FIRST ROUND OF PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2023 "CMT MUSIC AWARDS," LIVE FROM AUSTIN'S MOODY CENTER, APRIL 2 ON CBS

· Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Keith Urban, co-host Kelsea Ballerini and Lainey Wilson are the first round of superstars added to the lineup, joining previously announced performers Carrie Underwood and co-host Kane Brown and wife Katelyn Brown at the 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, airing LIVE from Austin, Texas' Moody Center, Sunday, April 2 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.*

· Blake Shelton
· With eight career wins across two decades of nominations, the 2018 Video of the Year winner will again look to take home the night's biggest award and will return to the CMT stage for the first time in five years to perform new single "No Body."

· Carly Pearce
· Following last year's fiery performance of "Diamondback," the 2018 Breakthrough Video of the Year winner will again take the stage for another can't-miss performance. The 10-time nominee also looks to take home two wins for Female Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year.

· Cody Johnson
· The Texas powerhouse made an unforgettable debut at the 2022 awards, tying for most wins of the night and wowing audiences with "'Til You Can't," which is nominated for CMT Performance of the Year. He'll bring his hit single "Human" live to Austin's Moody Center and compete for three more buckles, including the coveted Video of the Year.

· Keith Urban
· Vying for his fourth Video of the Year win and also nominated for his memorable show opening performance at the 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS for "Wild Hearts," the second-most nominated artist in CMT history, with nine wins, will once again bring a high-energy, can't miss performance to the CMT stage.

· Kelsea Ballerini
· Fresh off her critically acclaimed "SNL" appearance, Ballerini will add to her co-hosting duties with another show-stopping performance on the CMT stage. She's also up for two awards: Female Video of the Year and Video of the Year.

· Lainey Wilson
· Following one of the most unforgettable performances of the 2022 awards for her rain-soaked collab of "Never Say Never" with Cole Swindell, the YELLOWSTONE star - and this year's most-nominated artist (4x) - looks to take home her first CMT belt buckle and will bring her hit "Heart Like a Truck" live from the Austin stage.

· Additional performers, presenters and details about the 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS on CBS will be announced soon.

Previously announced 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS news:

· HOSTS: Kane Brown + Kelsea Ballerini

· NOMINATIONS: Lainey Wilson (4) leads; Cody Johnson, co-host Kane Brown and first-time nominee Jelly Roll follow (3). Full list here.

· VOTING: Fans can vote for their favorites across nine categories by visiting vote.cmt.com through March 27. Voting for the highly coveted Video of the Year category remains active into show.

· CMT MUSIC AWARDS EXTENDED CUT: Premieres Thursday, April 6 (8:00-11:30 PM, ET/PT) on CMT featuring 30 extra minutes of new performances and bonus content.

· TICKETS: Available for sale on Ticketmaster here.

· SPONSORS: Official sponsors of the 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS include Ram Truck Brand.

· CREDITS: Margaret Comeaux (CMT), John Hamlin (Switched On Entertainment), Leslie Fram (CMT) and Jason Owen (Sandbox Entertainment) are executive producers.

· SOCIALS: Use hashtag #CMTAwards and follow @CMT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Tik Tok.

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About the CMT Music Awards

Celebrated for its high-powered, world-premiere and cross-genre performances, the CMT Music Awards have aired live since 2005, delivering Nashville's biggest party to music fans across the globe. The 2022 show, hosted by superstars Anthony Mackie, Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, featured performances from country music's biggest stars with epic first-time collaborations and cross-genre pairings, including Jimmie Allen, Monica + Little Big Town, Kenny Chesney, Mickey Guyton + Black Pumas, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris + Ryan Hurd, Keith Urban, the last televised performance from legendary duo The Judds, and Carrie Underwood, who remains the most-awarded artist in CMT Awards history with 25 wins. 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS highlights here.

About Moody Center

Moody Center provides the nation's 11th largest city with a premier venue to host the biggest artists and acts on the planet. Designed specifically for concerts, the new arena replaces the 45-year-old Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center at The University of Texas and is home to The University of Texas Women's and Men's basketball games, family shows, and other sporting and community events. Moody Center is the first of its kind in the industry with an unrivaled partnership between Oak View Group, Live Nation/C3 Presents, The University of Texas at Austin and Minister of Culture, Matthew McConaughey. In 2022, Moody Center ranked #1 highest grossing venue in its category by Billboard Magazine and received the 2022-23 New Venue of the Year Award by Pollstar Magazine. Additional information and news, follow @moodycenteratx on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Tik Tok.

*Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on demand. Essential-tier subscribers will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.