CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS, Hosted by Jennifer Nettles, to Air Dec. 20 on ABC

Some of the most powerful and emotionally moving voices in music come together to celebrate the holidays on "CMA Country Christmas," THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) and repeating Saturday, December 22 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) and Sunday, December 23 (4:00-6:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland hosts for the third year. Artists on the two-hour special celebrating the season with songs and stories include Dierks Bentley, Colbie Caillat, Katherine Jenkins, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Nettles, The Band Perry and Keith Urban.

In 2011 the premiere broadcast of "CMA Country Christmas" drew more than 9 million viewers, which represented an increase of nearly 23% over the inaugural broadcast in 2010. Adults 18-49 increased year-to-year by nearly 50%. Not only were initial airings better than in the previous year, through DVR playback, Total Viewers who watched the show within a week of premiere increased by 2 million from 2010 to 2011 (9.624 vs. 7.663); the cumulative audience reached 14 million.

"The popularity of 'CMA Country Christmas' grows each year," said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "The special is reaching across format lines and bringing in new viewers who appreciate great performances. It is especially rewarding that ABC has made the decision to air the program three times during the holiday season."

Full "CMA Country Christmas" show details can be found at CMAChristmas.com. Fans can connect with CMA online at Facebook.com/CMA, Twitter.com/CountryMusic (#CMAChristmas), YouTube.com/CountryMusicAssoc, and Pinterest.com/CMAworld. "CMA Country Christmas" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Paul Miller is the director and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

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