Tag Archives | CMA Fest

Live with Music City Light Announces Bridgestone Arena Plaza Performances During CMA Fest

By on June 4, 2018 in In The Press

Nashville’s local beer, Music City Light, continues its Serve Your City campaign with its latest activation, Live with Music City Light, June 7-10 during CMA Fest. Artists will perform on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza from 12-6 p.m. Full lineup listed below.

Following its sponsorship of the Nashville Rosé Festival stage, Music City Light is proud to continue providing performance opportunities for up-and-coming artists within the local community and beyond. Music City Light’s Facebook LIVE sessions also give rising artists a platform to generate thousands of impressions. Click here to see country-rock artist Adam Rutledge in a Live with Music City Light Facebook LIVE.

With branding as the “Backstage Pass to Nashville,” Music City Light gives both locals and tourists a true taste of the Nashville experience. The beer is currently sold all over town from local hot spots to popular chains.

Be sure to follow Music City Light on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and visit MusicCityLight.com to stay up-to-date with exciting opportunities and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.

THURSDAY, JUNE 7
12:00 – 12:30 Glen Templeton
12:45 – 1:15 Hannah Dasher
1:30 – 2:00 Ali Morgan
2:15 – 2:45 Fiona Culley
3:00 – 3:30 Ray Scott
3:45 – 4:15 Olivia Ooms
4:30 – 5:00 David Adam Byrnes
5:15 – 6:00 Adam Rutledge

FRIDAY, JUNE 8
12:00 – 12:30 Mark & Miss
12:45 – 1:15 Matt Poling
1:30 – 2:00 Terra Bella
2:15 – 2:45 Lexie Hayden
3:00 – 3:30 Tyler Jordan
3:45 – 4:15 James Carothers
4:30 – 5:00 Jay Bragg
5:15 – 6:00 Lucas Hoge

SATURDAY, JUNE 9 
12:00 – 12:30 Chuck Adams
12:45 – 1:15 Frank Ortega
1:30 – 2:00 Eric Van Houten
2:15 – 2:45 Kerry Degman
3:00 – 3:30 Tyler Reeve
3:45 – 4:15 Aubrey Grant
4:30 – 5:00 Adley Stump
5:15 – 6:00 Lacy Cavalier

SUNDAY, JUNE 10
12:00 – 12:30 Noe Palma
12:45 – 1:15 Tony Winkler
1:30 – 2:00 Andrea Dozzi
2:15 – 2:45 Dustin Collins
3:00 – 3:30 Ryan Robinette
3:45 – 4:15 Dillon Carmichael
4:30 – 5:00 The Belles
5:15 – 6:00 Jenny Tolman

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CMA Music Festival: Your Survival Guide From A Nearly Native Nashvillian

By on May 30, 2018 in Music, Special Events

Photo credit: Courtney Davidson for FOCUS on the 615

Well, the biggest country music festival in the world, CMA Music Festival, is nearly upon us. We couldn’t be any more excited!

Truth be told, living in Nashville nearly my entire life, which is why I call myself a “nearly native Nashvillian”, I wasn’t always a big fan of Fan Fair as it used to be called many moons ago. For Nashvillians, it always brought a ton of people to town, lots of traffic, and interuption of our daily lives just trying to get to work or wherever.

Back then, I really was not a fan of country music at all, either. I just did not get the appeal then. Boy, I was I missing out!

Photo credit: Courtney Davidson for FOCUS on the 615

I guess you could say I had a “come to Jesus” moment with country music. I realized that, gasp, I liked it after all. I started attending CMA Music Festival almost 20 years ago. So, I think maybe I can give you some advice on just how survive it AND enjoy it to the fullest.

Photo credit: Courtney Davidson for FOCUS on the 615

First of all, prepare for some major heat and humidity. Traditionally, it always seems to be the hottest week of the year for us. Oh, I know it gets hotter in August, but it just FEELS a lot hotter when you are in the middle of those large crowds and walking all over. Bring lots of sunscreen and don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Ducking into the Goo Goo Cluster Store downtown off of 3rd Ave. South isn’t such a bad idea, either. You briefly escape the crowds while enjoying a tasty ice cream sundae inside with the air conditioning. Surprisingly, it’s not usually too crowded in there.

There’s always tons of great local food available from the many food trucks lined up between the Country Music Hall of Fame, that also has events going on, and Music City Center. You won’t ever be hungry. Bring some cash, though, since all don’t take credit cards.

Second, here in Nashville, we don’t typically wear sundresses, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots. We know you’re from out of town when we see that. Not that there is anything wrong with any of those things. It’s festive and seems fitting. My first thought is how hot, tired, and blistered their feet must be in cowboy boots walking everywhere in the heat. Ouch! Sandals, flip flops or tennis shoes are the best for the festival.

