MULTIPLE GRAMMY WINNERS KENNY “BABYFACE” EDMONDS AND TRISHA YEARWOOD BRING TOGETHER THEIR SOULFUL SOUND FOR ANALL NEW EPISODE OF “CMT CROSSROADS" PREMIERING SEPTEMBER 21
09/04/07
NASHVILLE – September 4, 2007 – The series that proves great music knows no boundaries returns, bringing together multiple Grammy winners, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Trisha Yearwood. Known for his smooth voice and prolific songwriting, Edmonds joins country superstar Yearwood for a magical evening that was taped before an invitation only audience in Nashville. The two soulful voices will join as one on the latest episode of CMT CROSSROADS: KENNY “BABYFACE” EDMONDS AND TRISHA YEARWOOD premiering Friday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT.
CMT CROSSROADS: KENNY “BABYFACE” EDMONDS AND TRISHA YEARWOOD will be re-telecast on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 a.m.; Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, Sept 29 at 10:00 a.m.; and Sunday Sept. 30 at 2:00 p.m. All times are ET/PT.
Singer, songwriter, movie producer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and 10-time Grammy award-winner Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, whose work on his own music and others' has resulted in more than 100 million career sales, has been a dominant creative force for nearly two decades. He hooked up with partner Antonio “L.A.” Reid in the late 1980s, first in the Indianapolis R&B group the Deele, and later as co-founders in Atlanta of BMG's LaFace Records, one of the most successful labels in R&B history, home of Toni Braxton, OutKast, TLC, and Usher. Babyface's countless honors, which include Grammy awards for Producer Of the Year in 1992, '95, '96 and '97 (the only one in history to win three consecutive years), plus numerous NAACP Image Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and American Music Awards, established him as the greatest hitmaker of the '90s. In addition to his work with Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lionel Richie, and TLC (to name a very few), Babyface's own string of pop and R&B crossover hits is equally impressive: "It's No Crime," "Tender Lover," "Whip Appeal," "When Can I See You," "This Is For the Lover In You," and "Every Time I Close My Eyes" topping the list. In 2007, Babyface's signing as the first major artist on the Island Def Jam Music Group's Mercury Records label takes flight with Playlist (in stores Sept. 18), a collection of new compositions and cover versions of some of his favorites, including the first single, James Taylor's "Fire & Rain."
Hailed as “one of the finest interpretive singers ever” by Entertainment Weekly, Trisha Yearwood is one of the highest-selling female artists in country music history with over 10 million records sold. The three-time Grammy Award winner has nine No. 1 hits and 20 Top 10 hits under her belt. She was named one of RedBook Magazine’s Women of the Year in 2005, has performed at the Olympic Summer Games, the White House, Clinton’s inauguration (per his request), and has dueted with Pavarotti in Italy. The Grand Ole Opry member is a three-time Country Music Award winner and a two-time Academy of Country Music Award winner. In addition, Yearwood has been honored with an American Music Award, a Pollstar Concert Industry Award and was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2000. Yearwood’s first studio album since 2005, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love, will be released on November 13 and the single of the same name is one of her fastest-rising singles to date. The highly-anticipated album will be her first on her new label Big Machine Records.
CMT CROSSROADS is presented by Alltel Wireless, the first title sponsor of the critically-acclaimed series and new advertiser for CMT. Alltel is owner and operator of the nation's largest wireless network and has 12 million customers.
CMT CROSSROADS 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. Recent episodes of CROSSROADS have included Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Skaggs; Lindsey Buckingham and Little Big Town; Steve Earle and Rosanne Cash; Bonnie Raitt and Lyle Lovett; Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers; Bon Jovi and Sugarland; John Fogerty and Keith Urban; and Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire.
CMT CROSSROADS is produced by Taillight TV. Margaret Comeaux serves as executive producer for CMT.
For more information on CMT CROSSROADS log on to CMT.com
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CMT, a unit of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and Heartland entertainment, reaching more than 84 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’s broadband channel, CMT Loaded.
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom, is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 137 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.
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