Cole Swindell: His Career Changing CMA Nominated Collaboration

Cole Swindell was nominated for a CMA Award this year in the Musical Event category with Jo Dee Messina for his big hit "She Had Me At Heads Carolina," but he did not win. Early winners were announced for this category this morning (11/8), and Lainey Wilson and HARDY won the honor.

Last night (11/7), Cole walked the red carpet at the BMI Awards in Nashville and told us how the song and collaboration changed his career. He told us, "This has been probably the coolest moment of my career, definitely a full circle thing. I remember in '96, when the song came out, how much I loved that song. I would have never dreamed that I would get to put my own little spin on it, and it would change my career."

He added of Messina's resurgence in country music on the road, "Now to see her out there killing it on tour and putting new music out is just great."

Swindell said folks like Jo Dee Messina made him fall in love with country music in the first place, "People like her in the nineties, I wouldn't be out without them. That's the least I can do to say thank you to all the people that put out music when I was growing up and falling in love with music. She's a big part of it. To call her a friend now it's been the coolest experience of my career."

Earlier this year, in May, Cole and Messina's collaboration won the Academy of Country Music Awards for Single and Song of the Year. They performed it live on the show.

The 57th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville will air live on ABC TV starting at 8 PM tonight (11/8) ET.