Jake Owen to Headline 11th Annual CMT ON TOUR

Rising superstar Jake Owen revealed to fans in Detroit over the weekend that he will return to Motor City as the next headliner of the 11th annual CMT ON TOUR, with special guests Love and Theft and Florida Georgia Line. CMT ON TOUR Jake Owen: THE SUMMER NEVER ENDS 2012 kicks off October 10 in New York City, with tickets going on sale Friday, August 24. For ticket information, visit cmtontour.cmt.com.

The tour comes on the heels of a monster year for Owen, which includes two back-to-back, multi-week #1 singles with "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" and "Alone With You." Owen has performed to millions of fans since his career launched, including a coveted spot on the Brothers of the Sun tour this summer with superstars Kenny Chesney and Tim McGRaw. Owen first appeared on the CMT ON TOUR bill in 2007 as special guest for Sugarland.

"Being the headliner of a tour is something I've been dreaming about since I was in college, performing songs every Sunday afternoon on a bar stool and playing for tips," says Owen. "Headlining the CMT Tour is really cool for me because I was the opening, opening act in 2007, when Sugarland was the headliner and Little Big Town had the middle slot. So now, to be headlining the 11th Annual CMT Tour, with my buddies Love and Theft and Florida Georgia line, it feels very surreal. I'm honored and I can't wait to hit the road in October and keep that feeling of summer going on THE SUMMER NEVER ENDS tour."

"The CMT Tour has this incredible history of featuring artists that have gone on to become superstars, capable of filling stadiums and arenas, and now it's Jake's turn at headliner status," said Leslie Fram, SVP of Music Strategy, CMT. "Jake possesses an undeniable star quality that promises to propel him to new heights amongst his peers who have anchored the CMT Tour. We're also thrilled to feature up-and-coming acts Love and Theft and Florida Georgia Line in this year's fantastic line-up."

CMT ON TOUR launched in 2002 and has featured superstars Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Keith Urban. USA Today has referenced the CMT ON TOUR as the "proving ground for young country acts on the cusp of headliner status." The tour is produced by Lindsay Bertelli of REACH. Tour dates are as follows:

October 10, 2012 New York, NY Best Buy Theatre
October 12, 2012 Jackson, NJ Six Flags
October 18, 2012 Detroit, MI Royal Oak
October 19, 2012 Corbin, KY The Arena
October 26, 2012 Charlotte, NC Coyote Joe's
October 27, 2012 Troy, OH Hobart Arena
November 2, 2012 San Antonio, TX Cowboy Dancehall
November 3, 2012 Ft. Worth, TX Billy Bob's
November 8, 2012 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
November 9, 2012 Duluth, GA Wild Bill's
November 10, 2012 Savannah, GA Johnny Mercer Theatre
November 29, 2012 Chicago, IL House of Blues
November 30, 2012 Chicago, IL House of Blues
December 1, 2012 Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
December 5, 2012 Kansas City, MO Midland
December 6, 2012 Minneapolis, MN Myth
December 7, 2012 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
December 8, 2012 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
December 15, 2012 Vero Beach, FL Annual Jake Owen Foundation Charity Show Venue TBD

Since Jake Owen's album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, debuted at the top of the charts one year ago, he has been celebrating one career achievement after another. He scored two back-to-back, multi-week No. 1 singles with the title track and "Alone With You." "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" has been certified platinum by the R.I.A.A., with sales nearing 1.7 million, and "Alone With You" has been certified gold, with sales nearing platinum status. The third single, "The One That Got Away," is a song Jake co-wrote and it is currently climbing the charts. He has performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel LIVE and made a guest appearance on Chelsea Lately. Jake has had an incredible summer out on the 'Brothers of the Sun' tour. He first hit the national spotlight in 2005, and has toured with country music's biggest names including Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn and Sugarland. Owen has received multiple award nominations and in 2009 was deemed the ACM Top New Male Vocalist.

Duo Love and Theft, comprised of Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson, recently released their first studio album since joining RCA Nashville, appropriately titled Love and Theft. While technically it's their second album, the ACM and CMT-nominated duo considers it their first opportunity to have their music heard by a mass audience. Stephen and Eric share lead vocals throughout the 11 songs on the album, which was produced by Josh Leo, who also produced some of their influences including bands Alabama and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The first single from the album "Angel Eyes" recently hit the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, and has been certified gold by R.I.A.A.

Since releasing the top-selling debut single "Cruise," hot country rock duo Florida Georgia Line has been quickly garnering buzz among fans and media alike. With infectious lyrics and a buoyant melody, the single has sold well over 200,000 copies in just four months and is listed in the Top 25 for sales in many major markets. The Republic Nashville duo - comprised of Tyler Hubbard from Monroe, Georgia and Brian Kelley from Ormond Beach, Florida - brings a fresh sound to the genre and beyond, combining electrifying, hard-driving rock with honest, expressive lyrics. "Cruise" is featured on their EP It'z Just What We Do produced by Joey Moi (Jake Owen, Nickelback). FGL's energetic live show and compelling tunes have gained the attention of headlining acts; Jake Owen, Brantley Gilbert, Colt Ford and the annual Country Throwdown Tour previously selected them for coveted opening slots nationwide.

CMT, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network's digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.