CMT announces "Summer of Music" lineup

Cool off with country music’s hottest stars as CMT rolls out its CMT SUMMER OF MUSIC lineup filled with an array of original new programs including music specials, live concerts and music-based competition. Beginning Tuesday, June 16, CMT kicks off summer with a bang at the CMT MUSIC AWARDS, followed by the premieres of CAN YOU DUET and THE SINGING BEE later that same week.

The CMT SUMMER OF MUSIC lineup is as follows:

2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS (premieres live Tuesday, June 16 at 8:00 p.m.) – Country music’s biggest stars will rock Nashville’s Sommet Center when the 2009 CMT MUSIC AWARDS premiere LIVE on CMT and CMT.com with performances by Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and British rockers Def Leppard. The awards are country music’s only fan-voted awards show, and last year more than five million votes were cast to determine the night’s big winners.

CAN YOU DUET (premieres Saturday, June 20 at 8:00 p.m.) – CMT searches for country music’s best new duo with eight new episodes of the weekly music competition series, CAN YOU DUET. Each contestant will compete as part of a duo, and viewers will witness first hand the on and off-stage drama in creating a dynamic musical duo. In addition to critiquing each performance and deciding who will advance to the next round, judges Naomi Judd, Big Kenny of the multi-platinum duo Big & Rich and Big Machine Records’ President and CEO Scott Borchetta will serve as mentors to guide, groom and develop the duets along the way.

THE SINGING BEE (premieres Saturday, June 20 at 10:00 p.m.) – CMT re-introduces THE SINGING BEE, the game show that tests contestants’ knowledge of lyrics to well-known songs and eliminates those who fail to accurately sing the song lyrics correctly. Hosted by comedic actress Melissa Peterman (“Reba”), this new CMT version of THE SINGING BEE will focus on top country music hits and popular favorites.

CMT CROSSROADS: BRYAN ADAMS AND JASON ALDEAN (premieres Friday, June 26 at 9:00 p.m.) – Global mega-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Bryan Adams will share the stage with platinum selling and chart topping country rocker, Jason Aldean, when the pair team up for a new installment of the critically-acclaimed series, CMT CROSSROADS.

INVITATION ONLY (premieres Friday, July 3 at 11:00 p.m.) – A departure from the typical concert special, INVITATION ONLY features country music’s biggest stars performing before a small studio audience in Nashville, taking questions from fans and delivering revealing and candid answers. Three new episodes are slated to air this summer:

· Darius Rucker on July 3 at 11:00 p.m. ET.
· Brad Paisley on August 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET.
· Reba McEntire on August 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET.


CMT’s SUMMER OF MUSIC will also include regularly scheduled programs such as CMT TOP 20 COUNTDOWN, CMT INSIDER, CMT POWER PICKS and #1 MUSIC AND A MOVIE. In addition, the network will encore popular episodes of CMT CROSSROADS, and feature the special JOHNNY CASH IN SAN QUENTIN, among other programming. CMT SUMMER OF MUSIC will conclude on Labor Day with a one-of-a-kind, to be announced, concert special.