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CMT Shatters Ratings Records With the Premiere of CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards on June 12

Television viewers across the nation welcomed country music's first-ever video music awards program with open arms June 12 when they shattered ratings records at CMT. The CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards, starring some of the biggest names in country music as well as a dash of Hollywood, swept multiple demographic groups during its Wednesday, June 12 (9 p.m. ET) debut telecast to make CMT the No. 1 rated basic cable network among women ages 18-49 and women ages 25-54 during the time period. In addition, the awards show premiere was the highest rated commercial telecast in CMT history among viewers ages 18-49, and it was the second highest rated telecast among viewers ages 18-49 when compared to all basic cable network shows for the entire day's programming on June 12.

The evening's festivities, telecast live from downtown Nashville, awarded country music's elite for the year's most outstanding videos. CMT viewers cast more than 2.2 million votes at CMT's Web site CMT.com to select their favorites in the 12 viewer-voted categories. Hosted by actress Kathy Najimy (Sister Act, King of the Hill), the awards show was a lively celebration chock full of exceptional musical performances. Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, winners of the Flameworthy group/duo video of the year, sized up the unique awards show when he said, "There's a lot of people kicking back and just having a good time." Brooks & Dunn was joined onstage by surprise guests ZZ Top who, according to The Daily Oklahoman, "did a blazing rendition of 'Tush,' which drove the audience wild."

The star-studded special featured appearances and performances by the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Toby Keith, Sara Evans, Travis Tritt, Earl Scruggs, keith urban, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Brooks & Dunn, ZZ Top, Glen Campbell, Najimy, Verne J. Troyer ("Mini-Me" from the Austin Powers films, including the soon to be released, Austin Powers in Goldmember), NFL superstar and Tennessee Titans' running back Eddie George, Billy Campbell (Enough, Once and Again), Carrot Top, Ali Landry (Spy TV), Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Chely Wright, Jamie O'Neal, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Gary Allan, Chris Cagle, Cyndi Thomson, Cledus T. Judd and Montgomery Gentry<. Cameo appearances via pre-taped segments included rockers Melissa Etheridge and Gene Simmons (Kiss), Ed Begly Jr., Dolly Parton and "Peggy Hill" from the animated series King of the Hill.

"The CMT Flameworthy Awards monster ratings give us a new mandate from the audience," says Brian Philips, senior vice president/general manager, CMT. "They expect CMT's awards to be a wild, funny, sexy, over-the-top celebration of the best in country. We're already working on even bigger surprises for next year!"

In its review, Excelsior Radio Networks stated, "If last night's first-ever fan-voted CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards show at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center had been a concert, country fans across the nation would have been flicking their Bics."

The premiere CMT event served as the unofficial kick-off to the 31st Country Music Fan Fair, the world's biggest country music festival where fans from all over the globe come to meet and greet their favorite country music stars. According to The Tennessean, fans attending the CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards "enthusiastically ushered in a looser kind of country music awards show."

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