Neil Diamond and Big Time Rush Added to Star Studded Line-Up of NBC's 14th Annual 'Christmas in Rockefeller Center' Special, 11/30

NBC will celebrate the lighting of the world's most famous Christmas tree with a live broadcast from Rockefeller Center in New York City on Wednesday, November 30th from 8 to 9 p.m. ET. The star-studded holiday special will feature performances by Neil Diamond, Big Time Rush, Tony Bennett, Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Cee Lo Green, Carole King, Katharine McPhee, Javier Colon and The Radio City Rockettes with a mix of current hits and holiday classics.

Justin has brought some special guests for his performance and NBC will also premiere his music video with Mariah Carey for "All I Want for Christmas is You." The song, originally recorded and written by Mariah Carey for her 1994 album "Merry Christmas," is the most listened to song at the holidays and this new duet is featured on Justin's Christmas album, "Under the Mistletoe."

The 79th annual holiday extravaganza will feature a Norway Spruce tree that is 74 feet high, 46 feet in diameter and weighs 10 tons.

The tradition of the Rockefeller Christmas tree dates back to the Great Depression. First erected in 1933, the inaugural tree was decked with 700 lights and placed in front of the then eight-month-old RCA Building, now the GE Building. The Christmas tree gathering was enhanced in 1936 with the opening of the Rockefeller Plaza outdoor ice-skating pond. NBC-TV televised the tree lighting for the first time in 1951 on "The Kate Smith Show" and as part of the nationwide "Howdy Doody" television show from 1953-55.

Prior to this year's primetime telecast, WNBC, NBC's flagship station, and other NBC affiliates (listed below) will broadcast an additional live hour of the special from 7 to 8 p.m. ET . This first hour will feature performances by all the show's stars and also a special performance by Megan Hilty, star of the upcoming NBC musical drama "SMASH".

"Christmas in Rockefeller Center" is produced by Brad Lachman Productions with Lachman serving as executive producer. Bill Bracken is producer.

NBC AFFILIATES BROADCASTING FIRST HOUR OF SPECIAL 7-8 P.M. ET:

WCBD - Charleston, SC, WVIR - Charlottesville, VA, WLWT - Cincinnati, OH, WBOY - Clarksburg, WV, WETM - Elmira, NY,WMBF - Florence,SC, WBBH - Fort Myers, FL, WHAG - Hagerstown, MD, WGAL - Lancaster, PA, WAVE - Louisville, KY, WNBC - New York, NY, WCAU - Philadelphia, PA, WEYI - Saginaw-Bay City, MI, WTWC - Tallahassee, FL, WNWO - Toledo, OH, WFMJ - Youngstown, OH, WHIZ - Zanesville, OH, KMIR - Palm Springs, CA, KATH - Jeuneau, AK, KSCT - Sitka, AK.

To post a comment, you must register and login.