Ash Bowers photo courtesy of Loud Mouth Entertainment.

The 2013 CMA Music Festival will take pace in downtown Nashville June 6-9 with no less than six free stages featuring live music throughout the day and into the evening as well as countless activities. Tickets for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field sold out a record-setting six weeks in advance of the 2013 Festival, but fans will still have many chances to catch their favorite artists at CMA Music Festival.

Performance lineups for the previously announced Chevrolet Riverfront Stage and Bud Light Stage at the Bridgestone Arena Plaza are available at CMAfest.com, but those schedules are just the beginning of what fans can expect from country music’s biggest festival. Everything from autograph signings, meet-and-greets, cell phone charging stations, product demonstrations, auctions, giveaways, and more will take place in Downtown Nashville throughout the festival. Outdoor spaces are free and open to the public.

Some of this year’s events include:

Transitions Performance Park

New in 2013, Transitions® adaptive lenses will host Transitions Performance Park, where fans can get an enhanced view of the CMA Music Festival from atop Transitions’ two-story viewing platform. Fans will be able to test Transitions products, look through customized viewfinders and star in their own professional photo shoot.

Additionally, daily concerts will take place with the Marshall Tucker Band making their first-ever CMA Music Festival appearance to kick things off on Thursday, June 6 at 11 a.m. with a performance. Other artists set for performances include Ash Bowers, Holly Williams, Due West, Danielle Peck, Julie Roberts, Jeff Bates, Kristy Lee Cook and many more. Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Carrie Underwood tries out a new accessory, Brad Paisley’s pranking ways leave some disbelieving, Laura Bell Bundy takes a dip with Steel Magnolia’s Meghan Linsey, Justin Moore gets in touch with his feminine side and Eli Young Band share a behind the scenes look at their new video. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week:

Photo courtesy of Carrie Underwood.

Carrie Underwood – CarrieUnderwood: Do these glasses make me look smarter? I think they might be a little small for my face…

Brad Paisley – BradPaisley: I got to call CMA radio stations&DJs of the year today &tell em they won.A few of em thought it was a prank. Now I wouldn’t do that,would I?

Reba – Reba: Nope, I only do red solo cups…

Photo courtesy of Laura Bell Bundy.

Laura Bell Bundy – LauraBellBundy: Swimming in a cave with @meghanlinsey! #allstarvacation Continue Reading

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Country Music Hall of Fame member Kitty Wells.

GAC sends condolences to the family, friends and fans of Kitty Wells. Nashville’s WKRN reports Wells, known as the “Queen of Country Music”, died today at the age of 92 following complications from a stroke. The site says Wells “passed peacefully with family by her side at her home.”

Born Ellen Muriel Deason Wright, Wells started her country music career with her late husband Johnnie Wright in 1937.

In 1952 she was the first female singer to reach No. 1 on the country charts with her signature song, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.” The song was an “answer song” to the Hank Thompson hit from the same year, “The Wild Side Of Life.” Kitty was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976.

WKRN reports funeral services will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at the Hendersonville Church of Christ in Hendersonville, Tenn.  Burial will follow in Spring Hill Cemetery. Click here for more details.

As news of Kitty’s passing reached the Internet, country stars tweeted their respects:

Loretta Lynn:
Kitty Wells will always be greatest female country singer of all times. She was my hero. If I had never heard of Kitty Wells, I don’t think I would have been a singer myself. I wanted to sound just like her, but as far as I am concerned, no one will ever be as great as Kitty Wells. She Truly is the Queen of Country Music.

Charlie Daniels:
A Queen died today. The true Queen of country music,the lady who set the standard for all who followed. Rest in peace Kitty Wells

Kellie Pickler:
My heart cries over Continue Reading

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Luke Bryan photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Luke Bryan and The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry will team up to host ABC’s ‘CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock.’ The concert special will be filmed at the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during CMA Music Festival which takes place June 7-10. The special will air on ABC on September 17 at 8/7 p.m. CT.

