Faith Hill, Garth Brooks Top Country Music Field

Garth Brooks, the dominant commercial figure in pop music during the 1990s, was named artist of the decade by the Academy of Country Music Wednesday, but 1998 was a year for the women: Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks combined for seven victories at the academy’s 34th annual awards show at the Universal Amphitheatre.

Brooks’ honor was a foregone conclusion. The Oklahoma native has sold more than 60 million albums in the United States, virtually all during the ‘90s, making him the biggest-selling solo artist ever in popular music.

His flashy concerts and pop-flavored music also are credited with triggering country music’s ‘90s resurgence. Previous artists of the decade were Marty Robbins for the 1960s, Loretta Lynn for the 1970s and Alabama for the 1980s. Brooks was also named entertainer of the year for the sixth time by the 3,000-member, Los Angeles-based Academy, but the nationally televised ceremony was dominated by Hill, who won for top female vocalist and single and for video of the year (both for “This Kiss”).

She also took a trophy for vocal event of the year for “Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me,” a duet with her husband, Tim McGraw.

The Dixie Chicks won in all three categories in which they were nominees: vocal duet or group, new vocal duet or group, and album of the year for “Wide Open Spaces,” which won the best country album Grammy in February.

McGraw was named top male vocalist Wednesday, while Steve Wariner and Billy Kirsch took the award for song of the year for Wariner’s “Holes in the Floor of Heaven.”

The top new male and female singers were Mark Wills and Jo Dee Messina, respectively. Glen Campbell was presented the academy’s Pioneer Award.