SECOND ROUND OF PERFORMERS SET FOR THE "42ND ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS," TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS, TUESDAY, MAY 15 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Rodney Atkins, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Carrie Underwood Set to Perform

Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood, and new artists Rodney Atkins and Miranda Lambert are set to perform on the 42nd ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, hosted by Reba McEntire, to be broadcast live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand, Tuesday, May 15 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The event honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent.

These artists join previously announced performers Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Sugarland, and host McEntire with special guest Kelly Clarkson. McEntire is hosting the event for an unprecedented ninth time.

Rodney Atkins is nominated for Top New Male Vocalist and the title track of his platinum selling album "If You're Going Through Hell" is also nominated for Song of the Year. It was Billboard's most-played country song for the year. Following the success of the album's first single, Rodney's second single, "Watching You," spent five weeks at number one on the country charts. These are his first Academy of Country Music Award nominations.

Miranda Lambert is nominated for Top Female Vocalist and Top New Female Vocalist. Lambert was nominated in 2006 for Top Female Vocalist and, in 2005, she won ACM's Cover Girl Fresh Face of Country Music Award. This is her third consecutive year to perform on the awards since her platinum album Kerosene was released in 2005. Her highly-anticipated second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, will hit stores May 1.

Tim McGraw is nominated for Entertainer of the Year and has previously won 13 Academy of Country Music Awards, including Top Male Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist, Song of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year. If he wins Entertainer of the Year, he will be one of only six elite artists to achieve the Academy's most prestigious award -- the Triple Crown.

Brad Paisley is nominated for Top Male Vocalist and has previously won six Academy of Country Music Awards, including Top New Male Vocalist, Album of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year.

Rascal Flatts is nominated in six categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Vocal Group, Album of the Year for Me and My Gang, and Single Record of the Year for "What Hurts the Most." They have previously been awarded six Academy of Country Music Awards. If they win in the Top Vocal Group category, they will tie with Alabama for most consecutive wins in that category -- five years running.

Carrie Underwood has five Academy of Country Music Award nominations this year including Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year for Some Hearts, along with Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year all for "Before He Cheats." Last year, her first year to ever be nominated for a country music award, she took home two Academy of Country Music Awards for Top New Female and Single Record of the Year.

The Academy of Country Music, an artist and industry-driven organization, exists to produce a world-class network television awards show, and its associated events, to provide the financial resources to ensure the ongoing philanthropic work of its Charitable Fund. Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund promotes and supports music education and humanitarian programs that transform the human spirit. Through its charitable donations, the ACMCF works toward two main goals: encouraging Learning Through Music and Healing Through Music. The Academy, which is comprised of more than 4,500 professional members and more than 40,000 associate members, was established in 1964 and is headquartered in Encino, Calif.

The ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is produced for television by dick clark productions. The show is executive produced by Allen Shapiro and R.A. Clark, and produced by Barry Adelman. The executive in charge of production is Bob Bardo, and the executive in charge is Fran LaMaina.

RATING: To Be Announced