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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 2, 2010 – When the Country Music Association (CMA) announced the nominations for The 44th Annual CMA Awards, Integrity Music’s Don Poythress heard his name for the first time for the country awards show. Poythress was nominated in the Song of the Year category along with co-writers Rory Lee Frank and Wynn Varble who penned “A Little More Country Than That.”Â
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The song, which was a #1 country radio hit for Easton Corbin, was also nominated in the Single of the Year category and helped Corbin garner a nomination for New Artist of the Year.  “A Little More Country Than That” reached the top of the country music charts in April, making Corbin the first solo artist in seven years to send a debut single to #1.
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Poythress actually wrote “A Little More Country Than That” more than five years ago. He and one of his “A Little More Country Than That” co-writers Varble, have been writing every Tuesday for years. “We’ve had cuts before, but this is our first No. 1,” he says. “It just proves that [the songwriting business] is so much about timing; you can’t judge songs or writing by it.”
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Poythress will find out if CMA calls his name as the winner of a crystal trophy on “Country Music’s Biggest NightT when the “The 44th Annual CMA Awards” will be hosted for the third time by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.
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A multi-faceted songwriter and a worship leader, Poythress has become one of Nashville’s premier songwriters in both Country and Christian music. His songs have been recorded by both acclaimed country stars including Tim McGraw, Clint Black, and Travis Tritt, and Christian artists such as Jaci Velasquez, The Martins, and Brian Littrell. In 2006 The Martins’ recording of his song “The Promise” received a Dove Award for Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year. Two years later he received an ASCAP award for Kellie Pickler’s chart-topping hit, “Things That Never Cross A Man’s Mind.”
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Integrity Music released Poythress’ first major label recording last year. Washed Away was recorded live at Christ Church in Nashville and featured guest appearances by Ricky Skaggs and Paul Baloche, uniting his love for both country and worship music.
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For more info, visit www.integritymusic.com or www.donpoythress.com.