CMA Fest Night 3: Traditional Country Meets Modern Hits

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Tim McGraw performs with Lainey Wilson at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Natasha Moustache/CMA

CMA Fest continued last night (June 6) at Nissan Stadium.

The night opened with Sara Evans, who immediately connected with fans through a run of signature hits. Evans kicked off her set with “Born To Fly” and “A Real Fine Place To Start.” She followed with the empowering anthem “A Little Bit Stronger” and closed her appearance with the enduring fan favorite “Suds In The Bucket.”

Carly Pearce continued the momentum, beginning with her award-winning duet hit “I Hope You’re Happy Now” before performing “How Long Am I Supposed To Wait.” One of the evening’s first surprise moments arrived when Pearce welcomed bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and acclaimed guitarist Molly Tuttle to the stage for “From Now On.” Pearce then shifted gears with “Truck On Fire” and “What He Didn’t Do” before bringing out Riley Green for “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.”

Lainey Wilson and Molly Tuttle perform at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: John Russell/CMA

On the Platform Stage, Kaitlin Butts delivered a compelling showcase of her distinctive style, performing “Never Really Mine” and “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me).”

Keeping the traditional country spirit alive, Zach Top earned one of the night’s strongest audience reactions with a set rooted in classic country influences. His performance included “Ain’t In It For My Health,” “When You See Me,” “Bad Luck,” “South Of Sanity” and “Flip Flop.” He capped off his appearance with hit “I Never Lie” and the fan-favorite “Cold Beer & Country Music.”

Platform Stage performer Emily Ann Roberts kept fans engaged between stadium sets, performing “Jack & Jill Daniels” and “Whipped.”

Jordan Davis brought a string of contemporary country hits to the main stage, opening with “I Ain’t Sayin’” and “Bar None.” He followed with “Turn This Truck Around,” “Next Thing You Know” and “Tucson Too Late.” Davis then welcomed Marcus King for a fiery performance of “Louisiana Stick” before returning to two of his biggest hits, “Buy Dirt” and “What My World Spins Around.”

Lainey Wilson delivered one of the evening’s most energetic sets. She launched into “Can’t Sit Still” before bringing Tuttle back to the stage for a special performance of “Wildflowers & Wild Horses.” Wilson continued with “Phone Keys Wallet,” “Watermelon Moonshine,” “Hang Tight Honey” and “4x4xU,” before closing with “Heart Like A Truck” and one of the crowd’s loudest singalongs of the night.

Headliner Tim McGraw brought the evening to a fitting close with a career-spanning set filled with beloved hits. McGraw opened with “Truck Yeah,” followed by “Something Like That” and “Down On The Farm.” He then surprised fans with “Song For America” before welcoming Wilson to the stage for a spirited duet on “I Like It, I Love It.” McGraw wrapped up the night with “Real Good Man” and the emotional festival finale, “Live Like You Were Dying.”

CMA Fest will hold its final night of performances tonight (June 7) with Luke Bryan, Stephen Wilson Jr., HARDY, Laci Kaye Booth, Riley Green, The Jack Wharff Band, Bailey Zimmerman, Kat Luna, Russell Dickerson and Clay Walker.

Jordan Davis performs with Marcus King at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Addison Hilton/CMA

Emily Ann Roberts performs at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA

Zach Top performs at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Natasha Moustache/CMA

Kaitlin Butts performs on the VIP Platform at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Lorenzo Huerta/CMA

Carly Pearce performs with Riley Green at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Camden Hall/CMA

Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle, Ricky Skaggs, and Shay Morgan perform at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: Camden Hall/CMA

Sara Evans performs at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during CMA Fest presented by SoFi in downtown Nashville. Photo: John Russell/CMA

Madison Hahnen
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