By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 11/12/2009  2:29 AM
Last Modified: 11/12/2009  6:34 AM

The down-home banter was as thick as designer perfume at the CMA Awards on Wednesday night as co-hosts Brad Paisley, dressed in an impeccable black suit and good-guy white hat, and Carrie Underwood, in a shimmering, short silver minidress, joked and laughed and smiled.

Paisley grabbed his guitar and started singing. Underwood would follow in parody. And, of course, it wouldn't be a bona-fide awards show without a jab at rapper and microphone-hog Kanye West.

"Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Kanye. Let them be cowboys 'cuz cowboys have manners and don't interrupt," the duo chirped in tune to "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys."

The pair's onstage warm, comfortable and comedic chemistry set a tone of respect and professionalism that is often absent from shock-grabbing, hind-end baring, teen-centered awards shows.

Taylor Swift kicked off the program, performing her hit tune "Forever & Always," dressed in black leather pants and a sequined kimono-style top, throwing her blond locks around like a metal music goddess strung out on country heartache.

There were few surprises. No, Paisley didn't sweep the seven categories he was nominated in. Yes, he won male vocalist of the year.

Yes, Underwood had more costume changes than she's had No. 1 hits. No, she didn't have a single on-air wardrobe malfunction.

Surprise: Swift won the artist, album and female vocalist of the year awards, beating out Oklahoma superstars Carrie Underwood,
Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert.

Her response: "I will never forget this moment, because everything I've ever wanted has just happened to me." Then she called her band onstage for one whopper of a group hug.

As far as live performances went, old-school and outlaw country took a backseat to a rocket ride of contemporary, cross-genre, country-rock collaborations.

Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney performed "I'm Alive"; Okie home boy Vince Gill and Daughtry performed "Tennessee Line." Brooks & Dunn paired with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons on "Honky Tonk Stomp"; Kid Rock and Jamey Johnson joined for "Between Jennings and Jones."

The night's tempo raced with a string of hit song performances from Jason Aldean, Paisley, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker and Miranda Lambert.

Underwood gave props to her home state of Oklahoma and her idol Reba McEntire when she introduced "the one, the only, the incomparable Reba!" before McEntire sang an impeccable and effortless "Consider Me Gone."

Martina McBride paid tribute to Hall of Fame inductee Barbara Mandrell with her soulful version of "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" and an all-star backing band that included George Strait and harmonic virtuoso Charlie McCoy. Mandrell wept with appreciation. McCoy and Tulsan Roy Clark were also inducted.

The Veterans Day holiday wasn't forgotten, either. Paisley waxed about World War II in his performance, singing "every day is a revolution."

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JENNIFER CHANCELLOR