Performers Announced For CMA Music Festival's Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage At Ascend Amphitheater

CMA Music Festival has announced the performer lineup for the free nightly concerts at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage located in downtown Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater, slated for Thursday, June 8 through Saturday, June 10, beginning at 7 p.m. each evening.

Big and Rich will launch the 2017 festivities Thursday with special guests DJ Sinister & the Country Fried Mix and Cowboy Troy. Additional performers include Deana Carter, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Country Music Hall of Fame members The Oak Ridge Boys.

Sara Evans will headline Ladies of Country Friday, which will also include performances from Kelleigh Bannen, Ruthie Collins, Natalie Stovall, Danielle Bradbery, Kellie Pickler and Aubrie Sellers.

SiriusXM The Highway presents Saturday with Dan + Shay, Hunter Hayes, High Valley and RaeLynn, with additional performances by newcomers Cale Dodds, Ryan Kinder and Bailey Bryan, powered by Warner Sound.

“With tens of thousands of Country Music fans pouring in from all over the U.S. and over two dozen countries, CMA’s partnership with Cracker Barrel to present free nightly concerts at Ascend offers non-four-day ticket holders access to additional nighttime options and the chance to see even more of their favorite artists,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

“Music and entertainment are an important part of the Cracker Barrel brand experience because the platform provides an invaluable and resounding connection with our guests, which is why we’ve committed to this partnership for the next three years,” said Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Senior Vice President of Marketing Don Hoffman.

During the Festival, Cracker Barrel will also launch “Rock-A-Thon,” a rocking chair experience to raise money for the CMA Foundation, Thursday through Saturday evening. The brand will bring a little piece of home to downtown Nashville by displaying 644 rocking chairs, a symbol of its nationwide store count. If Festival-goers collectively rock at least 150,000 times in a rocker, Cracker Barrel will donate $15,000 to the CMA Foundation. Fans can follow along online and on smart phones to track the progress at CBRockathon.com. For more information on Cracker Barrel activations at CMA Music Fest, follow along on social media using hashtag #CBMusic.

Funds generated through CMA Music Festival benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $17.5 million to support quality, sustainable music education initiatives across the country on behalf of the artists who participate in the event for free.