One of the best kept secrets in cowboy culture these days, or maybe not so much a secret anymore, is Vicente Fernandez. Cowboys and Indians magazine profiled Mr. Fernandez for their April issue and called him the “king of the Mexican signing cowboys”. Also known as “the world’s greatest ranchera singer”, Fernandez practices what he preaches, owning a horse ranch in Guadalajara, Mexico of over 400 horses.

With more than 20 feature films and nearly 80 albums to his credit, and 50 million CDs sold, El Rey, as he’s called, proved he de-serves the title when his 2007 release, Para Siempre [For Always], became the best-selling Latin record in the U.S. market in its first six months on the charts. On it, the rags-to-riches Fernández performs signature songs of longing and hard luck, love and jealousy, and the lure of the open road.

His album covers portray a six-gun-toting Mexican cowboy of the Old West merged with a Latin pop star of the 21st century, but Fernández is more than just a colorful stage presence. Comparisons to Elvis and Sinatra are inevitable both for the mania and devotion of Fernández fans and for the energy and sincerity of emotion that power his live performances and recordings. Regularly playing to packed crowds, he can sell out weeklong engagements in Los Angeles in a heartbeat. Make it to any of those U.S. concerts and you’ll see cowboys tossing hats (and cowgirls throwing unmentionables onstage), clamoring for one more song.

While the press might call Mr. Fernandez “the Sinatra of Mexico”, he’s just doing what he loves best: passing on the love of cowboy culture.

Tonight is Nashville’s biggest night, and usually the night you see the best western wear out there: the 42nd annual Country Music Association Awards. The CMA has built an interactive website where you can make and share your award picks, participate in polls, check out photos from rehearsals, check out award winners of the past, and see where else the CMA is participating on the web.

The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will unite to host “The 42nd Annual CMA Awards.” This is the first time that either artist will have hosted “Country Music’s Biggest NightTM.” “The 42nd Annual CMA Awards” airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“We are excited to have our reigning Male and Female Vocalist host the CMA Awards this year,” said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “In addition to their musical talent, Brad’s quick wit and Carrie’s gracefulness will serve them well in this role. CMA is happy to offer both of them their first opportunity to host a nationally televised network awards show. ”

In addition to their hosting duties, Paisley and Underwood will also perform on “The CMA Awards.” Previously announced performers include Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban, with more performers to be announced soon.

If you are a country music fan, be sure and tune in tonight. It promises to be very cowboy friendly.

GAC TV Highlights

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steve Wariner, the late Hank Williams and “Ring Of Fire” songwriter Merle Kilgore were inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame yesterday in a ceremony that practically lobbed history from across the street.

The event took place at Hall of Fame Park, literally a stone’s throw from the Country Music Hall of Fame, where Hank is enshrined in a rotunda that bears the inscription “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.” Steve’s mentor, Chet Atkins, is likewise a Hall of Famer and “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” was the title of a series of Dirt Band albums in which the group recorded with such Hall of Famers as Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, Maybelle Carter, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson and Merle Travis.

The connection between the Hall and the Walk of Fame was not lost on the honorees. “It’s full ‘Circle,’ pardon the pun,” Dirt Band member Jeff Hanna winked prior to the event.