<h3>2011 CMA Music Festival Wraps Up Nightly Concerts and Nashville Readies for Next Year!</h3>
<p>Last week marked a jam-packed week for Nashville with the <strong>2011 CMA Music Festival</strong> taking place <strong>June 9-12</strong>, and all the preliminary events which kicked-off as early as Monday. It was hot outside and the streets may have been crowded beyond belief, but it was a success nonetheless! From the special concerts at <a title="the Grand Ole Opry" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/category/the-grand-ole-opry/">the Grand Ole Opry</a> featuring <strong><a title="Carrie Underwood" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/carrie-underwood-tour-dates/">Carrie Underwood</a></strong>, <strong>Randy Travis</strong>, <strong><a title="Lady Antebellum" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/lady-antebellum-concert-tour-tickets/">Lady Antebellum</a></strong>, <em>American Idol</em> winner and runner-up <strong><a title="Scotty McCreery" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSScottyMcCreery/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fscotty-mccreery-tickets%2F">Scotty McCreery</a></strong> and <strong><a title="Lauren Alaina" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/lauren-alaina-concert-tour-tickets/">Lauren Alaina</a></strong> and others, to Autograph signings at Fan Fair Hall and fan club parties, to the <a title="CMA Fest" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/2024-cma-fest-lineup/">CMA Fest</a> Parade Wednesday, to the concert line-up at LP Field, the focal point of the festival, the entire week had plenty to offer for each and every country music fan. </p>
<p>The nightly concerts at LP Field kicked-off in high gear on Thursday with the <strong><a title="Zac Brown Band" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSZBB/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fzac-brown-band-tickets%2F">Zac Brown Band</a></strong> who were joined by special guests <strong>Amos Lee</strong> to perform &#8220;<em>Colder Weather</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Knee Deep</em>&#8220;, and newcomer Sonia Leigh. Additionally, <a title="Zac Brown Band" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSZBB/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fzac-brown-band-tickets%2F">Zac Brown Band</a> was joined by <strong>Randy Travis</strong> for a duet on his hit &#8220;<em>Forever and Ever, Amen</em>&#8220;. Even <strong><a title="Alan Jackson" href="https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/1224809/264167/4272?subId1=WPScmnbAJackson&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Falan-jackson-tickets%2Fartist%2F769574&partnerpropertyid=5213910&MediaPartnerPropertyId=5213910">Alan Jackson</a></strong> popped by during the set to sing &#8220;<em>As She&#8217;s Walking Away</em>&#8221; with the group. Next up, <strong><a title="Easton Corbin" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/easton-corbin-concert-tour-tickets/">Easton Corbin</a></strong> contributed a 20-minute set including &#8220;<em>A Little More Country Than That</em>&#8220;, &#8220;<em>Roll With It</em>&#8220;, and even a title off his new album. <strong><a title="Sara Evans" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSSaraEvans/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fsara-evans-tickets%2F">Sara Evans</a></strong> followed up Corbin&#8217;s set with her own including her latest hit single &#8220;<em>A Little Bit Stronger</em>&#8221; and other songs like &#8220;<em>As If</em>&#8220;. Season 9 <em>American Idol</em> finalist, <strong>Casey James</strong> brought his own flavor to the line-up with &#8220;<em>So Sweet</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Drive</em>&#8220;. Lastly, <strong><a title="Jason Aldean" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSAldean/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fjason-aldean-tickets%2F">Jason Aldean</a></strong> wrapped up the evening with hits &#8220;<em>My Kinda Party</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Big Green Tracker</em>&#8220;. He was joined by collaborator <strong>Kelly Clarkson</strong> to sing their duet &#8220;<em>Don&#8217;t You Wanna Stay</em>&#8220;, and finished things up with the increasingly popular &#8220;<em>Dirt Road Anthem</em>&#8220;. </p>
<p>The all-star line-up continued Friday night with <strong>Ashton Shepherd</strong> singing songs like &#8220;<em>Sounds So Good</em>&#8221; and current hit &#8220;<em>Look It Up</em>&#8220;. She was followed by <strong><a title="Dierks Bentley" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/dierks-bentley-concert-tour-dates/">Dierks Bentley</a></strong>&#8216;s five song set which included &#8220;<em>Sideways</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Feel That Fire</em>&#8220;. <strong><a title="Lady Antebellum" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/lady-antebellum-concert-tour-tickets/">Lady Antebellum</a></strong> took over the stage next and sang the hit &#8220;<em>Need You Now</em>&#8221; as well as &#8220;<em>American Honey</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Just A Kiss</em>&#8220;. <strong><a title="Shania Twain" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSShania/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fshania-twain-tickets%2F">Shania Twain</a></strong> graced the stage, and though she did not sing, she introduced the next act, <strong><a title="Sugarland" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/sugarland-concert-tour-tickets/">Sugarland</a></strong> who covered multiple songs including &#8220;<em>All I Want To Do</em>&#8220;, &#8220;<em>Stuck Like Glue</em>&#8220;, and &#8220;<em>Something More</em>&#8220;. <strong><a title="Keith Urban" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSKUrban/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fkeith-urban-tickets%2F">Keith Urban</a></strong> hit the stage next with &#8220;<em>Put You In A Song</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Love Somebody Like You</em>&#8220;. <strong><a title="Jake Owen" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSJakeOwen/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fjake-owen-tickets%2F">Jake Owen</a></strong> jumped in for an unannounced duet with Urban on his own &#8220;<em>Don&#8217;t Think I Can&#8217;t Love You</em>&#8220;. Rounding the evening off nicely was <strong><a title="Reba" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSReba/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Freba-mcentire-tickets%2F">Reba</a> McEntire</strong> with a classic &#8220;<em>Why Haven&#8217;t I Heard From You</em>&#8221; and her more recent &#8220;<em>Consider Me Gone</em>&#8220;. </p>
<p>Saturday night&#8217;s line-up was no less shabby starting off with <strong><a title="Chris Young" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/chris-young-concert-tour-tickets/">Chris Young</a></strong> singing some of his best like &#8220;<strong>Gettin&#8217; You Home</strong>&#8221; and &#8220;<strong>Tomorrow</strong>&#8220;. This was followed by an interesting moment where <strong>Danny Gokey</strong> joined Gildan Activewear on stage to accept a plaque for the company&#8217;s Guinness Book of World Records qualifying t-shirt which measures more than 280-feet long. After this bizarre moment, <strong><a title="Little Big Town" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/new-little-big-town-tour-dates/">Little Big Town</a></strong> took the stage with some of their hits like &#8220;<em>Boondocks</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>A Little More You</em>&#8220;. The group also threw in their own bluegrass version of <strong>Lady Gaga</strong>&#8216;s <em>Born This Way</em>. Then <strong><a title="Josh Turner" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/josh-turner-concert-tour-dates/">Josh Turner</a></strong> took over with &#8220;<em>Long Black Train</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Why Don&#8217;t We Just Dance</em>&#8220;. He was joined by special guest <em>American Idol</em> winner <strong><a title="Scotty McCreery" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSScottyMcCreery/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fscotty-mccreery-tickets%2F">Scotty McCreery</a></strong> as the two sang a duet version of &#8220;<em>Your Man</em>&#8220;. <strong>Big &#038; Rich</strong> got in on the action with just one song, their new single &#8220;<em>Fake ID</em>&#8220;. This short performance was followed by a longer one given by <strong><a title="Trace Adkins" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSTAdkins/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Ftrace-adkins-tickets%2F">Trace Adkins</a></strong> who sang a wide range of hits from his latest &#8220;<em>Just Fishin</em>&#8216;&#8221; to a solo version of &#8220;<em>Hillbilly Bone</em>&#8221; to &#8220;<em>Honky Tonk Badonkadonk</em>&#8220;. T<strong>hompson Squared</strong> stepped in with an acoustic version of their popular &#8220;<em>Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not</em>&#8220;. This was followed by <strong><a title="Martina McBride" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/martina-mcbride-concert-tour-dates/">Martina McBride</a></strong> whose set included &#8220;<em>This One&#8217;s For The Girl&#8217;s</em>&#8220;, &#8220;<em>Teenage Daughters</em>&#8220;, and &#8220;<em>Independence