See Pics of Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown & More From CMA Fest Night One
It may have been downpouring most of the evening, but the rain didn’t put a damper on the first night…
Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
It may have been downpouring most of the evening, but the rain didn’t put a damper on the first night of CMA Fest 2019.
Taking the stage for the first of four nightly shows at Nissan Stadium was an all-star lineup consisting of Tanya Tucker (who filled in for Marty Stuart who canceled for personal reasons), Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Brothers Osborne, Rascal Flatts and Florida Georgia Line.
The poncho bearing crowd sang along all night and braved the weather conditions for a night packed full of music.
It wouldn’t be CMA Fest without a few surprises. Joining Tucker was her producer and Grammy-winning artist Brandi Carlile, while Midland popped up to perform their latest single, “Mr. Lonely.”
CMA Fest co-host Ballerini surprised fans with The Chainsmokers, who joined her to sing their collaboration, “This Feeling.”
Brothers Osborne’s electrifying set featured not one, but two special guests. The duo first invited Country Music Hall of Fame members Brooks & Dunn on stage to join them in performing B&D’s “Hard Workin’ Man.” Later, Ashley McBryde took the stage to perform “You’re Gonna Miss Me (When I’m Gone)” with Brooks & Dunn, while Brothers Osborne stepped out of the spotlight for a moment.
Closing out the show with a bang, Florida Georgina Line invited HARDY and Morgan Wallen to join them on stage for special collaborations.
See photos from the first nightly concert at Nissan Stadium below.
CMA Fest 2019 continues through Sunday. The festival is being taped for a three-hour concert special that will air Sunday, August 4 at 8/7c on ABC. Ballerini will co-host the special alongside Thomas Rhett and Bobby Bones.
Tanya Tucker
Kane Brown
Midland
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne
Ashley McBryde with Brooks & Dunn
Rascal Flatts
Florida Georgia Line
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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