| Pat Adams from TennesseeConcerts.com & music star Charlie Daniels at Fan Fair in 2006 See links to my trip to Fan Fair below |
| 100's of Fan Fair Pictures of the Stars! CMA Music Festival / Fan Fair - Nashville Tennessee USA - www.TennesseeConcerts.com Click on Images Enlarge |
| Buy Tickets to Fan Fair! CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL Nashville Tennessee |
June 05-08 2008 CMA Music Festival Fan Fair - Nashville Tennessee
featuring Abel Kane, Trace Adkins, Charlie Allen, Deborah Allen, Bill Anderson,
Keith Anderson, Katie Armiger, Rodney Atkins, Jeff Bates, The Bellamy Brothers,
John Berry, Bo Bice, Bonnie Lou Bishop, Lee Brice, Lane Brody, Dean Brody, Sawyer Brown,
T. Graham Brown, Zac Brown, Luke Bryan, Laura Bryna, Sonny Burgess, Tracy Byrd,
Carolina Rain, Jason Michael Carroll, Carter's Chord, Mark Chesnutt, Eric Church,
Stephen Cochran, Austin Cody, Bucky Covington, Cowboy Crush, Timothy Craig, Crossin
Dixon, James Taylor Curtis, Billy Ray Cyrus, Drew Davis Band, Whitney Duncan,
Eli Young Band, Emerson Drive, Sara Evans, Flynnville Train, Jimmy Fortune,
Ashley Gearing, Billy Gilman, Josh Gracin, The Grascals, Adam Gregory, Jeff Griffith,
Andy Griggs, Greg Hanna, Jennifer Hanson, Heartland, Ty Herndon, Faith Hill,
Randy Houser, Rick Huckaby, Jedd Hughes, Con Hunley, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson,
Emma Mae Jacob, Jewel, Buddy Jewell, Sarah Johns, Jamey Johnson, Ben "Cooter" Jones,
Jypsi, Sage Keffer, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, James LeBlanc, Little Big Town,
LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, The Lost Trailers, Rockie Lynne, Raul Malo, Miko Marks,
Bobby Marquez, Daniel Lee Martin, Jeremy McComb, Neal McCoy, Mel McDaniel,
Richie McDonald, Jason Meadows, Chase Mitchell, Montgomery Gentry, John Michael
Montgomery, Justin Moore, Craig Morgan, Lorrie Morgan, Cory Morrow, Megan Mullins,
Michael Martin Murphey, Minnie Murphy, David Nail, Heidi Newfield, Gary Nichols,
The Oak Ridge Boys, Jamie O'Neal, James Otto, Jake Owen, Rissi Palmer, Danielle Peck,
Michael Peterson, Kellie Pickler, Jasmine Rae, Eddy Raven, Reunionaires, Riders In The Sky,
Rio Grand, The Road Hammers, Julie Roberts, Mica Roberts, Kenny Rogers, The Roys, Ray
Scott, Michael Scott, Crystal Shawanda, Ashton Shepherd, Simply Barbara of Colorado,
Daniel Smith, Sprint-Nextel, Phil Stacey, Jeffrey Steele, Fisher Stevenson, Doug Stone,
Sugarland, Trent Summar, Sunny Sweeney, Taylor Swift, TelluRide, Keni Thomas,
Brandi Thornton, Mel Tillis, Aaron Tippin, Rhonda Towns, Trailer Choir, Randy Travis,
Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Phil Vassar, Taylor Ware, Jimmy Wayne, The Well
Hungarians, Emily West, Whiskey Falls, Bryan White, Chuck Wicks, Rachel Williams,
Trent Willmon, Mark Wills, The World's Greatest Fishing Band, Darryl Worley,
Michelle Wright, Kyle Wyley, Wynonna, Billy Yates, Dwight Yoakam, Chris Young
NASHVILLE – The excitement builds for 2008 CMA Music Festival as Trace Adkins, Bucky
Covington, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan,
James Otto, Kenny Rogers and Randy Travis are added to the
performance lineup for the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT(tm) Concert Stages at LP Field. The four-
day festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, in Downtown Nashville.
