We finish off this week chock full of USA WEEKEND Breakthrough Video of the Year nominees with the one who racked up the most CMT Music Awards nods. The Band Perry — comprised of siblings Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry — are also up for Video of the Year and Group Video of the Year for the hit If I Die Young, as well as the Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award honoring country music’s best new live act. (The filmmaker behind the very cinematic video, David McClister, is also up for Video Director of the Year.) “It’s our first round through this awards cycle, and it’s just really cool,” says singer Kimberly Perry. “We never really know when the nominations are coming down for any of these award shows. We didn’t have any idea we’d be nominated in so any categories. And we’re grateful to CMT for playing the heck out of our videos!” And like any bunch of modern musical youngsters, there’s more than just country music on The Band Perry bus, as the Beatles, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Avett Brothers, Jason Aldean and Lady Gaga all compete for iPod space. The trio checked in from the road recently to talk about the video for If I Die Young, hanging with family and who they hope to share a stage with one day. Read below for our conversation, and check out the video for If I Die Young. If you dig it, or any of the other nominees, be sure to vote at CMT.com. And remember, the CMT Music Awards air live on CMT this Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Republic Nashville, USA TODAY

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Thompson Square, the up-and-coming country coupling of married musicians Keifer and Shawna Thompson, share everything on the road, including the TV remote, social-media duties, a yearning to see the family dog and a dream finally come true. The duo has been rocking cowboy hats off people on their nationwide tour, with their self-titled debut album (released in February), and the stunning video for their No. 1 hit single Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not. The video, directed by Wes Edwards, is up for USA WEEKEND Breakthrough Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday, as well as vying for Duo Video of the Year with the likes of Sugarland and Steel Magnolia. “It’s unbelievable, man,” Oklahoma native Keifer Thompson says. “We’re trying to get our head around the whole thing, to be honest with you. It’s everything we’ve always wanted and never had.” Adds his colorfully coiffed, Alabama-raised wife: “The day we got a call about it, our manager was reading the list off and we’re like, ‘Seriously, our name is in that list with all those people?!’ It’s just weird.” The twosome called in from the road while heading to Detroit to talk about their first kiss, filming music videos and other topics — with Shawna even taking over as interviewer for a spell — so read below for our lively conversation. Also, check out the video for Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not and if you dig it, or any of the other nominees, be sure to vote at CMT.com.

Photos by Frank Ockenfels

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We’re halfway through profiling all of the USA WEEKEND Breakthrough Video of the Year nominees at next week’s CMT Music Awards, and today’s is arguably the most charismatic of the bunch: Jerrod Niemann, the native of Liberal, Kan., honored for the video for Lover, Lover — a cut off his 2010 album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury. Not only does he impressively sing in nine-part harmony with himself, but the video is swell, too. It’s directed by Potsy Poncirol and chronicles what happens when a dude’s relationship goes awry. Niemann’s made lots of touring friends in Nashville — including pal and fellow Breakthrough nominee Lee Brice — and is about to make some more when he joins up with Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton for a summer tour soon. “I’m probably going to learn what to do from Brad and what to not do from Blake,” Niemann quips. We talked recently about his nomination, his video and his favorite country videos, so read below for our conversation. Also, check out the video for Lover, Lover and if you dig it, or any of the other nominees, be sure to vote at CMT.com.

Photos courtesy of Sony Nashville

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Lee Brice loomed large on the gridiron, and now he’s making becoming an even bigger star in country music. The South Carolina native and one-time long snapper for Clemson University garnered a nomination in the CMT Music Awards’ USA WEEKEND Breakthrough Video of the Year category for his song Love Like Crazy (directed by Eric Welch), and released his first studio record a year ago after spending a decade in Nashville as a songwriter. (He co-wrote the hit More Than a Memory for Garth Brooks.) Brice is also quite the family man, too — I caught up with the 6-foot-3, 240-pound singer while he was visiting his little boy Takoda up in Youngstown, Ohio, who lives with his mom. “He’s almost 3 and he’s at that age right now where he’s soaking in everything, so I’ve gotta be around,” says Brice, who’s touring with Willie Nelson this summer and 2010 Breakthrough winner Luke Bryan in the fall. “He needs Daddy and it’s so awesome to be with him and see him growing up. It really is an unbelievable experience.” We talked about his Glee-ish high school experience, football and his favorite country videos, so read below for the interview. Also, check out the video for Love Like Crazy and if you dig it, or any of the other nominees, be sure to vote at CMT.com.

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All this week, we’re profiling the acts nominated for this year’s USA WEEKEND Breakthrough Video of the Year honor at the CMT Music Awards, airing live from Nashville June 8. Today, we’re starting with Aaron Lewis, an interesting nominee for a breakthrough award since he’s been part of the national music scene since 1995 as frontman for the rock group Staind. However, Lewis isn’t taking his nod for the biographical song Country Boy (off his solo country record Town Line, released in March) for granted. “Anytime you get nominated for something, it’s a pretty cool thing,” he says. “Having a career in rock for my entire career and for how this is all played out and gone down — releasing my first solo record and having it debut No. 1 on the country charts — it’s pretty huge.” And he’s doing it all back in his home state of Massachusetts, where he spends his time with family when not on tour. Lewis checked in from his place recently after wrapping up a new Staind album — he still plays countrified versions of the band’s hits such as Outside and It’s Been Awhile in his solo sets, Lewis says. “Every one of those songs lends itself to a country application quite nicely.” We talked recently about his nominated song and how his country career has been going so far, so read below for our conversation. Also, check out the video for Country Boy (which is up for Collaborative Video of the Year as well) and if you dig it, or any of the other nominees, be sure to vote at CMT.com.

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