You might find yourself with a headache due to too much sun, maybe too much to drink, and listening to all of the loud music. So pack some Tylenol or something to bring with you because once you get downtown at the festival, it is darn near impossible to find anything to relieve a headache. If you do, it will probably cost a fortune. Trust me, I forgot some once and suffered for hours.

Don’t carry too much stuff, though, you don’t want to be stuck lugging a heavy bag around all day and you will need a clear bag to carry it to get into the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium to get past security.

Most importantly, have fun! It’s a great time with plenty of great music to enjoy and country artists to meet. It’s all happening in downtown Nashville June 7th-10th. Maybe this year it won’t be SO hot, but it probably will.

Remember, there are the free shows during the day time, plus free nightly concerts at Ascend Amphitheatre if you want to enjoy a smaller venue besides the stadium. That’s where I am planning to spend a lot of my time and my favorite venue for concerts with a great view of the city.

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 10: An outside view of the HGTV Lodge during CMA Music Fest on June 10, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for HGTV)

Another favorite is the HGTV Lodge. Always intimate shows inside with some fans circulating some air to escape the heat for a bit and enjoy the music closer up.

Fan Fair X inside Music City Center offers great opportunities to meet some of your favorite country artists and avoid the summer heat for a while, too. It also has some fun shows inside on the CMA Close-Up stage and Radio Disney stage. It’s not free. You’ll need to buy a pass for it.

So much fun stuff to do all around Nashville and great music to enjoy. Additionally, did you know that all of the artists graciously donate their time and performances for free at the festival? They don’t make a dime. Instead, all the money goes to producing the festival year after year and to the CMA Foundation, which raises money to support music education.

Don’t forget to download the CMA Fest app to get all of the latest updates, plan the performances you want to see, and it’s just a great way to keep track of everything happening at the festival right on your phone, which you know you will have with you anyway!

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Spotify’s Enhanced Hot Country Playlist Brings The Heat At Nashville’s CMA Fest

By on May 24, 2018 in In The Press

The common thread among country music artists and fans is the ability to relate to the songs and stories that connect them. Songs about real people, real stories, and real lives. Spotify is committed to being the connection point for these shared experiences, and thanks to Spotify’s recently re-launched, enhanced Hot Country Playlist, country fans are now enjoying even more opportunities to connect with the stars of the genre.

 

June 7 to 10, tens of thousands of country music fans will descend on Nashville for the Country Music Association’s CMA Fest and will have the opportunity to experience the artist-fan community that Hot Country is fostering live and in-person. Whether you’re watching a live performance from your favorite rising country stars, listening to a new Spotify country playlist through the CMA Fest App, discovering the artist with whom you have the most in common, or making a playlist with the artist you love, Spotify will be on the ground highlighting the stories that connect the past, present, and future of country music community.

 

New Friends at Ole Red

Thursday through Sunday, members of the public can enjoy a stellar lineup of artists at Ole Red, Blake Shelton’s and Opry Entertainment Group’s highly anticipated new restaurant and music venue, and Spotify’s CMA Fest Headquarters. The packed lineup is curated in collaboration between Spotify, The Grand Ole Opry and Ole Red.

 

Some of the featured artists include:

 

  • Trio Midland, ACM New Group of the Year, who will be performing songs from their impressive debut album On the Rocks (Big Machine Records), which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and features their hit debut No. 1 single “Drinkin’ Problem.”
  • Young country singer-songwriter Michael Ray, whose anticipated sophomore album Amos will be released June 1
  • Talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, five-time Grammy nominee and CMA Award winner Hunter Hayes
  • Canadian country singer and Canadian Country Music Awards’ Female Artist of the Year 2011, Tenille Townes, who recently signed a record deal with Columbia Nashville
  • American Idol runner-up and ACM Awards’ New Female Vocalist of the Year, Lauren Alaina, who topped the country charts in 2017
  • As well as Maddie & Tae, RaeLynn, Mitchell Tenpenny, Jimmie Allen, Cassadee Pope and many more.

 

For schedule and lineup updates at Ole Red see: visit. www.olered.com/spotifyhotcountry

 

Making the Most of the CMA Fest Partnership

Spotify has also partnered with CMA Fest to enhance the digital and music discovery experience for fans at the festival. Users who authenticate with Spotify in the CMA Fest mobile app will be able to stream music from each of the performing artists, and will have access to a breadth of co-curated playlists. Spotify users who access the app can generate a unique playlist of select CMA Fest artists, catered to their specific music tastes.

 

In addition to the app partnership, Spotify will be taking over CMA’s Music Streaming Lounge on Friday June 8 at Xfinity Fan Fair X at Music City Center. Fans will have the opportunity to come by the lounge, discover Spotify’s new features, and make Spotify playlists in-person with Country artists performing at the festival.

