Country duo Big & Rich and “CMT Hot 20 Countdown” made network history recently when the show completed its first-ever trip overseas to a military base in Bahrain to tape two special holiday episodes that will air at the end of the year. “Hot 20 Video of the Year Countdown” premieres Saturday, December 17 at 9 AM, ET/PT followed by “Hot 20 Holiday Salute” on Saturday, December 24 at 9 AM, ET/PT.
Partnering with Armed Forces Entertainment, Big & Rich, along with CMT’s Cody Alan visited the Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home to the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and U.S. 5th Fleet. Their trip, which included rocking performances from Big & Rich, special music video shout-outs from military personnel to their friends and family back home, tours of Arabian Gulf naval ships, physical training sessions with soldiers on base, artillery demos and more will be highlighted across both “Hot 20” specials.
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“This was a unique experience for us. It’s the first time that Armed Forces Entertainment has sent a tour to any of our locations that included a cable network’s camera crew,” said Major Jody Wynans, Chief of Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE). “The holidays typically represent a time when families get together, so to be able to provide our deployed service members with a little piece of home in the form of quality entertainment and hopefully cheer them up while they’re missing their loved ones, is what AFE is all about.”