Fans seek stars at CMA festival
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Many claim the 34-year-old event that prides itself on interaction with the stars isn’t as cozy as it used to be.
“We’re not about to sleep on the sidewalk until it opens to get a ticket,” grumbled Ray Draper of Athens, Tenn., who’s been coming the past few years. He clutched a pair of guitars with signatures from veteran Bill Anderson and newcomer Erika Jo.
Many of the big acts, such as Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Trisha Yearwood and Carrie Underwood, didn’t have autograph booths. A few, such as Big & Rich, had life-size cardboard cutouts that people posed beside for pictures, though the duo did show up later to sign autographs and even had a wedding at their booth.
CMA spokesman Scott Stem said it’s up to the artists to decide how much they want to be involved. Some just perform while others also sign autographs or participate in other ways, such as the CMA Celebrity Closeup, a forum in which Lonestar, Phil Vassar, Jamie O’Neal and John Corbett were to answer fan questions.
The Country Music Association’s annual festival was moved back downtown in 2001 to take advantage of the new NFL football stadium and other venues, and in 2004 changed its name from Fan Fair to the CMA Music Festival.
Last year, more than 145,000 people attended over four days.
Here are the performers for the nightly concerts at The Coliseum:
Friday: Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Terri Clark, Billy Currington, Montgomery Gentry, Wynonna and Trisha Yearwood.
Saturday: Billy Ray Cyrus, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Craig Morgan, Brad Paisley, Josh Turner and Carrie Underwood.
Sunday: Keith Anderson, Clint Black, Los Lonely Boys with Ronnie Milsap, Joe Nichols, LeAnn Rimes, SHeDAISY and Sugarland.
For tickets call 1-800-CMA-FEST to order tickets, or visit the CMA Web site at www.cmafest.com.