See Pics of Eric Church, Carrie Underwood & More From CMA Fest Night Two

The second day of CMA Fest 2019 started off much like the first – cloudy and wet. Rain and thunderstorms…

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Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 8, 2019

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3:57 pm

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Eric Church, Carrie Underwood; Photos by Andrew Wendowski

The second day of CMA Fest 2019 started off much like the first – cloudy and wet. Rain and thunderstorms moved through the area early Friday, causing the festival to delay the start of the outdoor stages.

Rain continued throughout the afternoon, but much to fans’ delight, the clouds seemed to part just as it was time to make the trek across the Nashville pedestrian bridge to Nissan Stadium.

Friday night’s lineup included performances from Jo Dee Messina, Little Big Town, Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett, Eric Church and Carrie Underwood.

Lindsay Ell was on hand to open the show with a stunning performance of the National Anthem. Ell also stuck around for a surprise performance of “What Happens In A Small Town” with Brantley Gilbert.

CMA Fest co-host Rhett pulled off another surprise when he invited his good buddy Jon Pardi to join him on stage to perform their duet, “Beer Can’t Fix.”

One of the most buzzed-about performances of the night came from Church, who took the stage with just an acoustic guitar. The iconic entertainer sang a whopping 17 songs in just 30 minutes.

Just before Underwood took the stage, a downpour came from nowhere, but luckily, the rain stopped before the superstar’s closing set. Fans were shocked when lengendary rocker Joan Jett joined Underwood to sing a number of Jett’s biggest hits.

See photos from the second 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. Rhett will co-host the special alongside Kelsea Ballerini and Bobby Bones.

Lindsay Ell

Linday Ell; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Linday Ell; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Jo Dee Messina

Jo Dee Messina; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Jo Dee Messina; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Jo Dee Messina; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Jo Dee Messina; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Brantley Gilbert with Lindsay Ell

Linday Ell and Brantley Gilbert; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Linday Ell and Brantley Gilbert; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Brantley Gilbert; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Brantley Gilbert; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Dan + Shay

Dan + Shay; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Dan + Shay; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Dan + Shay; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Dan + Shay; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Little Big Town

Little Big Town; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Little Big Town; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Thomas Rhett with a Surprise Appearance by Jon Pardi

Thomas Rhett; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Thomas Rhett; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Thomas Rhett with Jon Pardi; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Thomas Rhett with Jon Pardi; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Eric Church

Eric Church; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Eric Church; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Eric Church; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Eric Church; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Carrie Underwood with a Suprise Appearance by Joan Jett

Carrie Underwood; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Carrie Underwood; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Carrie Underwood; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Carrie Underwood with Joan Jett; Photo by Andrew Wendowski 2
Carrie Underwood with Joan Jett; Photo by Andrew Wendowski 
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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

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.