FRONT AND CENTER RETURNS JANUARY 2018 WITH NEW EPISODES FEATURING LIAM GALLAGHER, SHERYL CROW, SEAL, NILE RODGERS AND MORE

New Country Music Association CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank Features Miranda Lambert, Clint Black, Kane Brown and Luke Combs

Front and Center, public television’s critically acclaimed live music series, will return for an all-new season beginning in January (check local listings).  The series, now in its eighth season, features Grammy Award winners, Billboard chart toppers, CMA Awards winners, and emerging artists.  The 10 new episodes include intimate performances from Liam Gallagher, Mike + the Mechanics, Beth Hart, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Jack Johnson, Nile Rodgers in cooperation with the Songwriters Hall of Fame, as well as Miranda Lambert, Clint Black and a twin bill featuring Kane Brown and Luke Combs, as part of Front and Center’s ongoing partnership with the Country Music Association and the CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank.  https://youtu.be/5CFtJv9YvVw

“We are so excited to bring back Front and Center for an eighth season,” shares Executive Producer Don Maggi. “This may be our biggest season yet and it has been such a privilege working with such an eclectic group of iconic artists.”

Season eight of Front and Center kicks off with iconic vocalist Liam Gallagher at New York City’s McKittrick Hotel where he performs a selection of songs from his career including a special acoustic performance of the Oasis hit “Wonderwall.”

Nine-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow celebrates her return to the stage with an intimate performance of new music and well-known hits including “Be Myself,” and “All I Wanna Do.” Seal became a household name with his international hit “Kiss from a Rose.” The four-time Grammy Award winner performs songs from his tenth studio album, including “Luck Be a Lady” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and founding member of Genesis, Mike Rutherford, is joined by his band Mike + the Mechanics. Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Beth Hart brings blues to the Iridium. Singer/songwriter Jack Johnson is joined by G. Love for a special performance of some of his greatest hits and new material including “Better Together” and “Good People.”

As a part of the Country Music Association and CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank, season eight will feature three new episodes including 12-time CMA Award winner Miranda Lambert, who shares the stage with songwriters from her double-Platinum album, The Weight of These Wings. Country Music icon Clint Black is joined by John Rich for a performance packed with behind-the-scenes stories and a selection of Black’s career-spanning greatest hits.  Rising Country star Kane Brown is joined by top tunesmiths Tom Douglas and Josh Hoge in a show that also features newcomer Luke Combs who welcomes hit songwriters Thomas Archer, Ray Fullcher, and Rob Williford.

Videos and more information about Front and Center are available at www.frontandcenter.com and www.youtube.com/frontandcentertv.

Front and Center is a production of Front and Center Entertainment, LLC in association with WLIW LLC for WNET. The series is distributed by American Public Television.

Front and Center funding is provided by U.S. Bank, Asbury Park Music and Film Festival, Student Transportation, and Citi.

About Front and Center Entertainment:

Front and Center Entertainment, LLC produces the popular music performance television series Front and Center as well as the groundbreaking talk show Speakeasy and the monthly series MTV Live: Setlist. Since 2012 Front and Center has presented an eclectic mix of Grammy, Country Music Association, American Music and Academy of Country Music Award winners, rock icons and multi-platinum sellers including Keith Urban, Steven Tyler, Cyndi Lauper, Counting Crows, Rob Thomas, and The Avett Brothers. Speakeasy, which began airing in January 2015, features an iconic talent chatting intimately with an interviewer of their choice.  Included are conversations with Roger Waters and Bill Weir, David Crosby and Wynton Marsalis, Nile Rodgers and Valerie Simpson, and Robbie Robertson with Warren Zanes. MTV Live: Setlist spotlights rising artists spanning multiple genres including St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Dua Lipa, and Muna.

About WNET
WNET is America’s flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21. WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET’s groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Theater Close-Up, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport.

About APT

American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. For more than 10 years, APT has annually distributed one-third or more of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. Founded in 1961, among its 250 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, performance, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Chris Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Doc Martin, Nightly Business Report, Midsomer Murders, A Place to Call Home, Lidia’s Kitchen, Globe Trekker, New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton, Simply Ming, and P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. Entering its 13^th year, Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — is distributed by American Public Television. APT also distributes WORLDâ„¢, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, with 73,000 employees and $459 billion in assets as of September 30, 2017, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its branch and ATM network with mobile and online tools that allow customers to bank how, when and where they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, small business, wealth management, payment, wholesale and securities services customers across the country and around the world as a trusted financial partner, a commitment recognized by the Ethisphere Institute naming the bank a 2017 World’s Most Ethical Company. In 2016, U.S. Bank contributed $54.2 million to nonprofit organizations across the country through the U.S. Bank Foundation and corporate contributions. Additionally, employees donated more than 219,000 volunteer hours creating opportunities at work, home and play across the country. Visit U.S. Bank online or follow on social media to stay up to date with company news.

About the Country Music Association

Founded in 1958 and celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2018, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. More than 7,800 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Music Festival, which benefits the CMA Foundation and music education and is taped for a three-hour network television special, “CMA Fest”; and “CMA Country Christmas,” featuring Country artists performing original music and Christmas classics for broadcast during the holiday season. All of CMA’s television properties air on the ABC Television network through 2021.