CMT's New Weekly Series 'Wide Open Country' Mixes It Up With Alt Country, Bluegrass, and Americana Beginning February 20 on CMT

NASHVILLE, TN. (CMT) - Featuring music from a wide array of alt country, bluegrass, and Americana artists along with performers from the heart of country music, CMT premieres WIDE OPEN COUNTRY on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 9:00-11:00 AM, ET/PT.* In its debut episode, WIDE OPEN COUNTRY will feature world premiere videos by Steve Earle, actress/singer Minnie Driver, Old Crow Medicine Show, and The Duhks.

WIDE OPEN COUNTRY will world premiere Grammy winner Steve Earle's "Rich Man's War." The video is directed by famed film director Jonathan Demme ("The Manchurian Candidate," "The Silence of the Lambs").

In addition, WIDE OPEN COUNTRY will world premiere "Invisible Girl" by Minnie Driver ("Elle Enchanted," "Good Will Hunting"), who made her first CMT appearance last year as a presenter on the 2004 CMT FLAME WORTHY VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS. "Invisible Girl" is from the veteran actress' debut album, "Everything I've Got In My Pocket."

Old Crow Medicine Show, a punkified old-time acoustic band, will world premiere its new video "Tell It To Me." The group is known for playing songs from some of the earliest traditions of American music - tunes from jug bands and traveling shows, back porches and dance halls, southern Appalachian string music and Memphis blues.

Rounding out WIDE OPEN COUNTRY's world premiere videos this week will be The Duhks' "Mists of Down Below." The band creates a new sound with traditional roots, incorporating influences from blues, salsa, and Celtic music. The group released its self-titled album this year, with Bela Fleck producing.

WIDE OPEN COUNTRY will mix it up with videos by Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson and Norah Jones, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Buddy Miller, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Reckless Kelly, Johnny Cash, Kasey Chambers, Charlie Robison, Dolly Parton, Dwight Yoakam, Mindy Smith, Lyle Lovett, Pat Green, Nickel Creek, Rodney Crowell, and Tift Merritt, all on the series' first episode Sunday, Feb. 20 at 9:00-11:00 AM, ET/PT.
A new episode of WIDE OPEN COUNTRY will premiere each Sunday at 10:30-11:00 AM, ET/PT in the series' regular timeslot. For more information, visit CMT.com.