Luke Bryan Set for ‘CMT Crossroads,’ New ‘Dude Perfect Show’
CMT will resume its long-running Crossroads series this spring, continuing the show’s tradition of pairing country stars with artists from other genres for one-off performances and unlikely duets.
First up is the pairing of Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles with upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick, who will kick off Crossroads‘ 14th year on March 24th. Later in the spring, Rob Thomas and Charles Kelley — two singers who’ve enjoyed careers as solo artists as well as members of different bands — will team up for the year’s second episode, with a match-up between Luke Bryan and R&B star Jason Derulo scheduled to hit the airwaves during the summer. Also set for an upcoming Crossroads are Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett.
The oldest series on the CMT network, Crossroads aired its first shows in 2002, pairing together artists like Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello, Ryan Adams and Elton John, and the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor during its first 12 months. During its run, the show has helped set the stage for multiple country-leaning projects by artists from other genres, including the Doobie Brothers’ Southbound — an album that paired the rock band with 14 different country singers, inspired by the Doobies’ Crossroads performance with Luke Bryan in 2011 — and Steven Tyler’s solo career, whose country twang is more aligned with his 2012 Crossroads match-up with Carrie Underwood than his career with Aerosmith.
Crossroads isn’t the only CMT program returning to the airwaves. I Love Kellie Pickler has been renewed for a second season, with episodes starting in August. Meanwhile, the network is doubling its original programming in 2016, thanks to live events like Concert of the Summer, shows like Billy Ray Cyrus’s Still the King and a TV adaptation of the Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet.
There’s also a new reality offering: The Dude Perfect Show, adapted from the popular YouTube sports-comedy series. Its debut season of sports tricks and Jackass-worthy shenanigans features cameos by Luke Bryan, Aaron Rodgers and Dale Earnhardt Jr.