John Mayer and Keith Urban Come Together For CMT CROSSROADS

Grammy winning musicians John Mayer and Keith Urban are both award-winning singers and songwriters, and now they share the distinction of being the first artists to make a return to CMT CROSSROADS in the newest episode of the CMT hit series. CMT CROSSROADS: John Mayer and Keith Urban taped before an invitation only audience in Nashville and premieres Friday, June 18 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on CMT.

Taking the stage in front of an energized crowd, the duo collaborates on Urban hits including "If Ever Could I Love", "'Til Summer Comes Around" and the up-tempo "Sweet Thing". Mayer brings well-known songs "Perfectly Lonely" and "Gravity" to the show, and the two conclude their performance with a cover of the ever-so-popular "Faith" by George Michael.

Keith Urban and John Mayer are no strangers to the CMT CROSSROADS stage. Urban and John Fogerty were featured in an episode that premiered in February 2005 and Mayer and Brad Paisley were featured in an episode that premiered in May 2004. The collaboration of Mayer and Urban will mark the first time artists will come back to the CMT CROSSROADS stage since the series' launch in January of 2002.

The consistency with which John Mayer combines word craft and melody has earned him rarefied status in popular culture as an authentic, respected songwriter and musician. His fourth studio album, Battle Studies, was released in November 2009, debuted at #1, and serves as the impetus for the Battle Studies World Tour, which will begin in February 2010. The album was co-produced by John Mayer and Steve Jordan and released on Columbia Records. Since his acclaimed debut in 2001 with Room For Squares, each release has earned John Mayer additional accolades. Through 2003's Heavier Things, his work with John Mayer Trio in 2005, returning to the studio for CONTINUUM in 2006 and now, Battle Studies, John Mayer has established himself as a musician and collaborator who exceeds genre boundaries. The guitarist, vocalist and songwriter has earned seven Grammy Awards and sold in excess of 15 million albums worldwide. In May 2007, Time Magazine placed John Mayer on their Time 100 list of the most influential contemporary thinkers, leaders, artists and entertainers. For two consecutive years, Rolling Stone Magazine featured John Mayer on the cover of their annual "Guitar" issue - first with February 2007's "The New Guitar Gods" round-up and then in May 2008's "Living Guitar Legends" issue featuring Mayer with peers and icons alike.

In 2001, the Country Music Association honored Keith Urban with its Horizon Award, designating him a talented artist with a bright future and to this day Urban remains the only Horizon Award winner in history to go on to win the CMA's Top Male Vocalist of the Year, a title he's captured three times, and the coveted Entertainer of the Year. Nine years and nearly 15 millions albums later, Keith is a three-time Grammy Award winner, who in this past year has added an American Music Award and People's Choice Award to his mantle. He's won five Academy of Country Music Awards, had 11 #1s, including 22 Top 5 hits and two consecutive #1 CDs, including his latest Defying Gravity, which debuted atop both Billboard's Top 200 all genre and Country Album Charts. In December 2009, Urban was named the year's Top Overall Performer for Country Aircheck/Mediabase based on his country radio airplay. In addition, his 2002 smash "Somebody Like You" was named the #1 Country Song of the Decade by Nielsen BDS (based on radio airplay and audience impressions). But Urban's reputation as an elite songwriter, musician, vocalist and virtuoso guitarist is no more evident than when he is onstage. His electrifying concerts have played to sold-out venues from Australia to Germany to England to Canada and The United States. 2009's Escape Together World Tour, as well as 2007's Love, Pain & the whole crazy World Tour, were both, according to Pollstar, one of the top grossing tours for their respective years.

CMT CROSSROADS is produced by Tom Forrest and Kathryn Russ. John Hamlin, Margaret Comeaux and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers for CMT.

CMT, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 90 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network's digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

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