GRAMMY WINNER MARTINA MCBRIDE PERFORMS WITH SINGING SENSATION LUIS FONSI FOR THE 2012 NCLR ALMA AWARDS(R), AIRING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (8-9 P.M. ET) ON NBC

STAR-STUDDED SHOW KICKING OFF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WILL ALSO FEATURE MESSAGES FROM PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE MITT ROMNEY

AUBREY PLAZA AND TABOO WILL ALSO BE ON HAND TO CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS OF TOP LATINO PERFORMERS

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - September 19, 2012 - Grammy-winning recording artist Martina McBride will perform with Latin Grammy winner Luis Fonsi in the 2012 NCLR ALMA Awards(R), which will also feature special messages from President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Aubrey Plaza (NBC's "Park and Recreation") and Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas will join the all-star line-up of presenters for the high-energy special, airing Friday, September 21 (8-9 p.m. ET) on NBC.

As previously announced, Flo Rida will perform with Roselyn Sanchez, and Christina Aguilera will receive a Special Achievement Award at the star-studded show featuring theme music written and performed by Pitbull. Jake Gyllenhaal, Nicole Richie, Zoe Saldana, Ryan Lochte, Robert Rodriguez and Natalie Morales are just a few of the many presenters in the one-hour special, hosted by Eva Longoria and George Lopez.

McBride is a Grammy-winning recording artist who has more than 18 million in album sales and six #1 hit songs. She is the "most played female artist on country radio for the past 11 years," according to both Mediabase and Broadcast Data Systems (BDS). Among her hits are such empowering songs as "Independence Day," "This One's for the Girls," and "A Broken Wing," all of which have underscored her incredible popularity as one of music's preeminent female vocalists.

Latin Grammy winner Fonsi came on the music scene in 1998 with a debut album that was a hit on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart and made him a star in Puerto Rico and across Latin America. Seven albums later, Fonsi is an international sensation who has also recorded a duet with Christina Aguilera for her Spanish language album, and with "Spice Girls" Emma Bunton for her album "Free Me." He won a Latin Grammy Award in 2009 for the song of the year, "Aqui Estoy Yo," and has won numerous other awards, including Latin Billboard's Tu Mundo Award. Currently on tour until 2013, Fonsi also performed in Oslo, Norway in 2009 at the Nobel Peace Prize concert honoring winner Barack Obama.

Hispanic cable network mun2 will present the ALMA Awards red carpet special and Telemundo will host the official bilingual ALMA Awards website at http://www.telemundo.com/almaawards and stream the pre-show online. Comcast's Xfinity TV customers will have access to the show on demand. Viewers can also watch the entire special online after it airs via http://telemundo.com/almaawards.

The 2012 NCLR ALMA Awards(R) are produced by dick clark productions' executive producers Orly Adelson and Barry Adelman, along with Eva Longoria and Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR.

For additional information, including announcements about the presenters and performers at this year's show, please visit www.almaawards.com and follow the show on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/AlmaAwards. Information is also available on www.nbc.com/alma-awards/.

NCLR - the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States - works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.