The singer walked away with his first gong at the annual ceremony at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre, winning the award for Favourite Male Country Star.

But his wife Kimberly Williams failed to show up to support him - because she is heavily pregnant and wanted to have a night at the cinema instead.

He tells People.com, "She stayed at home. She's pregnant with our second kid. Things like this are more work than you can imagine for a woman with a watermelon strapped around her waist."

And when he called to celebrate his win with her, Paisley was shocked by his wife's hushed tones on the phone.

He explains, ""Oh, that's great (she whispered) I'm in a movie (but) I have it TiVo'd (recorded).' She went to see James Bond or something! But she's real happy. Happy as she can be."

The pair is expecting their second child in April (09). They already have a 21-month-old tot, William.