Miranda Lambert leads with nine CMA nominations

NASHVILLE, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Miranda Lambert leads the field with nine nominations for the 48th annual Country Music Association Awards, organizers announced Wednesday.

Lambert matched the record she set in 2010 for the most nods of any female artist in the history of the CMA Awards. Alan Jackson received 10 nominations in 2002 and Merle Haggard earned nine in 1970, the association noted.

Dierks Bentley received five nominations for the 2014 competition, while Eric Church and Keith Urban collected four nominations apiece, and Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood each earned three nominations.

The winners are to be announced at a Nashville ceremony Nov. 5. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are to serve as co-hosts of the star-studded event, which will air on ABC.

"This is a great slate of nominees with established superstars, industry icons, and breakthrough acts all represented," CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern said in a statement. "The 2014 CMA Awards are destined to be the best yet."

Bryan, Lambert, Shelton, Urban and George Strait are all up for the show's top prize of Entertainer of the Year. Strait won the honor last year.