WOW! What a great week it's been here at the CMA Music Fest! We (and YOU) have been treated to some truly incredible performances!!
I know it's hard to listen to every one of the great broadcasts this week on XM ... and especially hard to catch the late-night shows. But if you missed the Thursday/Friday/Saturday night songwriter concerts from the Hard Rock, you missed some of the absolute BEST live entertainment at this year's CMA Music Fest!! The 3-night event raises money for "Musicians On Call," a great organization that facilitates the healing power of music to patients in hospitals all over the country. They've just opened a Nashville chapter, and our songwriting community here has really embraced the charity. Find out more about them at www.musiciansoncall.org.
I'm telling you ... no disrespect to the great performers in country music, but the songwriters in this town are every bit as entertaining as our most popular stars! These concerts at the Hard Rock were absolutely the place to be "after hours" this year at CMA Music Fest ... and I'm sure they will be next year, too! We're talkin' Jeffrey Steele, Craig Wiseman, Bob DiPiero, Tony Mullins, Bobby Pinson, Brett James, Jim Collins, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Rivers Rutherford, Philip White, Marv Green, Lesley Satcher, and Steven Dale Jones!!!!
If you missed these shows, don't worry -- you'll be able to catch them in a few weeks during our special "4th of July Fan Fair Flashback" on Highway 16! Same goes for all of the other great parties and concerts we've aired this week ... a great chance to relive this magical week!!
Now ... I need some sleep!
- Jon Anthony
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
The Intern Perspective
Hello XM Nation! My name is Jason and I’m just starting with the XM team in Nashville as a summer intern. In fact, my first day at XM was the kick off to our CMA fest coverage. While I was a bit nervous to start at such a busy time, I dove right in and it has been an incredible week.
Being raised in the countryside of Maryland, I have always been surrounded by country music but I have never experienced the music like I have this week in Nashville. On every corner downtown there is live music, good food, or some other form of entertainment. If you’ve been listening to any XM's CMA Music Fest coverage this week you understand how much great music there is in Music City this week.
One of my favorite events so far this week was the Chely Wright Reading, Writing & Rhythm Benefit concert. We brought this event to you LIVE Tuesday night and will be replaying it again Sunday and Monday. The line up was outstanding - if you haven’t heard it yet try to catch it later this weekend. I never realized Kellie Pickler was such a great performer. She really put all of her emotion into her performance of "I Wonder". But then she turned right back around and brought the tempo up and the crowd on their feet for "Red High Heels". Emerson Drive received a much deserved standing ovation after playing this weeks #1 song "Moments". Tanya Tucker made a surprise appearance and played some of her classic singles such as "Delta Dawn". Chely Wright closed the show and played her entertaining song "Positive and Hopeful" that you wont hear on any of her albums just yet.
XM Radio has been broadcasting so many awesome fan club parties this week and I have been excited to attend all of them. This year we have also had some XM bags and gear to give away at most of the events. I have met so many XM subscribers this week and it has been great to hear all your comments. The fan club parties are always a really good way to connect with the artists and their dedicated fans. Since the fan club parties are in venues much smaller then the typical big city arenas and stadiums, the artists are able to open up more and have the fans interact with them on stage. Phil Vassar, who is a big XM Radio fan, was excited to have us once again broadcast his fan club show on Highway 16. He invited the XM crew onto his tour bus and we were able to sit down and talk with him for a few minutes before he went on stage. He was an exceptionally nice guy and was very excited about the show. He played an awesome set that included a mix of his older and new material. I had always enjoyed hearing Phill Vasser on Highway 16 but I now can appreciate his vocal talent even more after seeing him live. If possible, I recommend trying to catch the replay of his fan club party on Monday.
CMA fest is far from over and we have a great 3 days left of coverage on XM. So far, I hope you have enjoyed our coverage. I have enjoyed helping to bring all the great music from CMA fest to you on XM Satellite Radio.
Producer J.'s Note: Can you imagine packing up and moving to a city where you know no one, including the people you're going to be working for, whom you've heard on the radio but never met? Now imagine you're doing that on the busiest week of the year for those people. And then throw 40,000 hot, sweaty, slightly inebriated country music fans into that mix! That's what Jason faced this week, and he's been awesome. One of his biggest jobs has been making sure that everyone who wanted one got an XM bag - all of which he unpacked and stuffed with brochures. If you leave Nashville without an XM bag this week, it's certainly not from Jason's lack of trying!
