» "Tim McGraw" to Tim McGraw — Taylor Wins: Three years ago, 16-year-old Taylor Swift broke into country music with a song called "Tim McGraw." At Wednesday night's 43rd Annual CMA Awards, Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill handed Swift country's top honor. Swift's incredible climb to Entertainer of the Year capped an evening that felt like a sea change for the genre, and it all happened before 16.8 million viewers of the highest-rated CMA show since 2005. "In this moment, everything I have ever wanted has just happened to me," Swift said of a night that included three other wins (Female, Album, Video), two performances including the show open and the setting of a new record as the youngest-ever Entertainer recipient. She also received CMA's International Artist Achievement Award during rehearsals. However, Swift's ascendance was just part of the night's seismic shift. Lady Antebellum were surprise winners in the Vocal Group category and also earned Single for "I Run To You." Sugarland took the Duo trophy over sentimental favorites and soon-to-be-former duo Brooks & Dunn. Jamey Johnson's "In Color" earned Song trophies with co-writers James Otto and Lee Thomas Miller, and Darius Rucker clearly relished his New Artist honor. Co-hosts Brad Paisley (who also won Male Vocalist and Musical Event with Keith Urban) and Carrie Underwood presided over a show that drew a 10.1/16 rating/share and 16.8 million viewers, according to Zap2it.com. The numbers were well ahead of second-place CBS-TV with 7.1/11 and 11.3 million viewers, and topped last year's 9.7/15 and 15.9 million. See hourly breakdown here. Complete winners list here.

» Quotebook: Seen and heard onstage and backstage at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards: I'm tickled to be nominated in the only category you don't have to go on a diet to be part of. —Mac McAnally receiving Musician of the Year. Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be Kanye. —hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. The Oscars are completely lame compared to this. —Patricia Heaton. Most importantly, to Country radio, you took a chance on a pop singer from Charleston, SC and God bless you for that. —Darius Rucker accepting New Artist. Thank you for what you've done for us, thank you for what you've done for country music. We're honored to be in your category. —Jennifer Nettles to Brooks & Dunn as Sugarland accepted Duo. Every single person in that category let me open up for you this year. Thank you so much. —Taylor Swift to fellow Entertainer nominees. Next year we're not going to take any opening acts out. We're through with that. —Paisley, backstage. I love a challenge and now the challenge is to find that next challenge. —Swift, backstage. We can't stand up on this stage and not thank our veterans for what they do. —Lady A's Hillary Scott.

» Extra, Extra: The 43rd Annual CMA Awards has become the top story in international coverage. Here's what some are saying: Wall Street Journal: "When you’re a rapper and a guy named Little Jimmy Dickens feels free to mock you in public, you know you have some image issues." Entertainment Weekly: "Reba McEntire sings her terrific hit 'Consider Me Gone' as though it was a ferocious rebuke to all the country-radio and cable-video channels that resist featuring women over 50." San Francisco Chronicle: "Some entertainers peak early in life and stay there and remain a part of our lives for a lifetime. I think that person's Taylor Swift as much as it is Tiger Woods in Golf or LeBron James in the NBA." LA Times: "Lady A's win signaled the country establishment's readiness this year to look to country's future more than its proven quantities."

» Johnny On The Spot: Qantum's WGTR/Myrtle Beach, SC OM Johnny Walker has reassumed PD/MD duties following Tuesday's (11/10) exit of Brian Sims. Walker handled PD duties before Sims' arrival and can be reached here. Sims spent 10 months in Myrtle Beach and previously programmed WMDH/Muncie, IN and was APD/MD/PM driver of WTNR/Grand Rapids. Reach him here. Mornings on WGTR are now being handled by Daniel Baker, who joined the station three weeks ago from Qantum/Auburn, AL. Baker succeeds Blue, who is currently holding down middays while Amber is on maternity leave.

» Video Shilled The Radio Stars: Clear Channel's WKKT/Charlotte APD/MD Ryan Dokke and Promotions Dir. Mark Gray lent a hand to the Bouldin family on an upcoming episode of CMT's Worlds Strictest Parents. The Charlotte-based family took in "problem child" Ian, who spent a day as an intern for the station. "The coolest thing we had him do was interview Luke Bryan," says Gray. "Ian is an aspiring musician, so it was pretty cool for him to be able to ask Luke questions about recording, songwriting and touring." The episode airs Saturday (11/14) at 8pm ET.

» Digital Domo: The new VP/Digital Sales for Entercom is Lance Richard, a former DOS for Emmis Chicago and EVP for a Houston-based Internet start-up. Most recently Regional Sales Manager for Monster.com since 2007, Richard will be based in Chicago, reporting to RVP Deborah Kane.

» Jump In Jack's: Citadel's WKHX/Atlanta AM driver Cadillac Jack can also now be heard on Citadel Media's Today's Best Country 24-hour format. Former KSCS/Dallas jock Jeremy Robinson joined the satellite format this summer (CAT 6/16).

» Carrie On: Kudos to Carrie Underwood and 19/Arista on topping the Nielsen SoundScan Pop and Country charts with Play On's first-week sales of nearly 318,000 units. Underwood's third album also topped the digital country and overall charts with almost 63,000 downloads.

» Gone Country: MCA's George Strait has a small role in the upcoming movie A Pure Country Gift starring Universal South's Katrina Elam. The project is being directed by Christopher Cain, who helmed Strait's acting debut in Pure Country. According to Strait's publicist, it is not a sequel to the 1992 film. Gift scenes were filmed yesterday (11/11) at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium.

» Taylor-D: Big Machine's Taylor Swift graces the 3-D cover of InStyle magazine's September issue on newsstands Nov. 20. More here.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Nov. 11:

1. LADY ANTEBELLUM/Need You Now (Capitol) 2356 points
2. CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Cowboy Casanova (19/Arista) 2243 points
3. LUKE BRYAN/Do I (Capitol) 1868 points
4. KENNY CHESNEY f/DAVE MATTHEWS/I'm Alive (BNA) 1799 points
5. TAYLOR SWIFT/Fifteen (Big Machine) 1788 points

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Nov. 11:

1. CLAY WALKER/She Won't Be Lonely Long (Curb)
2. KEITH URBAN/Til Summer Comes Around (Capitol)
3. MONTGOMERY GENTRY/Oughta Be More Songs About That (Columbia)
4. STEVE AZAR/Catfish Christmas (Ride)
5. BRAD PAISLEY/American Saturday Night (Arista)

Trophy Life: Capitol/Nashville had a lot to celebrate last night and took its post-CMA Awards soiree to Nashville's Sambuca. Pictured (l-r) are Luke Bryan, Pres./CEO Mike Dungan, Lady Antebellum's Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott and Darius Rucker.

Sugar High: CMA Duo of the Year Sugarland members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush (l) celebrate with UMG/Nashville Chairman Luke Lewis at an intimate party for staff and artists at Nashville's Cantina Laredo.

Four Become One: The Sony Music/Nashville offices housed the company's star-studded CMA shindig. Back row (l-r) are VP/Promotion Skip Bishop, Jake Owen, Kix Brooks, EVP/A&R Renee Bell, Ronnie Dunn, VP/Marketing Tom Baldrica and SVP/Sales & Operations Paul Barnabee. Front row (l-r) are EVP Butch Waugh, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Barbara Mandrell and Chairman Joe Galante.

If You Got The Bunny, Honey: Warner Music/Nashville opened virtually an entire floor of their building for a post-CMA reception. Pictured (l-r) are James Otto, Pres./CEO John Esposito, Randy Travis and Blake Shelton.

An Offer They Couldn't Refuse: The Universal South staff took their party to Nashville's Giovanni restaurant. Pictured (l-r) are Eli Young Band's Chris Thompson, Joe Nichols, EYB's Mike Eli, Pres. Mark Wright, newcomer Baylie Brown, SVP/GM Fletcher Foster, Randy Houser, VP/Promotion Teddi Bonadies and EYB's James Young and Jon Jones.