FRONT AND CENTER” AND THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE CMA SONGWRITERS SERIES TAPINGS WITH DARIUS RUCKER AND RONNIE DUNN WITH BRETT ELDREDGE

Concerts To Be Filmed Aug. 24 in Nashville

Songwriters Appearing at Tapings Include Casey Beathard, Nathan Chapman, Ross Copperman, Tom Douglas, Chris Dubois, Ashley Gorley, Travis Hill, Tim James, Charles Kelley, Tony Martin, Clay Mills, Wendall Mobley, Heather Morgan, Frank Rogers, Rivers Rutherford, Neil Thrasher, and Craig Wiseman

NASHVILLE –The critically-acclaimed television series “Front and Center” will film two brand-new episodes of the CMA Songwriters Series on Monday, Aug. 24 at Marathon Music Works in Nashville. CMA Award winner and Grand Ole Opry member Darius Rucker will take the stage at 6:30 PM/CT, followed by a very special pairing of Country Music icon Ronnie Dunn and reigning CMA New Artist of the Year Brett Eldredge at 9:30 PM/CT. Limited tickets are available to the public at http://tinyurl.com/qjy6cyg for the Darius Rucker performance and at http://tinyurl.com/nzysxdu for the Ronnie Dunn and Brett Eldredge show.

An award-winning songwriter himself, Rucker will be joined on stage by an illustrious group of songwriters including Casey Beathard, Nathan Chapman, Chris Dubois, Ashley Gorley, Tim James, Charles Kelley, Clay Mills, Frank Rogers, and Rivers Rutherford. Collectively, they are responsible for some of Rucker’s biggest hits including “Come Back Song,” “This,” “Alright,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.”

Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Rucker has released four consecutive albums to top the Billboard Country albums chart. The three-time Grammy winner’s most recent album, Southern Style, features his latest No. 1 single “Homegrown Honey,” co-written by Rucker, label mate Kelley of Lady Antebellum, and Chapman.

The night will also feature a one-of-a-kind taping with CMA New Artist of the Year Eldredge, who will be joined on stage, for the first time ever by his longtime musical influence Dunn of the legendary CMA Award-winning duo Brooks & Dunn. The show will feature appearances by songwriters Tony Martin, Wendall Mobley, Neil Thrasher, and Craig Wiseman, in addition to Dunn’s performance of some of his best-loved No. 1 hits and the lead single from his forthcoming third solo album Ain’t No Trucks In Texas (Nash Icon Records).

Eldredge is set to perform songs from his debut album Bring You Back which yielded the No. 1 hits “Don’t Ya,” “Beat of the Music,” and “Mean to Me.” He will also perform his hit single “Lose My Mind,” currently Top 10 and climbing, and other songs from his upcoming sophomore album Illinois, out Sept. 11. He will be joined onstage by songwriters Ross Copperman, Tom Douglas, Travis Hill, and Heather Morgan.

Award-winning singer/songwriter Dunn first hit the Country Music scene in 1990 with Kix Brooks as part of the multi-Platinum selling duo Brooks & Dunn. The Country powerhouses went on to chart 50 singles on the Billboard Country charts, 20 of which were No. 1 hits, win 17 CMA Awards and two Grammy Awards. Since launching his solo career in 2011, Dunn, whose self-titled debut solo album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and No. 5 on the Billboard 200 charts, has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.

“Front and Center” is the critically-acclaimed, original one-hour concert series that airs commercial-free on public television. Now in its sixth season, the show has presented an eclectic mix of Grammy, Country Music Association, and American Music Award winners rock icons and multi-Platinum sellers including Dierks Bentley, Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Jack Johnson, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, The Fray, Train, Keith Urban, and more.

“Front and Center” is a production of Front and Center Entertainment, LLC in association with WLIW21 for WNET, and distributed by American Public Television.

For more information on the “Front and Center” music series please visit frontandcenter.com and check out the YouTube page at youtube.com/frontandcentertv.

For more information on the CMA Songwriters Series visit CMAsongwritersseries.com.

**Suggested Tweet**: #CMAsongwriters extends partnership w/ @FrontandCenter! New shows ft @DariusRucker &  @BrettEldredge w/ @RonnieDunn film 8/24!