Being raised in the countryside of Maryland, I have always been surrounded by country music but I have never experienced the music like I have this week in Nashville. On every corner downtown there is live music, good food, or some other form of entertainment. If you’ve been listening to any XM's CMA Music Fest coverage this week you understand how much great music there is in Music City this week.
One of my favorite events so far this week was the Chely Wright Reading, Writing & Rhythm Benefit concert. We brought this event to you LIVE Tuesday night and will be replaying it again Sunday and Monday. The line up was outstanding - if you haven’t heard it yet try to catch it later this weekend. I never realized Kellie Pickler was such a great performer. She really put all of her emotion into her performance of "I Wonder". But then she turned right back around and brought the tempo up and the crowd on their feet for "Red High Heels". Emerson Drive received a much deserved standing ovation after playing this weeks #1 song "Moments". Tanya Tucker made a surprise appearance and played some of her classic singles such as "Delta Dawn". Chely Wright closed the show and played her entertaining song "Positive and Hopeful" that you wont hear on any of her albums just yet.
XM Radio has been broadcasting so many awesome fan club parties this week and I have been excited to attend all of them. This year we have also had some XM bags and gear to give away at most of the events. I have met so many XM subscribers this week and it has been great to hear all your comments. The fan club parties are always a really good way to connect with the artists and their dedicated fans. Since the fan club parties are in venues much smaller then the typical big city arenas and stadiums, the artists are able to open up more and have the fans interact with them on stage. Phil Vassar, who is a big XM Radio fan, was excited to have us once again broadcast his fan club show on Highway 16. He invited the XM crew onto his tour bus and we were able to sit down and talk with him for a few minutes before he went on stage. He was an exceptionally nice guy and was very excited about the show. He played an awesome set that included a mix of his older and new material. I had always enjoyed hearing Phill Vasser on Highway 16 but I now can appreciate his vocal talent even more after seeing him live. If possible, I recommend trying to catch the replay of his fan club party on Monday.
CMA fest is far from over and we have a great 3 days left of coverage on XM. So far, I hope you have enjoyed our coverage. I have enjoyed helping to bring all the great music from CMA fest to you on XM Satellite Radio.
Producer J.'s Note: Can you imagine packing up and moving to a city where you know no one, including the people you're going to be working for, whom you've heard on the radio but never met? Now imagine you're doing that on the busiest week of the year for those people. And then throw 40,000 hot, sweaty, slightly inebriated country music fans into that mix! That's what Jason faced this week, and he's been awesome. One of his biggest jobs has been making sure that everyone who wanted one got an XM bag - all of which he unpacked and stuffed with brochures. If you leave Nashville without an XM bag this week, it's certainly not from Jason's lack of trying!
Backstage Buzz - Night 2
Last night's show at LP Field featured Montgomery Gentry, Bucky Covington, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, and Little Big Town - all of whom came back and talked to the press - and Sugarland and Sara Evans, who did not.
It was a good night to be in the press room - the winner of the Crisco cook off came in with her award winning chocolate tart, which we all got to try. It was good, although I don't know I'd have called it $10,000 good!
Montgomery Gentry came in first, and Troy stepped up to the microphone and said he wanted to start off by apologizing for yesterday's incident. At first we all thought it was a joke of some sort, then as he continued talking he issued an apology for his behavior towards a policeman, admitting his actions were wrong. We all looked around wondering "what has he done now?"
Someone asked him pretty much that question, and he wouldn't say. But whatever it was he did, he's sorry.
The boys brought out Ted Nugent, who was their surprise guest for the evening, the trio was going to perform "Cat Scratch Fever." Ted was something else! He talked a lot about going hunting with hand grenades. Believe it or not, he was in town to play the Ryman Auditorium. "A lot of facilities invite me once a year," he explained, "to test the structural integrity of the building." Ted had us all in stitches.
Jason Aldean talked about his benefit concert last night at the Wildhorse Saloon, which is a breast cancer benefit. His next single is most likely going to be a song called "Laugh Until We Cried." Word had gone out that Jason was going to be playing DJ on a local radio station in Florida, but he didn't seem to know much about it. It's apparently something he recorded some lines for, but he wasn't sure whether it was running for a week or a month. Someone asked Jason to share a funny fan story, and he told of a guy popping off his prosthetic leg for him to sign.
