CMT UNVEILS ADDITIONS TO "NEXT WOMEN OF COUNTRY" FRANCHISE: ANGALEENA PRESLEY, LINDSAY ELL, LUCY HALE, NATALIE STOVALL AND THE DRIVE AND NIKKI LANE JOIN LIST OF FEMALE POWER VOCALISTS

NASHVILLE - March 6, 2014 - Once again, CMT shines a light on the modern, female pioneers of country music with the addition of five new artists to its NEXT WOMEN OF COUNTRY initiative. Angaleena Presley, Lindsay Ell, Lucy Hale, Natalie Stovall and The Drive and Nikki Lane are the latest to join the multi-platform initiative that recognizes women making an indelible impact on country music. Since the campaign launched, the network has named 21 major label, indie label and unsigned female artists to its NEXT WOMEN list, providing support on-air and online at NextWomen.CMT.com with exclusive video premieres, live performances and more.

"When we first launched NEXT WOMEN, we saw an opportunity - there were all of these incredible female voices; they just needed to be heard," said Leslie Fram, SVP of Music Strategy, CMT. "This year, our mission is to build the franchise and take it to the next level. As an industry we need to all celebrate and support the amazing female talent that represents our genre.'

Since CMT's NEXT WOMEN OF COUNTRY launched in January 2013, several alumnae - Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Cassadee Pope and Ashley Monroe included - found success ranging from commercial and critical acclaim, to Musgraves' two Grammy wins for best country song and best country album.

For more on the latest rising female stars in country music, visit NextWomen.CMT.com and follow #NextWomen on Twitter. Here, fans can find exclusive content from the NEXT WOMEN artists including video premieres, performances and more.

About Angaleena Presley:

Since forming the Pistol Annies with Miranda Lambert and Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley has established herself as a no-nonsense songwriter, unafraid to tackle the toughest of subject matters. The trio's gold-certified debut single, "Hell on Heels," written by Presley, Lambert and Monroe, garnered attention from media and critics alike. The Pistol Annies' debut album, "Hell on Heels," earned Presley her first No. 1 album on the country sales charts and was touted by The New York Times as one of the best albums in any genre of 2011. With the release of their 2013 follow up album, "Annie Up," the dynamic trio topped the sales charts again and performed on "The Today Show," "The Tonight Show" and "The View." Presley is currently in the studio working on a new solo project.

About Lindsay Ell:

Stoney Creek Records artist Lindsay Ell is a triple threat: accomplished musician, unique vocalist and songwriter. The 24-year-old Calgary native learned to play guitar while traveling with her father to country-bluegrass camps as a young girl. Currently, Ell is traveling the globe as the opening act for The Band Perry's "We Are Pioneers" World Tour. Ell has been called "a true triple threat" by Guitar World, "a star in the making" by Taste of Country and "a distinct figure in the modern country recording camp" by Country Weekly. Ell's debut single, "Trippin' On Us," was "most added" upon its debut, charging out of the gate with a whopping 50 adds at country radio.

About Lucy Hale:

The Memphis born-and-raised 24-year-old first started singing along with the radio to her favorite Martina McBride, Faith Hill and Shania Twain songs. While she made her mark early on as an actress, best known for her role as Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series "Pretty Little Liars," Lucy is eager to share her longtime love for music with her country debut album, "Road Between," due June 3 on DMG Nashville/Bigger Picture Group. The project is produced by Mark Bright and Mike Daly and features Lucy's debut single, "You Sound Good To Me." In addition to early rave reviews from Entertainment Weekly, USA Today and more, Lucy was tagged as VEVO's first "LIFT' artist and USA Today's premiere "On The Verge" feature of 2014. She is also included in the 2014 Artists to Watch lists for Rolling Stone, Shazam, Billboard, Country Weekly and many more. Learn the latest about Lucy on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram to find out more about her single, upcoming album and touring plans.

About Natalie Stovall and The Drive:

Fiddle-shredding, female-led Natalie Stovall and The Drive are redefining a new niche in country music. Stovall's trademark mane, contagious smile and white electric fiddle will first grab your attention, while the band's arena-ready vocals and powerhouse show will seal the deal. Natalie Stovall and The Drive are relentless road warriors, amassing over 200 dates each year across college campuses, clubs and military bases around the globe. Natalie Stovall and The Drive is led by multi-instrumentalist and powerhouse vocalist Stovall. The Drive includes drummer James Bavendam, Miguel Cancino on guitar, Zach Morse on bass and vocals and guitarist and vocalist Joel Dormer. The band's debut single "Baby Come On With It," written by Chris Destefano, Jerry Flowers and Bobby Hamrick, was just released to country radio. The band is currently recording its HitShop/Warner Records debut album, which is expected to be released this year. For more information, visit www.nataliestovall.com and engage with the band on Facebook and Twitter.

About Nikki Lane:

With comparisons to such country music mavericks as Loretta Lynn and Wanda Jackson, Nikki Lane is a Nashville-based South Carolina-bred songstress that as Garden and Gun exclaims, "turns the vulnerable singer-songwriter stereotype on its ears." For her hotly anticipated sophomore album, "All Or Nothin'," Lane has teamed up with producer Dan Auerbach (of the Black Keys) for a rousing collection of songs that spans genres and eras and exudes with Lane's characteristic attitude and Southern swagger. Due out May 6 on the esteemed New West Records, where she is now label mates with such country and Americana luminaries as Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell and Buddy Miller, "All Or Nothin'" is a confident statement from one of Nashville's most exciting young talents.

CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), 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.