Paisley, Underwood named CMA show hosts

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have agreed to serve as hosts of the 43rd annual CMA Awards show in Nashville, ABC said.

This will be the second year in a row Paisley and Underwood preside over the event.

The prize presentation is slated to take place Nov. 11, and tickets are to go on sale Sept. 19.

We are thrilled to have Brad and Carrie return as hosts after doing such a great job last year, Tammy Genovese, CMA chief executive officer, said in a statement. Both Brad and Carrie are in their prime as artists, as evidenced by them being named male and female vocalist of the year, respectively, last year. They each possess a great sense of humor and timing, which are two essential ingredients for hosting the Awards.

I am thrilled to get the chance to co-host the CMAs for a second time with my pal Carrie, added Paisley. This year we’ll pull out all the stops, like a miniature poodle balancing act, tightrope walking, and a new world record for the number of costume changes by my co-host. Don’t miss it!