By Amber McDowell
The Associated Press

After a two-year hiatus, Shania Twain returns to the national stage Wednesday when she opens the Country Music Association Awards from the Grand Ole Opry House. But it's Alan Jackson who might steal the show.

Mr. Jackson is up for a record 10 awards, including entertainer of the year. Last year, he stopped the show with the performance of his Sept. 11-themed hit "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)."

Hosted by Vince Gill (8 p.m., Channels 12, 7), the show's 26 performances will also include Brad Paisley, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney and reigning best female vocalist Lee Ann Womack.

"It showcases the full breadth of country music and what happened this year - from Faith Hill and Shania to Dolly Parton and Allison Krauss," CMA spokesman Scott Stem said.

Ms. Twain spent much of the past two years in Switzerland with producer-husband Mutt Lange. She gave birth to the couple's first child, Eja, on Aug. 12.

Ms. Twain will open the show with "I'm Gonna Getcha Good," the first song from her new album Upwhich is slated for release Nov. 19. It's her first network television appearance since 1999, when she was CMA entertainer of the year.

"Shania has long since eclipsed just Nashville and just country," said Neil Pond, editor of Country Weekly and Country Music magazines. "For her to be coming back and launching this phase of her career from Nashville and from the CMAs is a great sign.

"She's saying `country radio and country music are important to me,' and that's a message Nashville is heartened to hear."

As for Mr. Jackson, his 10 nominations - which broke a record set by Merle Haggard when he received nine in 1970 - include nods for entertainer, male vocalist and album of the year for Drive, as well as single, song and video of the year for both "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" and "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)."

"Those 10 nominations are not flukes," Mr. Pond said. "He had an exceptional song. It's the culmination of a slow, steady march up the ladder for him."