“We have so much fun playing at CMA Music Festival,” Luke said. “The entire town of Nashville turns into one big party and performing at LP Field becomes one of the best shows we play all year.”

“CMA Music Fest is special to The Band Perry because we love spending time with our fans,” Kimberly said. “We are excited to be a part of ABC’s coverage of the four-day event, co-hosting the television special.”

This is the eighth time ABC will broadcast CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock. Artists appearing in the television special have not yet been announced.

The current lineups for the Nightly Concerts are as follows in alphabetical order:

Thursday, June 7: Jason Aldean, Glen Campbell, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, and Zac Brown Band. National Anthem performed by the Nashville School of Arts Chamber Choir (under the direction of Walter Bitner)

Acoustic performances – Kellie Pickler and Lauren Alaina Continue Reading

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Julie Roberts photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Game manufacture McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds will host its first annual celebrity charity event during CMA Music Festival. Country stars will sit down to play You’ve been Sentenced! – Country Music Edition on June 7th from 2:00-4:30 PM at the Hard Rock Café in downtown Nashville. Stars will play the game to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospital and Success Won’t Wait.

Artists confirmed to play include Jeff Bates, Ty Brown, Burns & Poe, Jason Michael Carroll, Buddy Jewell, Matt Kennon, Danni Leigh, LoCash Cowboys, Justin McBride, Jaclyn North, Julie Roberts, Doug Stone, Rhonda Vincent, Mark Wills and more. The game will be followed by acoustic performances.

“We’ve always known that the country music industry has tremendous heart,” Don McNeill, McNeill Designs CEO, said. “The interest and support shared by the community as a whole for this charity event has been overwhelming and it’s even more moving in consideration of the number of appearances, concerts and events these artists are juggling as part of their hectic CMA Fest schedules.” Continue Reading

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Frankie Ballard photo courtesy of Warner Music Nashville.

The lineup for the 2012 CMA Music Festival’s Bud Light Stage at the Bridgestone Plaza and the new BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage have been announced. The two concerts will provide fans with over 40 hours of concerts for free. The CMA Music Festival takes place June 7-10. “Live music is a hallmark of CMA Music Festival and we are excited to be able to add a new stage and even more performances this year,” Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said.

The BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage is a new addition to this year’s CMA Music Festival with concerts and activities starting at 11:00 AM/CT each day during the Festival. The Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, is a fan favorite and a great place to catch up and coming country artists.

Artists currently scheduled to perform at the Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza include:

Thursday, June 7
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM            Jeff Bates
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM             Greg Bates
12:30 PM – 12:55 PM             Julie Roberts
1:15 PM – 1:40 PM                  Tyler Farr
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM                “Classic Country Show” featuring Moe Bandy, T. Graham Brown, Jane Fricke and Gene Watson, hosted by Moore  & Moore
3:20 PM – 3:45 PM                  Trent Tomlinson
4:05 PM – 4:30 PM                  Miss Willie Brown
4:50 PM – 5:15 PM                  Cledus T. Judd

Friday, June 8
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM             Eric Paslay
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM              Rose Falcon
12:30 PM – 12:55 PM              Katie Armiger
1:15 PM – 1:40 PM                   Exile
2:00 PM – 2:25 PM                  The McClymonts
2:45 PM – 3:10 PM                  Frankie Ballard
3:30 PM – 3:55 PM                  Big Smo
4:15 PM – 4:40 PM                  Drake White
5:00 PM – 5:25 PM                  Blackberry Smoke Continue Reading

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Julie Roberts photo courtesy of Absolute Publicity, Inc.

Julie Roberts, an alum of the University of South Carolina, has written and recorded a song as part of USC’s Carolina Promise campaign. “Sweet Carolina” honors Julie’s home state and her university. The campaign is a commitment from the school to continue to lead the way in improving the quality of life of both South Carolina and the world. Carolina Promise will raise funding for scholarships, research and innovative programs while creating a state of the art learning environment to ensure student success.