 

Spotify’s participation at CMA Fest shows Spotify’s commitment to fostering growth in the Country Music audience across the platform and the world. Country fans, whether new or seasoned, young or old, can look forward to a Country Music-filled weekend, complete with new favorite songs, bands, music discovery knowledge, and a commitment from Spotify that no matter where they are, they’ll always have country music to take them home.

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HGTV Lodge Headlines Top Country Artists At CMA Fest In Nashville June 7-10

By on May 24, 2018 in In The Press

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 10: An outside view of the HGTV Lodge during CMA Music Fest on June 10, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for HGTV)

Now in its seventh consecutive year, the HGTV Lodge will once again welcome country music’s hottest stars to the network’s popular and unique venue at CMA Fest in Nashville. From Thursday, June 7 – Sunday, June 10, the 3,500-square-foot HGTV Lodge will offer festival-goers the Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™, including live musical performances by popular artists Dustin Lynch, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Lee Ann Womack, Lee Brice and Luke Combs. In addition, CMA and Grammy award-winning artist and Food Network star, Trisha Yearwood, will bring her Facebook Live show, “T’s Coffee Talk,” to the HGTV Lodge, allowing fans around the world access to this intimate CMA Fest experience. HGTV stars Jonathan and Drew Scott (Property Brothers), Leanne Ford (Restored by the Fords), Page Turner and DeRon Jenkins (Flip or Flop Nashville) and Dave and Kortney Wilson (Music City Fix) also will make special appearances throughout the festival.

The HGTV Lodge also will host performances with many more country music stars, including Ashley McBryde, Cam, Cassadee Pope, Chris Lane, Eric Paslay, Jordan Davis, LANCO, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, LOCASH, Maddie & Tae, Michael Ray, Morgan Evans, The Cadillac Three and Walker Hayes. In addition, the HGTV Lodge will host a special ASCAP Hit Songwriters Round featuring Ryan Hurd, Jillian Jacqueline and Chris DeStefano and a “Sony Discovered” set featuring Carlton Anderson, Mitchell Tenpenny, Tenille Townes and Rachel Wammack. Great American Country’s Suzanne Alexander will serve as the HGTV Lodge emcee during the four-day event.

“Country music fans get the thrill of seeing their favorite artists up close and personal at the HGTV Lodge,” said Karen Bronzo, senior vice president, brand marketing and partnerships for HGTV. “The Lodge is truly a ‘home for country music fans’ and offers them a unique opportunity to experience extraordinary, intimate performances in a setting that only HGTV could bring to life.”

Conceived and produced by experiential + music agency Pop2Life, a Condé Nast agency, the two-story HGTV Lodge is located in downtown Nashville just minutes from Nissan Stadium and features a unique fan experience with non-stop performances by more than two dozen top country artists.

For access to exclusive performances inside HGTV Lodge, fans must register for CMA Fest Fan Access at CMAfest.com/FanAccess or via the CMA Fest app and then enter the Ultimate Fan Experiences Drawing between Tuesday, May 29, at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET and Thursday, May 31, at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET. All drawing participants will be notified by email and text on Friday, June 1, to log in to their Fan Access account to see if they’re a winner. All prizes must be claimed by Tuesday, June 5, at 12 p.m.CT/1 p.m. ET, or they will be awarded to alternate winners.

Fans can share their love of music and home by uploading photos of their experience at HGTV Lodge on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat using #HGTVLodge. The Lodge also will host several must-see Facebook Live videos with the HGTV stars and will post exclusive artist interviews via Instagram Stories. On Sunday, the network will host a special VIP event at the Lodge for the leading Nashville-area lifestyle writers and social influencers.

For media who want to schedule interviews with the artists appearing at the HGTV Lodge, CMA Media Guidelines specify that only credentialed journalists can conduct interviews onsite at CMA Fest. Media must contact the artist’s publicist and/or record label to set up interviews prior to arrival at CMA Fest. A list of publicist contacts can be found at CMApress.com. Please note that when arranging an artist interview, a scheduled location for the interview must be confirmed with the publicist. If you cannot interview the artist at the Lodge, then an alternative off-site location must be designated. For media interested in touring the Lodge, please contact Chelsey Riemann at criemann@hgtv.com and Amy Hammontree at ahammontree@hgtv.com.

