With five hours of airtime to fill, CBS’ Nashville-based New Year’s Eve special has to book a significant amount of the stars of country music, and many of those names were announced in a talent rollout Wednesday morning — including the genre’s blockbuster artist of the moment, Morgan Wallen.
Among those also newly announced as joining the lineup for “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” are Bailey Zimmerman, Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Hardy, Carly Pearce, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Jackson Dean, Jon Pardi and Grace Bowers. Two duo performances round out the rollout: Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins, and Brothers Osborne with Trombone Shorty.
Previously announced for the special were Lainey Wilson, Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett, Dustin Lynch, Elle King and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The special airs in two two-and-a-half-hour blocks for a total of five hours — 7:30-10 p.m. ET/PT, followed after a half-hour break for locals news by a part two running from 10:30 p.m.-1:05 a.m. ET/PT. The show will also stream live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers (and on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers starting the following day).
Elle King and Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith will co-host the program from Nashville. New York’s Times Square celebration will be included via appearances by Dustin Lynch, radio/TV personality Cody Alan and WCBS weather anchor Lonnie Quinn, ensuring there is a live countdown in both the east coast and central time zones.
Robert Deaton, of CMA Awards fame, and top Nashville manager Mary Hilliard Harrington are the show’s executive producers, and Sandra Restrepo will direct. The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. is a partner on the broadcast.