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Mon. July 14, 2008 CMA Celebrity Close Up Series Returns to GAC with Superstar Lineup

Lorianne Crook stirs up laughter with humorous tales from country music stars Bucky Covington, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols, Jake Owen, Taylor Swift, Randy Travis and Gretchen Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (July 14, 2008) –CMA Celebrity Close Up Series presented by Great American Country (GAC) and hosted by Lorianne Crook, returns to GAC this summer with a super star lineup of artists. The first of the two star-filled episodes premieres July 19 (9 pm ET) featuring Taylor Swift, Randy Travis and Gretchen Wilson. The second episode, which includes exclusive interviews with Bucky Covington, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols and Jake Owen, premieres July 26 (9 pm ET).

Gretchen Wilson starts the uproar among the fans when Crook obliges the audience by questioning Wilson about her relationship status, graduation, future album release and more. Wilson makes sure to remind her fans despite all her career success, “I am still a redneck woman! That’s what being redneck means being true about your self.”

Randy Travis also stays true to his country roots by sharing his secret aspiration to be a gunslinger and his hilarious childhood antics while pursuing the dream. But it’s not all fun and games as seen during a touching moment when he admits, “My wife made me want to be a better person.”

Taylor Swift’s time before the audience exemplified exactly why she is one of the favorite acts in country music today. Thinking on her feet, she treated the fans to a surprise a cappella performance of “Our Song” when Crook had microphone troubles. But Swift, who believes in the spirit of CMA Music Festival being all about the fans, didn’t let the surprises stop there! Tune in to see the surprise she gave one special fan. When Crook asks about Swift’s being a role model to young fans, Swift says she knows she is not perfect but, “I try to maintain confidence and stay true to who I am because I don’t really want to change it.”

In the second episode of CMA Celebrity Close Up Series (July 26 – 9 pm ET) Sara Evans discusses her relationship with then fiancée now husband Jay Barker, her family and music career. Evans, whose work days have been filled with being a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross and working on a new album, gives insight to fans on what she feels is the hardest part of being successful stating, “You sacrifice a lot but you get a lot. I have finally reached a point in my life where I can’t complain.”

Crook receives no complaints from the audience when she welcomes Joe Nichols onto the stage. The time spent with Nichols is filled with laughter as he discusses his marriage, favorite cartoons, underwear secrets and more. There are also jokes galore including Joe’s humorous response to fan reactions to his athletic body. “It’s all surgery, why work for it when you can pay for it.”

Bucky Covington and Jake Owen prove to be true charmers when the two join Crook at the same time for a double dose of fun. The two rising artists said they felt blessed with the opportunity to even be asked to participate in the CMA Celebrity Close Up Series. “I was thinking how cool it is to be sitting on the Ryman Stage,” Owen says, “I wish y’all could see what it looks like looking your way.”

CMA Celebrity Close Up Series presented by GAC was recorded before a live audience at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium during the 2008 CMA Music Festival.

For more information and additional dates and times on the CMA Celebrity Close Up, visit www.GACTV.com.

About Great American Country
Great American Country is the leader in country music entertainment. GAC delivers to viewers the widest variety of country music, its artists and the lifestyles they influence. GAC broadcasts original country music programming, country music performance specials, live concerts, music videos, and is the exclusive television home of the Grand Ole Opry. GAC is available in more than 54 million households and online at http://www.GACTV.com.

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