First Round of Performers Announced for 'The 40th Annual CMA Awards'

First Round of Performers Announced for 'The 40th Annual CMA Awards'

CMA Awards Hosts Brooks & Dunn and Country Superstars Sara Evans And Brad Paisley to Perform on "Country Music's Biggest Night"

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The star-packed lineup for "The 40th Annual CMA Awards" is taking shape with the announcement today that CMA Awards hosts Brooks & Dunn will be performing, as will multi-Platinum Sara Evans and the artist who tied Brooks & Dunn with the most CMA Awards nominations this year, Brad Paisley. "The 40th Annual CMA Awards" airs live from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Monday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"The CMA Awards is the industry's biggest single event for expanding the format and reaching a broad audience," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "And we have a strong slate of nominees and an incredible pool of music to draw from. We are dedicated to delivering the best-of-the-best and this is a great start."

Returning CMA Awards hosts Brooks & Dunn will have their work cut out for them, performing and manning the podium, while keeping one ear open for the announcement of the Award winners. The super duo tops the CMA Awards nominees list with Paisley, each receiving six nominations, but Ronnie Dunn slipped ahead in the overall tally with an added nomination as songwriter on the duo's hit "Believe," which Dunn co-wrote with Craig Wiseman.

Brooks & Dunn are nominated for Entertainer, which they won in 1996; Vocal Duo, which they have won a record 13 times; Album for Hillbilly Deluxe; Single and Music Video for "Believe;" and Musical Event of the Year for "Building Bridges," with guest vocals by Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill.

Evans' performance on the CMA Awards will not be her only one on ABC this fall. The multi-Platinum artist is also appearing on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," which debuts tonight at 8:00 PM/ET. Evans has received 13 career CMA Awards nominations since her first in 1999 for the Horizon Award. She has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year five times, including 2006. In 2001, she won the trophy for Music Video of the Year for "Born to Fly."

With six nominations bringing his career total nominations to 33, Paisley moves ahead of music legends Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Conway Twitty in the nominations count.

His nominations include Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for Time Well Wasted; and Single, Musical Event and Music Video of the Year for "When I Get Where I'm Going" (featuring Dolly Parton). Paisley has won five CMA Awards since he won the Horizon Award in 2000 including Musical Event of the Year for "Too Country" with Buck Owens, George Jones and Bill Anderson (2001); Music Video of the Year for "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" (2002); Music Video and Musical Event of the Year for "Whiskey Lullaby" with Alison Krauss (2004).

"The 40th Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Walter C. Miller is the Executive Producer; Robert Deaton is the Consulting Producer. Premiere Radio Network is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards, including a stereo-radio simulcast of the gala event. American Airlines is the official airline of the 2006 CMA Awards. Chevy, an American Revolution, is the official ride of the 2006 CMA Awards. Additional promotional partners include aolmusic.com, Greased Lightning Cleaning Products(R), and Hallmark Cards(R). Charles Fazzino is the official artist of the 2006 CMA Awards.

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl, or Scott Stem, both of CMA, +1-615-244-2840; or
Mozell Miley of ABC-NY, +1-212-456-6444

Web site: http://www.cmaworld.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For CMA Awards information, history and high-resolution images visit CMApress.com. Media may also register for credentials at this site which is for media only and is not intended for public use. The public should be directed to CMAawards.com.

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