Two July specials will showcase highlights and history while focused on the annual Nashville country music celebration.
If you can’t make it to Music City this week for the 50th annual CMA Fest, take heart: Once again — for the 20th time, to be precise — ABC will be airing a three-hour prime-time special featuring highlights from the popular event that regularly draws 80,000 fans to downtown Nashville. CMA Fest, hosted by Dierks Bentley, Elle King and Lainey Wilson, is scheduled to premiere at 8 pm ET July 19.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Dierks, Elle and Lainey as our CMA Fest hosts this year,” Country Music Association chief executive officer Sarah Trahern said in a press release announcing the ABC special. “As fans experienced last year, the energy Dierks and Elle bring to the stage is palpable, and will only be amplified with the addition of Lainey this year. Each of these artists has a deep passion for CMA Fest and country music fans from around the globe who travel to Nashville for the event. We are thrilled to have all three of them together to help us celebrate 50 years.”
And if that’s not country enough for you, consider this: On July 5, Hulu will premiere CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair, a 75-minute documentary that traces the evolution and expansion of the musical celebration originally known as Fan Fair. The festival’s journey will be illustrated through one-on-one interviews with such artists as Keith Urban, Wynonna Judd, Jeannie Seely, Lorrie Morgan, Dolly Parton, Frankie Staton, Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire.
“CMA Fest has taken several shapes throughout its storied history,” said Trahern. “As we step into our 50th year, our hope with this film is to underscore the one thing that has remained with the festival — its heart. We are thrilled to share the evolution and magic of this incredible event with the Hulu audience.”