featuring Abel Kane, Trace Adkins, Charlie Allen, Deborah Allen, Bill Anderson,
Keith Anderson, Katie Armiger, Rodney Atkins, Jeff Bates, The Bellamy Brothers,
John Berry, Bo Bice, Bonnie Lou Bishop, Lee Brice, Lane Brody, Dean Brody, Sawyer Brown,
T. Graham Brown, Zac Brown, Luke Bryan, Laura Bryna, Sonny Burgess, Tracy Byrd,
Carolina Rain, Jason Michael Carroll, Carter's Chord, Mark Chesnutt, Eric Church,
Stephen Cochran, Austin Cody, Bucky Covington, Cowboy Crush, Timothy Craig, Crossin
Dixon, James Taylor Curtis, Billy Ray Cyrus, Drew Davis Band, Whitney Duncan,
Eli Young Band, Emerson Drive, Sara Evans, Flynnville Train, Jimmy Fortune,
Ashley Gearing, Billy Gilman, Josh Gracin, The Grascals, Adam Gregory, Jeff Griffith,
Andy Griggs, Greg Hanna, Jennifer Hanson, Heartland, Ty Herndon, Faith Hill,
Randy Houser, Rick Huckaby, Jedd Hughes, Con Hunley, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson,
Emma Mae Jacob, Jewel, Buddy Jewell, Sarah Johns, Jamey Johnson, Ben "Cooter" Jones,
Jypsi, Sage Keffer, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, James LeBlanc, Little Big Town,
LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, The Lost Trailers, Rockie Lynne, Raul Malo, Miko Marks,
Bobby Marquez, Daniel Lee Martin, Jeremy McComb, Neal McCoy, Mel McDaniel,
Richie McDonald, Jason Meadows, Chase Mitchell, Montgomery Gentry, John Michael
Montgomery, Justin Moore, Craig Morgan, Lorrie Morgan, Cory Morrow, Megan Mullins,
Michael Martin Murphey, Minnie Murphy, David Nail, Heidi Newfield, Gary Nichols,
The Oak Ridge Boys, Jamie O'Neal, James Otto, Jake Owen, Rissi Palmer, Danielle Peck,
Michael Peterson, Kellie Pickler, Jasmine Rae, Eddy Raven, Reunionaires, Riders In The Sky,
Rio Grand, The Road Hammers, Julie Roberts, Mica Roberts, Kenny Rogers, The Roys, Ray
Scott, Michael Scott, Crystal Shawanda, Ashton Shepherd, Simply Barbara of Colorado,
Daniel Smith, Sprint-Nextel, Phil Stacey, Jeffrey Steele, Fisher Stevenson, Doug Stone,
Sugarland, Trent Summar, Sunny Sweeney, Taylor Swift, TelluRide, Keni Thomas,
Brandi Thornton, Mel Tillis, Aaron Tippin, Rhonda Towns, Trailer Choir, Randy Travis,
Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Phil Vassar, Taylor Ware, Jimmy Wayne, The Well
Hungarians, Emily West, Whiskey Falls, Bryan White, Chuck Wicks, Rachel Williams,
Trent Willmon, Mark Wills, The World's Greatest Fishing Band, Darryl Worley,
Michelle Wright, Kyle Wyley, Wynonna, Billy Yates, Dwight Yoakam, Chris Young
NASHVILLE – The excitement builds for 2008 CMA Music Festival as Trace Adkins, Bucky
Covington, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan,
James Otto, Kenny Rogers and Randy Travis are added to the
performance lineup for the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT(tm) Concert Stages at LP Field. The four-
day festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, in Downtown Nashville.
| TENNESSEE CONCERTS SEARCH ENGINE Search this website |
| CMA Music Festival Fan Fair footage from 2006 at Nashville's LP Field Video by Katie Lovering |
| Tennessee Concerts www.tennesseeconcerts.com |
| FAN FAIR CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL Tickets & Information |
| FAN FAIR |
| Home |
| Send us your CMA Music Festival Fan Fair pictures for posting www.TennesseeConcerts.com Editor & Photographer Pat Adams - Email: pat@tennesseeconcerts - Nashville Tennessee 2003-2008 |
| See The Beach Boys at the old Nashville Fairgrounds Fan Fair The original Beach Boys perform in one of their last concerts together "Do It Again" live at Fan Fair in Nashville Tennessee in the 1996 See our Beach Boys Fan Fair Pictures Video courtesy of YouTube |
| Keith Urban was a surprise guest this year at the CMA Festival in Nashville, June 2008. Here he is singing two songs live at LP Field! Enjoy! |
2008 CMA Music Festival Attendance Up 9.4 Percent
Kix Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Jessica Simpson
and Keith Urban Make Surprise Appearances
Article a courtesy of Country Music Association. © 2008 Country Music Association, Inc.
