We started off day three of CMA fest with the Warren Peace Ride with Storme Warren, Montgomery Gentry and friends. This very special charity motorcycle ride benefited the T.J. Martell Foundation which leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. The ride started off at Indian Motorcycles in Nashville, TN with some food from Dunkin Donuts and BBQ from Jim’n Nicks BBQ, along with a few performances for everyone to enjoy while they grubbed on some delicious food and beverages and got prepped for the big ride ahead. The ride ended at 3rd and Lindsley where Montgomery Gentry then performed a few songs for their loyal fans in attendance outside. The party then moved inside for select VIP for a full live set in the bar. It was good times for a great cause that we were happy to be a part of!
Continuing our day out in the scorching Nashville heat, we headed over to the Riverfront stage to catch CAM. She was all smiles throughout her performance despite the sizzling temperatures and as if the sun was not shining bright enough CAM brought her signature smile as well as her very positive personality, completing her set with bright yellow sunflowers and her golden t-shirt that said “Have A Golden Day.”
Next up was Maggie Rose on the Chevrolet Park Stage and talk about a shining star! Rose’s performance was stunning and so was her outfit as she was wearing a top made out of literally hundreds of glittering sequins and looked absolutely exquisite. Her set was beyond flawless and we definitely think that come CMA Fest next year Maggie Rose will most definitely be headed for a headline slot over at the Nissan Stadium.
We had great fun catching a rocking performance from Jackie Lee. He laughed and joked with the crowd at one point saying “this is my favorite country song” before launching into a cover version of Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Going Down”. Lee then informed the crowd that his hit single “Getting Over You” was written with his friend Paul DiGiovanni from Boys Like Girls and even threw in a clip of their song “Great Escape” much to the delight of the crowd. For an up and coming artist, Lee’s set was extraordinary and he has already built up a rather large fan base as they were belting out the words to each and every song during his set and having an amazing time.
The former front man of Hot Chelle Rae, Ryan Follese was up next with his songwriter parents (Keith and Adrienne Follese) watching from the crowd which it only made sense for him to perform a blend of the hit songs that his parents have written including Tim McGraw’s “Something Like That” and Faith Hill’s “The Way You Love Me.” His parents were not the only celebrities watching his set as Follese’s close friend Brandi Cyrus jammed from the crowd during his set. Follese appeared to be having the time of his life on stage and also included in his set was his hit song “Put A Label On It” and of course the ever-catchy Hot Chelle Rae single “Tonight, Tonight” to close out his set. The fans were left eager and energized begging Follese to return to the stage for just one more song, but sadly due to time constraints he was unable to do so, but rest assured everyone will be coming to check him out wherever he happens to play next!
Artist Ryan Kinder launched the Warner Music Party at the Ascend Amphitheater with a jammin’ set that included his latest single “Close” and the fans were definitely showing him some love. We then ran over to the Cracker Barrel Country Roads stage to catch High Valley, a duo of Rempel Brothers. With so much great talent on-hand the Ascend Amphitheater hit their capacity with the evening actually “selling-out”. High Valley has come a long way from performing on the Hard Rock Stage in 2011 to playing a headline set in 2017 on the sold out Ascend Amphitheater stage. Their set was rockin’ and had the fans off their feet singing along to each song they performed especially their hit single “Make You Mine” and their new single “I Be U Be.”
Warner Music artist and former contestant of The Voice, Raelynn was next for a very vibrant set which found Raelynn dressed down in a sparkling black flowered dress, complete with bright pink lipstick. Raelynn performed a medley of songs off her new album, “Wildhorse” which is available everywhere now! After Raelynn’s performance we were left rearing to go for Hunter Hayes to take the stage and he never disappoints. Fans waited for hours in the Ascend Amphitheater to catch Hayes rocking performance which included hits such as “I Want Crazy”, “Storm Warning”, “Wanted” and “Somebody’s Heartbreak” to name a few. He was also sure to include his latest single “Amen” as well. His set was filled with energy and hundreds of fans singing along to each and every song he performed each one louder than the next. It was a phenomenal experience to witness.
Dan + Shay ended the night was an explosive set filled with energy, great music, vibrant and colorful lights, and the incredible on stage presence between the two. It is apparent that these two individuals share a real chemistry as performers. The duo performed smash hits like “From The Ground Up,” “Nothin’ Like You,” “When I Pray For You,” “Can’t Say No,” and their latest single “How Not To” which recently went #1 on the charts. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney both know how to work a crowd and get them singing along to each song performed. They finished their set with a massive standing ovation.
Check out our exclusive photo gallery from Day 3 Below:
Check out a Video Recap of Day #3:
