ABC CELEBRATES COUNTRY MUSIC WITH PROGRAMMING, SPECIAL GUEST STARS AND APPEARANCES LEADING UP TO THE "THE 41ST ANNUAL CMA AWARDS"

ABC Television, 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 41st Annual CMA Awards," airing live WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network from the Sommet Center in Nashville.

From primetime to daytime and ABC.com, ABC is going Country! Highlights include:

Monday, Oct. 29 -- Thursday, Nov. 8 � Disney-ABC Television Group will be presenting exclusive coverage leading up to "The 41st Annual CMA Awards" with "The Countdown to Country Music's Biggest Night" on ABC.com. The coverage will include nine daily shows and one live event which will also be available at CMAAwards.com and will be distributed to our mobile partners and ABC affiliates. ABC Digital Media will be producing a daily five-minute show for the nine days prior to the CMA Awards, hosted by former Miss Tennessee Ashley Eicher and Capitol Records Recording Artist Luke Bryan. In an entertainment/news format, "Countdown to Country Music's Biggest Night" will cover the events that take place during the week leading up to the CMA Awards. It will also feature interviews with Country Music artists, coverage of the "Nashville Celebrates Country" events surrounding the Awards and much more. The first show went live on Wednesday October 31, and a new show will premiere every day through Wednesday November 7. On November 7, ABC.com will stream a three-hour live red carpet show from 5:00-8:00 p.m., ET, leading up to the premiere of "The 41st Annual CMA Awards" on ABC at 8:00-11:00 p.m., ET. The live red carpet show will also be simulcast live on ABC Mobile -- a network first. The final and ninth daily show is a post-event/party wrap-up show that will be available online Thursday, November 8. The daily and live red carpet shows are produced in full by the ABC.com Digital Media Group.

Friday, Nov. 2 � "Jimmy Kimmel Live" -- Two-time Grammy Award-winning Country singer LeAnn Rimes stops by the show to perform a single from her new album, "Family." Rimes has sold more than 37 million records and has scored numerous hit singles, among them "One Way Ticket," "I Need You," "Nothin' �Bout Love Makes Sense," "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way," "Can't Fight the Moonlight" -- which was a #1 song in 11 countries -- and "How Do I Live?," which was the longest running single ever on the Billboard Hot 100, spending a record-setting 69 weeks on the chart. Rimes has written children's books, acted in film and on television, and has become a musical icon both in the U.S. and in Europe.

Sunday, Nov. 4 � "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" -- Country superstar Wynonna travels to Cheyenne, Wyoming and visits the construction site of the Miller family, a passionate, animal loving family whose lives and home have been dedicated to saving unwanted and abused animals, many of which were close to being put to death in shelters. Wynonna, an animal lover herself, performs a heartfelt cover of the Foreigner song, "I Wanna Know What Love is," for the volunteers. She also helps welcome the family back home, along with Ty and the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" gang, at the reveal, when the Millers are presented with a new dog and cat day care space, in addition to their newly, renovated home. A world-renowned vocalist and entertainer, Wynonna has accumulated sales totals as a solo artist in excess of ten million units and 13 top ten hits on the charts, and has celebrated 20 #1 hits and a multitude of gold and platinum records throughout her 23-year musical journey. Respected by the millions of fans who are drawn to her music and her life story, this phenomenal music icon continues to touch the hearts and souls of many with her powerful, soulful voice and presence.

Monday, Nov. 5 � "The View" -- Country Music superstars Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of the multi-platinum duo Brooks & Dunn will perform a song from their new album, "Cowboy Town." The most lauded duo in CMA Awards history, Brooks & Dunn are nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year again in 2007. They have won the category a record 14 times and have received 45 career nominations, which places them behind only Alan Jackson, George Strait and Vince Gill for most nominations in the history of the Awards.

Tuesday, Nov. 6 � "Dancing with the Stars" -- On the eve of the CMA Awards, it's Country Music night at "Dancing," and LeAnn Rimes will be performing two songs. The next night on the CMA Awards, Rimes will perform "When You Love Someone Like That," a duet with Reba McEntire. She will also be sharing segment hosting duties during the three-hour gala with multiple artists including James Denton, Sara Evans, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Kate Walsh.

Wednesday, Nov. 7 � "Good Morning America" -- CMA Awards multiple-nominated duo Big & Rich (John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin) will wake up America and then celebrate into the night for the CMA Awards. The "Good Morning America" concert event will take place on The Chevy Stage at the Sommet Center's outside plaza at the corner of Broadway and Fifth Avenue in Nashville, and is presented by Chevrolet. The duo scored multiple CMA Award nominations in 2007, including Vocal Duo and Single of the Year for "Lost in This Moment" (which they also produced). Rich was also nominated as a songwriter with Keith Anderson and Rodney Clawson for "Lost in This Moment," Big & Rich's first # 1 single.

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 41st Annual CMA Awards." Some of the performers will include Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Reba McEntire will perform a duet with LeAnn Rimes. Also, Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx will join reigning CMA Awards Vocal Group of the Year Rascal Flatts for a duet performance and the Eagles will perform in their first-ever awards show performance. CMA Awards presenters announced include Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Jason Michael Carroll, Bucky Covington, Jewel with Ty Murray, Kid Rock, Montgomery Gentry and Dwight Yoakam. Emerson Drive will present CMA Awards in pre-telecast festivities. Additional artists and presenters will be added to the lineup and announced soon.

"The 41st Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Walter C. Miller is the executive producer and Robert Deaton is the 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 and Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. A TV parental guideline will be posted closer to airdate.