CMA Music Festival hit an all-time high attendance record in 2008 with a 9.4 percent increase over 2007 during the four-day Festival, Thursday
through Sunday, in Downtown Nashville.
“Even with gasoline prices around $4 a gallon and weak economic conditions around the country, we saw an increase in our attendance on every
level from local and regional participation to those fans that traveled from around the world,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy
Genovese. “I believe that speaks to the strength of the event, the popularity of our artists, the dedication of our fans, and the entertainment value
of the Festival.”
The average daily attendance in 2008 was 52,000. By comparison, in 2007 the average daily attendance was nearly 48,000.
Fans definitely enjoyed themselves and made it known at the Box Office. Tickets for CMA Music Festival 2009, which will be held June 11-14,
went on sale Saturday and Gold Circle four-day ticket packages sold out in a record 15 minutes. By Sunday, advance sales bested sales during the
same period in 2007, by 4.2 percent.
“You know you are giving the fans what they want when they put down their hard-earned money for an event and we haven’t even announced
who will be performing,” remarked Genovese.
Increased sales of four-day ticket packages and single concert tickets contributed to the growth, as well as record attendance at CMA Music
Festival’s free areas – including the McDonald’s®-Dr Pepper® Family Zone, Fun Zone, Chevy™ Sports Zone and Chevy Plaza.
Surprise appearances are a hallmark of this event. And 2008 didn’t disappoint. The first night at the VAULT™ Concert Stage at LP Field
included an unannounced appearance by reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Rascal Flatts. On Friday, Keith Urban delighted the crowd – and
one fan in particular – when he leapt from the stage, sprinted into the stands and autographed his guitar for the stunned fan. Jessica Simpson made
several unannounced appearances including the Wednesday Block Party, the Fan Fair Hall and at LP Field. Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn also
made an unexpected appearance to sign autographs for fans.
“We love giving our fans something special and unexpected,” Genovese said. “It is amazing to hear the stadium erupt in applause when an
unannounced guest steps out on that stage.”
And it all benefits children and music education in Nashville. The artists and celebrities participating in CMA Music Festival donate their time.
They are not compensated for the hours they spend signing autographs and performing. In appreciation of their exhaustive efforts, CMA donates
half the net proceeds from the event to music education on their behalf through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance for Public Education
called “Keep the Music Playing.”
To date, CMA has donated more than $1 million on behalf of the artists who participate in the Festival – including $368,500 from the 2006 CMA
Music Festival and $655,600 from 2007 CMA Music Festival. Several students groups participated in the Festival including drum corps from
Antioch and Overton High Schools, who marched in “The Fourth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade.” In addition, 800 students were
given tickets to attend Saturday night through the generosity of HCA/TriStar.
CMA Music Festival is – and always will be – about the fans and their relationship with the artists and the music. The theme is universal and in
2008 Festival attendees came from every state and 28 foreign countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands,
Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Malta, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom (which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
The Festival got underway Wednesday with Grand Marshall James Otto leading the way for “The Fourth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off
Parade” with an estimated crowd of 12,000 spectators. Following the procession, the fun kicked into high gear with “The Third Annual CMA
Music Festival Block Party” on the Chevy Plaza at the Sommet Center. Keith Anderson, Luke Bryan, Joe Nichols, James Otto, Phil Stacey,
Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band performed for an estimated crowd of 6,000 according to police.
Nightly Concerts on the VAULT™ Concert Stage at LP Field
In all, 36 acts participated in the star-packed Nightly Concerts on the VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field. The lineup Thursday included Jewel,
Montgomery Gentry, Kellie Pickler, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts and acoustic performances by Luke Bryan and Jennifer Hanson.
Pre-show activities included the presentation of the Stars and Stripes by the United States Marine Corps Recruiting Station Nashville Color
Guard and a fly over with FA-18s from The Bengals of VMFA (AW)-224 from Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C., a tradition that was a
crowd pleaser all four nights. Lyric Street recording artist and season six “American Idol” finalist Phil Stacey sang the national anthem, and
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean officially welcomed fans to Music City for the 37th annual event, which began as Fan Fair® in 1972.
Fans were treated to performances Friday by Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, and
Keith Urban. Julianne Hough performed with Turner’s band. Jake Owen and Ashton Shepherd performed acoustic sets.
Though the evening marked Hill’s first performance at the Festival in 10 years, she insisted that her appearance felt like a family event. “Well, it’s
a short drive,” she joked. “And my kids are at home, so I kind of feel like I’m off tonight.”
Saturday’s lineup rocked the house with Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town, Craig Morgan, and Kenny Rogers. Jason
Michael Carroll, Jamey Johnson, and Darryl Worley delivered acoustic performances.
Sunday’s lineup featured Bucky Covington, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, James Otto, Randy Travis, and Dwight Yoakam. Phil Stacey, John
Stephan and Chuck Wicks performed acoustically.
Yoakam last appeared at the Festival 20 years ago when he performed with personal friend and mentor Buck Owens. “It’s great to be here at
CMA Music Festival,” he said. “It’s been a long, long time.” Then, referring to the many giants of Country Music who had played at CMA
Music Festival, he added, “It hasn’t been a very succinct journey to this point for me, but the shoulder I’m standing on is theirs.”
Greased Lightning® Riverfront Daytime Stages
Fan favorites Phil Vassar and Jo Dee Messina got the 2008 CMA Music Festival off to an energetic start Thursday morning during the kick-off
concert at Riverfront Park. Fans were waiting before dawn to see the powerhouse performers.
The dual stages bustled throughout the four days with a rich array of performers from both major and independent record labels. In all, 106 acts
performed more than 34 hours of concerts.
truTV™ Fan Fair® Hall
The state of continuous commotion that’s been the standard for the truTV™ Fan Fair Hall was back in force with 408 artists and celebrities
appearing at the Nashville Convention Center. Exhibit booths sold out with 110 exhibitors. Attendance over the four days was more than 53,000.
For the first time, single day tickets to the Fan Fair Hall were available for purchase Saturday and Sunday.
“This is my first time at CMA Music Festival. I’m really impressed with the way fans form friendships here. I definitely want to become a part
of this community over the next several years,” said Taylor Young, 27, of Mountain View, Calif.
As in previous years, dedicated fans camped out on the street outside of the Exhibit Hall starting at 8:00 PM, not only in hopes of being the first
in line for autographs when the doors opened the following morning, but also to share in what has become a special tradition for this group. “I
came down here at 5 this morning and found there was already a long line to get in,” said Sam Pfeiffer, 36, of Arlington, Va., on Thursday morning.
“I guess I’ll have to make it earlier tomorrow, but that just adds to the sense of adventure.”
Their dedication paid off. Aaron Tippin surprised the assembled fans and signed autographs around 2:00 AM Thursday following his
performance at The Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam.
Country superstar Alan Jackson made his first appearance in the Fan Fair Hall since 1998 Friday signing 300 autographs in two hours with his
wife and author Denise Jackson.
Teen sensation Taylor Swift signed in the Big Machine Records booth Saturday from the time the doors opened at 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM –
with no break. She signed 900 autographs, the longest consecutive signing since Garth Brooks’ marathon 23 hour signing in 1996.
Kix Brooks made a surprise appearance in the Fan Fair Hall signing approximately 500 autographs in three hours at the Brooks & Dunn booth –
after signing another 100 in the Borders® booth. Carrie Underwood signed 400 autographs in four hours and Wynonna signed for five hours.
Other popular artists included Jessica Simpson, Kellie Pickler, Sara Evans, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Bucky Covington, Billy Gilman,
Emerson Drive, Joe Nichols, James Otto and Chris Young.
Mary Kay® presents Acoustic Corner, which launched in 2004 as a showcase for independent artists, featured 30 solo or group performers. The
area on the second floor of the Convention Center hosted a steady stream of fans.
Borders®
Borders had locations at the Exhibit Hall, Riverfront and LP Field. The Top 5 selling CD titles belonged to (in order) Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift,
Joe Nichols, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Young – who all signed in the Fan Fair Hall during the Festival. Other bestselling artists included Lady
Antebellum, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Whiskey Falls, and Stephen Cochran.
“One of the goals with this event is to help build a marketing platform for developing artists,” Genovese said. “With the variety of artists on the
list, it tells me that our fans are discovering new music at CMA Music Festival and they aren’t waiting until they get home to buy it.”
CMA Music Festival Merchandise
The official CMA Music Festival merchandise line was very popular with attendees. According to Music City Merchandise, which designs and
produces the collection, onsite sales were up nearly 11 percent over 2007. A popular item this year was a T-shirt that listed all announced
performers for the Nightly Concerts. Music City Merchandise, which had booths at the truTV Fan Fair Hall, Greased Lightning Daytime Stages,
McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone, the Sommet Center, and VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field, has been CMA’s merchandise partner for the
past 14 years.
