Music

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Taylor Swift won video of the year at the Country Music Television awards for "Love Story."

It is an elaborate production that features period costumes as it echoes the story of Romeo and Juliet.

Swift won the fan-voted award Tuesday over Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Carrie Underwood and Sugarland.

Swift hugged Paisley as she walked up to accept the honor. She thanked Shania Twain for making theatrical videos and Garth Brooks for "always putting the fans first."

The 19-year-old singer also thanked her younger brother, Austin, for being her date.

Swift had a big night, also winning female video of the year for "Love Story" and performing "Pour Some Sugar On Me" with the rock band Def Leppard.

Sugarland won duo of the year for their island-themed video "All I Want to Do," and the Zac Brown Band won breakthrough video for "Chicken Fried," their snappy song about life's simple pleasures, during the awards program.

"Thank you for following us wherever we've been going," Sugarland's Kristian Bush said of the soulful song and video, which features singer Jennifer Nettles on a surfboard.

Brown originally recorded "Chicken Fried" five years ago and reworked it for the group's recent album. With lines like "cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right," the track begins as a celebration of life's simple things, then turns a bit in the third verse by saluting "the stars and stripes" and the "ones who died."

Kid Rock won wide open country video for "All Summer Long," which samples Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London." The video, set on a lake in northern Michigan, features bikini-clad dancers on a pontoon boat.

"I think this was based on creativity, this award, because what's more creative than a strip pole on a pontoon boat?" said Kid Rock, who hugged Sheryl Crow as he walked up to accept the award. A few years ago, Kid Rock and Crow teamed for the hit "Picture."

The show kicked off with a skit featuring Taylor Swift and host Bill Engvall that had Swift rapping with T-Pain, appearing in a Star Trek movie and playing for the NFL's Tennessee Titans.

Engvall poked fun at Jessica Simpson's lackluster country career, saying T-Pain doesn't wear boots or a cowboy hat "and is still more embraced by country fans than Jessica Simpson."

Musical performances were a big part of the show. Brad Paisley punctuated his hit "Then" with bluesy guitar solos. Taylor Swift brought out a stage full of cheerleaders for "You Belong With Me." Keith Urban ran up into the stands during "Sweet Thing."