Day</em>&#8220;. Like Turner, Martina was joined on stage by recent a recent <em>American Idol</em> finalist, runner-up <strong><a title="Lauren Alaina" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/lauren-alaina-concert-tour-tickets/">Lauren Alaina</a></strong>, and the two performed &#8220;<em>Anyway</em>&#8220;. The evening came to a close with a performance from <strong>Rascal Flatts</strong> including their first hit &#8220;<em>Prayin&#8217; For Daylight</em>&#8221; as well as newer songs like &#8220;<em>I Won&#8217;t Let Go</em>&#8220;. The finale of the show included fireworks and an unannounced collaboration between Rascal Flatts and <a title="Little Big Town" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/new-little-big-town-tour-dates/">Little Big Town</a> on a mash-up of two classics Kansas&#8217; &#8220;<em>Carry On My Wayward Son</em>&#8221; and The Edgar Winters Group&#8217;s &#8220;<em>Free Ride</em>&#8220;. </p>
<p>Bringing the concert series to its final conclusion, Sunday night&#8217;s line-up was as good as any, with <strong>The JaneDear Girls</strong> starting off the night with &#8220;<em>Wildflower</em>&#8221; by <strong>Jimmy Wayne</strong>&#8216;s &#8220;<em>Stay Gone</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Do You Believe Me Now</em>&#8220;. <strong><a title="The Band Perry" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/cmt-next-women-of-country-presents-kimberly-perry-of-the-band-perry-tour/">The Band Perry</a></strong> came in next with &#8220;<em>If I Die Young</em>&#8221; as well as other songs. <strong><a title="Darius Rucker" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSDarius/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fdarius-rucker-tickets%2F">Darius Rucker</a></strong> claimed the stage with a set including &#8220;<em>Come Back Song</em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>I Got Nothin&#8217;</em>&#8220;, with <strong><a title="Tracy Lawrence" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSTLawrence/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Ftracy-lawrence-tickets%2F">Tracy Lawrence</a></strong> following up with &#8220;<em>You Find Out Who Your Friends Are</em>&#8220;. Then came <strong><a title="Blake Shelton" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSBlakeS/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fblake-shelton-tickets%2F">Blake Shelton</a></strong> with &#8220;<em>It&#8217;s All About Tonight</em>&#8220;, &#8220;<em>Honey Bee</em>&#8220;, and &#8220;<em>Hillbilly Bone</em>&#8221; on which he was joined by <strong><a title="Trace Adkins" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSTAdkins/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Ftrace-adkins-tickets%2F">Trace Adkins</a></strong>. Shelton then had the chance to introduce his spitfire of a wife to the stage, <strong><a title="Miranda Lambert" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSMLambert/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fmiranda-lambert-tickets%2F">Miranda Lambert</a></strong> who pleased the audience with songs including &#8220;<em>Kerosene</em>&#8220;, &#8220;<em>White Liar</em>&#8220;, and &#8220;<em>Gunpowder and Lead</em>&#8220;. Lambert also sang a tune, &#8220;<em>Hell On Wheels</em>&#8220;, with fellow <strong>The Pistol Annies</strong> members, <strong>Angaleena Presley</strong> and <strong>Ashley Moore</strong>. <strong><a title="Taylor Swift" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSTSwift/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Ftaylor-swift-tickets%2F">Taylor Swift</a></strong> closed out <a title="CMA Fest" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/2024-cma-fest-lineup/">CMA Fest</a> as the last performer Sunday evening singing a special rendition of Tom Petty&#8217;s &#8220;<em>American Girl</em>&#8221; as well as many of her hits including &#8220;<em>Our Song</em>&#8220;. </p>
<p>The 2011 CMA Music Festival turned out to be as successful as everyone hoped with organizers speculating record attendance on Thursday, the opening day. Plans for next year&#8217;s <a title="CMA Fest" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/2024-cma-fest-lineup/">CMA Fest</a> are already in the works, and we can&#8217;t wait to hear who will be in the line-up!</p>
<p>For those of you, who couldn&#8217;t make it out to this year&#8217;s CMA Music Fest (and even those who did!), it&#8217;s never too late to start planning for next year! The date for the <strong>2012 CMA Music Festival</strong> is set for <strong>June 7th &#8211; June 10th</strong>. It was originally announced tickets would be available beginning June 11th, but that date has been pushed back to <strong>July 30th</strong> at <strong>10am CT</strong>. </p>