Schedule of Events* at HGTV Lodge (All times CDT): 

Thursday, June 7: 
10 a.m.:        Michael Ray
11 a.m.:        LOCASH
1 p.m.:          Ashley McBryde
2 p.m.:          Chris Lane
3 p.m.:          Jordan Davis
5 p.m.:          Luke Combs

Friday, June 8:
10 a.m.:        Cassadee Pope
11 a.m.:        Kip Moore
12:30 p.m.:  LANCO
2 p.m.:          Jon Pardi
3 p.m.:          Cam
4 p.m.:          ASCAP Hit Songwriters Round: featuring Ryan Hurd, Jillian Jacqueline and Chris DeStefano
5 p.m.:          Lee Brice

Saturday, June 9:
10 a.m.:       Trisha Yearwood
11 a.m.:       Lindsay Ell
12 p.m.:       Morgan Evans
1 p.m.:         Lee Ann Womack
2 p.m.:         Meet and Greet with Jonathan and Drew Scott
4 p.m.:         Dustin Lynch
5 p.m.:         Lauren Alaina

Sunday, June 10:
11 a.m.:       Sony Discovered: featuring Carlton Anderson, Mitchell Tenpenny, Tenille Townes and Rachel Wammack
12 p.m.:       Maddie & Tae
1:30 p.m.:    Eric Paslay
2:30 p.m.:    Walker Hayes
4:00 p.m.:    The Cadillac Three

*All appearances and times subject to change without notice.

ABOUT HGTV
HGTV delivers the superstar experts, fascinating families, compelling renovations and stunning transformations that make all things home fun. America’s favorite way to get entertaining, relatable and inspirational home and lifestyle content, HGTV offers: a top 10 cable network that is distributed to more than 90 million U.S. households; a website, HGTV.com, that attracts an average of 9.7 million people each month; a social footprint of 16.8 million; HGTV Magazine, a monthly publication that reaches more than one million readers and exclusive collections of home-oriented products through the HGTV HOME™ consumer products line.  Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. HGTV is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

About CMA Fest 
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Now in its 47th year, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts fans from all 50 states and nearly 20 foreign countries. In 2017, CMA Fest featured 11 stages with over 350 artists, 1,100 musicians, and 167 hours of music – all to benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $21 million to sustainable music education initiatives across the U.S. thanks to the fans who attend CMA Fest and the artists who perform for free. CMA Fest is filmed for a three-hour ABC Television Network special. 2018 marks the 15th consecutive year of the broadcast.

ABOUT POP2LIFE
Pop2Life is an award-winning, Condé Nast brand experience agency based in New York. Founded by Eric Murphy in 2003, the company offers ideation and strategy, environmental design and creative services, full-service event production, talent procurement, as well as software with a service through Concierge.com. Clients include Discovery Inc., AMC, Capital One, Comedy Central, Lincoln Motor Company, Allure, and iHeartRadio, among many others.

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Chris Stapleton Pop-Up Shop Confirmed In Downtown Nashville during CMA Fest

By on May 23, 2018 in In The Press

Chris Stapleton will hold an exclusive pop-up store at The George Jones during next month’s CMA Fest. Open June 7–10 from 10:00AM–6:00PM, the store will feature exclusive merchandise, custom Louisville Slugger bats and more.

Stapleton will also perform during this year’s festival—at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 9 (10:30PM) as well as part of Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, June 6. Moreover, earlier in the evening on June 6, he will perform at the 2018 CMT Music Awards where he is nominated for Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year for “Say Something” with Justin Timberlake and CMT Performance of the Year for “I Won’t Back Down” (from 2017 CMT Artist of the Year) with Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and Little Big Town.

The performances continue a triumphant year for Stapleton following the release his two acclaimed 2017 albums—From A Room: Volume 1 (certified platinum) and From A Room: Volume 2 (certified gold).

In celebration of the albums, Stapleton will hit the road again this year as part of the expansive “Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show” tour. Dates include New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ The Forum and Chicago’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre among many others. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will feature Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb as special guests. All tickets are now on-sale. See below for complete tour itinerary.

Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 take their name from Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (the capital “A” in “From A Room”) where they were recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. Along with Stapleton on vocals and guitar and Cobb on acoustic guitar, the album features Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals as well as longtime band-members J.T. Cure on bass and Derek Mixon on drums.

Stapleton was recently awarded Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1), Best Country Song (“Broken Halos”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Either Way”) at the 60th GRAMMY Awards, Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1) and Male Vocalist of the Year at The 51st Annual CMA Awards, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1 as both artist and producer) at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards and Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist and Top Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1) at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

Moreover, Stapleton is featured on Justin Timberlake’s new song, “Say Something.” The music video—which was filmed in a single shot at L.A.’s historic Bradbury Building—has been viewed over 200 million times. Watch here.

