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Steven Tyler Gets Country for Christmas

Aerosmith Singer Joins Brad Paisley on CMA Special

If you pay attention to the country music gossip mill, you’ll remember the rumblings a few weeks ago that iconic rocker Steven Tyler was spotted hanging around Nashville after his appearance on the CMA Awards.

Turns out those weren’t rumors. The Aerosmith singer was hanging around for good reason: to take the stage with his buddy Brad Paisley for the annual CMA Country Christmas special, which airs Monday night (Dec. 1) on ABC.

The two perform an electric rendition of “Run Run Rudolph” and Tyler was all about it from the start.

“Brad called me up and said, ‘Hey, would you join me?” Tyler recalls in a behind-the-scenes interview from the set of the holiday special. “And I said I would love to, what are you doing? And he said, ‘Run Run Rudolph.’”

Thus a killer new version of the song was born.

Tyler adds, “We just did it and the proof is in the pudding … the Christmas pudding, that is.”

Indeed it is. Other exciting performances I’m keen to see include Hunter Hayes’ rendition of “Merry Christmas, Baby,” which takes on a blues feel. Hayes says that was his goal all along.

“I’m always looking for bluesy Christmas songs,” Hayes revealed. “When I heard it, I was like that’s perfect! ‘Merry Christmas, Baby!”

For Hayes and the other stars appearing, it’s just a special night all around. “There’s a spirit to this show that you can tell,” he says. “It’s great to feel it in person.”

Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Jackson, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Michael W. Smith, Broadway icon and world-class singer Idina Menzel and host Jennifer Nettles are also set to perform and get you in the holiday spirit.

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