Chevy™ Sports Zone
CMA’s free Chevy Sports Zone was a huge hit with participants and fans looking for fun and friendly competition. More thank 100 celebrities,
artists and athletes participated in Chevy Sports Zone activities during the four days.
“The Field & Stream Celebrity Total Outdoorsman Challenge presented by Mobil 1” was a highlight Thursday with Country Music artists and
other celebrities showing off their outdoor skills with contests in archery, fly casting, bait casting, and air rifle and attempting to beat the two-time
Total Outdoorsman Challenge Champion Paul Thompson, who also joined the competition. In an upset that had people buzzing, Daniel Lee
Martin beat Thompson for the First Place seat. Martin’s prizes including a televised hunting trip and new BowTech bow. On Friday, the Field &
Stream held local and regional Total Outdoorsman Challenges. Cory Jones finished first out of nine competitors in the local qualifier, winning an
all-expense paid trip for two to the 2008 CMA Awards and moving on to the regional qualifier. Also moving on to the regional qualifier were Scot
Marcin, Paul Hughes, and Martin (who was invited to compete in the regional qualifier based on his scores from Thursday). Nineteen
outdoorsmen competed in the regional qualifier Friday afternoon. Chris Nischan and Martin had the best scores and will compete in Field &
Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge National Championship, Sept. 5-7 in Springfield, Mo.
The fur was flying during the DockDogs® Competitions Presented by Outdoor Channel. Competitions took place in the DockDogs’ 25,000
gallon mobile pool. During the Celebrity Challenge on Sunday, Outdoor Channel host Mike Pawlawski and his canine partner Quasi won with a
distance of 24 feet, 10 inches, setting a new record for the DockDogs Celebrity Challenge. The Outdoor Channel's Tiffany LaKowsky and Bo
won the silver medal with a distance of 20 feet, 5 inches. Trick Pony's Keith Burns and Cheyenne took home the bronze leaping for 19 feet, 11
inches. Also placing in the top tier were CMT’s Katie Cook and Rachel Reinhart from the band Gloriana.
The Celebrity Sports Challenge Presented by Glaceau Vitaminwater® Hosted by Steve Azar proved to be a fan favorite with an amazing array of
sports champions and celebrities competing along with Azar and other artists. Five teams competed, each identified by the color of their jersey. In
the end, victory was awarded to the Navy team, which included Todd Armstrong, Steve Azar, Aaron Benward of Blue County, former NFL
linebacker Steve Cole, Tennessee Titans punter Craig Hentrich, and Ken Purvis.
The Outdoor Life Calling for Conservation Competition took place Friday. Hosted by Shoot Straight TV’s Chad Schearer, this game-calling
contest highlights the launch of a new conservation program: Outdoor Life’s “Project Save-A-Stream,” a nationwide program dedicated to cleaning
up our waterways. Professional and celebrity callers competed to determine the best turkey and big game calls.
Two winners were selected: Julie Ingram was the audience favorite, based on volume of applause, but the judges gave the official first prize to
Trent Willmon, along with an Alberta Canada Black Bear Hunt and a check for $1,000 to donate to the conservation organization of his choice.
The first ever CMA Music Festival BBQ Championship took place Saturday and Sunday. Teams from across the nation competed in four
categories (pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket and chicken) for a chance to win a share of more than $17,000 in cash and prizes to be
distributed to category winners.
Kix Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Jessica Simpson
and Keith Urban Make Surprise Appearances
Article a courtesy of Country Music Association. © 2008 Country Music Association, Inc.
CMA Music Festival hit an all-time high attendance record in 2008 with a 9.4 percent increase over 2007 during the four-day Festival, Thursday
through Sunday, in Downtown Nashville.
“Even with gasoline prices around $4 a gallon and weak economic conditions around the country, we saw an increase in our attendance on every
level from local and regional participation to those fans that traveled from around the world,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy
Genovese. “I believe that speaks to the strength of the event, the popularity of our artists, the dedication of our fans, and the entertainment value
of the Festival.”
The average daily attendance in 2008 was 52,000. By comparison, in 2007 the average daily attendance was nearly 48,000.
Fans definitely enjoyed themselves and made it known at the Box Office. Tickets for CMA Music Festival 2009, which will be held June 11-14,
went on sale Saturday and Gold Circle four-day ticket packages sold out in a record 15 minutes. By Sunday, advance sales bested sales during the
same period in 2007, by 4.2 percent.
