CMT ENTERS ITS BUSIEST PRODUCTION WEEK EVER ON NEW EPISODES OF “CMT CROSSROADS” AND “INVITATION ONLY” IN NASHVILLE
05/06/09
NASHVILLE – May 6, 2009 – America’s #1 country music network has entered into its busiest production week ever as CMT kicks into overdrive on new episodes of its critically-acclaimed CMT CROSSROADS series and the performance series, INVITATION ONLY. This week, the channel will shoot four high-profile shows with country’s biggest stars including Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker and Jason Aldean with rocker Bryan Adams. These series and more artist-centric programming will be included in the network’s upcoming SUMMER OF MUSIC, with additional details to be announced.
“This marks the busiest week in CMT production in recent memory,” said John Hamlin, senior vice president, production and development, CMT. “We’re proud to be able to shoot such high profile music shows right here in our own backyard with the best artists and television production crews in the industry.”
Tapping into some of Nashville’s best television talent, Tom Forrest and Kathryn Russ will produce CMT CROSSROADS: BRYAN ADAMS AND JASON ALDEAN taping this week in Franklin; and Forrest, president of Taillight TV, will produce the upcoming CMT MUSIC AWARDS airing live from the Sommet Center on June 16. In addition, CMT has secured High Five Entertainment’s Martin Fischer and Edie Lynn Hoback to produce three new episodes of INVITATION ONLY this week at the Opry’s Studio A with Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker, to premiere this Summer. Both series are executive produced by CMT’s Hamlin and Margaret Comeaux.
In addition to shooting CMT CROSSROADS and INVITATION ONLY, CMT will continue its in-house weekly production schedule, with CMT INSIDER host Katie Cook recapping the week in country music; special guests John Mellencamp and Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town will stop in for appearances and interviews on CMT TOP 20 COUNTDOWN with Lance Smith; and CMT RADIO LIVE WITH CODY ALAN continues its daily artist interviews. Just last week, CMT wrapped filming eight episodes of the music-competition series CAN YOU DUET, which taped at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon and is slated to air this June.
Bryan Adams and Jason Aldean join an elite group of performers who have taped CMT CROSSROADS, which pairs country music stars with popular artists from other genres—pop, rock, R&B—to play together, swap stories, and share their common love of music.
A departure from the typical concert special, INVITATION ONLY features country music’s biggest stars performing before a small studio audience in Nashville, taking questions from fans and delivering revealing and candid answers. Previous episodes have featured Keith Urban and Alan Jackson.
Visit CMT's press-only Web site www.cmtpress.com for more information and downloadable photos on all of CMT's programming.
CMT, a unit of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 88 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.
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PRESS CONTACT:
Amanda Murphy 615-335-8408 amanda.murphy@cmt.com