 “CHRIS STAPLETON’S ALL-AMERICAN ROAD SHOW”

May 26—Daytona, FL—Country 500

May 27—New Orleans, LA—Bayou Country Superfest

June 6—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*

June 9—Nashville, TN—CMA Fest – Nissan Stadium

June 15—Houston, TX—Minute Maid Park†

June 16—Brandon, MS—Brandon Amphitheater‡ (SOLD OUT)

June 22—Rogers, AR—Walmart Amp‡ (SOLD OUT)

June 23—Dallas, TX—AT&T Stadium†

June 28—Darien Center, NY—Darien Lake Amphitheater‡

June 29—Philadelphia, PA—BB&T Pavilion‡

June 30—Mansfield, MA—Xfinity Center‡

July 13—St. Louis, MO—Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre‡ (SOLD OUT)

July 14—Louisville, KY—Forecastle Fest

July 15—Birmingham, AL—Sloss Fest

July 19—Spokane, WA—Spokane Arena‡

July 20—Portland, OR—Sunlight Supply Amphitheater‡ (SOLD OUT)

July 21—Seattle, WA—White River Amphitheatre‡

July 26—South Lake Tahoe, NV—Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys‡

July 27—Sacramento, CA—Toyota Amphitheatre‡

July 28—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre‡

August 2—Billings, MT—Rimrock Auto Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 3—Missoula, MT—Adams Center‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 4—Boise, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena‡

August 9—Albuquerque, NM—Isleta Amphitheater‡

August 10—Denver, CO—Pepsi Center‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 11—Salt Lake City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre‡

August 16—San Diego, CA—Mattress Firm Amphitheatre‡

August 17—Anaheim, CA—Honda Center‡

August 18—Los Angeles, CA—The Forum‡

August 23—Saratoga Springs, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center‡

August 24—Gilford, NH—Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 25— Gilford, NH—Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion‡

September 23—Franklin, TN—Pilgrimage Music Festival

October 4—Cincinnati, OH—Riverbend Music Center‡

October 5—Indianapolis, IN—Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center‡

October 6—Chicago, IL—Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre‡

October 11—Charlotte, NC—PNC Music Pavilion‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 12—Raleigh, NC—Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 13—Bristow, VA—Jiffy Lube Live‡

October 19—Alpharetta, GA—Verizon Amphitheatre‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 20—Atlanta, GA—Lakewood Amphitheater‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 25—Columbia, SC—Colonial Life Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 26—Knoxville, TN—Thompson Boling Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 27—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

November 2—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden‡

November 3—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena‡

November 4—Baltimore, MD—Royal Farms Arena‡

*as part of Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam with John Prine, Margo Price, Connie Smith and more

†with The Eagles

‡with special guests Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb

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CMA Fest Announces Close Up Stage Artists Of The Day Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan And Dustin Lynch

By on May 17, 2018 in In The Press

Xfinity Fan Fair X, CMA Fest’s Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience where fans get up close and personal with their favorite artists, returns to Music City Center daily Thursday, June 7 through Sunday, June 10 (9:30 AM-5:00 PM). One of the biggest draws is the Artist of the Day session, which spotlights one of Country Music’s favorite acts each day by offering a glimpse into their careers from the CMA Close Up Stage. Dierks Bentley will appear on Thursday, Luke Bryan on Friday, Dustin Lynch on Saturday and Kelsea Ballerini on Sunday.
Country Music superstar Jason Aldean closes out the first night of CMA Fest Thursday, June 7 with a performance at Nissan Stadium. Aldean joins hundreds of previously announced acts performing on 11 stages throughout downtown Nashville during CMA Fest. A limited number of four-day tickets for the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium are still available at CMAfest.com/tickets or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Additional Close Up Stage programming includes:

• Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum presents an interview with 2018 inductee Ricky Skaggs, hosted by Museum Editor Peter Cooper

• The Making of Words with Sara Evans, joined by producer Mark Bright, songwriters Victoria Banks and Emily Shackelton, and hosted by CMT’s Leslie Fram

• “Good Ole Days” – A look at Tracy Lawrence’s career through the lens of his latest album, Good Ole Days, hosted by SiriusXM’s Storme Warren

• “How to Survive Anything” with Naomi Judd

• Bluebird Café songwriters round featuring Jake Etheridge, Adam Hambrick and Tenille Townes

• Songwriters round with Bill Anderson and Bobby Bare

The full CMA Close Up Stage lineup is available on the CMA Fest app. Additional stages and programming taking place at Xfinity Fan Fair X will be announced soon. Tickets for Xfinity Fan Fair X are available for $10 each day or $25 for a four-day pass. Visit CMAFest.com/tickets to purchase.
Several acts have been confirmed to sing the National Anthem at select stages during CMA Fest. Runaway June will kick off Chevy Riverfront Stage Thursday morning, while each of the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium will open with National Anthem performances by The Oak Ridge Boys with the Marine Corps Band New Orleans on Thursday, “Lil Hank Williams” Mason Ramsey on Friday, Jillian Jacqueline on Saturday, and Ray Stevens on Sunday.
All outdoor daytime stages as well as nightly performances at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater are free and open to the public. Fans can purchase the CMA Fest Nash Pass, allowing a limited amount of VIP early access to nightly shows at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater. The Nash Pass will also include Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum tour, Ryman Auditorium tour and four-day admission to Xfinity Fan Fair X.
New this year, CMA has an expanded product line of more than 40 various CMA Fest apparel and accessories. Items are available for pre-order online at countrymu.sc/shcom18. Order by Tuesday, May 29 to receive merch before the festival. During CMA Fest, merch can be found at multiple locations across the footprint, giving fans quick and easy access to souvenirs.
Don’t miss a beat—download the CMA Fest app, or get connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.
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CMA Fest: Free Nightly Concerts Return To Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage At Ascend Amphitheatre June 7-9

By on April 28, 2018 in In The Press

RaeLynn performs at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater on Saturday, June 10 during the 2017 CMA Music Festival in downtown Nashville.