“I went to the University of South Carolina-Lancaster my first two years of college and received an amazing education and strong foundation for the rest of my life,” Julie said. “I was raised a Gamecock fan and most of my family are graduates from the University of South Carolina.”

Co-written and produced by Jason Collumn, “Sweet Carolina” gave Julie a way to help the campaign and pay tribute to her home. She will perform the song live on May 10 in Columbia, South Carolina at the official kick-off of the Carolina Campaign. The event will stream live online at  http://giving.sc.edu/ 

“Writing this song for the University felt like something I was supposed to do,” she said. “The University has given my family so much and I wanted to help this campaign in a way that I could, so I wrote and recorded ‘Sweet Carolina.’ It was fun thinking about the University, the students, the Gamecock fans, the alumni, the sporting events, and everything that makes me proud to call Carolina my home!”  Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert photo by Randee St. Nicholas, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

The reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert and fan favorite group Little Big Town have joined the performer lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field held during 2012 CMA Music Festival. The event takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10, in downtown Nashville, and will once again be filmed for an ABC television special to air in late summer.

Lambert will perform on Thursday, June 7, and Little Big Town will perform on Saturday, June 9.

Also during the Nightly Concerts at LP Field, Sarah Darling, Nashville School of Arts Chamber Choir (under the directon of Walter Bitner), Oak Ridge Boys, and Julie Roberts will each perform the National Anthem.

The current lineups for the Nightly Concerts are as follows in alphabetical order:

Tickets to the individual Nightly Concerts are $40 (plus applicable handling fees) for general admission in the upper deck of LP Field. Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1 (800) 745-3000. They can also purchase them through CMAfest.com or 1 (800) CMA-FEST (262-3378). Continue Reading

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The JaneDear girls photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s latest spotlight exhibit will be in support of the American Heart Association and Go Red For Women. The Exhibit, Something in Red, will feature red ensembles from several country stars including Sara Evans, Naomi Judd, and Lorrie Morgan. The exhibit opens on February 3, National Wear Red Day, and runs through April 2012.

The red dress symbolizes the fight against heart disease in women. Several country artists have parented with the American Heart Association and the museum to raise awareness for the disease, which is the number one killer in women.

Some of the dresses featured in Something in Red include Sara Evans’ dress from the1999 Academy of Country Music Awards, Naomi Judd’s leather-like jacket and skirt she wore at the 1987 Country Music Association Awards, the dress worn by the JaneDear girls’ Danelle Leverett on the cover of the duo’s debut album (photo above) and Susie Brown’s dress from the 2011 ACM Awards, and gowns worn by Lorrie Morgan and Julie Roberts on the Grand Ole Opry. Continue Reading

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Jimmy Wayne

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate the holiday season with an assortment of programs and events for the entire family. They will also have limited edition holiday posters from the Hatch Show Print and special offers from the Museum Store, just in time for holiday shopping.

Jimmy Wayne will help kick off festivities on Friday, November 25 at 4 p.m. Central with the lighting of the Museum’s Christmas tree. He will also perform and sign copies of his new book, Paper Angels. The next day, November 26, Ricky Skaggs and The Whites will be in the Museum Store at 2 p.m. to sign copies of A Skaggs Family Christmas Volume 2.

For those who like to start their morning off with country music, the Museum will host a special breakfast with Bill Cody on Friday, December 2 as he broadcasts live from the Museum’s Curb Conservatory. Admission is $6.50 and includes breakfast, performances by Ronnie Milsap, Julie Roberts, Victoria Shaw and more and the chance to win a museum prize pack.

Saturday, December 3 is a busy day at the Museum. The day starts off with a cookie decorating class at 10:30 followed by a songwriter session with Deborah Allen at 11:30 p.m. She will sign copies of her new children’s book, The Loneliest Christmas Tree, following her performance. From 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. the Museum will hold the family program Make Letterpress Art with Hatch Show Print, where attendees will learn about letterpress printing straight from the staff of Hatch Print Show. The day will wrap with Phil Vassar signing copies of his Noel and Live on Broadway album at 3:00 p.m.   Continue Reading

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