OSCAR® & GRAMMY® WINNER JENNIFER HUDSON JOINS THE “VH1 DIVAS” LINEUP

Sheryl Crow, Martina McBride, Cyndi Lauper and Melissa Etheridge to be Special Musical Guests
Kathy Griffin, Toni Braxton, Ryan Kwanten, Lauren Conrad, Whitney Port and the Cast of The Upcoming Film “Fame” will be Presenters

NEW YORK, NY – September 8, 2009 – Jennifer Hudson’s breakout roll as “Effie” in the Academy Award® winning hit “Dreamgirls” garnered her every major acting award, but it was her powerful vocal abilities that first won her acclaim. On her self-titled debut album, Jennifer received four Grammy® nominations and won for “Best R&B Album.” VH1 viewers will now get a chance to hear Jennifer sing live at the “VH1 Divas” concert which will be televised live on VH1 on Thursday, September 17 at 9:00pm.

Special musical guests for the show include Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Martina McBride. Kathy Griffin, Toni Braxton, Ryan Kwanten, Lauren Conrad, Whitney Port and the cast of MGM Film “Fame” (Asher Book, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Kherington Payne, Naturi Naughton, and Walter Perez) have all joined the “VH1 Divas” show as presenters for the evening.

“We are excited that Jennifer Hudson will share her award-winning talent with our ‘VH1 Divas’ audience next week. Adding Jennifer to our roster of young yet hugely successful performers guarantees that the show will truly be a night to remember,” said Tom Calderone, President, VH1. “We can’t wait for our viewers to enjoy the performances that will reflect the talent, hard work and tenacity that has come to define this new generation of divas.”

Paula Abdul is set to host the “VH1 Divas” live concert event. Previously announced “Divas” include Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks and Miley Cyrus.

For the first time ever, these leading ladies at the top of their musical game will perform together live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. Continuing in true “Divas” tradition, the evening will feature a night of unforgettable performances from various performers, presenters and special guests.

Fans can go now to Divas.VH1.com to submit a “Diva Stories” text or video testimonial that tells the world how their favorite divas have influenced their lives. VH1 wants to hear from all Divas’ fans – favorite songs, favorite moments and the craziest things they’ve done to show their diva how they feel. Select testimonials may be featured online and on-air leading up to this year’s live telecast. Divas.VH1.com has also launched close to 50 past “VH1 Divas” performances, featuring Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and many more. Join Divas.VH1.com on Thursday, September 17 for live blogging coverage before and during the live telecast. Users can also follow all show-related news by following the “VH1 Divas” twitter account at http://twitter.com/vh1divas.

Premiering on VH1 in 1998, “VH1 Divas” became synonymous with some of the most memorable live female vocal performances in television history. The show quickly became a highly anticipated annual phenomenon, generating speculation among music fans and industry executives on who would be part of that year’s telecast. Previous featured performers over the years included Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Cher, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Chaka Khan and many more.