CMT ANNOUNCES "NASHVILLE'S" MIDSEASON PREMIERE ON JUNE 7, FOLLOWED BY SERIES-ENDING FINALE JULY 26

New "Nashville" Teaser Reveals Scenes from Final Eight Episodes

Ronny Cox and Mia Maestro Cast in Recurring Roles for Remaining Episodes

NASHVILLE - February 22, 2018 - CMT's "Nashville" wrapped up the first half of the series' final season today with dramatic twists, and gave fans a first look at the final eight episodes set to air Thursday, June 7 at 9-10 p.m. ET/PT. The landmark series will close with its final episode set for Thursday, July 26. When the series returns this summer, "Nashville" will feature two new recurring roles with the additions of Ronny Cox and Mia Maestro. "Nashville" is produced by Lionsgate and Opry Entertainment.

Ronny Cox (True Detective, RoboCop) has been cast in the recurring role of "Gideon" in the second half of season six of "Nashville." Gideon is a recently reformed, lifelong alcoholic. He's come back to try and heal a long broken relationship with his son, Deacon (Charles Esten). Gideon is a crusty, frustrated, would-be musician, who resented his son's success. Cox is represented byAgency for the Performing Arts (APA) and Levine Management.

Mia Maestro (The Strain, Scandal) has been cast in the recurring role of "Rosa" in the second half of season six of "Nashville." Rosa is a dedicated follower of Darius' (Josh Stamberg) Movement who is now having doubts about her role in it. Maestro is represented byICM Partners and Brillstein Entertainment Partners

From Lionsgate Music, "The Music of Nashville: Season 6 Vol 1" is available now in all digital music stores including iTunes and Spotify.

"Nashville" debuted on CMT in 2017 with record-breaking numbers. With the return of season 6 in January, the series once again posted high marks, notching a .80 among Adults 18-49 and 1.6 million viewers, the best since the S5 midseason premiere. (L+3) CMT is on track to garner 15 consecutive months of year-over-year ratings growth among Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49. (Total Day, L+SD)

In the midseason finale of Nashville, fans caught a special sneak peek of "Music City," CMT's new original series premiering Thursday, March 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. From famed executive producer Adam DiVello ("The Hills," "Laguna Beach"), "Music City" follows a group of young adults entering the next chapter of their lives while chasing dreams of success, fame and romance in Nashville. Faced with real choices that carry real stakes for their careers, their relationships and their futures, they must navigate the rocky road on the journey of self-discovery.

About "Nashville"

"Nashville" is set against the backdrop of the city's music scene and follows the lives of country music superstars as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business. Music City can mean so many things to different people. In "Nashville," musicians and songwriters are at the heart of the storm, driven by their own ambitions. Some are fueled by their creativity and passion for fame. Others struggle to cope with the pressures of success and are doing everything in their power to stay on top. "Nashville" stars Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O'Connor, Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Kaitlin Doubleday as Jessie Caine, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad and Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad. In addition, Season 6 features Ilse DeLange as Ilse, Rhiannon Giddens as Hallie Jordan, Cameron Scoggins as Zach Welles in recurring roles. The series is executive produced by Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick (the creators of "Thirtysomething"), Steve Buchanan and Callie Khouri, who created the series.

About CMT

CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT App, CMT.com) and social (CMT on Facebook, CMT on Instagram and CMT on Twitter). CMT is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB). For more information, please visit CMT Press.

About Lionsgate

The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate is a global content platform whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, gaming, virtual reality and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate's content initiatives are backed by a 16,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global licensing infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the Company's worldwide consumer base.

About Opry Entertainment

Opry Entertainment(R), a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE: RHP), is a producer of multi-media entertainment experiences with primary interests in location-based entertainment and television and stage production. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, its core business segments.