Event to air in July on ABC
The Country Music Association has announced that Dierks Bentley, Elle King and Lainey Wilson will host CMA Fest, the Music Event of Summer, airing Wednesday, July 19th at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC. The three-hour primetime concert special is set to film in Nashville during CMA Fest’s milestone 50th anniversary later this week.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Dierks, Elle and Lainey as our CMA Fest hosts this year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “As fans experienced last year, the energy Dierks and Elle bring to the stage is palpable and will only be amplified with the addition of Lainey this year. Each of these artists have a deep passion for CMA Fest and the Country Music fans from around the globe who travel to Nashville for the event. We are thrilled to have all three of them together to help us celebrate 50 years!”
The CMA Fest television special will feature never-before-seen performances and surprise collaborations from country music’s most exciting acts. Performances will be revealed in the coming weeks.
CMA Fest will celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary June 8-11 in downtown Nashville, featuring hundreds of artists performing across multiple stages and offering fans from around the globe a festival experience unlike any other. From up-close-and-personal moments that bring artists and fans together at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center to the superstar nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium to free daytime performances at all outdoor stages and one-of-a-kind activations that line Nashville’s famed Broadway strip, there’s something for everyone to discover at CMA Fest. What’s more, CMA Fest is uniquely programmed with artists donating their time so a portion of ticket proceeds can be invested in high-quality music education programs across the U.S. through the organization’s philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation.
The Country Music Association has announced its first-ever feature length film, CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair, an original documentary film that tells the story of the world’s largest and longest-running country music festival, CMA Fest. The film will debut July 5th on Hulu with CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern and CMA Senior Vice President, Marketing, Content & Communications Strategy Kelly Striewski serving as executive producers.
