Oscar(R) & Grammy(R) Winner Jennifer Hudson Joins the 'VH1 Divas' Lineup

Oscar(R) & Grammy(R) Winner Jennifer Hudson Joins the 'VH1 Divas' Lineup

Sheryl Crow, Martina McBride, Cyndi Lauper and Melissa Etheridge to be Special Musical Guests Kathy Griffin, Toni Braxton, Ryan Kwanten, Lauren Conrad, Whitney Port and the Cast of The Upcoming Film "Fame" will be Presenters

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Jennifer Hudson's breakout roll as "Effie" in the Academy Award winning hit "Dreamgirls" garnered her every major acting award, but it was her powerful vocal abilities that first won her acclaim. On her self-titled debut album, Jennifer received four Grammy nominations and won for "Best R&B Album." VH1 viewers will now get a chance to hear Jennifer sing live at the "VH1 Divas" concert which will be televised live on VH1 on Thursday, September 17 at 9:00pm.*

Special musical guests for the show include Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Martina McBride. Kathy Griffin, Toni Braxton, Ryan Kwanten, Lauren Conrad, Whitney Port and the cast of MGM Film "Fame" (Asher Book, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Kherington Payne, Naturi Naughton, and Walter Perez) have all joined the "VH1 Divas" show as presenters for the evening.

"We are excited that Jennifer Hudson will share her award-winning talent with our 'VH1 Divas' audience next week. Adding Jennifer to our roster of young yet hugely successful performers guarantees that the show will truly be a night to remember," said Tom Calderone, President, VH1. "We can't wait for our viewers to enjoy the performances that will reflect the talent, hard work and tenacity that has come to define this new generation of divas."

Paula Abdul is set to host the "VH1 Divas" live concert event. Previously announced "Divas" include Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks and Miley Cyrus.

For the first time ever, these leading ladies at the top of their musical game will perform together live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. Continuing in true "Divas" tradition, the evening will feature a night of unforgettable performances from various performers, presenters and special guests.

Fans can go now to Divas.VH1.com to submit a "Diva Stories" text or video testimonial that tells the world how their favorite divas have influenced their lives. VH1 wants to hear from all Divas' fans - favorite songs, favorite moments and the craziest things they've done to show their diva how they feel. Select testimonials may be featured online and on-air leading up to this year's live telecast. Divas.VH1.com has also launched close to 50 past "VH1 Divas" performances, featuring Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and many more. Join Divas.VH1.com on Thursday, September 17 for live blogging coverage before and during the live telecast. Users can also follow all show-related news by following the "VH1 Divas" twitter account at http://twitter.com/vh1divas.

Premiering on VH1 in 1998, "VH1 Divas" became synonymous with some of the most memorable live female vocal performances in television history. The show quickly became a highly anticipated annual phenomenon, generating speculation among music fans and industry executives on who would be part of that year's telecast. Previous featured performers over the years included Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Cher, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Chaka Khan and many more.

"VH1 Divas" is executive produced by Lee Rolontz, Rick Krim and Patrizia DiMaria.

As in previous years, this "VH1 Divas" special will raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in American public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's complete education. Since VH1 Save The Music was created in 1997, more than $43 million worth of musical instruments have been donated to 1,600 public schools in 100 cities, improving the lives of more than 1.2 million children.

Exclusive VH1 Save The Music VIP tickets and Gold Circle ticket packages will offer premium seating to the live "VH1 Divas" concert plus pre and post party access and an exclusive gift bag. Event sponsorship opportunities are also available to the two distinctively different "VH1 Divas" Parties on the same night. For more information on tickets or to sponsor an event, please contact: Nia.Mack@vh1savethemusic.com or at 212-846-7324.

"VH1 Divas" is sponsored by Garnier Fructis and CoverGirl .

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

   *All times ET/PT     Contacts:   Scott Acord/VH1           Toni Herron/VH1         Candice Ashton/VH1   310-752-8075              212-846-7528            310-752-8352   Scott.Acord@vh1.com       Toni.Herron@vh1.com     Candice.Ashton@vh1.com  

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Source: VH1

CONTACT: Scott Acord, +1-310-752-8075, Scott.Acord@vh1.com, or Toni
Herron, +1-212-846-7528, Toni.Herron@vh1.com, or Candice Ashton,
+1-310-752-8352, Candice.Ashton@vh1.com, all of VH1

Web Site: http://vh1.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment