More Star Power Added to 2006 CMA Awards

More Star Power Added to 2006 CMA Awards

Superstar Faith Hill to Perform; Legend Kris Kristofferson to Introduce Newest Members of Country Music Hall of Fame; Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill Perform With Brooks & Dunn; John Rich Performs with Gretchen Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- "Country Music's Biggest Night(TM)" continues to grow with the announcement today that Faith Hill has been added to the star-packed list of performers on "The 40th Annual CMA Awards," which airs live Monday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville. Actor, legendary songwriter and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kris Kristofferson will introduce the 2006 Hall of Fame inductees. Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill have been added to the Brooks & Dunn performance; and John Rich of Big & Rich will perform with Gretchen Wilson.

"What's extraordinary about the Awards this year is the strength and diversity of the artists who are participating," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "This is destined to be an incredible night of entertainment."

Hill won Female Vocalist of the Year in 2000 and she is nominated in the category again in 2006. She is also nominated in the Musical Event of the Year category with husband Tim McGraw for "Like We Never Loved At All." Hill and McGraw have a string of nominations in the musical collaboration category including "Let's Make Love" (2000); "Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me" (1998); and "It's Your Love," which won the CMA Award in 1997.

Hill and McGraw recently smashed the record for the highest-grossing tour in Country Music history, selling $89 million worth of tickets on their 73-show, 55-city "Soul2Soul II Tour." The tour was one of the top-grossing tours in the country for 2006, with more than a million tickets sold.

Kristofferson, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004, will introduce the segment spotlighting the 2006 Country Music Hall of Fame inductions. The 2006 inductees include influential musician/producer Harold Bradley, legendary singer Sonny James, and multi-award-winning entertainer George Strait, who also will perform on the broadcast.

Bradley will be inducted in the "Recording and/or Touring Musician Active Prior to 1980" category, which is awarded every third year in a rotation with the "Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to World War II" and "Non-Performer" categories. James will be inducted in the "Career Achieved National Prominence Between World War II and 1975" category. Strait will be the second artist inducted in the "Career Achieved National Prominence Between 1975 and the Present" category.

Crow and Gill will perform "Building Bridges" with three-time CMA Awards hosts Brooks & Dunn. Tied for top nominee spot with Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn received six CMA Awards nominations including Musical Event of the Year for "Building Bridges," with Crow and Gill. This is Crow's second CMA Awards nomination. Her first was in 2003 for CMA Vocal Event of the Year with Kid Rock for "Picture." Gill, who hosted the CMA Awards for 12 years, holds the record for most consecutive Male Vocalist of the Year wins with five (1991- 1995).

Rich will be performing with Wilson on "Come to Bed," a song he co-wrote. Rich and duo partner Big Kenny Alphin received three CMA Awards nominations in 2006. They received individual nominations as the songwriters on "8th of November," a powerful anthem about a physically and emotionally scarred Vietnam Veteran. And as a duo for Vocal Duo of the Year, and Music Video of the Year for "8th of November," which was directed by Robert Deaton, George Flanigen IV, and Marc Oswald.

Additional performers already announced include Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. More performers and presenters will be announced soon.

Tickets for "The 40th Annual CMA Awards" are now on-sale to the general public, and can be purchased by logging on to http://www.ticketmaster.com/; calling (615) 255-9600; or in-person at the Gaylord Entertainment Center box office, 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, in Nashville). The ticket price is $150 for Bronze level seating; $200 for Silver level seating (excluding applicable service/handling fees).

"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, Camping World(R), Carl Black Chevrolet, Coca-Cola(R), Greased Lightning Cleaning Products(R), Hallmark Cards(R), Miller Brewing Company(R), Prilosec OTC(R), Purity Dairies, and T.G.I. Friday's(R). Charles Fazzino is the official artist of the 2006 CMA Awards.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Country Music Association

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

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