ABC GOES COUNTRY WITH PROGRAMMING AND APPEARANCES LEADING UP TO THE "THE 43rd ANNUAL CMA AWARDS"
ABC, the official broadcast home of "Country Music's Biggest Night," is getting the festivities started early with programming celebrating the best of Country Music leading up to the big gala, "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards." The show will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
From Primetime to Daytime, ABC is going Country! Highlights include:
Tuesday, October 27 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) "Dancing with the Stars Results Show" It's Country Music night at "Dancing" when Taylor Swift, who sold more records in 2008 than any artist in the world, makes a very special appearance on the release date of the Platinum Edition of her "Fearless" album to premiere a brand-new single, "Jump, Then Fall," as well as perform her worldwide chart-topping hit, "Love Story." Taylor, who at 19 is the youngest artist in history to be nominated for the Country Music Association's prestigious Entertainer of the Year Award, is currently nominated for four Country Music Association Awards and 6 American Music Awards.
Tuesday, November 3 (7:00-9:00 a.m., ET) "Good Morning America" CMA Awards co-host and five-time CMA Award winner and the first country music artist in history to achieve 10 No.-1 singles from their first two albums, Carrie Underwood will be stopping in New York to make an appearance on "Good Morning America." Her highly anticipated new album, "Play On," featuring the current smash single, "Cowboy Casanova," is being released on November 3.
Sunday, November 8 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Country Music sensation Kellie Pickler joins the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team in Beavercreek, Ohio, to tell James Terpenning, a wheelchair sports champion and mentor to disabled Iraqi War veterans, that he and his family will have their home rebuilt in seven days. Kellie will be the celebrity volunteer for this build and will perform her new song at the family's reveal.
Tuesday, November 10 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville." ABC News' Robin Roberts sits down wish some of Country Music's hottest stars in this hour-long special. In addition to interviews with legendary artists Loretta Lynn, Vince Gill and Rosanne Cash, Carrie Underwood takes Roberts back to her hometown in Oklahoma where Underwood surprises her former high-school with a very big, musical surprise; Tim McGraw takes Roberts horseback riding on his family farm and opens up about his challenging childhood; and Robin Roberts joins Martina McBride and her family in their Nashville home and also spends time with the country superstar at Blackbird Studios.
Tuesday, November 10 (7:00-9:00 a.m., ET) "Good Morning America" Returning CMA co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will perform live outside the Sommet Center in Nashville. This concert is free and open to the public.
Tuesday, November 10 ABCNEWS.com ABCNEWS.com will feature a special section for "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville." The section will feature extended interviews with Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and Martina McBride, as well as
additional photos and music. Viewers will be able to log onto ABCNEWS.com and vote for their favorite country song immediately following the special on Tuesday evening. America's favorite country song will be revealed live on "Good Morning America" the following morning.
Country Music's superstars and the industry's elite will gather to recognize and celebrate the best and brightest performers, songwriters, record producers and music video directors on "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards." Some of the performers will include Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, who are hosting the gala for the second time, Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews, Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Daughtry, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band. Additional artists and presenters will be added to the lineup and announced soon.
"The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer. Paul Miller is the director. David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
