President Obama and Mitt Romney are going country, taping videos for a "comedic opening segment" at tonight's CMT Music Awards.

The president and the presumptive GOP nominee are both "in on the joke," according to CMT President Brian Philips. "They're each great sports."

In addition to providing some comic relief from the campaign trail, the cameos offer the candidates an opportunity to appeal to heartland voters and country music fans.

Romney and Obama are both fans. Last fall the president hosted country stars at the White House for a concert honoring the genre and Romney has several country crooners on his campaign playlist.

Presidential candidates have appeared in the show in the past. In 2008, Obama and Hillary Clinton, then both Democratic candidates, taped videos for the awards show, as did Republican presidential candidate John McCain.