Lance Smith   -  Biography

Nashville native Lance Smith is host of CMT Top 20 Countdown and joined CMT as the network's first VJ in 2001. As one of the on-air representatives of the network, Smith has been present at all major industry functions during his tenure, including the CMA Awards, ACM Awards, Grammy Awards and American Music Awards, as well as all of the CMT Music Awards broadcasts. In addition to his regular series hosting duties, Smith brings his own unique style to hosting specials, such as CMT at Summerfest and Spring Break specials with Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, and is a correspondent on the weekly entertainment news show, CMT Insider. Smith pursued a career in acting and landed small roles on several TV sitcoms during a brief stint in Los Angeles after high school. A lifelong fan of music, he landed his first gig in country music as the emcee of the Dixie Chicks' 2000 Fly tour. His musical background, combined with years of theater and on-camera experience, made him an obvious choice for on-air work at CMT. Smith recounts interviewing Dolly Parton, Sting and Morgan Freeman among his career highlights at CMT. Having written poetry since he was a child, his first children's book, The Old Man and the Cat, will be published in November 2008 by Big Tent Books. A portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to The Boys and Girls Clubs of America.