Web Videos Lead Up To Music Festival Special

Fans can get a glimpse of all the behind the scenes action from the 2010 CMA Music Festival on ABC.com and CMAfest.com before the three-hour special CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock premieres Wed. Sept. 1, 7 PM/CT on the ABC Television Network.

Through September 1, ABC.com will launch over 20 online videos featuring CMA Music Festival fan favorites Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Eric Church, Gloriana, Julianne Hough, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, and more. The online videos will be added to the Festival’s official website, www.CMAfest.com, on Friday, Aug. 13.

In the video series, Bentley takes viewers into his late night fan club party; Aldean gives an exclusive look at his “huddle” with the band to get pumped up before performing at LP Field; Gloriana shows off their “bus mascot” given to them by Taylor Swift; and noted practical joker Shelton makes a special “request” of Pickler to watch his dogs and his mother while he heads out to perform. In a special video where “stars give back” to the fans, viewers get to witness Laura Bell Bundy cleaning up after fans and Gloriana on janitorial duty.

“We went to a lot of fan club parties with artists, and we spent a great deal of time filming on their buses or even at their houses to give that exclusive feeling and intimacy,” said David Beebe ABC Director of Video Production. “We talked with a wide range of artists from the names you would expect to see and a lot of up-and-coming acts as well.”

Hosted by Tim McGraw, the CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock television special features performances by Adkins, Aldean, Bentley, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, McGraw, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Rucker, Shelton, Taylor Swift, Turner, Carrie Underwood, Uncle Kracker, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.

CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock is executive produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson.