CMT’S ACCLAIMED MUSIC SERIES “CROSSROADS” CELEBRATES ITS 50TH EPISODE WITH A BLOCKBUSTER PAIRING OF KATY PERRY AND KACEY MUSGRAVES


FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY “CROSSROADS” WILL AIR ON CMT, VH1, MTV, MTV HITS AND PALLADIA

CROSSROADS to Premiere June 13 on CMT

NASHVILLE – April 2, 2014 – For more than a decade, CMT has been pairing together country and non-country artists for episodes of the flagship music series CMT CROSSROADS, which has delivered some of the most unforgettable performances on television. Next up are global superstar Katy Perry and recent Grammy-winner Kacey Musgraves, who will appear in the 50th episode of the critically acclaimed and longest-running music series of the network, it was announced today at CMT’s Upfront presentation. For the first time in the series history, this all-new episode of CROSSROADS will not only air on CMT, but it will also air on multiple channels including VH1, MTV, MTV Hits and Palladia. The two stars will swap lyrics and share stories in a performance to be taped live in Los Angeles, before embarking on a tour together later this summer. CMT CROSSROADS: KATY PERRY AND KACEY MUSGRAVES will premiere on Friday, June 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CMT. Air dates for the VH1, MTV, MTV Hits and Palladia airings will soon be announced.

“This is without a doubt one of the best pairings in the 50 episode history of the Crossroads franchise,” says John Hamlin, senior vice president music events and talent, CMT. “Both Katy and Kacey are killing it right now in their respective formats—due in large part because their music is built on authenticity and great song writing. Those songs reflect a 2014 view of the world as seen from two different points of view. Better yet, they are good friends who are very, very excited to get on stage and share their music with one another.”

“From the moment I heard ‘Merry Go Round’ by Kacey Musgraves, I knew we were cut from the same songwriter's cloth,” said Perry. “I have been a fan and a friend of hers from the beginning, always championing her prolific songs every opportunity I get. To me, Kacey Musgraves is an artist that should be a household name because she offers a unique perspective with her writing style. It's going to be a BLAST to play on each other's songs this ‘Crossroads.’ It will be a preview to our Prismatic World Tour road trip this summer, WHICH I CAN'T WAIT FOR!”

"I've been such a HUGE fan of Katy and her vision since I found out about her. And since she's found out about me, she's been an amazing light and friend to me. So, joining forces with her for ‘Crossroads’ is going to be incredible," exclaimed Musgraves. "In some ways we're on opposite ends of the spectrum, but in a lot of ways our music makes total sense together. Her songs, while having grit, are so fun and it'll be a cool challenge to throw a little country on 'em. I love her brain and her heart and I can't wait for our two musical worlds to collide!"

Katy Perry cemented her status as a best-selling superstar with the global success of her second studio album, Teenage Dream, which debuted at #1 in 8 countries and spent over two years on Billboard's Top 200 album sales chart. She became the only female artist to have 5 #1 singles from one album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart ("California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework," "E.T." and "Last Friday Night"). The special edition, Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, added "Part of Me" and "Wide Awake" to Katy's list of nine Top 40 chart-toppers (dating back to her multi-platinum debut album, 2008's One of the Boys, which generated four hit singles: "I Kissed A Girl," "Hot N Cold," "Thinking of You" and "Waking Up In Vegas"). "Roar," the first single from her new album, PRISM, became Katy's 10th #1 Top 40 track after debuting at #1 on iTunes in 68 countries with 557,024 downloads in its first week of release, the biggest digital song sales week of 2013. A successful follow-up single, “Unconditionally”, was released in late 2013, followed by “Dark Horse”, which helped Katy set the record at Top 40 for most total weeks (46) at #1 in the Billboard airplay chart’s archives. Katy begins her “PRISMATIC WORLD TOUR” on May 7 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter, Kacey Musgraves released her Mercury Records Nashville debut album, “Same Trailer Different Park,” this past spring to massive critical acclaim and recognition. The album, which she co-produced with Shane McAnally and Luke Laird, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart making her the first solo female in five years to open at No. 1 with a rookie release, and just seventh in the 22-year Nielson SoundScan era. The album includes her top 10 single "Merry Go 'Round," “Blowin’ Smoke,” “Follow Your Arrow” and “Keep It To Yourself.” She’s received CMT Music Award and Teen Choice Award nominations, and has taken home the award for "New Artist of the Year" at 2013's CMA Awards. Musgraves also recently won two Grammy Awards for Best Country Song (“Merry Go ‘Round”) and Best Country Album (“Same Trailer Different Park”). She has performed on the "Today Show," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Late Show with David Letterman," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "2013 CMT Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards 2013” and the “56th Annual Grammy Awards.” Most recently, Musgraves received five ACM Award nominations including Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (Artist and Producer/”Same Trailer Different Park”), Song of the Year (“Mama’s Broken Heart”) and Video of the Year (“Blowin’ Smoke”). She is currently on tour with Lady Antebellum and will tour with Katy Perry later this summer.