Carrie Underwood came in looking like a million dollars. I would love to see her closet! We got a lot of time with Carrie, who is hard at work on her next album. The CD isn't done, but she's looking for a single in late summer and the CD in the fall, with 3-5 songs she's co-written on the album.
Carrie also said that she will not be touring this fall, focusing on album promotion, and then launching a new tour in 2008. When asked if she would headline she said the whole idea made her nervous, because "what if no one showed up?" She laughed and said "I will ride the opener wave as far as I can take it!" She did say she was open to the idea of co-headlining. "I know people would show up if I have someone else with me." Does she not know how many people bought her album? If she didn't then, she found out later that night when her record label presented her with a plaque for 6 MILLION cd's sold. I'm pretty sure people would show up.
Bucky Covington was asked if he'd ever sent his twin brother Rocky (who is in his band) out to sign autographs in his place. He said he couldn't for two reasons: 1) Rocky is left handed and 2) Bucky was afraid of what Rocky might say to embarrass him.
I hadn't ever met Bucky - I was out of town when he came in to cut his episode of Driver's Ed. But I knew he was a big Highway 16 fan, so I introduced myself to him in the hallway a little later. Super nice guy. He hadn't ever played a stadium before.
The big thing I wanted to ask Little Big Town - and did - was about their travel arrangements. For years they've talked about all being on one bus, and the guys joke that the girls make it smell nice. Well now that Jimmy and Karen are married to each other, Kimberly and Phillip are married to other people, and Kimberly has a baby on the way, SURELY they aren't all still on one bus?
They are. WITH their band. But later this summer their band is getting their own bus, but the four of them - and the baby - will still all be together. You'd think they'd be excited about getting a little more room, but they aren't happy about the price of gas! The quartet is about halfway through the recording of their next album, and they described touring with Martina as "the cushiest job we've ever had."
I think that's all the backstage buzz I've got -- tonight I'm expecting to talk to Jo Dee Messina , Josh Turner, Angela Hacker, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride and Hannah Montana's dad. I'm going to be the coolest mom on the block tomorrow!
It was a good night to be in the press room - the winner of the Crisco cook off came in with her award winning chocolate tart, which we all got to try. It was good, although I don't know I'd have called it $10,000 good!
Montgomery Gentry came in first, and Troy stepped up to the microphone and said he wanted to start off by apologizing for yesterday's incident. At first we all thought it was a joke of some sort, then as he continued talking he issued an apology for his behavior towards a policeman, admitting his actions were wrong. We all looked around wondering "what has he done now?"
Someone asked him pretty much that question, and he wouldn't say. But whatever it was he did, he's sorry.
The boys brought out Ted Nugent, who was their surprise guest for the evening, the trio was going to perform "Cat Scratch Fever." Ted was something else! He talked a lot about going hunting with hand grenades. Believe it or not, he was in town to play the Ryman Auditorium. "A lot of facilities invite me once a year," he explained, "to test the structural integrity of the building." Ted had us all in stitches.
Jason Aldean talked about his benefit concert last night at the Wildhorse Saloon, which is a breast cancer benefit. His next single is most likely going to be a song called "Laugh Until We Cried." Word had gone out that Jason was going to be playing DJ on a local radio station in Florida, but he didn't seem to know much about it. It's apparently something he recorded some lines for, but he wasn't sure whether it was running for a week or a month. Someone asked Jason to share a funny fan story, and he told of a guy popping off his prosthetic leg for him to sign.
Carrie Underwood came in looking like a million dollars. I would love to see her closet! We got a lot of time with Carrie, who is hard at work on her next album. The CD isn't done, but she's looking for a single in late summer and the CD in the fall, with 3-5 songs she's co-written on the album.
Carrie also said that she will not be touring this fall, focusing on album promotion, and then launching a new tour in 2008. When asked if she would headline she said the whole idea made her nervous, because "what if no one showed up?" She laughed and said "I will ride the opener wave as far as I can take it!" She did say she was open to the idea of co-headlining. "I know people would show up if I have someone else with me." Does she not know how many people bought her album? If she didn't then, she found out later that night when her record label presented her with a plaque for 6 MILLION cd's sold. I'm pretty sure people would show up.
