Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift to Announce CMA Awards Finalists Live on

 "Good Morning America" From the GMA Studio in the Heart of New York City's

                                Times Square

CMT Personalities Katie Cook and Lance Smith with Lady Antebellum and James

 Otto Complete the Announcements on a Special Edition of "CMT Insider" Live

                                in Nashville

CMA Broadcast Awards Finalists Announced by Bucky Covington and Chuck Wicks

   Nominee Announcements Carried Live to Country Radio by Premiere Radio

                                  Networks

    "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" Airs Live Nov. 12 on the ABC Television

                                  Network



    NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 11 /EMWNews/ -- The announcement of the final

nominees for the 2008 CMA Awards will be carried live Wednesday, Sept. 10,

on network and cable television from the "Good Morning America" studios in

the heart of New York City's Times Square on the ABC Television Network,

and from the Sommet Center in Nashville on a special edition of CMT's "CMT

Insider."



    "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" will be broadcast live from the Sommet

Center in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on

ABC.



    "Having 'Good Morning America' and 'CMT Insider' broadcast our CMA

Awards final nominees live brings a heightened level of excitement to these

highly-anticipated announcements," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy

Genovese. "These special broadcasts will allow fans across the nation to

experience the same excitement our artists and industry feel as the names

are announced for the first time by our hosts. It also demonstrates the

enthusiasm of our network partner ABC, and the continued and valued support

of 'Good Morning America' and CMT."



    The final nominees in select categories will be announced live on

national television during "Good Morning America" with Rascal Flatts and

Taylor Swift on Wednesday, Sept. 10 during the 8:30 AM/ET half-hour of the

morning news program.



    "We're excited to be a part of the live CMA nominee announcements on

'Good Morning America,'" notes Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, who also

serves on the CMA Board of Directors. "We had our first CMA win in 2002 and

know how thrilling it is to hear your name called out as a nominee, so

we're glad to be the one's to share that good news."



    With the best selling Country Music tour for the first quarter of 2008,

multi-Platinum Country group Rascal Flatts has played to 1.2 million fans

over the last year and are currently on tour in support of their fifth

studio album, Still Feels Good, with tour opener Swift. Since their career

launched in 2000, Rascal Flatts has sold more than 17 million albums,

scored nine No. 1 singles, 17 Top 10 hits and each of their five albums are

multi-Platinum sellers. Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year for the past

five consecutive years, Rascal Flatts has been honored with 12 CMA Award

nominations and six wins. Their latest hit "Bob That Head" is rising on the

Country singles charts.



    "CMA provided me with one of the most amazing moments of my life, and

it's an honor to be asked to announce this year's nominees with my tour

mates Rascal Flatts," said Swift.



    Reigning CMA Horizon winner Swift recently became the only Country

female artist to have five consecutive Top 10 singles from a debut album on

the Billboard Country charts. Swift just released in mid-July a Wal-Mart

Exclusive CD and DVD, which includes "Beautiful Eyes," a song released just

for Wal-Mart. The CD/DVD includes music videos, interviews and more for her

fans. Her self-titled debut album released back in 2006 spawned five hits,

including her latest, "Should've Said No."



    Broadcasting live from Nashville, CMT's Katie Cook and Lance Smith will

present exclusive coverage of the remaining 2008 CMA Awards nominee

announcements in a special half-hour edition of "CMT Insider," premiering

Wednesday, Sept. 10 (10:00 AM/ET; 9:00 AM/CT) on CMT. The special will

re-air on CMT immediately following the live broadcast at 10:30 AM/ET (9:30

AM/CT); and Saturday, Sept. 13 at 10:30 AM/ET (9:30 AM/CT). Footage from

the nomination special will also be available following the telecast at

CMT.com.



    Following the announcements on "Good Morning America," CMT will go live

with two of the hottest and most innovative acts in Country Music today,

Lady Antebellum and James Otto, as they reveal the remaining CMA Awards

nominees. Following the nominations, Cook and Smith will interview nominees

and examine the categories and evaluate the finalists.



    "We are so honored to have been asked by CMA to help them make this

announcement," said Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott. "The CMA Awards are

something we've dreamed about being a part of since Charles, Dave and I sat

down to write our first song together. It is truly one of the most

anticipated events of the year, and we are excited that we get to call the

nominees names!"



    Together since 2006, Country trio Lady Antebellum watched their first

single "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," from their No. 1, self-titled debut

album, reach the Top 5 on the Country radio charts. The group has opened

for Country favorites such as Martina McBride, Kenney Chesney, Carrie

Underwood, Josh Turner, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, and Alan Jackson. Their

second single "Lookin' For a Good Time" was just released and is already a

Top 30 hit.



    "This is Country Music's Biggest Night -- what an honor to be asked to

participate in announcing the CMA Award nominations," says Otto. "I don't

think there is a Country artist out there, including myself, who hasn't

dreamed of winning a CMA Award. To be asked to announce the nominee's names

that morning with Lady Antebellum is a moment I will always remember."



