.com. And hey, don't forget to bring the beer!

CMT Live Blog correspondent from the ACM Awards in Las Vegas

In a small farm town in North Carolina, Shane Tarleton operated his own one-man Top 40 countdown radio show from the enterprising age of 8.  With weekly call-ins from such icons as Dolly Parton, Don Williams, Reba McEntire and Tammy Wynette with an occasional Madonna or Michael Jackson thrown in there, Shane built an empire in his bedroom.  All of this, of course, was done simply by displaying his favorite LP's around the room and talking into a disconnected phone receiver while listening to the weekly Billboard Top 40 Countdown.  What started as an overzealous imagination has turned into a parallel reality.  Having spent the past 15 years in Music City, Shane has honed and developed images through music videos and still shoots for such artists as Sara Evans, Kenny Chesney, Clay Walker, and Brad Paisley while serving his 6 year tenure in the creative department at RCA Label Group.  Today, Shane serves as Fashion & Beauty Editor at Country Weekly Magazine.

Shane will be blogging with us from inside the press room at the 43 Annual ACM Awards in Las Vegas.

When you come to this page on Monday (April 14), you’ll find coverage of the CMT Music Awards like no one's ever seen.

Comedian Shane Caldwell will bring the wit he's shown in his stand-up routines and on scores of television comedy shows to CMT's biggest night on CMT.com's first live blog.

No writers. No editors. Whatever Shane sees on the red carpet, in the green room and backstage, he'll write about. Live.

So turn on your computer when you turn on your TV to watch the show, and you'll know what the stars are doing backstage and what the cameras don't show you.

Shane's live blog begins Monday at 6pm CST when the 2008 CMT Music Awards Red Carpet hits the air, and he'll be typing until the last winner leaves the stage.