Keith Urban and Matina McBride to perform during 40th CMA Awards

By Patrick Luce Oct 10, 2006, 14:14 GMT

“Country Music’s Biggest Night” looks to be getting a little bigger with the announcement that Martina McBride and Keith Urban will perform when “The 40th Annual CMA Awards” airs live Monday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC. The three-hour gala will be hosted for the third time by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of super country duo Brooks & Dunn.

McBride received a nomination in 2006 for Female Vocalist of the Year, an Award she has won four times in the past (first in 1999, and then consecutively in 2002, 2003 and 2004). McBride is currently tied with Reba McEntire for the most wins in this category. McBride’s current album is ‘Timeless’ and features her renditions of 18 classic Country songs.

The album was certified platinum by the RIAA. She recently added her vocals to the late Dean Martin’s version of the holiday standard “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” for an expanded version of his classic Christmas With Dino album released on Sept. 12. McBride will kick off her 16-city “Joy of Christmas” tour, now in its fourth year, in Chicago on Nov. 24.

Urban received four nominations in 2006, including Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, both of which he won in 2005; Song of the Year for “Tonight I Wanna Cry,” which he co-wrote with Monty Powell; and Single of the Year for “Better Life,” which he co-produced with Dann Huff.

Both songs are from Urban’s 2004 album Be Here, which has sold more than three million copies to date. His current single, "Once in a Lifetime," the first from his forthcoming fourth studio album ‘Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing’ made history by debuting at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Song Chart, the highest debuting single in the 62-year history of that chart. The album will be released Nov. 7.

Performers already announced for the show include Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Carrie Underwood and Gretchen Wilson. More performers and presenters will be announced soon.