CMA Fest 2023 featured a slew of collaborations, including a memorable performance featuring HARDY and Lainey Wilson.
The award-winning artists joined forces at Nissan Stadium for an unforgettable performance of their chart-topping collaboration, “wait in the truck.” The performance took place in the midst of HARDY’s CMA Fest set and brought the excitement level inside the stadium up a notch.
The artists, who are set to tour together this fall, have joined forces to perform “wait in the truck” together at several high profile events, including the 2022 CMA Awards, where they teamed up for the television debut of the murder ballad.
Watch HARDY And Lainey Wilson’s “Wait In The Truck” Performance Below
Co-written by HARDY with Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, and Renee Blair, “wait in the truck” tells the story of a woman who has experienced ongoing domestic abuse. The woman is ultimately saved by a stranger who takes matters into his own hands when he confronts the abusive man and shoots him to death.
With her newfound freedom, the woman ultimately feels torn between feeling relieved and guilty over her abuser’s death.
“I don’t know if he’s an angel / Cause angels don’t do what he did / He was hell-bent to find the man behind / All the whiskey scars I hid / I never thought my day of justice / Would come from a judge under his seat / But I knew right then I’d never get hit again when he said to me / Wait in the truck / Just wait in the truck,” Wilson sings, full of emotion.
HARDY’s performance of his new single, “Truck Bed,” also aired during the three-hour CMA Fest special on ABC.
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CMA Fest 2023
The three-hour CMA Fest special was hosted by Dierks Bentley, Elle King, and Lainey Wilson and aired on ABC on Wednesday, July 19.
Dubbed “the music event of summer,” the special featured 30+ performances and surprise collaborations from some of Country music’s hottest stars, including Alabama, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Leon Bridges, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Vince Gill, HARDY, Tyler Hubbard, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Avril Lavigne, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban, and Lainey Wilson.
CMA Fest marked its 50th Anniversary with a record-breaking celebration in Nashville, June 8 through June 11.
50th Anniversary of CMA Fest
The four-day event hosted an estimated daily attendance of over 90,000, a 12% increase from 2022, according to the Country Music Association. Additionally, the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium saw 10% growth from 2022.
The festival also hosted fans from all 50 states as well as a record-breaking 51 countries.
“What a weekend! As we’ve spent the past year reflecting on this milestone celebration, one theme has persisted—the incredible connection between Country Music fans and the artists,” Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, shared in a statement. “It’s magical because it still matters after all these years. From first-timers to legends, so many artists started as fans—some as far back as Fan Fair. Almost every artist who performs during the festival has had their own experience as a fan, so for many of them, taking the stage at CMA Fest is a full-circle moment. We only get the chance to celebrate our 50th anniversary once, and to do so in such an impactful way has meant the world to us. Thank you, Country Music!”
More than 300 acts took part in CMA Fest this year, including performances at the Chevy Riverfront Stage, Dr Pepper Amp Stage, Chevy Vibes Stage, Maui Jim Reverb Stage and the Hard Rock Stage as well as Fan Fair X inside Music City Center.
