The 2008 CMT Music Awards: 21 days to vote (and how to get there if you're going...)

First and foremost, very happy birthday wishes to Rocky Covington's lovely wife Terra and Rocky and Bucky's "Special Mother" Tracey--hope the day was beautiful!

Bucky Covington's big night at the 2008 CMT Music Awards is coming up next month--and if you're reading this blog, chances are you wouldn't miss the broadcast (April 14, 8 p.m. ET on CMT) for the world. But if being there by tube isn't close enough, how about taking the next step and being there live at the Curb Event Center in Nashville?

Bad news first--those coveted mosh spots (the standing room only pit areas directly in front of the stage) are sold out, and have been for a while. The good news is that you can still snag spots there and do a good turn for charity in the process, if your pockets and desire run deep. CMT Auctions is offering several package deals to benefit their One Country volunteer initiative; the VIP experiences include mosh pit tickets, one night at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Nashville, a private pre-show party at The Sunset Grill, souvenir laminates, round-trip ground transportation between the venue and the Hilton, and an onsite guest services representative. (You'll have to arrange transport to Nashville on your own.) Bidding starts at $850 for the one-person VIP package and $1695 for the VIP experience for two (we did mention the deep pockets, yes?), and the auctions are currently in progress, with most ending within the next week.

The show's officially a sellout at Ticketmaster, but bookmark that event page just in case--even with sellouts, it never hurts to check. As with regular concerts, credit cards get declined, promotional tickets get thrown back in the pile, and a lucky break might be yours simply by being at the right page at the right time. Can't hurt to look!

"Secondary market" tickets for the show are turning up in the usual places, but as we said way back in the ancient days of the American Idols Live '06 tour, if you're using such a service, proceed with caution and make sure to talk to other satisfied customers if possible. Unsurprisingly, Ticketmaster now has a reselling service of its own; as of now, no CMT Music Awards seats are available on their Ticket Exchange subsite, but that can change from day to day, so bookmark that page and stay tuned...


The very best price is free, of course, and winning your seats can be the most exciting way of all to be there for the fun! CMT and Garnier Nutrisse want to help you out with that "free" thing--click here for info on the Rising Stars sweepstakes, where you can win round-trip airfare for two to Nashville, two nights luxury hotel accommodations, two tickets to the 2008 CMT Music Awards and hair and make-up done by the pros. (Last year's winner got a bit of red-carpet camera time, too...could be a very fun way to enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame, and wouldn't it be cool to have a Bucky Covington fan in the winner's circle, looking gorgeous? Enter today...)

Finally, be sure to visit your local country station's site for contests...many stations have CMT tie-in sweepstakes that could be your free ticket to Nashville and the awards next month. Log in, tune in, and dial in when you hear your chance to win! (Be sure to request "It's Good to Be Us" while you're doing all that dialing--hey, did you think I'd write a nag-free post? Nope...)

For those who'll be in the Nashville area on the 14th, there's one more opportunity to be part of the night. CMT's One Country is offering a sweepstakes especially for volunteers:

Sign up to be a CMT One Country volunteer and you will be entered to win two seats on the 2008 CMT Music Awards Red Carpet. There are over 90 chances to win! Enter your ZIP code [on this page] to register and click here for full sweepstakes rules.

These prizes are tickets to the red carpet only, not the show itself--but there's a lot to be said for witnessing Bucky's entrance in living color.

Already got your ticket? CMT.com has a page with all the info you'll need about attending the ceremonies--everything from directions to parking to what to wear. Congratulations on being there for Bucky's first big awards night!

Of course, the biggest part of the night is the moment when Bucky gets that belt-buckle trophy in his hands for keeps! Whether you're watching from home or you're inside the Curb Event Center, that'll be a beautiful sight to see--and only we can make sure it happens for Bucky. Register at CMT and vote now---and recruit as many friends, co-workers and neighbors as you can!

More later this morning--Winnie