Swift to the top

NASHVILLE, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Taylor Swift, at 19, has become the youngest person selected the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year.

Swift won four awards, collecting trophies for Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year ("Fearless") and video of the year "Love Story" to go with the biggest prize of the CMA's award show Wednesday.

Some country music purists have questioned Swift's cross-over appeal but there is no doubt that appeal is great.

In taking the vote of the CMA members for Entertainer of the Year, Swift ended a four-year run by Kenny Chesney, who was up for it again in 2009. The other people nominated in the category -- stalwarts Brad Paisley, George Strait and Keith Urban -- have seven Entertainer and 11 Male Vocalist of the Year awards among them. Swift didn't slip in in a weak field of competition but won among genre's top acts.

Swift is just the seventh female act -- six were single singers and the Dixie Chicks won as a group in 2000 -- so honored by the CMA in 43 years of awards presentations.