CMT CROSSROADS debuted January 13, 2002 with Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams and since has showcased dream musical partnerships including Kid Rock and Hank Williams, Jr.; Ray Charles and Travis Tritt; Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris; Bon Jovi and Sugarland; Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire; Def Leppard and Taylor Swift; Sting and Vince Gill; John Mayer and Keith Urban; Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood; Stevie Nicks and Lady Antebellum; and One Republic and Dierks Bentley to just name a few.

CMT CROSSROADS is produced by Tom Forrest and Kathryn Russ. John Hamlin, Margaret Comeaux and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers for CMT.

THE AVETT BROTHERS AND RANDY TRAVIS MEET FOR AN ALL-NEW EPISODE OF THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ‘CMT CROSSROADS’ PREMIERING NOVEMBER 23

Nashville, Tenn. (October 10, 2012) – Folk artists The Avett Brothers will share the stage with country music legend Randy Travis when CMT presents an all-new episode of CMT CROSSROADS.  Meeting and collaborating for the first time on the CMT CROSSROADS stage in Nashville, The Avett Brothers and Randy Travis will perform some of Travis’ most famous hits, along with some of The Avett Brothers most memorable tunes including some from their current album, The Carpenter.  CMT CROSSROADS: THE AVETT BROTHERS AND RANDY TRAVIS premieres Friday, November 23 at 11:00 p.m., ET/PT.

In 2001, banjoist Scott Avett and guitarist Seth Avett formed The Avett Brothers with standup bass player Bob Crawford. Growing up in Concord, NC, the boys immersed themselves in their musician dad's record collection, falling in love with Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Since then, they've become genre stalwarts over the course of six albums, including 2007's acclaimed Emotionalism and their 2009 major label debut on American Recordings, I and Love and You. Most recently, their seventh full-length album and first for the joint venture between American and Republic Records, The Carpenter, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 with first-week sales of 98,000. It also hit No. 1 on both the Billboard Rock chart and iTunes Rock chart. Critical acclaim has poured in for the record from the likes of Rolling Stone, People, USA Today, and more. Produced by the legendary Rick Rubin and recorded in North Carolina and Malibu, The Carpenter is an artful distillation of classic homegrown folk, rock energy, bluegrass soul and pop charm.

Warner Bros. Records has been home to Randy Travis for the majority of his recording career; and together they have accumulated lifetime sales of his music in excess of 20 million units to date.  Travis is one of the biggest record sellers in music industry history, with 18 No. 1 singles, 29 Top 10 chartings, certification of the rare quintuple platinum album (Always and Forever, released in 1987), one triple platinum album (Storms of Life, released in 1986), two double platinum’s (Old 8x10, released in 1988, and No Holding Back, released in 1989), eight platinum albums, and 10 gold albums. Randy Travis' Anniversary Celebration CD is his latest release.  It marks his phenomenal silver milestone in the music industry, and includes a star-studded cast of collaborators.   Major industry career awards include seven GRAMMY Awards, five Country Music Association Awards (CMA), 10 Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM), 10 American Music Awards (AMA), two People’s Choice Awards, and eight Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association.  He is a three-time recipient of CMA Award’s “Song of the Year’’ honors (“On The Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever Amen,” and “Three Wooden Crosses”).  Randy Travis has appearances in more than 40 feature film productions and major television projects to his credit.  In 2004, he was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  In the midst of every major career award and accolade, he considers his honored induction as a member of the famed Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville, in 1986, as a shining highlight of his first 25 years of legendary accomplishments.       

CMT CROSSROADS is produced by Tom Forrest and Kathryn Russ.  John Hamlin, Margaret Comeaux and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers.