NASHVILLE— “CMA Fest,” the Music Event of Summer, celebrates its grand return, bringing the top music acts together on one stage for three full hours of can’t miss collaborations and unforgettable performances Wednesday, Aug. 3 at 8/7c on ABC and available next day on Hulu. The primetime special is led by first-time hosts Dierks Bentley and Elle King. Catch a sneak peek of “CMA Fest” HERE.
“I think Elle brings so much to the table,” shared Bentley. “Onstage she’s just a riot and also super talented - a great combination of talent with comedic humor. A lot of spontaneous moments between the two of us and just a lot of laughs.”
“I am co-hosting this whole shebang,” laughed King. “Not only do I get to do it with my buddy Dierks, I also get to see all these incredible performances and be a part of a big party!”
"When Dierks and Elle first performed together at Fest in 2016, I knew they had something special,” said “CMA Fest” Executive Producer Robert Deaton. “The festival itself may be over, but thanks to these two, along with a solid slate of performances and special collaborations, the party continues in homes across America. It was a fun challenge to think differently with our setup these last two years, but it felt great to be back with a full house at the stadium.”
Filmed from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN during the 49th CMA Fest in June, the television special features 30 performances from music’s hottest stars as they take the stage during the four-day festival. Fans will be talking for weeks about stellar collaborations including Bentley and Billy Ray Cyrus, Wynonna Judd and Carly Pearce, Dustin Lynch featuring MacKenzie Porter, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson, King and Ashley McBryde, Lady A featuring BRELAND, and Zac Brown Band with Darius Rucker. Additional performers include Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Russell Dickerson, Parker McCollum, Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood.
About CMA Fest
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Now celebrating its 49th year, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and 39 international countries. CMA Fest is a one-of-a-kind festival with artists donating their time to perform so ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music programs across the country through the CMA Foundation. This is the 19th consecutive year CMA has produced a summer music program to be broadcast as a network television special.
About ABC Entertainment
ABC Entertainment’s compelling programming includes “Grey’s Anatomy,” the longest-running medical drama in primetime television; ratings juggernaut “The Bachelor” franchise; riveting dramas “Big Sky,” “The Good Doctor,” “A Million Little Things,” “The Rookie” and “Station 19”; trailblazing comedies “Abbott Elementary,” “The Conners,” “The Goldbergs,” “Home Economics” and “The Wonder Years”; popular game shows, including “The $100,000 Pyramid,” “Celebrity Family Feud,” “The Chase,” “Press Your Luck” and “To Tell the Truth”; star-making sensation “American Idol”; “Judge Steve Harvey,” the network’s strongest unscripted series debut in a year; reality phenomenon “Shark Tank”; family favorites “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Holey Moley”; “General Hospital,” which has aired for more than 55 years on the network; and late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”; as well as the critically acclaimed, Emmy® Award-winning “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” specials. The network also boasts some of television’s most prestigious awards shows, including “The Oscars®,” “The CMA Awards” and the “American Music Awards.”
ABC programming can also be viewed on Hulu.