The Country Music Association has announced the return of the popular free nightly concerts during CMA Fest at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage located in downtown Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater Thursday, June 7 through Saturday, June 9, starting at 7:00 PM/CT each evening. 

Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Presented by BBR Music Group kicks off festivities Thursday night with a lineup of non-stop music featuring Chase Bryant, Craig Campbell, Lindsay Ell, Everette, Chase Rice, Runaway June, and Granger Smith.  
Lee Brice will headline Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Presented by Red Light Management on Friday night. The lineup also includes Clare Dunn, Tyler Farr, Maddie & Tae, and Drake White and The Big Fire.  
Saturday fans will enjoy Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Presented by Warner Music Nashville for the second year featuring Cole Swindell joined by Cale Dodds, Morgan Evans, Michael Ray, and Tegan Marie.  
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® returns to CMA Fest with Rock With Us, a rocking chair experience Thursday through Saturday. The brand will turn Ascend Park and the nearby John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge into a true Cracker Barrel front porch experience by displaying 100 rocking chairs as well as three giant rockers making their festival debut. Fans are encouraged to post photos in the rockers on their social media channels using the hashtag #CBMusic. During CMA Fest in 2017, Cracker Barrel raised $15,000 for the CMA Foundation through a rocking chair experience. Additional details for this year’s Rock With Us will be announced soon.      
“Cracker Barrel shares our same passion for music and social responsibility, which is why we are thrilled to continue our partnership into a second year with a great lineup of acts performing nightly on the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater and helping to raise funds for music education and the CMA Foundation,” said Emily Evans, CMA Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships. 
“Music and entertainment are an important part of the Cracker Barrel brand because it provides us an authentic and emotional connection with our guests,” said Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Senior Marketing Manager Julie Ulmer. “We were thrilled to bring free nightly concerts to festival goers at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage last year and look forward to our second year at CMA Fest.” 
Fans can purchase the CMA Fest Nash Pass for $60, allowing a limited amount of VIP early access to nightly shows at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater. The Nash Pass will also include Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum tour, Ryman Auditorium tour and four-day admission to Fan Fair X in Music City Center. Fan Fair X activities and stage lineups will be announced in the coming weeks.  
A limited number of tickets for the Nightly Concerts at Nissan Stadium are still available through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST. Nightly concert tickets also include four-day access to Fan Fair X. Outdoor daytime stages including the Breakout Stage, Budweiser Forever Country Park Stage, Riverfront Stage and others to be announced soon are free and open to the public. All artist lineups are subject to change.
Don’t miss a beat—get connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, the Official CMA Fest App, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.
**Suggested Tweet**: Nightly #CMAfest concerts return to @CrackerBarrel Country Roads Stage at @Ascend_Amp June 7-9 w/ @LeeBrice, @ChaseRiceMusic, @ColeSwindell & many more! See full lineup & buy CMA Fest Nash Pass for VIP early access: CMAfest.com. <<link>> 
About CMA Fest  
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Now in its 47th year, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts in excess of 90,000 fans from all 50 states and two dozen foreign countries. In 2017, CMA Fest featured 11 stages with over 350 artists, 1,100 musicians, and 167 hours of music – all to benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $21 million to sustainable music education initiatives across the U.S. thanks to the fans who attend CMA Fest and the artists who perform for free. CMA Fest is filmed for a three-hour ABC Television Network special. 2018 marks the 15th consecutive year of the broadcast.  
About the CMA Foundation 
Established in 2011 as the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association (CMA), the CMA Foundation is committed to improving and sustaining music education programs all across the United States, working to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in music education. Through strategic partnerships, professional development and grant distribution, the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), has invested more than $21 million in over 85 programs across the national public school system, after school programs, summer camps and community outreach organizations. Guided by the generosity of the Country Music community, proceeds from CMA Fest, the four-day long music festival held annually in Nashville, are used to power the CMA Foundation’s social impact and unique model of giving. 
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CMA Fest Reveals Additional Free Daytime Performances On Multiple Stages

