FIRST ROUND OF PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR "THE 42nd ANNUAL CMA AWARDS"

Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban to Perform on "Country Music's Biggest Night"

The star-packed lineup for "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" launches with the announcement today that nominees Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban will perform. "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, November 12 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Brooks & Dunn, who have won more CMA Awards than any other artist (19 awards), are nominated this year for Vocal Duo (which they have won a record 14 times) and Album of the Year for Cowboy Town. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn could each receive an additional trophy for producing their Album with Tony Brown.

Chesney, the reigning Entertainer of the Year (with three total wins in this category), is this year's top-nominated artist. He received seven nominations, including Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates;" Single and Music Video for "Don't Blink" (video directed by Shaun Silva); and two Musical Event of the Year nods (one with Reba McEntire for "Every Other Weekend" and the second with Strait for "Shiftwork"). Chesney could receive two additional trophies for producing his Album and Single with Buddy Cannon.

Jackson has 79 total career CMA nominations, the most of any artist in history. In 2008 he received four nominations: Male Vocalist; Album for "Good Time" (produced by Keith Stegall); and Song and Music Video of the Year for "Good Time," directed by Trey Fanjoy.

Lambert received two nominations with Female Vocalist and Single of the Year (her first nomination in this category) for "Gunpowder and Lead," produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke.

Country Music Hall of Fame member Strait received five nominations, including Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for "Troubadour;" Single for "I Saw God Today" (which also received a Song of the Year nod for its writers Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby); and Musical Event of the Year with Chesney on "Shiftwork." Strait could also receive two additional trophies for producing his Single and Album with Brown.

Sugarland, the reigning Vocal Duo, received five nominations, including Entertainer (their first nomination in this category); Vocal Duo; Musical Event for "Life in a Northern Town" with Little Big Town and Jake Owen; and Single and Music Video for "Stay" (video directed by Silva). Sugarland members Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles could each receive a second trophy for producing "Stay" with Byron Gallimore. Nettles also received a solo Song of the Year nomination as songwriter of "Stay."

Reigning Horizon Award winner Swift received her first Female Vocalist of the Year nomination this year.

Urban received two nominations this year, with Entertainer (which he won in 2005) and Male Vocalist of the Year (which he won three consecutive years in 2004-2006). Additional performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

"The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. 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.