Iconic series “CMT Crossroads” kicks off 2023 with another unforgettable pairing 

** SNEAK PEEK: Watch a first-look performance of “Freedom Was a Highway” here**

*Key Art 

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NASHVILLE, TN – (February 14, 2023) – CMT today revealed the debut of the newest installment of the iconic “CMT Crossroads” franchise with multi-Grammy® Award winning duo FOR KING + COUNTRY and Grammy® Award-nominated, CMA & ACM winning country star Jimmie Allen. “CMT Crossroads: FOR KING + COUNTRY & Jimmie Allen” premieres with a special one-hour presentation on Tuesday, February 28th at 10p/9c, with an immediate encore at 11p/10c and additional airings Sunday, March 5 at 11a/10c (CMT), Friday, March 10 at 8p/7c (CMT Music) and Saturday, March 11 at 10a/9c and 6p/5c (CMT Music).

Filmed in front of an intimate studio audience outside of Nashville, this special episode pairs Christian pop duo FOR KING + COUNTRY with critically-acclaimed chart-topper Jimmie Allen, swapping stories and collaborating on each other’s most-loved songs, including can’t-miss performances of Allen’s “Best Shot,” “Down Home” and “Freedom Was A Highway”; and FOR KING + COUNTRY’S “God Only Knows,” “Joy,” “Relate,” plus a special debut performance of a brand-new song. The soulful night of never-before-seen collaborations comes on the heels of the duo’s captivating “CMT Christmas Crossroads” holiday special featuring BRELAND, Chrissy Metz, Natalie Grant and Rebecca St. James.

“CMT Crossroads: FOR KING + COUNTRY & Jimmie Allen” is executive produced by CMT’s Margaret Comeaux and John Hamlin of Switched On Entertainment. The Executives in Charge of Production are Jackie Barba and Heather D. Graffagnino. Leslie Fram is Executive in Charge of Talent; Shanna Strassberg is Talent Producer.

For more information, visit CMT.com, check out “CMT Crossroads” on Facebook & YouTube and use the hashtag #CMTcrossroads.

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About CMT Crossroads:

“CMT Crossroads” illustrates the far-reaching roots of country music by pairing country artists with musicians from other genres. Each episode features a different set of stars playing together, swapping stories and sharing their common love of music. The series debuted January 13, 2002 with Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams and since has showcased dream musical partnerships including Ray Charles and Travis Tritt; Bon Jovi and Sugarland; Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire; Def Leppard and Taylor Swift; Sting and Vince Gill; John Mayer and Keith Urban; Mumford & Sons and Emmylou Harris; Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood; Stevie Nicks and Lady Antebellum; Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves; Alicia Keys and Maren Morris; Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini; LeAnn Rimes & Friends featuring Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Carly Pearce & Mickey Guyton; and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 with the special installment “CMT Crossroads: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.”

About FOR KING + COUNTRY

FOR KING + COUNTRY is one of the music industry’s most respected and decorated duos.  Brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone have been awarded four Grammy® Awards, 10 GMA Dove Awards, a Billboard Music Award, and 16 K-LOVE Fan Awards; and have been nominated for three American Music Awards.  Their 11 No. 1 songs have produced an astonishing 1.8 billion career streams.  The RIAA Platinum-selling act’s live show has been hailed as a must-see concert event that continues to wow sold-out crowds whether in the U.S., Australia, Germany, Netherlands, or New Zealand.  FOR KING + COUNTRY’s WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?, released this year, became the duo’s second Top 10 album on the Billboard 200; following their RIAA Gold certified album, BURN THE SHIPS, which also debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. The duo has had seven consecutive No. 1 songs including “For God Is With Us,” “joy.,” “TOGETHER” (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly),” and the 11-week Platinum smash, “God Only Knows.”  The global hitmakers have collaborated with a diverse list of artists including Jordin Sparks, Hillary Scott, Dolly Parton, NEEDTOBREATHE and Timbaland, amongst others. Joel and Luke Smallbone are committed to numerous philanthropic efforts focused on human trafficking, children in need, as well as numerous programs in support of the arts.  For more information about FOR KING + COUNTRY visit:  www.forkingandcountry.com

About Jimmie Allen

Signed to BBR Music Group’s Stoney Creek Records, multi-platinum recording artist and songwriter Jimmie Allen has been blazing trails since the beginning of his breakout career. Allen was nominated for Best New Artist at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards, his first ever GRAMMY nomination. He was also nominated for Male Artist of the Year nominee at the 57th ACM Awards and Outstanding New Artist nominee at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards. Allen launched his career with two consecutive No. 1 hits off his 2018 debut album Mercury Lane (which The New York Times dubbed as one of 2018’s strongest) – the first being his RIAA 2x Platinum debut single “Best Shot,” which claimed the No. 1 spot on Country radio for three weeks, and second being Platinum-certified “Make Me Want To.” In July 2020, Allen released his star-studded collaboration project Bettie James that garnered a slew of critical acclaim for the music, the historic nature of various collaborations, and its subsequent place in country music history. Named for his late grandmother, Bettie Snead, and late father, James Allen, Bettie James has been hailed as an “announcement of [Allen’s] arrival” and a “huge step for country” (NPR), and “a powerful statement from a developing voice” (Billboard). On June 25, 2021, Allen released the project’s follow up album Bettie James Gold Edition. Doubling down on Allen’s expansive love for music across genres, the album “broadens country’s borders” (Billboard) and includes nine brand new songs featuring Babyface, BRELAND, Keith Urban, LANCO, Lathan Warlick, Lindsay Ell, Little Big Town, LOCASH, Monica, Neon Union, Pitbull, teamwork. and Vikina in addition to the previous collaborations on Bettie James with Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Nelly, Noah Cyrus, The Oak Ridge Boys, Rita Wilson, Tauren Wells and Tim McGraw. His single “Freedom Was A Highway” with Paisley went #1 in February 2022. Allen won the both the ACM New Male Artist of the Year award and CMA New Artist of the Year award in April and November 2021, respectively. He has amassed more than 1 billion on-demand streams and is a current member of the 45th Kennedy Center Honors Artists Committee. Allen has graced the cover of Billboard Magazine and performed on The Kennedy Center Honors, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Good Morning America, TODAY, American Idol, Tamron Hall Show, Nick Cannon, The Steve Harvey Show, ACM Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Music Awards, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and more. He has also enthusiastically ventured into the world of hosting, having co-hosted the 57th ACM Awards alongside Dolly Parton & Gabby Barrett and New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash on CBS in 2022 with Elle King and Rachel Smith. Much like his approach to music, Allen’s other creative pursuits know no boundaries. His debut picture book, My Voice Is a Trumpet – a powerful story about speaking up for what you believe in, at any age – was published in July 2021 with Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. Allen also serves as Executive Music Producer for Netflix’s series Titletown High, which premiered globally in August 2021; his song “Big In A Small Town” is the theme song for the series. He reached the quarterfinals as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars’ landmark 30th season on ABC in Fall 2021. In February 2022, Allen embarked on his Down Home Tour 2022, his first headline tour. He is currently on Carrie Underwood’s The Denim & Rhinestones Tour as special guest on all 43 U.S. arena dates through Spring 2023. Allen’s third album, Tulip Drive – named for the street in Lewes, DE that his late grandmother lived on – was released June 2022. Its lead single “down home” reached the top of the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart in January 2023, marking Allen’s fourth career No. 1 song. For more information on Allen, visit www.jimmieallenmusic.com or follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

CMT Press Contacts

Ali Marszalkowski, Ali.Marszalkowski@paramount.com

Rebecca Lawlor, Rebecca.Lawlor@paramount.com