NATIONWIDE LOCAL MARKET AUDITIONS ANNOUNCED FOR RECORD-SETTING FIFTH SEASON OF USA'S "NASHVILLE STAR"

NATIONWIDE LOCAL MARKET AUDITIONS ANNOUNCED FOR RECORD-SETTING FIFTH SEASON OF USA'S "NASHVILLE STAR"

Show to premiere in January 2007

NASHVILLE, TN � August 8, 2006 � NASHVILLE STAR, USA Network's original grassroots talent search to find America's next great country music star and the nation's top-rated country music program, will return for its fifth season with auditions being held August 31-October 12 nationwide.

For its fifth season premiere in January 2007, NASHVILLE STAR will become the longest-running competition series on cable television. Its national casting tour will begin in Atlanta on August 31 and continue to twelve other cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, New York, Dallas and of course, Nashville.

Casting tour schedule:

Aug 31 Atlanta, Georgia at Wild Bill's (2075 Market Street)

Aug 31 Kansas City, Missouri at Beaumont Club (4050 Pennsylvania Avenue)

Sept 6 Indianapolis, Indiana at 8 Seconds Saloon (111 N. Lynhurst Drive)

Sept 7 Los Angeles, California at Saddle Ranch (Universal City Walk)

Sept 14 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at Bricktown Brewery (1 N Oklahoma Avenue)

Sept 14 Chicago, Illinois at Joe's Bar (940 W. Weed Street)

Sept 21 Las Vegas, Nevada at Sunset Station (1301 W. Sunset Road)

Sept 21 Tampa Bay, Florida at Howl At The Moon (615 Channelside Drive)

Sept 27 Albuquerque, New Mexico at Santa Ana Star Casino (54 Jemez Dam Road)

Sept 28 New York, NY at Rodeo Bar (375 3rd Avenue)

Oct 5 Charlotte, North Carolina at Midtown Sundries (18665 Harborside Drive in Cornelius)

Oct 5 Dallas, Texas at Billy Bob's (2520 Rodeo Plaza in Fort Worth)

Oct 12 Nashville, Tennessee at Wildhorse Saloon (120 2nd Avenue)

How it works:

1. Those auditioning will have one minute to perform a song off an approved song list.

2. A select few of the most talented will be invited back the next day for a chance to sing either two (2) cover songs from the approved song list or one (1) song off the list and one (1) original song.

3. The top contestants then proceed to one of two regional competitions to again audition for a chance to appear on the show.

The auditions are open to women and men, ages 18 and over (as of January 1, 2007), who think they have what it takes to become the next NASHVILLE STAR. Updated information on auditions including cities, locations and times, song lists, applications, as well as how to audition if you can't make it to an open call, can be found on http://www.usanetwork.com/nashvillestar/.

As in the past, the winner of this season's NASHVILLE STAR will receive a major music recording contract with a top-level record label.

In its previous four seasons, the careers of promising artists including Lambert, Buddy Jewel, Erika Jo and Season Four winner Chris Young have been launched. Jewel debuted his self-titled CD at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA. Runner-up Lambert became a household name when her Kerosene became the highest-selling debut album of 2005. Young, the most recent winner, will release his first CD on October 3; his self-written first single "Drinkin' Me Lonely," which he performed on NASHVILLE STAR, recently debuted at country radio.

NASHVILLE STAR is created by Reveille and executive produced by Ben Silverman ("The Biggest Loser," "The Office") and H.T. Owens ("The Restaurant," "30 Days"). Jeff Boggs will executive produce in association with Reveille. The show is produced by Jon Small ("Garth Brooks Live From Central Park," "Billy Joel Live at Yankee Stadium") and his production company, Picture Vision, alongside co-executive producer Mark Koops ("The Restaurant," "Blow Out").

For photos from season four of NASHVILLE STAR, as well as photos from previous seasons of the show, please log on to the NBC Universal Media Village at http://www.nbcumv.com/.

Reveille is a leading independent production and distribution company focused on exploiting worldwide intellectual property rights through scripted and alternative television formats. Launched in March of 2002 by Ben Silverman, the company leverages its unique relationships with the world's top broadcasters and producers to acquire, produce and distribute innovative entertainment programming across all television genres such as "The Office" (NBC), which has received five Emmy Award and three Television Critics Association Award nominations; "The Biggest Loser" (NBC); "Betty the Ugly" (ABC); "House of Boateng" (Sundance Channel); "30 Days" (FX); "Blow Out" (Bravo); "Bound For Glory" (ESPN); NASHVILLE STAR (USA); "Date My Mom" (MTV); and "The Restaurant" (NBC). Reveille is also the world leader in creating integrated marketing opportunities for leading advertisers while developing alternative financing paradigms. In addition, Reveille's growing library of programming is distributed to more than 150 countries worldwide through subsidiary Reveille International. The company maintains offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Seen in 90 million homes, USA Network is cable television's leading network of original series and feature movies, sports and entertainment events, network shows and blockbuster theatrical films. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.