“You know you are giving the fans what they want when they put down their hard-earned money for an event and we haven’t even announced
who will be performing,” remarked Genovese.
Increased sales of four-day ticket packages and single concert tickets contributed to the growth, as well as record attendance at CMA Music
Festival’s free areas – including the McDonald’s®-Dr Pepper® Family Zone, Fun Zone, Chevy™ Sports Zone and Chevy Plaza.
Surprise appearances are a hallmark of this event. And 2008 didn’t disappoint. The first night at the VAULT™ Concert Stage at LP Field
included an unannounced appearance by reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Rascal Flatts. On Friday, Keith Urban delighted the crowd – and
one fan in particular – when he leapt from the stage, sprinted into the stands and autographed his guitar for the stunned fan. Jessica Simpson made
several unannounced appearances including the Wednesday Block Party, the Fan Fair Hall and at LP Field. Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn also
made an unexpected appearance to sign autographs for fans.
“We love giving our fans something special and unexpected,” Genovese said. “It is amazing to hear the stadium erupt in applause when an
unannounced guest steps out on that stage.”
And it all benefits children and music education in Nashville. The artists and celebrities participating in CMA Music Festival donate their time.
They are not compensated for the hours they spend signing autographs and performing. In appreciation of their exhaustive efforts, CMA donates
half the net proceeds from the event to music education on their behalf through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance for Public Education
called “Keep the Music Playing.”
To date, CMA has donated more than $1 million on behalf of the artists who participate in the Festival – including $368,500 from the 2006 CMA
Music Festival and $655,600 from 2007 CMA Music Festival. Several students groups participated in the Festival including drum corps from
Antioch and Overton High Schools, who marched in “The Fourth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade.” In addition, 800 students were
given tickets to attend Saturday night through the generosity of HCA/TriStar.
CMA Music Festival is – and always will be – about the fans and their relationship with the artists and the music. The theme is universal and in
2008 Festival attendees came from every state and 28 foreign countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands,
Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Malta, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom (which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
The Festival got underway Wednesday with Grand Marshall James Otto leading the way for “The Fourth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off
Parade” with an estimated crowd of 12,000 spectators. Following the procession, the fun kicked into high gear with “The Third Annual CMA
Music Festival Block Party” on the Chevy Plaza at the Sommet Center. Keith Anderson, Luke Bryan, Joe Nichols, James Otto, Phil Stacey,
Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band performed for an estimated crowd of 6,000 according to police.
Nightly Concerts on the VAULT™ Concert Stage at LP Field
In all, 36 acts participated in the star-packed Nightly Concerts on the VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field. The lineup Thursday included Jewel,
Montgomery Gentry, Kellie Pickler, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts and acoustic performances by Luke Bryan and Jennifer Hanson.
Pre-show activities included the presentation of the Stars and Stripes by the United States Marine Corps Recruiting Station Nashville Color
Guard and a fly over with FA-18s from The Bengals of VMFA (AW)-224 from Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C., a tradition that was a
crowd pleaser all four nights. Lyric Street recording artist and season six “American Idol” finalist Phil Stacey sang the national anthem, and
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean officially welcomed fans to Music City for the 37th annual event, which began as Fan Fair® in 1972.
Fans were treated to performances Friday by Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, and
Keith Urban. Julianne Hough performed with Turner’s band. Jake Owen and Ashton Shepherd performed acoustic sets.
Though the evening marked Hill’s first performance at the Festival in 10 years, she insisted that her appearance felt like a family event. “Well, it’s
a short drive,” she joked. “And my kids are at home, so I kind of feel like I’m off tonight.”
Saturday’s lineup rocked the house with Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town, Craig Morgan, and Kenny Rogers. Jason
Michael Carroll, Jamey Johnson, and Darryl Worley delivered acoustic performances.
Sunday’s lineup featured Bucky Covington, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, James Otto, Randy Travis, and Dwight Yoakam. Phil Stacey, John
Stephan and Chuck Wicks performed acoustically.
Yoakam last appeared at the Festival 20 years ago when he performed with personal friend and mentor Buck Owens. “It’s great to be here at
CMA Music Festival,” he said. “It’s been a long, long time.” Then, referring to the many giants of Country Music who had played at CMA
Music Festival, he added, “It hasn’t been a very succinct journey to this point for me, but the shoulder I’m standing on is theirs.”
