MIRANDA LAMBERT, LITTLE BIG TOWN, SUGARLAND AND JOSH TURNER ANNOUNCED TO PERFORM ON �THE 40TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS�

JON BON JOVI AND RICHIE SAMBORA, �AMERICAN IDOL� ALUM KELLIE PICKLER, LEANN RIMES, BARBARA MANDRELL SCHEDULED TO PRESENT

Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Sugarland and Josh Turner, all nominees up for the Horizon Award, are the latest Country Music artists to join the star packed lineup of performances on �The 40th Annual CMA Awards� to be telecast MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of CMA Awards nominated group Bon Jovi, �American Idol� alum Kellie Pickler, LeAnn Rimes and two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Barbara Mandrell were also announced to present awards.

Lambert, Little Big Town and Sugarland were among the artists who received two CMA Awards nominations this year. Lambert received her first CMA Awards nomination in 2005 for the Horizon Award, and in 2006 she received nominations for Horizon and Music Video of the Year for �Kerosene,� which was directed by Trey Fanjoy. An artist can only receive two nominations for the Horizon category in their career.

Little Big Town received their first CMA Awards nominations in 2006, including Horizon and Vocal Group of the Year. The multi-Platinum selling Sugarland also received nominations for Horizon and Vocal Group of the Year, and Jennifer Nettles also picked up a solo nod for Musical Event of the Year with Bon Jovi for their duet �Who Says You Can�t Go Home,� marking the New Jersey-based rock group�s first CMA Awards nomination.

Rounding out the Horizon Award category with Lambert, Little Big Town, Sugarland and Carrie Underwood is Josh Turner. Turner received his first CMA Awards nomination in the category in 2004.

Other performers already announced for the CMA Awards include Brooks & Dunn with Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, and John Rich of Big & Rich performing with Gretchen Wilson. Actor, songwriting legend and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame Kris Kristofferson will introduce the 2006 Hall of Fame inductees.

Additional artists will be added to the lineup and announced at a later date. �The 40th Annual CMA Awards� airs live from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville. It is a production of the Country Music Association. Walter C. Miller is the executive producer and Robert Deaton is the consulting producer.

�The 40th Annual CMA Awards� is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC�s selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning.