Despite a troubled economy and falling festival ticket sales across the nation, the 2009 CMA Music Festival reeled in its best attendance numbers ever, notching a 7.2% increase over the previous year. Average 2009 daily attendance was 56,000. In 2008 the average daily attendance was 52,000. According to the CMA, a great deal of the […]
Chapter 312-C SUNDAY, JUNE 14 Sunday Fan club activities began in the morning for Jo Dee Messina at The Belcourt Theater and concluded with Pam Tillis at The Wildhorse Saloon that evening. In the Sports Zone downtown, we had the fourth annual Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race, sponsored by New Holland. The man to beat […]
Chapter 312-B SATURDAY, JUNE 13 This was our first really hot day of the fest. Boaters were out in force on the Cumberland behind the Riverfront Stage, and kids were frolicking in the Metro Courthouse fountains. I took Miss Mary with me downtown. “Don’t walk too fast,” she implored. I laughed: “Don’t worry: There are […]
Chapter 312-A FRIDAY, JUNE 12 Friday always seems, to me, to be the busiest day of the CMA Music Festival. On Wednesday and Thursday, the faithful gather. On Saturday and Sunday, they disperse to various Fan Club parties or find other ways to amuse themselves in Nashville “off campus.” But on Friday, they’re still fresh, […]
Respected civic and business leader Nelson Andrews passed away on June 13 after a battle with leukemia. He was 82. As the founder of Leadership Nashville, he was also a great supporter of Leadership Music. On the business front, he was very successful, including being founder and chairman of the board of real estate firm […]
Several Nashville stars marked the launch of a new charity initiative for injured veterans on June 8 in Washington D.C. Amy Grant and Vince Gill hosted and performed at the musical event at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and were joined by Alison Krauss, Michael McDonald, Darius Rucker, Melinda Doolittle and […]
“Seven Vern Gosdins Ago” Major 7th/Nine North “Seven Vern Gosdins Ago” is the latest single from Texas-bred singer Darren Kozelsky. The heartfelt ballad is from his album Arrivals & Departures, which was released digitally May 29. Kozelsky was also named Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2008 New Music Weekly Awards. His sound has […]
This month’s installment of “CMA Industry InSite,” the online educational series for CMA members, is available starting today (6/15). The second episode on Artist Management can be found at www.My.CMAworld.com. The series was developed by CMA’s Artist Relations Committee, chaired by Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, to lay a foundation for how the various […]
The Tennessee State Legislature honored Steve Wariner on May 28 with Senate Joint Resolution 469. The resolution recognizes Wariner as “a Renaissance man by any standard…a recording artist, touring performer, songwriter, publisher, producer, record executive, an avid painter and a true humanitarian” and commends him “for the significant contributions he has made to the growth […]
Gretchen Wilson kicked-off CMA Music Festival 2009 Thursday at the Riverfront Park Daytime Stage. The show was delayed an hour due to weather but the sun was out by the end of the concert. ———————- Gary Allan performed to a sold out crowd of over 800 fans at his Fan Club Party, held Tuesday (6/9) […]