Greased Lightning® Riverfront Daytime Stages
Fan favorites Phil Vassar and Jo Dee Messina got the 2008 CMA Music Festival off to an energetic start Thursday morning during the kick-off
concert at Riverfront Park. Fans were waiting before dawn to see the powerhouse performers.
The dual stages bustled throughout the four days with a rich array of performers from both major and independent record labels. In all, 106 acts
performed more than 34 hours of concerts.
truTV™ Fan Fair® Hall
The state of continuous commotion that’s been the standard for the truTV™ Fan Fair Hall was back in force with 408 artists and celebrities
appearing at the Nashville Convention Center. Exhibit booths sold out with 110 exhibitors. Attendance over the four days was more than 53,000.
For the first time, single day tickets to the Fan Fair Hall were available for purchase Saturday and Sunday.
“This is my first time at CMA Music Festival. I’m really impressed with the way fans form friendships here. I definitely want to become a part
of this community over the next several years,” said Taylor Young, 27, of Mountain View, Calif.
As in previous years, dedicated fans camped out on the street outside of the Exhibit Hall starting at 8:00 PM, not only in hopes of being the first
in line for autographs when the doors opened the following morning, but also to share in what has become a special tradition for this group. “I
came down here at 5 this morning and found there was already a long line to get in,” said Sam Pfeiffer, 36, of Arlington, Va., on Thursday morning.
“I guess I’ll have to make it earlier tomorrow, but that just adds to the sense of adventure.”
Their dedication paid off. Aaron Tippin surprised the assembled fans and signed autographs around 2:00 AM Thursday following his
performance at The Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam.
Country superstar Alan Jackson made his first appearance in the Fan Fair Hall since 1998 Friday signing 300 autographs in two hours with his
wife and author Denise Jackson.
Teen sensation Taylor Swift signed in the Big Machine Records booth Saturday from the time the doors opened at 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM –
with no break. She signed 900 autographs, the longest consecutive signing since Garth Brooks’ marathon 23 hour signing in 1996.
Kix Brooks made a surprise appearance in the Fan Fair Hall signing approximately 500 autographs in three hours at the Brooks & Dunn booth –
after signing another 100 in the Borders® booth. Carrie Underwood signed 400 autographs in four hours and Wynonna signed for five hours.
Other popular artists included Jessica Simpson, Kellie Pickler, Sara Evans, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Bucky Covington, Billy Gilman,
Emerson Drive, Joe Nichols, James Otto and Chris Young.
Mary Kay® presents Acoustic Corner, which launched in 2004 as a showcase for independent artists, featured 30 solo or group performers. The
area on the second floor of the Convention Center hosted a steady stream of fans.
Borders®
Borders had locations at the Exhibit Hall, Riverfront and LP Field. The Top 5 selling CD titles belonged to (in order) Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift,
Joe Nichols, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Young – who all signed in the Fan Fair Hall during the Festival. Other bestselling artists included Lady
Antebellum, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Whiskey Falls, and Stephen Cochran.
“One of the goals with this event is to help build a marketing platform for developing artists,” Genovese said. “With the variety of artists on the
list, it tells me that our fans are discovering new music at CMA Music Festival and they aren’t waiting until they get home to buy it.”
CMA Music Festival Merchandise
The official CMA Music Festival merchandise line was very popular with attendees. According to Music City Merchandise, which designs and
produces the collection, onsite sales were up nearly 11 percent over 2007. A popular item this year was a T-shirt that listed all announced
performers for the Nightly Concerts. Music City Merchandise, which had booths at the truTV Fan Fair Hall, Greased Lightning Daytime Stages,
McDonald’s-Dr Pepper Family Zone, the Sommet Center, and VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field, has been CMA’s merchandise partner for the
past 14 years.
Chevy™ Sports Zone
CMA’s free Chevy Sports Zone was a huge hit with participants and fans looking for fun and friendly competition. More thank 100 celebrities,
artists and athletes participated in Chevy Sports Zone activities during the four days.
“The Field & Stream Celebrity Total Outdoorsman Challenge presented by Mobil 1” was a highlight Thursday with Country Music artists and
other celebrities showing off their outdoor skills with contests in archery, fly casting, bait casting, and air rifle and attempting to beat the two-time
Total Outdoorsman Challenge Champion Paul Thompson, who also joined the competition. In an upset that had people buzzing, Daniel Lee
Martin beat Thompson for the First Place seat. Martin’s prizes including a televised hunting trip and new BowTech bow. On Friday, the Field &
Stream held local and regional Total Outdoorsman Challenges. Cory Jones finished first out of nine competitors in the local qualifier, winning an
all-expense paid trip for two to the 2008 CMA Awards and moving on to the regional qualifier. Also moving on to the regional qualifier were Scot
Marcin, Paul Hughes, and Martin (who was invited to compete in the regional qualifier based on his scores from Thursday). Nineteen
outdoorsmen competed in the regional qualifier Friday afternoon. Chris Nischan and Martin had the best scores and will compete in Field &
Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge National Championship, Sept. 5-7 in Springfield, Mo.
