CMA Fest Artist Lists

I have been going to the CMA Festival in Nashville each June since 2011.  Once I experienced it that very first year I was hooked.  It is an amazing four day and night live music experience with multiple stages and all kinds of country music loving events happening in and around the lower broadway area.   It’s hard to explain the amount of options going on during the festival at any given time.  There are stages big and small outdoors, and there are the indoor honky tonk stages… and then there is the Expo Center filled with upclose meet & greet areas, and merchandise, and games to play.   There are private fan club parties during the fest too.

As the years have gone by, the experiences kind of blend together in my brain  – which artist did I see that year? Where?  How did it happen? What did we see?    My hubby suggested that I write down who I saw and the particulars of each year to help remember -cuz, the ole brain could use some help!    So, here it is.  Luckily, I have taken lots of pictures over the years so I have gone back through them to help put everything in the proper order.  I’m still missing some – I am still looking for 2014.  I may have to continue editing as I find more.   But, for now…    here goes!

2011 – My first year. I went with my hubby.  Everything was NEW for me and I walked around in awe from the moment I got there.  There was an amazing amount of talent wherever I went. We decided to go to the CMA Award Show in the Brookstone Arena which takes place the first night of the fest. It is nationally televised.  It was really fun to be there and to watch! I loved to see the off-air changes, and the performers interacting, etc.  We also went to the Saturday morning celebrity softball game for charity.

These are artists I saw perform the first CMA Festival I attended.  In no particular order…

Laura Lee Bundy, Ashton. Shepherd, Dirks Bentley, The Cleverlys, Lady Antabellum, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Jake Owen, Clay Walker, Reba, Andy Griggs, Carter’s Chord, Jane Dear, the Band Perry, the Eli Young Band, Darius Rucker, Tracey Lawrence, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Trace Adkins, Gary Alan, Craig Morgan, the Zac Brown Band, Randy. Travis, Alan Jackson, Easton Corbin, Sara Evans, Casey James, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Alabama, Corey Smith, Chuck Wicks, Hunter Hayes, Stealing Angels, Daily & Vincent, Chris Young, Danny Gokey, Robin Meade, Little Big Town, Clint Black, Josh Turner, Kip Moore, Scotty MccCreary, Big & Rich, Thompson Square.

 

2012 –  Again I went with my hubby.   I had signed up to hand out Josh Turner album promotion cards..  and I got a free t-shirt for it.  Ha   We left a day early (not my decision). While we were at the festival we hung out with the Lewandowski’s, friends from Sparta, NJ.    This time we also did some touring in Nashville and around the area.  We took a van trip to see where some of the artists lived out in Franklin County (our van broke down in front of Ronnie Dunn’s first Nashville home and we had to wait a while for another van), and we saw the Grand Ole Opry, the Gaylord Opry Hotel, the Ryman, and more.

Artists I saw perform:   Willie Nelson, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood,  Glen Campbell, Miranda Lambert, the Pistol Annies, Kellie Pickler, Jason Aldean, Lady A, the Zac Brown. Band, Lauren Alaina, Brad Paisley,  Hank Williams Jr., Thomas Rhett, JoDee Messina,. Gloriana, Ronnie Milsap, Brantley Gilbert, Jake Owen, Corey Smith, Eden’s Edge, Julie Roberts, Kenny Rogers, Hunter Hayes, Love & Theft,  Rodney Akins, Little Big Town, Faith Hill, Luke Bryan,  the Band Perry, Blake Shelton, Carrie. Underwood.

 

2013 – I brought Lauren and Ryan.  We again went to the CMA Award Show. We stood on the floor for it – I learned that seats are worth paying for!  Lol   We three also went to the private Scotty McCreery fan club party.

Artists I saw:   Keith Urban, Dustin Lynch, Phil Vasser, Tracey Lawrence, Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Rogers, Greg Bates, Hunter Hayes, Lady A, Little Big Town, Sheryl Crow, Blake Shelton, Sunny Sweeney,  Rae Lynn, David Nail, Corey Smith, the Oak Ridge Boys, Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flats, Jason Aldean (Lenny Kravitz –  he was boo’ed when he went on and on performing alone.  He’s NOT country!), Dierks Bentley, Kelly Clarkson, Trisha Yearwood, Ricky Scaggs, A Thousand Horses, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, Gary Alan, Brad Paisley, Charlie Daniels, the Band Perry, Jake Owen, Carrie Underwood.

 

2014 –

2015 –   Lauren, Kristen, and Katie Schafer shared the experience with me this time. This was the year I won through the lottery (each year you can sign up for random drawings for ‘up close experiences” ) a Meet & Greet with Crystal Gayle.

