More Performers Announced for 'The 39th Annual CMA Awards'

More Performers Announced for 'The 39th Annual CMA Awards'

Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Sara Evans and Rascal Flatts to Perform During "Country Music's Biggest Night"

Trace Adkins and LeAnn Rimes to Present Trophies During Gala

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- "Country Music's Biggest Night(TM)" continues to grow with the announcement today that nominees Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Sara Evans and reigning Vocal Group of the Year Rascal Flatts will perform on "The 39th Annual CMA Awards," which airs at live Tuesday, Nov. 15 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the CBS Television Network from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Trace Adkins and LeAnn Rimes have been added to the impressive list of presenters during the three-hour gala.

"This list of performers covers the range of categories represented by the CMA Awards," said CMA Executive Director Ed Benson. "Collectively, we have the Horizon, Vocal Duo, Female Vocalist and Vocal Group represented by this outstanding group of performers. They are among the best our format has to offer and this is going to be an amazing night of music."

Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Rascal Flatts has received the Vocal Group of the Year trophy for the last two years, and they are nominated again in 2005. The trio (Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney) won their first CMA Award in 2002 with the Horizon Award. Since 2000, they have sold 8 million records. The group's current album, Feels Like Today, is currently the best- selling Country album of 2005, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

As a duo, Big & Rich (Kenny Alphin and John Rich), received two nominations for Horizon and Vocal Duo of the Year in 2005, but Rich also scored another nomination as a songwriter with Gretchen Wilson for their Song of the Year contender "Redneck Woman." Their Warner Bros. Records album Horse of A Different Color has sold more than 2.5 million copies.

Evans has received 12 nominations since 1999 including four for Female Vocalist of the Year. This year, she is also nominated for Musical Event of the Year with Brad Paisley for "New Again." Evans won the CMA Music Video of the Year Award in 2001 for "Born To Fly." Her latest RCA album, Real Fine Place, was released Oct. 4. The title single spent two weeks at No. 1 on both the Billboard and Radio & Records Country singles charts

Celebrating his second CMA Awards Horizon nomination with a performance this year is Bentley, who was recently inducted in to the Grand Ole Opry. His recently released second Capitol Records album Modern Day Drifter has been certified Gold, according to RIAA, and has spent more than 20 weeks on Billboard's Top 20 Country Albums chart. His self-titled first album was certified Platinum.

The 2005 CMA Awards will be hosted by Brooks & Dunn. Performers previously announced include Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack. Additional names will be announced soon.

Trace Adkins and LeAnn Rimes have been added to the list of presenters, which include Vince Gill, Kris Kristofferson, Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood along with Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix.

For the first time ever, tickets for the 2005 CMA Awards are available to the general public. Tickets can be purchased by logging on to http://www.ticketmaster.com/; calling (212) 307-7171 (or any local Ticketmaster outlet phone number); or in-person at the Madison Square Garden box office. They can also be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets across the nation. The ticket price is $250 (not including tax and service charges).

The CMA Awards are produced by Walter C. Miller and directed by Paul Miller. David Wild will script the ceremonies. MJI Programming, a division of Premiere Radio Networks, is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards, which includes Red Carpet coverage and a stereo-radio simulcast of the gala event. Chevy, an American Revolution, is the official automotive sponsor of the 2005 CMA Awards. American Airlines is the official airline of the 2005 CMA Awards. Additional promotional sponsors include Prilosec OTC and Creme Savers(R) candies. Charles Fazzino is the official artist of the 2005 CMA Awards.

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl, or Scott Stem, of CMA, +1-615-244-2840; or Beth Stoller-Feldman of CBS-NY, +1-212-975-3183

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

NOTE TO EDITORS: For CMA Awards information, history and high-resolution images visit CMApress.com. This is a protected site for media only and is not intended for public use.

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