Charlie Daniels Band,
Sara Evans, and Travis Tritt added to the Sold
Out Nightly Concerts at LP Field
NASHVILLE – Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year
Little Big Town return for the second year to host the summer’s
hottest television music event when the ABC Television Network airs “CMA Music
Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” on Tuesday,
Aug. 5 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET). “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock”
will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton.
“We could not be more excited
to be coming back as hosts for CMA Music Fest,” exclaimed Little Big Town’s
Phillip Sweet. “Last year was incredible and we can’t wait to
be back in LP Field surrounded by 50,000 screaming fans!”
Bandmate Karen Fairchild
added: “Country Music truly has the most dedicated fans in the world and we’re
looking forward to spending another four days with them.”
“It is great to have Little Big
Town back to host ‘Country’s Night to Rock’,” said Deaton. “They have
impeccable timing, a terrific sense of humor, the respect of the artistic community,
and the admiration of the fans. They are the perfect ensemble cast to host this special.”
Critically acclaimed Country
group Little Big Town – consisting of members Fairchild,Sweet, Kimberly
Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook – first entered the
music scene more than 14 years ago with hits such as “Boondocks,” “Bring
It On Home,” “Good As Gone,” and the Grammy-nominated single “Little White
Church.” The quartet’s fifth studio album Tornado was released
on Sept. 11, 2012 and debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Chart
where it stayed in the No. 1 position for five consecutive weeks. The album
has been certified Platinum with sales of more than 1 million copies.
Tornado, produced
by Jay Joyce, includes 2x Platinum-selling No. 1 single “Pontoon” and follow-up
single and title-track “Tornado,” which also peaked in the No. 1 position. The
Grammy-nominated track, “Your Side of the Bed” and fan-favorite “Sober”
are also featured on the album.
Collectively, the group has earned more than 25 award nominations,
including 15 CMA Awards nods. They have taken home CMA Awards trophies for CMA
Single of the Year (2012, “Pontoon”) and CMA Vocal Group of the Year (2012,
2013). They have also won a Grammy Award for Best Country Group/Duo Performance
(“Pontoon”) and an Emmy (Outstanding Original Song, “Good Afternoon”).
Last year, the foursome completed their sold-out headlining tour, “The Tornado
Tour,”which visited more than 25 theaters in the U.S. and Canada and also recently
wrapped a tour with Keith Urban performing in more than 50 cities in North America.
Little Big Town recently
completed their sixth studio album working again with producer Joyce. The first
single off of the new album entitled “Day Drinking” will be available at iTunes
June 2 and will officially hit Country radio June 10. The album is set for release
later this year. For more information on Little Big Town visit littlebigtown.com.
Filmed during CMA Music
Festival Thursday through Sunday, June
5-8, the special features many of today’s most exciting Country Music stars
as they hit the stage during the four-day party and celebration of America’s
music. The annual event is unlike any other, with autograph signings in the AT&T
U-verse Fan Fair X, live music on 11 stages, more than 430 artists and celebrities,
and a guest list of 80,000 avid singing-and-dancing-till-dawn fans.
The special first aired
in 2004. This is the 11th time ABC will broadcast the special – which
invites the whole country to America’s largest Country Music celebration. Artists
appearing in the television special have not yet been announced. The special will air on ABC through 2021.
The Aug. 12, 2013 airing of “CMA Music Festival: Country’s
Night to Rock” (8.3 million and 2.0/6) dominated its three-hour time period,
beating CBS (6.1 million and 1.5/4) by wide margins in viewers (+36 percent) and
young adults (+33 percent). “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock”
spiked over 2012’s telecast (5.7 million and 1.5/4 on 9/17/12) by 46 percent
in viewers and by 33 percent in Adults 18-49. In fact, the 2013 special drew
the biggest-ever audience on ABC and equaled a seven-year high in Adults 18-49
(since 2006). ABC began airing the annual program in 2005.
Artists performing as part of the
sold-out Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2014 CMA Music Festival include Jason
Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan,
Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Brantley
Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, Lady Antebellum,
Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw,
Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Thomas
Rhett, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton,
The Band Perry, Keith Urban, Chris Young,and
Zac Brown Band. Several legacy acts are performing too, including
Charlie Daniels Band, Sara Evans, Travis Tritt,
and a special guest performance. Performing the national anthem at LP Field will
be Danielle Bradbery, Home Free, and young musicians from the
W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School, which is a beneficiary of The CMA
Foundation’s Keep the Music Playing music education charitable campaign.
The Ultimate Country Music
Fan Experience began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, bringing 5,000 fans to Nashville’s
Municipal Auditorium. More than 40 years later, the now legendary Festival has
become the city’s signature music event. In 2014, CMA Music Festival will host
visitors from every state and 22 foreign countries. |