When you're 19 and a whole association tells you they love you, you ought to believe them.
A certain awkward moment Taylor Swift had at the 2009 VMAs turned into a distant memory when she finally got some time to herself at the 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards, some of which came at the end of the night when she unseated four-time winner Kenny Chesney for Entertainer of the Year honors.
"I will never forget this moment because, in this moment, everything I have ever wanted has just happened to me," an emotional Swift, the first woman to win the award since Shania Twain in 1999, said before inviting the members of her band onstage to share the spotlight with her.
And all that Joe Jonas heartbreak turned out to be worth it, because her spunky sophomore effort Fearless, rife with breakup tunes, was named Album of the Year.
"This album is my diary and so, to all the people who voted for me for this, thank you for saying that you liked my diary," an over-the-moon Swift said in between performances of "Forever & Always" and "Fifteen" at the three-hour kudosfest, which prefers its acceptance speeches short and its performance segments uplifting, varied and plentiful.
Swift went 4-for-4 Wednesday, also taking home pointy crystal statues for Video of the Year for "Love Story," the sappiest tune on the otherwise adorably angry Fearless, and displacing two-time winner Carrie Underwood to win Female Vocalist of the Year.
"I just got a hug from Kris Kristofferson! I'm good!" Swift said upon accepting the latter award. "I hope you know how much this means to me...And I want to thank every single person in this room tonight for not running onstage during this speech."
Ba-dum-bump.
But with her topic-spanning SNL monologue behind her, there was really nothing for Swift to worry about tonight besides singing and winning.
Instead, the night's PSA was provided by cohosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, who warbled a rendition of that timeless classic, "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Kanye."
Paisley, who entered the evening with a leading seven nominations, banked his third consecutive win for Male Vocalist of the Year and shared the win for Event of the Year with Keith Urban for their collaboration on "Start a Band."
Darius Rucker's career-salvaging decision to turn country proved to be a sound choice: The 43-year-old former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman beat out an all-male crew that included relative spring chickens like Jake Owen and Randy Hauser to be named Best New Artist of the Year.
He thanked his wife and three kids, various other supporters and country radio for "taking a chance on a pop singer from Charleston, South Carolina."
Hey, if there's room for Kid Rock, there's room for everybody.
Those gracing the stage to sing tonight included Paisley; Underwood; Urban (Nicole Kidman looked lovely in the audience); Sugarland; Lady Antebellum, winners for Vocal Duo and Single of the Year; George Strait; Brooks & Dunn, who will be dismantling after their latest tour, with ZZ Top; Miranda Lambert; Martina McBride; and Kenny Chesney, who with Virginia boy Dave Matthews tried to remind the CMA that "I'm Alive," but...
No one heard him this year.
Here's the complete list of winners from the 2009 CMA Awards:
Entertainer of the Year: Taylor Swift
Album of the Year: Fearless, Taylor Swift
Male Vocalist of the Year: Brad Paisley
Female Vocalist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Single of the Year: "I Run to You," Lady Antebellum
Song of the Year: "In Color," Jamey Johnson (with cowriters Lee Thomas Miller and James Otto)
Music Video of the Year: "Love Story," Taylor Swift
Vocal Group of the Year: Lady Antebellum
Vocal Duo of the Year: Sugarland
Best New Artist of the Year: Darius Rucker
Musician of the Year: Mac McAnally
Event of the Year: "Start a Band," Brad Paisley and Keith Urban
(Originally published Nov. 11, 2009, at 8:05 p.m. PT)
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See who was there and what they wore in our 2009 CMA Awards gallery.