Bucky Covington was asked if he'd ever sent his twin brother Rocky (who is in his band) out to sign autographs in his place. He said he couldn't for two reasons: 1) Rocky is left handed and 2) Bucky was afraid of what Rocky might say to embarrass him.
I hadn't ever met Bucky - I was out of town when he came in to cut his episode of Driver's Ed. But I knew he was a big Highway 16 fan, so I introduced myself to him in the hallway a little later. Super nice guy. He hadn't ever played a stadium before.
The big thing I wanted to ask Little Big Town - and did - was about their travel arrangements. For years they've talked about all being on one bus, and the guys joke that the girls make it smell nice. Well now that Jimmy and Karen are married to each other, Kimberly and Phillip are married to other people, and Kimberly has a baby on the way, SURELY they aren't all still on one bus?
They are. WITH their band. But later this summer their band is getting their own bus, but the four of them - and the baby - will still all be together. You'd think they'd be excited about getting a little more room, but they aren't happy about the price of gas! The quartet is about halfway through the recording of their next album, and they described touring with Martina as "the cushiest job we've ever had."
I think that's all the backstage buzz I've got -- tonight I'm expecting to talk to Jo Dee Messina , Josh Turner, Angela Hacker, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride and Hannah Montana's dad. I'm going to be the coolest mom on the block tomorrow!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Backstage Buzz - Night 1
One of my jobs as Executive Producer of XM's country operations is to gather artist audio. So if one of our air talent isn't doing a one-on-one interview (like for Highway 16 ShortCuts or Driver's Ed) then I'm usually on location with a microphone and recorder trying catch someone famous saying something brilliant. And then I turn those into the "In Car Audio" segments you hear on Highway 16, or use the soundbites in other specialty programming.
All of that means that I'm assigned the nightly Press Conferences at the stadium shows during CMA Music Festival. Which I have to say, is the easiest way to get up close and personal with the biggest stars in country music.
So here's how my night goes:
6:15 - Leave the XM studios at the Hall of Fame and walk across the Shelby Street bridge to LP Field.
6:30 - Check in at the media entrance, set up my gear in the air conditioned room, somewhere deep underground.
6:40 - Indulge in ice cold soda and the best cookies to be found anywhere in Nashville. Seriously, the media room cookies are a highlight.
7-9:30 - A parade of superstars comes through to spend anywhere from 5-15 minutes talking to a room of assembled media about their fans, the big show, their latest music, upcoming videos, summer tour, and answering other wild questions that get thrown at them.
10:00 - a quick stop at the concession stand for dinner and then grabbing an empty seat somewhere to catch the last couple of acts on the show.
Last night, the first night of the stadium shows, we talked to Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, The Wreckers, Jason Michael Carroll, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, and Reba McEntire. Not a bad night's work.
Some of the things I learned last night:
- Jessica Harp's (The Wreckers) first concert was a Reba show. The girls were planning to stalk her last night.
- Their next project will be more in line with the sound of "My Oh My" and "Tennessee." More country.
- They had no intentions of "Leave the Pieces" crossing (back) over to the pop world, and told the label they wouldn't do interviews to work the song to pop radio.
- Trace Adkins is very modest about his position in country music, noting that he had a long way to go to get his career where he wanted it to be. He made mention of not being in the awards show categories. Yet.
- Trace said a lot of other things that aren't printable. He has a wicked sense of humor, but it's not necessarily in line with Amy Paige's family friendly blogging, if you know what I mean!
- Dierks Bentley took a few weeks off recently to lay around the house and be lazy. By the way, both Jake and George were at "Daddy's" fan club party.
- Dierks and George Jones shot a segment for the ABC special down at the Hall of Fame. He also played for tips down on Broadway. He told me he made $8 in about 45 seconds.
- Jason Michael Carroll doesn't use any sort of product in his hair. He's been wearing a cowboy hat lately. He and his fiancee Wendy have a 19 month old baby that goes on the road with him. No wedding date yet, but when it happens it's going to be a spur of the moment quiet thing.
- The breaking news of the night (there's usually one big "announcement" each night) was that JMC would be opening the Brooks & Dunn / Alan Jackson tour. All three acts record for Arista Nashville. Apparently it's a boys only show, so they couldn't let label mate Carrie Underwood come along?
