What to expect at the Flameworthy Awards Tonight!! 7.pm. central on CMT! Toby will be hosting!

Everybody’s tight-lipped about the surprise guests at Monday’s (April 7) CMT Flameworthy 2003 Video Music Awards, but here’s what we know:

The last time Flameworthy co-host Toby Keith was interviewed by CMT, he was asked what he’d be performing at the awards show. He said he might share one of his bus songs (such as “Only the Best-Looking Tuna Gets to Be Star-Kissed”), and he thought he’d perhaps write something for the occasion. Of course, with “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” up for two nominations -- or three, if … well, you know. Keith is going to make a patriotic statement too. And his rehearsal is closed too. Hmmm ….

Shania Twain has closed her rehearsals to everyone except the TV crew. That means something’s Up!, so to speak. Twain will be catching a flight from Canada after hosting Sunday’s (April 6) Juno Awards the night before. She’s nominated for four Flameworthy awards -- or five, if she makes the final cut for video of the year. (The 10 semi-finalists will be narrowed to five at the beginning of the telecast.)

Faith Hill will debut her new single, “You’re Still Here.” On the album credits of Cry, this song lists 18 violinists, eight cellists and six viola players. Talk about pulling strings! The glamorous singer is making preparations to film a video for the song, according to her record label, but no details are available yet. The video for “Cry” earned three nominations -- or four, if the video of the year nomination comes through.

As much as Tim McGraw talks about his band, they’re sure to take part in his Flameworthy performance. His video “She’s My Kind of Rain” earned three Flameworthy nominations -- four, if the clip gets final nomination as video of the year. As “Rain” has pretty much reached its saturation point, it’s entirely likely that McGraw will feature something else from his latest album -- one of those arena-rockers, I’d bet.

Hill and McGraw compete against each other in the fashion plate category (for best-dressed), aside Twain, Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban. Talking with reporters last week, Urban said, “‘Somebody Like You’ seems like an anti-fashion video. I mean, it’s jeans and T-shirts and dirt and there really wasn’t a lot of fashion in there.” Still, he admits it’s the most enjoyable video he’s done so far.

Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow have not sung “Picture” on live television before, which is saying something, considering that they both seem to be everywhere these days. Depending on whom you listen to, Crow has either moved to Nashville or is about to. Here’s what we know to be true: Crow is the only woman nominated in the male video of the year category, for the “Picture” video. But the real question is, does fellow nominee Kenny Chesney have a better tan?

Martina McBride’s performance of “Where Would You Be” from 2002’s Flameworthy awards dominated the CMT airwaves, but she’s not singing this year. However, she’ll be presenting an award -- as will a variety of singing and non-singing celebs. And look for the Naked Cowboy, a familiar sight to New Yorkers, to flesh out the on-stage lineup. The CMT Flameworthy 2003 Video Music Awards will be telecast live Monday (April 7) at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Born Toby Keith Covel in Clinton, Oklahoma, Toby Kieth's family moved to Oklahoma City when Keith was young. It was there he became interested in the musicians who worked in his grandmother's supper club. His first guitar came at age 8, but it would be years before Keith would pursue music as a career. At 6-foot, 4 inches, Keith took a few detours, working in the oil industry and playing defensive end with the Oklahoma City Drillers United States Football League (USFL) team.

In 1984, Keith turned to music full time, playing the honky-tonk circuit in Oklahoma and Texas for several years. The budding singer-songwriter eventually was discovered by Mercury Records President Harold Shedd, a producer who worked with supergroup Alabama. After catching a show in Oklahoma, Shedd signed Keith to Mercury Records. His 1993 debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy," went to No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart, and his self-titled debut album was certified platinum.

When Shedd left Mercury for Polydor Records, Keith went with him. He released a second album, Boomtown, in 1994. The collection produced the No. 1 hit "Who's That Man" and the Top 5 hit "You Ain't Much Fun." The platinum-selling Blue Moon followed in 1996, featuring a more introspective Keith on tunes like "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You" and the charttopper, "Me Too."

When Polydor closed its Nashville operation, Keith moved back to Mercury Nashville, releasing Dream Walkin' in 1997. The bittersweet ballad, "When We Were in Love," went to No. 2, as did a cover version of rocker Sting's divorce ode "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying." The duet earned the unlikely pair a Grammy nomination, and Sting joined Keith for a performance on the 1997 Country Music Association Awards.

The platinum-selling Toby Keith: Vol. 1-Greatest Hits followed in 1998, which included a new cut called "Getcha Some." The sassy tune, co-written by Keith and frequent collaborator Chuck Cannon, only went to No. 18 on the Billboard country charts, but it drove sales of the collection. Signing with yet another record label, Keith moved to the fledgling DreamWorks Nashville in 1999. There he worked with label head and producer James Stroud on the new studio album How Do You Like Me Now?! The lead single, "When Love Fades," was a modest hit, but the title cut struck a nerve with country fans. "How Do You Like Me Now?!" was a five-week No. 1 hit and helped the album sell platinum. The subsequent single, "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This," also went to the top spot on the singles chart.

The success of How Do You Like Me Now?! also earned Keith some long-awaited award nominations within the music industry. Although his debut single went to No. 1 and his debut album sold platinum, Keith was overlooked for the newcomer awards at both the Academy of Country Music and the CMA. In 2001, Keith's name was included in six different categories for the 36th Annual ACM Awards, including single, song, video, album, male vocalist and entertainer.

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