FOREVER COUNTRY: Keith, Darius, Reba

Artists: Darius Rucker; Keith Urban

As announced yesterday (September 13th), in celebration of The 50th Annual CMA Awards, the CMA has created the biggest video in Country Music history. Titled “Forever Country,” the single and accompanying music video features 30 CMA Award-winning acts. This single was produced by CMA Award-winning Board member Shane McAnally and the video was directed by Grammy Award-winning director Joseph Kahn. In another historic move, the single will be unveiled to the public Friday, September 16th in a global roadblock across Country radio, premiering on hundreds of radio stations simultaneously at 8:30 AM/ET across the U.S., in addition to premiering in key international markets.

The song and music video weave a medley of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” together.

“The 50th Annual CMA Awards” will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, November 2nd (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.

For more information on “Forever Country” visit ForeverCountry50.com.

A radio special about the song, hosted by Luke Bryan (as well as an unhosted version), will be made available to download on ForeverCountry50.com. A second radio special about the video will be available in the coming days.

Keith Urban (why he wanted to take part in Forever Country) OC: …all about. :29
“I really wanted to be a part of the CMA’s ‘Forever Country.’ The songs are just so perfect. The fact that they all go together so seamlessly was incredible. I’ve played ‘Country Road’ in my cover band days; I’ve played ‘On the Road Again’ in my cover band days, and you know, I guess for me the reason these songs have stood the test of time is that they’re truth. They’re truth and they’re universal, and no matter where you come from in the world, you know what these songs are all about.”

Darius Rucker (Forever Country song mashup) OC: …great move. :45
“I mean, these three songs are so iconic and so big and have been so big so long when I was a young kid I remember singing ‘On the Road Again’ and singing ‘Country Roads’ on the John Denver TV show and all that stuff but they’ve all stood the test of time. ‘I Will Love You’ is one of those songs that just stood the test of time so much that somebody else cut it and made it even bigger and to have the hosts do it together that’s such a cool story to start with ‘On the Road Again’ and that’s what we do as artists we’re on the road again, and then ‘Country Road Take Me Home’ and then you’re singing to the fans ‘I Will Always Love You,’ ‘cause it’s true none of us could be out here doing this if our fans didn’t want to see us play. And so I think the three of those songs together was pretty smart. That was a great move.”

Darius Rucker (Forever Country) 1 OC: …pretty awesome. :19
“I heard about it when I got a phone call asking me if I was interested in doing it, and they started saying the names that were doing it and am I interested. You know, I’m honored to be asked to be on it. I was excited and hearing all the big names that were doing it and to know that I was gonna be a part of that, and it was pretty awesome.”

Reba (Forever Country) OC: …huge thrill. :10
“I get to sing ‘I Will Always Love You,’ and that’s Dolly Parton’s song. It’s been a huge favorite of mine for many, many years, and to get to sing on that with everybody and especially Dolly was a huge thrill.”