Glen Campbell News

For Big & Rich, the CMAs in New York was more than unusual — it was out of this world.

John Rich brought three dates with him — each with purple hair, raccoon made-up eyes, silver bathing suits and green glitter painted over their skin.

"We've been traveling around the galaxy here lately and made a few friends, invited them to the show and sent a spaceship to pick them up," Rich told AP Television. "They traveled 10 light years to be here tonight."

Rich introduced them as Ying Yang, Zing Xang and Ching Chang. His partner, Big Kenny Alphin, tried to explain the trio's presence.

"What we are trying to get across is how big country music is," Alphin said. "It's huge. It's interplanetary. It's galactic, off the hook. it's hot, hot, hot. It's on fire. It's revolutionary. Can I get an amen?"

Big & Rich had three nominations between them both, but failed to bring home an award. They performed "Comin' To Your City," the title song of their new album, which was released Tuesday.

They sang a fitting line for the evening:

"We're comin' to New York City. We're gonna play our guitar, sing you a country song."

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Shania Twain's trip to New York for the CMAs included riding horses with Martha Stewart.

The singer visited Stewart at her Katonah, N.Y. estate before attending the award show Tuesday night as a presenter and said it was the highlight of her week, only trumped by the CMAs.

"It's pretty obvious this became a real event," she said of the much hyped location change from the awards' historical locale: the Grand Ole Opry.

Twain, whose crossover hits have boosted country's mainstream popularity in recent years, said the Nashville epicenter was still spreading outward.

"I think the audience is growing, and the New York audience has always been here."

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Long Island native Billy Joel played veritable host to the CMAs Tuesday.

"I think this has been a long time coming," the Piano Man said. "It's about time."

Joel, known for piano ballads, says he's been a country fan for decades and hopes New York City — currently devoid of a country radio station — gets one. He also thinks the generally accepted definitions of country music are too narrow.

"I first heard country music when I heard Ray Charles sing," he said. "Elvis Presley was considered country and he started rock 'n' roll."

Joel, who presented the entertainer of the year award with Shania Twain, also said that several of his songs are country songs, among them "Last of the Big Time Spenders."

"I wanted to be Charlie Rich," he said, referring to the country singer who won two CMA awards in 1973.

Joel wasn't the only pop star making the country crossover Tuesday. Elton John performed with Dolly Parton and Paul Simon played with Willie Nelson and Norah Jones.

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Carrie Underwood walked down the red carpet trying to get her mom to stop stepping on her gown.

The reigning "American Idol" champ attended her first CMAs with her mother, Carol, in tow, just behind the trail of her sleek, red dress. It was a big day for Underwood, whose debut album "Some Hearts" was also released Tuesday.

"Instead of going through it all twice, this mashed everything together," Underwood said. Later backstage, she said, "I went to a record store this morning and bought my album. ... It's been surreal."

The 22-year-old Oklahoma farm girl, who performed her song "Jesus Take the Wheel," was known for shyness during her "Idol" run, but said she's feeling more comfortable.

"It's something you don't get used to, but it gets easier."

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Country music has often been aligned with conservative politics, and two of the country's most prominent Republicans were in attendance Tuesday.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg briefly appeared on stage to welcome the CMAs to his city, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., enjoyed the show with his wife, Karyn.

The event at Madison Square Garden reminded Frist of last summer's GOP convention — another fish-out-of-water, MSG-hosted event — that he said had similarly "opened people's eyes."

Frist said he thought the CMAs deserved to be back in his home state in the future.

"It should just be temporary," he said of this year's move of the awards show from Nashville to New York.

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The cowboy style of Stetson hat and rhinestones is country through-and-through — and perhaps no one is more responsible for that than Manuel.

The stout, boisterous designer has been fashioning clothes for country stars for decades — from Elvis to Johnny Cash, whom Manuel helped transform into "the man in black."

Sporting a sky blue jacket himself, Manuel was responsible for helping dress many of Tuesday night's male attendees. Though the basic country look has remained largely stedfast, he said he's tried to keep up with the trends.

"You gotta go by the mood, the season, the era," Manuel said. "You don't want to look like year one."

In dressing Eddie Montgomery, Manuel followed the singer's own design, which few fashionistas would applaud. In rhinestones, his jacket blared "Broadway" on the front, "NYC" on the sleeves and had the Statue of Liberty on the back.

Glen Campbell, though, wore an old, all-black suit in honor of Cash. He said Manuel designed the dark duds for him over 15 years ago.

"They just don't wear out," he said.