As Country Music fans get ready to celebrate “The 49th Annual CMA Awards,” ABC News brings viewers its seventh annual pre-CMA Awards Special: “Countdown to the CMA Awards: Country’s Greatest Crossover Hits with Robin Roberts,” airing Monday, Nov. 2 (10:00–11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.
With help from some of Country Music’s biggest stars and industry insiders, Robin Roberts and ABC count down the top 15 Country chart-bending, crossover hits, just in time for “The 49th Annual CMA Awards.” These songs are Country to the core yet borderless on Billboard charts. They are the 15 songs that blended or transcended traditional classifications to become universal anthems. They reached outside traditional Country Music boundaries to reach new audiences and are the songs that have inspired movies, movements, and mega-hits.
“Countdown to the CMA Awards: Country’s Greatest Crossover Hits with Robin Roberts” features the stories behind those songs, and showcases Brett Eldredge, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Carrie Underwood performing original covers from this essential playlist. The special includes appearances by Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Lee Greenwood, Randy Houser, Sam Hunt, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, The Band Perry, Steven Tyler, Keith Urban, and Chris Young.
From Oct. 31–Nov. 1, ABC Radio will also feature a two-hour special hosted by Roberts featuring an in-depth look at this year’s CMA Awards nominees and songs.
“The 49th Annual CMA Awards” airs live, Wednesday, Nov. 4 (8:00–11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.
In anticipation of “The 49th Annual CMA Awards” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will pave the road to the CMA Awards by welcoming some of the genre’s most notable stars. The lineup includes performances from Brett Eldredge, Kip Moore, Chris Young, as well as 2015 CMA nominees Kelsea Ballerini, Kacey Musgraves, Thomas Rhett, Underwood, and more. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format. Jimmy Kimmel and Jill Leiderman serve as executive producers. Jason Schrift, Douglas DeLuca, Erin Irwin and David Craig serve as co-executive producers. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” is shot live in front of a studio audience and produced by Jackhole Industries in association with ABC Studios. (CLOSED-CAPTIONED) Enjoy “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on the web at abc.com/JimmyKimmeLive and at youtube/JimmyKimmelLive. Artwork is available on Disneyabcpress.com.
John R. Green and Janice Johnston are Executive Producers of “Countdown to the CMA Awards: Country’s Greatest Crossover Hits with Robin Roberts.”