Get ready for two nights of the hottest Country Music as the Country Music Association brings together your favorite stars for two epic events: CMA Summer Stay Cay and CMA Best of Fest
CMA Best of Fest, a three-hour retrospective hosted by Luke Bryan airing Thursday, July 9 at 8/7c on ABC, features more than 25 unforgettable performances having aired on television over the last 16 years of CMA Fest, plus a brand new, not-to-be-missed performance with Bryan and special guest Darius Rucker.
Artists appearing in the CMA Best of Fest TV special include: Trace Adkins, Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Billy Ray Cyrus, Dan + Shay, Lzzy Hale, Sam Hunt, Joan Jett, Lady A, Miranda Lambert, Lil Nas X, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Dwight Yoakam and Zac Brown Band.
The festivities get started a week before on Wednesday, July 1 when chart-topping Country artists Jimmie Allen and Lindsay Ell host “CMA Summer Stay-Cay presented by Budweiser Nitro Gold,” a brand new, multi-hour live stream variety event. Fans can tune into CMA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page to catch more than 50 of their favorite Country acts coming together (while safely apart) for unique performances, atypical Q&As, games and much more during this fun and collaborative summertime celebration.
- “Women of Summer” performance featuring Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell and Cassadee Pope
- “Say It With A Song” Game with Lauren Alaina, Devin Dawson and HARDY
- Jason Aldean Video Premiere Party featuring the World Premiere of New Music Video “Got What I Got,” special Q&A, Tyler Farr hosting the game “Is This Something Aldean Sings?” with fans, and a special Aldean cover performance by 2020 CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship recipient Angie K
- Radio Disney Country “Disney Trivia” Challenge with Jimmie Allen and Lindsay Ell, hosted by
Abby Anderson - More than 30 one-of-a-kind new performances from artists including Jimmie Allen, Ingrid Andress,
Lee Brice, Brothers Osborne, Luke Combs, Travis Denning, Brett Eldredge, Chris Janson, LOCASH,
Dustin Lynch, Scotty McCreery, Carly Pearce, Jameson Rodgers, Mitchell Tenpenny, Tenille Townes, Rita Wilson, and Brett Young, with special collaborations between Jimmie Allen and LANCO, Kassi Ashton and Jordan Davis, and Lee Brice and Carly Pearce - Quick Chat with Gabby Barrett hosted by Radio Disney Country
- “Super Easy Trivia” with Bobby Bones featuring Blanco Brown, Kristian Bush, Jordan Davis, Gone West’s Colbie Caillat and Nelly Joy, Caylee Hammack, Scotty McCreery, Carly Pearce and Rita Wilson
- Brothers Osborne full band performance of “All Night” and fan Q&A
- CMA Fest Flashback with Eric Church remembering his epic mega-medley performance during CMA Fest 2019, with the never-before-seen full 27-minute acoustic performance available on CMA’s YouTube channel during the live stream
- “’90s Country Cover Challenge” with Russell Dickerson & Friends featuring Dustin Lynch and Carly Pearce
- The Bud Nitro Room pre-show performances with 2020 CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship recipients Everette and Kylie Morgan
- “What’s Gonna Happen Next?” — a really random chat with Brantley Gilbert and surprise guests
- “Country Couples Challenge” with Jillian Jacqueline, Charlie Worsham and their spouses
- King Calaway hosts a special edition of “Nashville’s House Band Series” with special guest Darius Rucker
- Lady A special appearance and performance of “What If I Never Get Over You”
- Chris Lane has “Big, Big Plans” to congratulate two fans on their engagement
- Catching Up with Tracy Lawrence and Taste of Country’s Clay Moden
- Tour Buddy Challenge with Maddie & Tae hosted by CMT After MidNite’s Cody Alan
- Maddie & Tae performing their single “Bathroom Floor,” presented by Music Choice
- “Old Fashioned Summer” cocktail creation with Ashley McBryde and special guest Lainey Wilson
- Midland mixes it up with conversation over tequila
- Amazon Music hosts Jon Pardi’s performance of his Amazon Original, reimagined version of “Ain’t Always The Cowboy”
- Quick Chat with Rascal Flatts about their 20 years as a group
- “Honkytonk Tuesday…on a Wednesday!” with Michael Ray featuring special guest Craig Morgan
- Quick Chat with Granger Smith hosted by Elaina Smith of Westwood One Nashville’s Nights with Elaina
- Cole Swindell surprises a Bachelorette Party and performs two of his hit songs
- “Who Knows Their Bandmate Best?” with The Reklaws and The Shires
- Quick Chat with Tenille Townes
- Stay tuned for additional segments to be announced soon!
Both events celebrate the legacy of CMA Fest, the world’s longest-running Country Music festival taking place in Nashville annually since 1972, which was postponed this year due to safety concerns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival will return to downtown Nashville June 10-13, 2021.
Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association is the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. More than 7,700 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Fest, which benefits the CMA Foundation and music education and is taped for a three-hour network television special, “CMA Fest”; and “CMA Country Christmas.” All of CMA’s television properties air on the ABC Television network.
source: Country Music Association
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