"CMT CROSSROADS: THE DOOBIE BROTHERS AND LUKE BRYAN" PREMIERES FRIDAY, JUNE 24 ON CMT

NASHVILLE - May 25, 2011 - Classic rockers The Doobie Brothers and country star Luke Bryan will be heading to CMT for the next installment of CMT CROSSROADS when CMT CROSSROADS: THE DOOBIE BROTHERS and LUKE BRYAN premieres Friday, June 24 at 10:00 p.m., ET/PT.

Taped before an invitation-only audience in Nashville, The Doobie Brothers and Luke Bryan will perform their hits including The Doobie Brothers' "Black Water," Long Train Runnin," and "China Grove," and Bryan's "Rain is a Good Thing," "Do I" "and "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)."

"We are so pleased, and fortunate to be able to share the stage with Luke Bryan on Crossroads," says Pat Simmons of The Doobie Brothers. "We love the challenge of performing such wonderfully crafted songs with an artist like Luke, and his band. He's one of the most exciting artists on the country music scene these days. The energy, innovation, and soulfulness of the music he writes and performs, is right up our alley. We're dustin' off our country chops, and we look forward to having him join in on our songs. This is going to be a great experience for all of us, and fans of both country music, and rock 'n roll. It could only happen on Crossroads!"

"I am really excited to perform on stage with the Doobie Brothers," says Luke Bryan. "Their music was such an iconic part of my growing up. I bet most Americans can hear a particular Doobie Brother's song and have it take them back to a certain time and place in their life...and the best thing is, they are still creating great music today!"

As durable as American steel, Northern California's Doobie Brothers celebrate their 40th anniversary this year. Beginning with their multi-million-selling sophomore collection Toulouse Street (1972), the Doobies have recorded three multi-platinum albums, four platinum sets, and four gold records. Their Best of the Doobies (1976) has sold 10 million copies - a rare "diamond record."Their No. 1 singles "Black Water" (1974) and "What a Fool Believes" (1979), both gold, lead a catalog of indelible songs that include "Listen to the Music," "Long Train Runnin'," "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)," "Takin' It to the Streets," "Minute By Minute," "Real Love," and "The Doctor." In 2010, original members Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston , and 30 year member and country producer/songwriter/player John McFee (Southern Pacific) marked a new chapter with the delivery of a potent album - World Gone Crazy (HOR Records), featuring a guest appearance by Country Music Hall of Famer Willie Nelson. It's their first new album in a decade, with tracks like "Far From Home" and their country single "World Gone Crazy" marking a renaissance of the propulsive roots-based, harmony laden, guitar driven style that sold an estimated 30 million records over the course of four decades.

Luke Bryan will release his third studio album for Capitol Records Nashville on August 9, Tailgates & Tanlines. This project is the follow up to his GOLD-certified album Doin' My Thing, which produced three back-to-back #1 singles- "Do I," "Rain Is A Good Thing" and "Someone Else Calling You Baby." The lead single off the forth-coming project is "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" and is his fastest rising single to date. The song debuted at #1 in U.S. digital singles sales with 105,498 downloads its first week. Luke, who will perform and present on the CMT Music Awards on June 8, is currently nominated for two 2011 CMT Music Awards- Best Web Video of the Year for his video "It's A Shore Thing" and as Best New Live Act, the Nationwide Insurance Award. Fans can catch Luke on the road this summer on Tim McGraw's "Emotional Traffic" tour.

CMT CROSSROADS is produced by Tom Forrest and Kathryn Russ. John Hamlin, Margaret Comeaux and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers for CMT.

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 92 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.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.