“CMT Crossroads” Unites Critically-Acclaimed Pop Superstar Kesha With Grammy Award-Winning Group Old Crow Medicine Show

NASHVILLE – November 20, 2017 –  CMT today announced critically acclaimed pop singer/songwriter Kesha will join Grammy Award-winning Americana band Old Crow Medicine Show for an all-new “CMT Crossroads” collaboration premiering Wednesday, December 6 at 10 PM ET/PT. The episode will tape in Nashville, home to both artists, and feature performances of each other’s biggest songs including hits from Kesha’s latest No. 1 album Rainbow and Old Crow Medicine Show fan-favorite “Wagon Wheel.”

“I grew up on country music, it was the first music I sang, listened to, and wrote as a child, and I'm especially stoked to be collaborating with Old Crow Medicine Show," said Kesha. "I've always admired early country artists such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Gram Parsons, and Loretta Lynn, and the outlaw attitude of some of those early country artists who helped create rock and roll. To me, Old Crow Medicine Show epitomizes that attitude and wildness while also being amazing songwriters and performers."

"Old Crow is so excited to be working with Kesha on this project,” said band member Ketch Secor. “Through our nearly 20 years of performing together our band has enjoyed many different kinds of musical collaborations, but this will be our first time working together with a pop star. We love Kesha's style and we're all looking forward to what we'll come up with together."

The news comes on the heels of a strong year for CMT, which has posted eleven consecutive months of year-over-year ratings growth with Adults 18-49 and with Women 18-49.  Furthermore, CMT finished the 2017 Fiscal Year up +12% among Adults 18-49 and up +13% among Women 18-49 from the prior year and earned its highest-rated year since 2014. The gains are continuing as quarter-to-date, CMT is up +19% from a year ago with Adults 18-49 and up +23% with Women 18-49. (L+SD, CMT Total Day, Fiscal Year: October-September).

“CMT Crossroads” debuted January 13, 2002 with Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams and since has showcased dream musical partnerships including Kid Rock and Hank Williams, Jr.; Ray Charles and Travis Tritt; Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris; Bon Jovi and Sugarland; Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire; Def Leppard and Taylor Swift; Sting and Vince Gill; John Mayer and Keith Urban; Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood; Stevie Nicks and Lady Antebellum; Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves; Alicia Keys and Maren Morris; and most recently, the Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line, which became the highest-rated “Crossroads” among Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49 since 2012. (L+3). 

“CMT Crossroads” is produced by CMT’s Margaret Comeaux and Switched On Entertainment’s John Hamlin.

About Kesha:
Kesha’s latest album 'Rainbow', called "an artistic feat" by Entertainment Weekly and "the best music of her career" by Rolling Stone, marks a new beginning for Kesha. Based around inner strength and musical exploration, her latest No. 1 album finds Kesha at "her defiant, unbridled best" (USA Today), boasting collaborators ranging from Ben Folds to Eagles of Death Metal to Dolly Parton. The album has garnered praise from the New York Times, Billboard, NPR Music and more. When Kesha released her debut album, 'Animal' in 2010, Billboard declared her its Hot 100 Artist and her debut single, "TiK ToK," the #1 Hot 100 Song. It was also the most played song and the world's top-selling track that year. 'Animal' has sold more than 8 million album equivalents worldwide, and Kesha has sold more than 13 million total album equivalents worldwide. Kesha has had 9 Top 10 hits on The Billboard Hot 100, including four #1 singles at Top 40 Radio - "TiK ToK," "Your Love Is My Drug," "Die Young," and "Timber." Kesha took home the MTV EMA for Best New Act in November 2010 and was nominated for 2 American Music Awards, 3 MTV VMA Awards, and 6 Billboard Awards. She has over 29 million Facebook followers, over 2.4 million Instagram followers, 3.82 million followers on Twitter, and over 1.2 billion views on VEVO. She has sold over 47 million tracks and streams in the U.S alone and over 98 million tracks and streams worldwide to date. 'Animal' has been certified Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum in over 15 markets worldwide (including Platinum in the United States) and was the biggest-selling debut album from an international female in 2010 in the UK. Kesha executive produced two seasons of the television show "Kesha: My Crazy Beautiful Life" for MTV, as well as wrote a book of the same name that gave a look into the creative process of her latest album, 'Warrior'.  She is an animal rights crusader as the Humane Society International's first Global Ambassador and a passionate advocate for equality, being honored with the 2016 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award. In 2016 she won Billboard's Women in Music Trailblazer Award.

About Old Crow Medicine Show:
Old Crow Medicine Show started busking on street corners in 1998 New York state and up through Canada, winning audiences along the way with their boundless energy and spirit. It's been over nineteen years since these humble beginnings. The band has gone on to receive the honor of being inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry, and have won two Grammy Awards: "Best Folk Album" for Remedy (2014) and "Best Long Form Music Video" for Big Easy Express (2013). Additionally, their classic single, "Wagon Wheel", received the RIAA's Platinum certification in 2013 for selling over 1,000,000 copies. Old Crow Medicine Show has toured the world playing renowned festivals and venues such as:  Bonnaroo, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Cambridge Folk Festival, Coachella, London's Roundhouse, The Ryman Auditorium, The Barclays Center, New Orleans Jazz Fest, The Fox Theater Atlanta, The Kennedy Center Concert Hall, and more. They've toured with artists such as Willie Nelson & Family, Brandi Carlile, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, John Prine, The Avett Brothers and others. Old Crow Medicine Show now have five studio albums to their name, three of which were released by Nettwerk Records - O.C.M.S (2004) and Big Iron World (2006) produced by David Rawlings, and Tennessee Pusher (2008) produced by Don Was. In 2012, ATO Records released the Ted Hutt produced, Carry Me Back, on which they continued to craft classic American roots music. The band's latest album, Remedy (2014), released by ATO Records and also produced by Ted Hutt includes new Old Crow classics like "Sweet Amarillo," "8 Dogs 8 Banjos," and "Brushy Mountain Cojugal Trailer". In 2017 Old Crow Medicine Show released two albums: Best Of Old Crow Medicine Show (Nettwerk) and 50 Years Of Blonde On Blonde (Columbia Nashville). Best Of, is comprised of fan favorites from Old Crows' three Nettwerk released albums, as well as two previously unreleased tracks. 50 Years of Blonde On Blonde is Old Crow's reimagined version Bob Dylan's classic Blonde On Blonde album. Released via the historic Columbia label, it finds Old Crow Medicine Show exploring new territory while paying homage to their biggest influence. 

About CMT:

CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT App, CMT.com) and social  (CMT on Facebook, CMT on Instagram and CMT on Twitter). CMT is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB). For more information, please visit CMT Press.