The 31st TNN/Music City News Country Awards was held on June 16, 1997, at the Grand Ole Opry House, in Nashville, Tennessee . The ceremony was hosted by George Jones, LeAnn Rimes, and Randy Travis.
Winners and nominees Winners are shown in bold. Entertainer of the YearAlbum of the Year Alan Jackson Billy Ray Cyrus Vince Gill Reba McEntire George Strait Blue Clear Sky — George Strait Between Now and Forever — Bryan White Everything I Love — Alan Jackson High Lonesome Sound — Vince Gill Trail of Tears — Billy Ray CyrusFemale Artist of the YearMale Artist of the Year Lorrie Morgan Terri Clark Faith Hill Patty Loveless Reba McEntire Alan Jackson Billy Ray Cyrus Vince Gill George Strait Bryan WhiteVocal Group of the YearVocal Duo of the Year The Statlers 4 Runner The Forester Sisters The Moffatts Oak Ridge Boys Brooks & Dunn Bellamy Brothers Darryl & Don Ellis Regina Regina Sweethearts of the RodeoVocal Band of the YearVocal Collaboration of the Year Sawyer Brown Alabama BlackHawk Diamond Rio The Mavericks Lorrie Morgan and Jon Randall Alan Jackson and Jeff Foxworthy Dolly Parton and Vince Gill LeAnn Rimes and Eddy Arnold Travis Tritt and Marty StuartSingle of the YearVideo of the Year "Trail of Tears" — Billy Ray Cyrus "Blue" — LeAnn Rimes "Blue Clear Sky" — George Strait "Little Bitty" — Alan Jackson "Worlds Apart" — Vince Gill "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" — Neal McCoy "Games Rednecks Play" — Alan Jackson and Jeff Foxworthy "Little Bitty" — Alan Jackson "Trail of Tears" — Billy Ray Cyrus "Worlds Apart" — Vince GillMale Star of TomorrowFemale Star of Tomorrow Wade Hayes Trace Adkins Paul Brandt Ty England Ty Herndon LeAnn Rimes Deana Carter Mindy McCready Jo Dee Messina MC PottsChristian Country Artist of the YearComedian of the Year Ricky Van Shelton Amy Grant Susie Luchsinger Paul Overstreet Ricky Skaggs Jeff Foxworthy Gary Chapman Cledus T. Judd Mike Snider Ray StevensLiving Legend Award Charley PrideMinnie Pearl Award George Lindsey
See also CMT Music Awards
References