Performers:  Eric Church, Darius Rucker,  Neal McCoy, Dustin Lynch, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Brett Eldridge, Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan, Lady A, the Zac Brown Band, Randy Houser, Maddie & Tae, the Band Perry, Eric Pasley, kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line,  Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flats, Sam Hunt, Alan Jackson, with Urban, Sara Evans, Montgomery Gentry, Gary Alan, and many of the TV show “Nashville” cast performers.

 

2016 – with Lauren, Ryan, and Kristen.    We played “Blake Bingo” and we all won some Blake Shelton merchandise and music. It was a small group experience and a break indoors in AC on a very hot afternoon.

Artists who I saw perform:  Little Big Town, Thomas Rhett, Brett Eldridge, Keith Urban,  Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen, Cam, Chris Young, Cassadie Pope, Cole Swindell, Dustin Lynch, Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Eric Pasley, Hank Williams Jr., Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, the Brothers Osborne, Corey Smith, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Scotty McCreary, Bobby Bones & the Raging Idiots, Steven Tyler (yes, THAT Steven Tyler! He put out a “country album”), Maren Morris, Charlie Daniels, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood,  Sam Hunt,  Eric Church,  Rascal Flats, Lady A, Justin Moore.

 

2017 – Kristen, Lauren, Jeffrey.  Lauren went with me to the Montgomery Gentry fan party and I am so glad we did!  It was lots of fun but it was just a few short months later that Troy Gentry died in a helicopter crash.

Scotty McCreery,  Montgomery Gentry, Maren Morris, Chris Young,  Old Dominion,  Lady A, Thomas Rhett, Brothers Osborne, Michael Ray, Gretchen Wilson, William Michael Morgan, Tracy Lawrence, Joe Diffie, Lee Greenwood, Rhonda Vincent, Phil Vasser,  Kenny Rogers, Brett Eldridge,  Garth Brooks, Cole Swindell, Lauren Alaina, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker,  Keith Urban, Brad Paisley,  Craig Campbell, Luke Combs, Josh Turner,  Rascal Flats, Dustin Lynch, Sam Hunt, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Trace Akins, Morgan Evans,  Little Big Town.

 

2018 –  Kristen and Jeffrey.  I attended the Brothers Osborne Fan party.   Kristen and I went to the Jon Pardi acoustic performance at the Lodge.   I also won two tickets to have a meet & greet with Thomas Rhett.

Chris Stapleton, Jon Pardi, Lauren Alaina, Brothers Osborne,  Chip Estevan, Brett Young, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Luke Combs, Blake Shelton, old Dominion, Carrie Underwood, Lindsey Ell, Tyler Reeve, LeeAnn Womak, Sam Hunt, Dustin Lynch, Kelsea Ballerini, Highway to Heaven, Scotty McCreary, Ricky Scaggs, Brett Eldridge, Cole Swindell, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line. Kane Brown,  Dan & Shay.

 

As I glance through the lists it is obvious that some of the performers come out and headline each and every year for the fans.  It is a “gift” to the fans.  None of the artists get paid to perform.  The event started out as “Fan Fair” many years ago. It just keeps growing and growing.  I don’t mind seeing some artists each year.   I never get tired of seeing most of them:  Keith, Dierks, Luke, and Blake.   Dustin, Jason too.  Some of the other artists that are on the lists above are also my favorites so I made sure that I got to the stage where they performed.  Like I said before, so much happens you have to pick and choose.

The lists do not include those who I saw at “meet and greets” booths in the Expo Center, and those who came out on to the stadium stage to  sing the National Anthem each night.   It does not include the various DJ’s and TV people that hosted and introduced acts.  Most were nationally known.  Some I remember:   Bobby Bones and his morning team, the Property Brothers, Kristin Chenowith, Cody Alan, the Robertson family (Duck Dynasty), Nashville (TV show) cast members.

Some of those listed above I have seen perform more than once during the four days.  In fact, last year I saw Jon Pardi three different times in four days – he opened the river stage (a kick-off event), we won tickets through the lottery to see him at The Lodge, and then he performed on the big stage at the stadium!

I also know I am forgetting some artists, and some experiences.  In fact, I know I saw Martina McBride.  Oh, also, one time we we’re standing at an intersection waiting to cross and the traffic was backed up.  The black vehicle with dark windows stopped in front of us – the passenger window went down and it was Cole Swindell. He asked us if we were having a fun time at the fest!    Perhaps it was in 2014, the year I still need to find the pictures from.

More to come!

I have my tickets for the 2019 CMA Festival in June.  So…    Nashville here I come again!