    One of Country Music's hottest rising stars, Otto's debut album on

Warner Bros. Records, Sunset Man, was released on April 8 and debuted at

No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200. The first single, "Just Got Started Lovin'

You" produced by John Rich, spent two weeks in the No. 1 position on the

Billboard, Mediabase and R&R top Country singles charts, and is Country

Radio's most played song of 2008 to date according to Mediabase. Otto's

second single, "For You" produced by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, is

currently climbing the charts. Otto goes on tour with Alan Jackson and

Trace Adkins in Fall 2008.



    In addition to the nominee announcements, Bucky Covington and Chuck

Wicks will announce the finalists for the 2008 CMA Broadcast Personality

and Radio Station of the Year in four categories (small, medium, large and

major markets) as well as the finalists for the CMA National Broadcast

Personality of the Year.



    The audio announcement of the CMA Awards nominees and Broadcast Awards

finalists will be available via StarGuide from CMA's official radio partner

Premiere Radio Networks. Premiere has provided outstanding, radio coverage

of the CMA Awards nominations for more than a decade.



    "For the past two years, being out at Country radio I get to see for

myself every day how hard these people work and how difficult their jobs

can be," said Covington. "Country radio has been really amazing to me so

it's very cool to get to announce the deserving nominees and share in their

excitement."



    After competing on the fifth season of "American Idol," Covington's

self-titled debut CD released in April 2007 and opened at No. 1 on

Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with the biggest first week sales for

any new male artist in 15 years. Covington, who is currently on tour, has

released three hits from his album including the current single "I'll Walk"

plus "A Different World" and "It's Good To Be Us."



    "I am thrilled to be able to announce the Broadcast Nominees," explains

Wicks. "Country radio has been so supportive of me and my music and I have

made so many amazing relationships over this last year that I can't think

of a better way to show my appreciation than to be a part of these special

announcements."



    One of Country's hottest new-comers, RCA Nashville recording artist

Wicks found an instant hit with his first single, "Stealing Cinderella,"

from his debut release, Starting Now. The single climbed to No. 5 and was

the first single from a new Country artist to crack the Top 5 in 2008.

Wicks follow-up single, "All I Ever Wanted," is soaring up the Country

charts and marks his second consecutive Top 25 hit. After a hugely

successful run as the opening act on the final leg of Brad Paisley's

"Bonfires & Amplifiers" Tour earlier this year, Wicks rejoins Paisley on

the road this summer as part of the "Hershey's Presents the Paisley Party"

Tour.



    As part of their comprehensive 2008 CMA Awards radio package, Premiere

Radio Networks will offer coverage of the nominee announcements, a preview

special, Red Carpet features, a live feed of the Awards gala and a

backstage wrap up show. Any Country radio station interested in receiving

the radio package, including the nominations feed, may contact Premiere

Affiliate Relations at (818) 377-5300.



    The announcements will be made at the Sommet Center with Genovese and

other guests starting at 9:00 AM/CT. The venue will open at 8:00 AM/CT for

invited media and members of the music industry to watch the televised

announcements on "Good Morning America."



    "The CMA Awards are 'Country Music's Biggest Night' and this is

certainly going to be Country Music's biggest morning," Genovese said. "I

can't imagine a more exciting way to kick off the CMA Awards season and the

excitement leading up to 'The 42nd Annual CMA Awards.'"



    The 2007 CMA Awards, held in Nashville during November Sweeps (Nov. 7),

ranked behind only the Academy Awards and GRAMMY Awards during the

2007-2008 season for awards shows among total viewers. With "The 41st

Annual CMA Awards," ABC won Monday evening in both total viewers (16

million) and adults 18-49 (5.4/13). According to Nielsen, research

estimates that 34.6 million viewers watched all or part of the ceremony.



    The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000

industry professional members of CMA, which was the first trade

organization formed to promote an individual genre of music in 1958. The

first "CMA Awards Banquet and Show" was held in 1967. The following year,

the CMA Awards were broadcast on NBC television for the first time - making

it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television.

The show aired on NBC through 1971 and on the CBS Television Network from

1972 through 2005 before moving to ABC in 2006.



    "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music

Association. Robert Deaton is the Producer and Paul Miller is the Director.

The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720

Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround

sound.



    ABC News' "Good Morning America" is anchored by Diane Sawyer and Robin

Roberts. Chris Cuomo is the news anchor and Sam Champion is the weather

anchor. The morning news program airs live from 7:00-9:00 AM/EDT, Monday

through Friday, on the ABC Television Network. Jim Murphy is the senior

executive producer and Tom Cibrowski is the executive producer of ABC News'

"Good Morning America."



    CMT's weekly entertainment series "CMT Insider," hosted by Katie Cook,

gives viewers their fix of Country Music news plus broader topics from the

entertainment world, including the latest in movies, music, fashion and

sports. "CMT Insider" premieres every Saturday at 1:30 PM ET/PT on CMT.

Lewis Bogach serves as Executive Producer.



    Premiere Radio Networks 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 2008 CMA Awards. Chevy: The

Official Ride of Country Music. Mary Kay(R) is the Official Beauty Sponsor

of the 2008 CMA Awards.