‘CMT Hometown Heroes’ Special Premiering Friday, March 31 at 10PM ET/PT

[countdown id=”1487120185″ format=”dHMS” serverSync=”false” alwaysExpire=”false” compact=”false” tickInterval=”1″ counter=”until” template=”calendar” until=”03,31,2017,22,00″ labels=”Years,Months,Weeks,Days,Hours,Minutes,Seconds” labels1=”Year,Month,Week,Day,Hour,Minute,Second” compactLabels=”y,m,w,d”]CMT and Ram Trucks today announced a brand-new, one-hour special “CMT Hometown Heroes” featuring some of country’s most proficient storytellers Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker and Brett Eldredge as they make surprise returns to their hometowns to give back and perform for their very own hometown heroes. The special, premiering Friday, March 31 at 10 p.m, ET/PT, features exclusive performances, in-depth interviews and an intimate look into the people and places that shaped each performer from a young age.

Assisted by Ram Nation, the truck brand’s extensive network of grass-roots volunteers, each artist will return to their respective hometowns to roll up their sleeves and make a meaningful difference to the people and places that defined them.

The special will chronicle Grammy award-winner Chris Stapleton’s return home to Paintsville, Kentucky last year to surprise his high school alma mater with much-needed improvements for the music program, including the donation of brand new band instruments, as well as Ram Nation volunteers constructing an outside stage where students can perform throughout the year. The special concludes with Stapleton surprising students with a one-of-a-kind salute to his alma mater.

Three-time Grammy-award winner and avid philanthropist Darius Rucker will return to MUSC Children’s Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, where he spent much of his childhood with his mother who was a nurse. Together with Ram Nation, Rucker will remodel and redecorate the teen room at the hospital before performing a few of his hits for staff and patients.

2014 CMA New Artist of the Year Brett Eldredge kicked off the year with his sixth consecutive No. 1 single, “Wanna Be That Song,” from his sophomore record Illinois. The breakout artist will travel to the album’s namesake, his small hometown of Paris, Illinois. With the help of Ram Nation, Eldredge will help refurbish Laker Stadium, the baseball fields near where he grew up, and will perform a surprise concert in his beloved high school gymnasium.