By on April 27, 2018 in In The Press

The Country Music Association has announced additional artist performances during this year’s CMA Fest. The festival—now in its 47th year—boasts an exceptional bill of hundreds of artists performing on 11 stages throughout downtown Nashville Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10.
The Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe entertains fans daily from 10:45 AM-4:30 PM, with BMI programming performances Thursday, June 7 from 2:45-6:30 PM including Adam Craig, Ray Fulcher, Trea Landon, Drew Parker, Faren Rachels, and Payton Smith. Additional acts taking the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe include 17 Memphis, Ryan Beaver, Logan Brill, Brennley Brown, Austin Burke, Davisson Brothers Band, Travis Denning, Jeffrey East, Hannah Ellis, FILMORE, Noah Guthrie, Levi Hummon, Brett Kissel, Tegan Marie, Josh Mirenda, Hudson Moore, Hayley Orrantia, Meghan Patrick, Stephanie Quayle, Jordan Rager, Brandon Ray, Restless Road, Tyler Rich, Adam Sanders, Scooter Brown Band, Kalie Shorr, Natalie Stovall, Sweet Tea Trio, Temecula Road, Mitchell Tenpenny, The Last Bandoleros, Tyminski, and Carter Winter.

Located inside the NCVC Visitor Center at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage will take place daily from 11:00 AM-4:40 PM. Thursday’s performances are presented by ASCAP and feature Max Camp, Hannah Dasher, Austin Jenckes, Parker McKay, Steven Lee Olsen, Riley Roth, Steel Union, Matt Stell, TRAVLRS, and Sarah Allison Turner, while Friday’s performances are presented by SESAC and feature Spencer Crandall, Ben Danaher, Erin Enderlin, Livy Jeanne, Jordyn Mallory, Tom O’Connor, Jake Rose, Seaforth, SZLACHETKA, and Jenny Tolman. Saturday and Sunday’s performances include Baylou, Craig Wayne Boyd, Lewis Brice, Emily Brooke, Kenton Bryant, Dallas Caroline, Ruthie Collins, Dalton & the Sheriffs, Sarah Darling, Haley & Michaels, Halfway to Hazard, Lucas Hoge, House Whiskey, Madison Kozak, Kendell Marvel, Ian Munsick, Ray Scott, George Shingleton, Sons of Daughters, and Tara Thompson.

All outdoor daytime stages, including both the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe and Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage, are free and open to the public.
A limited number of tickets for the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium are still available through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST. Nightly concert tickets also include four-day access to Fan Fair X; Fan Fair X activities and stage lineups will be announced soon.
Don’t miss a beat—download the CMA Fest app, or get connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.

About CMA Fest

The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Now in its 47th year, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts in excess of 90,000 fans from all 50 states and two dozen foreign countries. In 2017, CMA Fest featured 11 stages with over 350 artists, 1,100 musicians, and 167 hours of music – all to benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $21 million to sustainable music education initiatives across the U.S. thanks to the fans who attend CMA Fest and the artists who perform for free. CMA Fest is filmed for a three-hour ABC Television Network special. 2018 marks the 15th consecutive year of the broadcast.

About the CMA Foundation

Established in 2011 as the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association (CMA), the CMA Foundation is committed to improving and sustaining music education programs across the United States, working to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in music education. Through strategic partnerships, professional development and grant distribution, the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), has invested over $21 million in 85 programs across the national public school system, after school programs, summer camps and community outreach organizations. Guided by the generosity of the Country Music community, proceeds from CMA Fest are used to drive the CMA Foundation’s social impact and unique model of giving.

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CMA Fest Announces 2018 Performance Line-up

By on March 21, 2018 in In The Press

The Country Music Association proudly reveals the initial artist lineup for this year’s CMA Fest. Now in its 47th year, CMA Fest boasts an exceptional bill of hundreds of artists performing on 11 stages throughout downtown Nashville Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10.

Billboard named CMA Fest its No. 1 Country Music festival in the U.S. in 2017, raving, “When it comes to great Country Music festivals, this one has been – and is – the gold standard.” Last year’s CMA Fest drew sold-out crowds and the largest fan engagement by Country Music fans in the event’s history from visitors from all 50 states and nearly 20 international countries. CMA Fest is the longest-running Country Music festival in the world with proceeds going directly to helping enrich and sustain music education programs across the country through CMA’s nonprofit arm, the CMA Foundation, thanks to every artist at the festival donating their time.

