CMT Awards Adds Carrie Underwood, New Category

On a collaboration-heavy CMT Music Awards, one of the remarkably few solo performance slots of the evening will go to Carrie Underwood. The reigning Video of the Year winner at the CMT Awards, Underwood will perform her song "Church Bells" during the June 8th broadcast.

Additionally, one more all-star collaboration has been announced that will combine Cassadee Pope, whose Summer EP was just released, with rapper Pitbull and English singer Leona Lewis. New faces Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris, LoCash and Michael Ray have also been added as performers on the show's smaller Firestone stage. Previously announced performers include Chris Stapleton, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Thomas Rhett, plus collaborations between Dierks Bentley and Elle King, Fifth Harmony and Cam, Billy Ray Cyrus and Cheap Trick, Blake Shelton and the Oak Ridge Boys, and Keith Urban with Brett Eldredge and Maren Morris.

Eldredge and Shelton are likely favorites in the newest CMT Awards category, known as the Social Superstar. The honor will recognize a country artist who is active and creative when it comes to engaging their fans on social media. Nominees in this new category include Shelton, Eldredge, Kelsea Ballerini, Lindsay Ell, Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett. The announcement of this category makes Shelton and Rhett tied for the most nominations alongside Cam, Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton with three apiece. 

The fan-voted awards, which will be hosted by sportscaster Erin Andrews and NFL defensive all-star J.J. Watt, will air Wednesday, June 8th at 8 p.m. ET.