The performances on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage will kickoff on Thursday, June 6 at 10:00 AM/CDT with a high energy show from CMA Award-winning recording artist Sara Evans. 2013 marks the first time Evans has opened the Festival. She has 15 CMA Awards nominations to her credit, including six for Female Vocalist of the Year. She won the CMA Music Video of the Year Award in 2001 for her smash hit “Born to Fly.”

“Sara is the perfect choice to launch the daily concerts on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage because of her great repertoire of hit music and undeniable connection to our fans,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

The Chevrolet Riverfront Stage is packed with great hit-makers for four days of free concerts. Chevrolet, a valued partner of CMA Music Festival and the Official Ride of Country Music, will once again host a vehicle display at Riverfront Park throughout the event.

The Chevrolet Riverfront Stage artist lineup was announced earlier today by performer Eric Paslay via CMA’s social networks. To view the video visit CMAfest.com.

Artists performing on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage includeKeith Anderson, Greg Bates, Blackberry Smoke, Craig Campbell, Mark Chesnutt, Brett Eldredge, Rachel Farley, Tyler Farr, Colt Ford, Gloriana, The Grascals, Steve Holy, Casey James, Kristen Kelly, Aaron Lewis, Lonestar, Love and Theft, Dustin Lynch, Jo Dee Messina, Ronnie Milsap, Craig Morgan, David Nail, Joe Nichols, Jerrod Niemann,Paslay, Maggie Rose, Corey Smith, Tate Stevens, Sunny Sweeney, Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Gretchen Wilson, andDarryl Worley.

“We strive each year to book an entertaining mix of classic performers, traditional favorites, and up-and-comers to keep the concert experience at Riverfront fresh and exciting for our fans,” said Moore.

Several artists will be making their official debut performances on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage this year including Bates, Blackberry Smoke, Farley, Farr, Kelly, Lewis, Milsap, Paslay, Rose, and Stevens.

Always a fan favorite area of CMA Music Festival, the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage lineup includes several past CMA Award winners and nominees including (artists appearing are subject to change):

• Anderson – Song of the Year nominee for “Lost in This Moment”
• Chesnutt –CMA Vocal Event of the Year winner for “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair” (1993); CMA Horizon Award winner (now New Artist of the Year) in 1993
• Ford – Song of the Year nominee for “Dirt Road Anthem” (2011)
• Lonestar – 10 nominations, including seven for Vocal Group of the Year, which they won in 2001
• Love and Theft – New Artist and Vocal Duo of the Year nominees in 2012
• Messina – Six nominations including two for Female Vocalist of the Year (1999, 2000);  she won the CMA Horizon Award in 1999
• Milsap – 19 nominations, including four wins for Album of the Year (1975, 1977, 1978, 1986), three wins for Male Vocalist of the Year (1974, 1976, 1977), and an Entertainer of the Year win in 1977
• Nichols – Horizon Award winner (2003)
• Niemann – New Artist of the Year nominee (2012)
• Paslay – Song of the Year nominee for “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (2012)
• Vassar – Two-time Horizon Award nominee (2001, 2002)
• Wilson – 10 nominations, including two wins – one for Female Vocalist (2005) and the Horizon Award (2004)
• Worley – Four nominations, including two for Horizon Award (2002, 2003)

Admittance to the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage is free, but four-day ticket holders have an exclusive 45-minute, early-entrance window before the gates open to the general public. The Riverfront concerts are a popular destination for families who want to enjoy great musical performances while relaxing on the sloping bank above the Cumberland River.

The concerts are fun in the sun and within easy walking distance of all the Festival event sites, including the all-new AT&T® U-verse® Fan Fair X (FFX) with autograph signings, concerts, lifestyle exhibits, marketplace, live broadcasts, demonstrations, and more in the brand new Music City Center.

It all kicks off Thursday, June 6 with “Lady A Day at FFX” featuring Lady Antebellum performing, signing autographs, and cutting the ribbon when Fan Fair X officially opens to fans. Fan Fair X is free to four-day ticket holders, but tickets to this exciting, new attraction are available to fans for $10 a day or $25 for four days Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or the CMA Music Festival Box Office by calling 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378) (price includes handling fees). Visit CMAfest.com for details.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, where they can sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news. Fans can also connect with CMA atFacebook.com/CMA, Twitter.com/CountryMusic,Pinterest.com/CMAworld, and Instagram.com/CMA_Country_Music_Association.

CMA Music Festival will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network. This is the 10^th consecutive year that the event has been filmed for a network television special, a feat no other music festival has achieved. “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton. 

“We’re always ready to step up and support our active military and veterans,” explained Jamie Johnson of The Grascals. “We’re so proud to call Charlie Daniels a friend and to join him in support of the people who serve far away so that we can all pursue our lives in security here at home.”

Daniels, an avid supporter of the military, expressed pleasure with the evening and the community support.

“We have so many heroes whose needs fly below our radar,” said Daniels. “This shouldn’t be happening and this event is helping to make sure it doesn’t.”

Terry Eldredge is even more effusive, saying of his friend, “I believe Charlie Daniels is Santa Claus, I really do. He is always giving.”

Also appearing, military veteran and country music artist, Keni Thomas, and the Christian Rock band, Bleach, whose members lost a brother in Iraq. The event included a presentation by Mary Byers, President of Gold Star Mothers, Inc., an organization of mothers who have lost sons or daughters who were in military service.

Pictured (L-R) Jamie Johnson, Jeremy Abshire, Danny Roberts, Charlie Daniels, Terry Eldredge and Aaron McDaris (of Rhonda Vincent’s The Rage, filling in for Kristin Scott Benson.) PHOTO BY GORDY COLLINS

Here’s a video.

The Marie Osmond Show on Hallmark Channel

Air Date: Wednesday, 2/27/13 – noon

Website: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/marie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieShowOnHallmarkChannel

“We tip our hat to ALL of the nominees, and frankly, to everyone whose work of love is a life spent writing songs, signing, picking and playing,” says Jamie Johnson. “It really is an amazing honor to just be included in the Grammy® process and we hope to make it back again real soon!”

“As if it wasn’t a big enough thrill to perform on The Tonight Show, and believe me, it was a huge thrill,” Terry Eldredge says, “ then we found out that Robert DeNiro would be on the same show. Robert DeNiro, man; ‘The Deer Hunter,’ ‘Goodfellas,’ ‘Taxi Driver.’ Now, that’s Hollywood!”

The two-time Academy Award winner, DeNiro, met with the band backstage and took time for a photo.

As musical guest, The Grascals closed the show with “Mystery Train” from their album Life Finds A Way (Mountain Home Music). The project is nominated for Best Bluegrass Album in the upcoming 55th annual Grammy Awards which will air on CBS February 10th.

“The Tonight Show experience was definitely a career highlight,” Danny Roberts says. “Everyone involved in that show is top-notch. Jay Leno is gracious and welcoming and that crew made us feel right at home. They all work hard and have a good time, which is the way we like to do it.”

The Grascals are nominated for Instrumental Group of the Year in the upcoming SPBGMA Awards to be held in Nashville. Soon after, they’ll make another appearance on The Grand Ole Opry as part of their busy 2013 schedule.

Keep track of The Grascals at www.grascals.com

Here are behind-the-scenes pictures of the performance.