Taking the nightly NISSAN STADIUM stage this year are Country Music superstars Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Brett Eldredge, Dan + Shay, Charles Esten and Friends, Florida Georgia Line, Dustin Lynch, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Lee Ann Womack, and Brett Young. Several acts join this year’s Nissan Stadium lineup for the first time with full sets and special performances including Brown, Combs, Dan + Shay, Old Dominion, Pardi, Pearce and Young. In addition, Lauren Alaina and Bebe Rexha will make guest appearances. Stadium gates open daily at 6:00 PM with performances starting at 8:00 PM. A limited number of four-day tickets for the nightly performances at Nissan Stadium are still available at CMAfest.com/tickets or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Always a fan favorite, RIVERFRONT STAGE returns once again with a lineup that will keep crowds rocking from 10:00 AM-5:15 PM each day. Reigning CMA New Artist of the Year Jon Pardi kicks things off Thursday, June 7 (10:00 AM). Additional artists scheduled include A Thousand Horses, Lauren Alaina, Frankie Ballard, Lee Brice, Chase Bryant, Cam, Craig Campbell, Easton Corbin, Jordan Davis, Devin Dawson, Gavin DeGraw, Russell Dickerson, Drake White and The Big Fire, Lindsay Ell, Tyler Farr, Hunter Hayes, Walker Hayes, High Valley, Home Free, LANCO, Chris Lane, LOCASH, Maddie & Tae, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Parmalee, Eric Paslay, Carly Pearce, Cassadee Pope, RaeLynn, Michael Ray, Dylan Scott, Canaan Smith, Corey Smith, Granger Smith, The Cadillac Three, Morgan Wallen, and Aaron Watson.

Located in Walk of Fame Park, the BREAKOUT STAGE will entertain crowds daily from 10:30 AM-4:55 PM with performances by Jimmie Allen, Abby Anderson, Kassi Ashton, Drew Baldridge, Chris Bandi, Big Smo, Ashley Campbell, Crowder, Jacob Davis, Delta Rae, Cale Dodds, Adam Doleac, Clare Dunn, Brooke Eden, Riley Green, Trent Harmon, Sundance Head, James Barker Band, Jillian Jacqueline, Krystal Keith and Lance Carpenter, Jon Langston, Love and Theft, Ashley McBryde, Logan Mize, Steve Moakler, Muscadine Bloodline, Jerrod Niemann, Luke Pell, Josh Phillips, Radio Romance, Maggie Rose, Runaway June, Dylan Schneider, Sister Hazel, SmithField, The Wild Feathers, Michael Tyler, Walker McGuire, Waterloo Revival, and Charlie Worsham.

Returning for a second year, the BUDWEISER FOREVER COUNTRY STAGE will take place from 11:00 AM-4:45 PM daily. Featuring some of the biggest names in Country Music from recent decades, this year’s lineup includes Keith Anderson, David Ball, John Berry, BlackHawk, Terri Clark, Mark Collie, Billy Dean, Joe Diffie, Exile, “Forever Country, Never Forgotten: A Tribute to Those Lost from Country Music,” Andy Griggs, Wade Hayes, Ty Herndon, Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence (and special guests), Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Little Texas, Lonestar, Mila Mason, Terry McBride, Lorrie Morgan, Heidi Newfield, Jamie O’Neal, Lee Roy Parnell, Restless Heart, Shenandoah, Doug Supernaw, The Bellamy Brothers, Mark Wills, Darryl Worley, and Michelle Wright.

Outdoor daytime performances at Budweiser Forever Country, Riverfront and Breakout stages are free and open to the public. All artist lineups are subject to change.

Guided by the generosity of the Country Music community, proceeds from CMA Fest are used to drive the CMA Foundation’s mission of enriching and sustaining music education programs. Through strategic partnerships, professional development and grant distribution, the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), has invested over $20 million in 85 programs across the national public school system, after school programs, summer camps and with community outreach organizations.

Additional stage lineups, Fan Fair X activities, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. Don’t miss a beat—get connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.

CMA Fest will once again be filmed for a three-hour national television special to air on the ABC Television Network. This is the 15th consecutive year the festival has been filmed for a broadcast event. “CMA Fest” is executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson.

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Big Machine Re-Launches Flagship Store During CMA Fest, Tasting Event, And Signings

By on June 8, 2017 in In The Press

Big Machine Label Group proudly announces the re-launch of its newly designed brand store located in downtown Nashville just in time for CMA Music Festival. The flagship space, which originally opened in June 2015 at 122 Third Avenue South, has become a destination for fans seeking exclusive BMLG artist merchandise, one-of-a-kind acoustic performances and opportunities to support music education through the Music Has Value program.

The Big Machine Store officially welcomed fans on 6/7. Open from 10:00A to 11:00P throughout CMA Music Festival, fans can visit the store for a chance to meet BMLG star artists like Florida Georgia Line, Brett Young, Drake White and catch a few special performances. A full schedule can be found at SoundtrackToSummer.com.

As announced last week, Big Machine Label Group is debuting a premium, platinum-filtered spirit. While the aptly named Big Machine Vodka will soon become available in the Middle Tennessee region. Fans ages 21 and older who visit the Big Machine store during CMA Fest will be among the first to have a taste during the POUR IT ON World Premiere tasting event, featuring Big Machine Platinum Filtered Premium Vodka, Clayton James Tennessee Whiskey and All Mighty 140 Shine bottled and distilled by Tenn South Distillery in Lynnville, TN.

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