CMA Music Festival today announced the addition of two new stages for this year’s event, running June 9-12. New in 2016 are the AT&T Skyview Stage and Budweiser Acoustic Stage, both located at Ascend Amphitheater. This brings the total number of stages to 11.
To celebrate the amphitheater, which opened in 2015, CMA is hosting a free Kick-Off Concert and Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday, June 8 (11 a.m.). The Opening Ceremonies will be hosted by Chris Young and feature appearances by the Mayor of Nashville Megan Barry, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and Metro Nashville Public Schools students who have benefited from funds generated by the Festival.
Immediately following the Opening Ceremonies the party continues with the CMA Music Festival Kick Off Concert featuring SiriusXM Highway Finds artists including Frankie Ballard, Clare Dunn, High Valley, Steve Moakler, William Michael Morgan, Old Dominion, Michael Ray, Aubrie Sellers, and Kalie Shorr.
Scheduled to appear on the AT&T Skyview Stage as part of the festival are Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots and “The Wonderful Women of Country” (Danielle Bradbery, Lindsay Ell, Jana Kramer, Maddie & Tae, Cassadee Pope, Hillary Scott, Lucie Silvas, Natalie Stovall). Tracy Lawrence and Friends will feature John Berry, T. Graham Brown, John Michael Montgomery, Lorrie Morgan, and T.G. Sheppard. Also on the line up are Marshall Tucker Band and Friends; Sara Evans; Ashley Monroe; Music City Hit-Makers; Shenandoah; Sister Hazel; and The Oak Ridge Boys.
The Budweiser Acoustic Stage, also at Ascend Amphitheater, will offer intimate performances by Seth Alley, Carlton Anderson, Chris Bandi, Rylie Bourne, Jeston Cade, Hannah Dasher, Hannah Ellis, Lacy Green, Emily Hackett, Kree Harrison, Jillian Jacqueline, Like Strangers, Hunter Phelps, Post Monroe, Jameson Rodgers, Brent Rupard, Shelley Skidmore, CJ Solar, and Mitchell Tenpenny.
Also new to the Festival this year, the Budweiser Country Club is a three-story structure located in Fan Alley. The open-air space features two 20-foot bars.
Artists and schedule subject to change.
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Sarah Skates has worked in the music business for more than a decade and is a longtime contributor to MusicRow.View Author Profile
