Jamey Johnson picked up his second CMA Song of the Year Award last night for the hit “In Color” co-written with James Otto and Lee Thomas Miller. “I never thought y’all would even let me come to stuff like this,” Johnson joked. “Thank you for listening to my music and letting me do what I do.” Johnson won Song in 2007 for George Strait’s “Give It Away” with Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon. Johnson teamed with Kid Rock to perform “Between Jennings and Jones.”

Now through 11/22, Amazon is offering a free song download from CMA Award Nominated artists. Several of Jamey’s songs are eligible. CLICK HERE for full details and a list of qualifying songs.

Jamey Johnson is up for four Country Music Association awards, including for his album "That Lonesome Song."

What: Country Music Association awards

When: 8-11 p.m. Wednesday

Where: ABC

Hosts: Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood; they'll also perform.

Beyond country: Dave Matthews will sing "I'm Alive" with Kenny Chesney; Chris Daughtry will sing "Tennessee Line," backed by Vince Gill; also, Kid Rock will sing with Jamey Johnson.

More performers: George Strait, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Billy Currington. Also, these duos and groups: Brooks & Dunn, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band

The Country Music Association awards return Wednesday, offering the full Nashville experience.

There will be silly songs, sweet songs, somber songs. Then again, you could get all of that just from the recent years of Jamey Johnson.

"Ain't that the way that life goes down at us?" Johnson asked.

Perhaps, but few people encompass the full range. Johnson - who is up for four CMA awards and will duet with Kid Rock on the show - does.

His first hit, "The Dollar," was Nashville at its most sentimental, with a boy gathering up his coins so his dad wouldn't have to work so much. The songs he co-wrote for Trace Adkins - "Honky Tonk Badonk Adonk" and "Ladies Love Country Boys" - are suitable for bars and parties, cranked up loud. His current, CMA-nominated album tells of drunkenness, divorce and despair.

It takes all kinds to make life and make country music, Johnson said. "Ask my little sister, who's going through a divorce now .... There are people who never want to hear another song like 'Badonk Adonk.' And there are people who know that's exactly what they want to hear."

Johnson seems to cover the full range of experience. He's had formal music training, but uses a raw, gritty style. He's up for best new artist, but already won a CMA award two years ago.

This was the songwriters award for "Give It Away," the George Strait hit co-written by Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon and Johnson. He was expecting to let Anderson - a country legend who had just turned 70 - do the accepting, the way it had worked out when the song won other awards.

"I don't put that much effort into award shows .... Me and Buddy were content to stand there and let Bill do the talking," Johnson said.

Instead, he got a chance. He found himself saying his ex-wife probably deserved half the award.

That was just a tribute to "the kind of person she is," Johnson said. She may not have specifically said "give it away," but she said things like that. And the post-divorce period launched his best writing.

"Shooter Jennings and I were agreeing on that the other day," Johnson said. "We don't make records for the people buying them; I make a record for myself .... When God tells me what songs to write, he tells me through my natural instincts."

Those instincts have involved a lot of country living. He grew up in Montgomery, Ala., and sang in church, before he had his baritone voice. "I was probably around 12 .... I sang tenor with my dad."

Later, he came to Nashville, rather quietly. "I spent 10 or 11 months just watching and listening."

He tried his own songs, and Cannon, a producer and songwriter, became a fan. Johnson got a 2005 deal. On Billboard's country charts, "The Dollar" was No. 14 for singles, No. 20 for albums.

That was during Johnson's hottest stretch as a songwriter. "Give It Away" and "Ladies Love Country Boys" hit No. 1; "Badonk Adonk" reached No. 2.

He was also in "Nashville," a 2007 Fox reality show that vanished after two weeks and is criticized by many people, including Johnson. "Nashville doesn't want a whole lot of fake," he said. "We've had enough fake around here."

Things went downhill, with Johnson reeling from the divorce, being dropped by the record company and more. In "High Cost of Living" - which is mostly autobiographical, he says - he sings of pot, cocaine and more. "The high cost of livin'/Ain't nothing like the cost of livin' high."

Johnson seemed to disappear for a year. "I wrote songs and tried to get my life back together," he said.

The result is "That Lonesome Song," up for album of the year. Anderson, indirectly, had a key role.

Lee Miller was talking about Anderson's ability to pick up old, black-and-white photos and tell the rich stories behind them. "I said something like, 'Yeah, should've seen it in color,' " Johnson recalls.

That day, Miller and Johnson had a songwriting session and James Otto joined them. "We ended up writing it about our grandfathers," Johnson said.

Now "In Color," up for best song and best single, offers warm portraits of life going down at us.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20091110/ENT03/911100334/

Bang a drum: Matthew McConaughey is 40 years old

"The 30's were good to me and I'm really looking forward to my 40's, 'cause I'm a late bloomer," the actor writes on his Celebrity MySpace page. "Got everything I need for a perfect 40th ... a happy and healthy lady, son, and another baby on the way."

McConaughey celebrated the milestone Tuesday night at a big birthday party featuring country musician Jamey Johnson. The bash went on until 4:30 a.m. "There were some epic stories told, lot of laughs and definitely some roasting," he writes. "Somehow, no blood or glass broken.

As for the first day of his fifth decade, McConaughey says he plans to "spend some more time with my family and friends today, grillin' steaks and sippin' beers, celebratin' more to live for."

When Jamey was in NYC for a Bowery Ballroom show, he stopped by the Rolling Stone office to meet the top executives and thank them for their support of his music. He brought his guitar, Ole’ Maple, (which has now been signed by 12 legendary artists) and he sang Kristofferson’s “Moment of Forever” which was cut by Willie Nelson. CLICK HERE to watch the performance and read more.

Just checking in and wanted to update you on what's been going on lately. I've been runnin' and gunnin' since we released the record in August. It's been cool cause I've gotten to meet tons of fans out on the road. In Sept I took the guys to New York City. We did the Imus in the Morning Show and then played a set with the amazing Lee Ann Womack. It was my first time in the city and I loved it. We got a car and headed down to the World Trade Center Site which was mind blowing then we headed to Little Italy for a great dinner. I couldn't get over how many people were in Times Square. Very cool.
 
After NY we headed to Boston to play Farm Aid. What an honor that was. I got to hang on the bus with Willie Nelson for a while after our set and I had him sign "old Maple". What an awesome day.
 
We are all over the map these days...I hope to see some of y'all at a show soon. Thanks for all of your great emails and all the support you've shown me.  Oh and thanks for the phone messages too, keep them coming at my number (615)823-5592.
 
God Bless, JJ