The Country Music Association announced on Monday (June 15) that they will be hosting two nights of the hottest Country Music this summer, bringing together all your favorite artist for two epic events.
Country Music superstar Luke Bryan hosts “CMA Best of Fest,” a three-hour retrospective airing Thursday, July 9 at 8/7c on the ABC Television Network. The live concert experience 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 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, with special appearances by Bobby Bones, Jim Gaffigan, Kirk Herbstreit, Peyton Manning, Lionel Richie, Rob Riggle, Gwen Stefani, Michael Strahan and Rita Wilson. “CMA Best of Fest” is executive produced by Robert Deaton.
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. Stay tuned as the full lineup will be announced in the coming days on the CMA Fest app and CMASummerStayCay.com.
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.