The fur was flying during the DockDogs® Competitions Presented by Outdoor Channel. Competitions took place in the DockDogs’ 25,000
gallon mobile pool. During the Celebrity Challenge on Sunday, Outdoor Channel host Mike Pawlawski and his canine partner Quasi won with a
distance of 24 feet, 10 inches, setting a new record for the DockDogs Celebrity Challenge. The Outdoor Channel's Tiffany LaKowsky and Bo
won the silver medal with a distance of 20 feet, 5 inches. Trick Pony's Keith Burns and Cheyenne took home the bronze leaping for 19 feet, 11
inches. Also placing in the top tier were CMT’s Katie Cook and Rachel Reinhart from the band Gloriana.
The Celebrity Sports Challenge Presented by Glaceau Vitaminwater® Hosted by Steve Azar proved to be a fan favorite with an amazing array of
sports champions and celebrities competing along with Azar and other artists. Five teams competed, each identified by the color of their jersey. In
the end, victory was awarded to the Navy team, which included Todd Armstrong, Steve Azar, Aaron Benward of Blue County, former NFL
linebacker Steve Cole, Tennessee Titans punter Craig Hentrich, and Ken Purvis.
The Outdoor Life Calling for Conservation Competition took place Friday. Hosted by Shoot Straight TV’s Chad Schearer, this game-calling
contest highlights the launch of a new conservation program: Outdoor Life’s “Project Save-A-Stream,” a nationwide program dedicated to cleaning
up our waterways. Professional and celebrity callers competed to determine the best turkey and big game calls.
Two winners were selected: Julie Ingram was the audience favorite, based on volume of applause, but the judges gave the official first prize to
Trent Willmon, along with an Alberta Canada Black Bear Hunt and a check for $1,000 to donate to the conservation organization of his choice.
The first ever CMA Music Festival BBQ Championship took place Saturday and Sunday. Teams from across the nation competed in four
categories (pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket and chicken) for a chance to win a share of more than $17,000 in cash and prizes to be
distributed to category winners.
CMA Music Festival (Fan Fair) ABC Television Special – Monday, Sept. 8, 2008
As previously announced, the Festival was filmed for a two-hour television special “CMA Music
Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” scheduled to air on the ABC Television Network Monday,
Sept. 8 (9:00-11:00 PM/ET). Hosting the special for the first time will be two-time “Dancing
with the Stars” champion Julianne Hough, former “American Idol” finalist Kellie Pickler and
reigning CMA Horizon Award winner Taylor Swift. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer.
Gary Halvorson is the Director. The special was shot in high definition and will be broadcast in
720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
This is the fourth year the special will air on ABC. The primetime special debuted on the CBS
Television Network in 2004.
Both the concerts and the interaction between the artists and fans will be captured in the special
with heart-pounding performances interspersed with heart-warming encounters between the
artists and their avid admirers. Taped exclusively for the special, cameras followed the stories of
several Festival attendees, who had their dreams come true when they were granted a once-in-a-
lifetime meeting and personal encounter with their favorite Country stars.
As previously announced, the Festival was filmed for a two-hour television special “CMA Music
Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” scheduled to air on the ABC Television Network Monday,
Sept. 8 (9:00-11:00 PM/ET). Hosting the special for the first time will be two-time “Dancing
with the Stars” champion Julianne Hough, former “American Idol” finalist Kellie Pickler and
reigning CMA Horizon Award winner Taylor Swift. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer.
Gary Halvorson is the Director. The special was shot in high definition and will be broadcast in
720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
This is the fourth year the special will air on ABC. The primetime special debuted on the CBS
Television Network in 2004.
Both the concerts and the interaction between the artists and fans will be captured in the special
with heart-pounding performances interspersed with heart-warming encounters between the
artists and their avid admirers. Taped exclusively for the special, cameras followed the stories of
several Festival attendees, who had their dreams come true when they were granted a once-in-a-
lifetime meeting and personal encounter with their favorite Country stars.