- Brooks & Dunn played a small club the other night. It was supposed to be a one song, three takes, only for television thing. But they got up there and decided to play and stayed for an hour and a half. They talked about how much they liked it, but when asked if they'd do a "Keg in the Closet" type of tour, Ronnie he didn't like it THAT much.
- Ronnie said he'd told Reba that she needed to loose the sequined dresses and go back to wearing jeans and t-shirts and boots & a belt buckle.
- The surprise of the night was that Alan Jackson came back to talk to the media. They told us we could have 5 minutes with him, but they yanked him at 4 1/2. Still, it was 4 1/2 minutes we weren't expecting to get. He talked a lot about his wife's book, coming out this summer.
- Reba apparently took Ronnie's fashion advice - she showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. "Everything but the belt buckle" she told us. She talked a lot about her upcoming duet album, due in September.
I got to see Alan and Reba's full sets. The crowd was really into Alan, singing along with every song. And then Reba knocked everyone's socks off to close the show - she's SUCH an entertainer! Kelly Clarkson joined her onstage for "Does He Love You" and then stayed to perform their current single "Because of You."
Tonight we're expecting to talk to Montgomery Gentry, Bucky Covington, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood. I'll bring you all the backstage buzz tomorrow!
All of that means that I'm assigned the nightly Press Conferences at the stadium shows during CMA Music Festival. Which I have to say, is the easiest way to get up close and personal with the biggest stars in country music.
So here's how my night goes:
6:15 - Leave the XM studios at the Hall of Fame and walk across the Shelby Street bridge to LP Field.
6:30 - Check in at the media entrance, set up my gear in the air conditioned room, somewhere deep underground.
6:40 - Indulge in ice cold soda and the best cookies to be found anywhere in Nashville. Seriously, the media room cookies are a highlight.
7-9:30 - A parade of superstars comes through to spend anywhere from 5-15 minutes talking to a room of assembled media about their fans, the big show, their latest music, upcoming videos, summer tour, and answering other wild questions that get thrown at them.
10:00 - a quick stop at the concession stand for dinner and then grabbing an empty seat somewhere to catch the last couple of acts on the show.
Last night, the first night of the stadium shows, we talked to Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, The Wreckers, Jason Michael Carroll, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, and Reba McEntire. Not a bad night's work.
Some of the things I learned last night:
- Jessica Harp's (The Wreckers) first concert was a Reba show. The girls were planning to stalk her last night.
- Their next project will be more in line with the sound of "My Oh My" and "Tennessee." More country.
- They had no intentions of "Leave the Pieces" crossing (back) over to the pop world, and told the label they wouldn't do interviews to work the song to pop radio.
- Trace Adkins is very modest about his position in country music, noting that he had a long way to go to get his career where he wanted it to be. He made mention of not being in the awards show categories. Yet.
- Trace said a lot of other things that aren't printable. He has a wicked sense of humor, but it's not necessarily in line with Amy Paige's family friendly blogging, if you know what I mean!
- Dierks Bentley took a few weeks off recently to lay around the house and be lazy. By the way, both Jake and George were at "Daddy's" fan club party.
- Dierks and George Jones shot a segment for the ABC special down at the Hall of Fame. He also played for tips down on Broadway. He told me he made $8 in about 45 seconds.
- Jason Michael Carroll doesn't use any sort of product in his hair. He's been wearing a cowboy hat lately. He and his fiancee Wendy have a 19 month old baby that goes on the road with him. No wedding date yet, but when it happens it's going to be a spur of the moment quiet thing.
- The breaking news of the night (there's usually one big "announcement" each night) was that JMC would be opening the Brooks & Dunn / Alan Jackson tour. All three acts record for Arista Nashville. Apparently it's a boys only show, so they couldn't let label mate Carrie Underwood come along?
- Brooks & Dunn played a small club the other night. It was supposed to be a one song, three takes, only for television thing. But they got up there and decided to play and stayed for an hour and a half. They talked about how much they liked it, but when asked if they'd do a "Keg in the Closet" type of tour, Ronnie he didn't like it THAT much.
- Ronnie said he'd told Reba that she needed to loose the sequined dresses and go back to wearing jeans and t-shirts and boots & a belt buckle.
- The surprise of the night was that Alan Jackson came back to talk to the media. They told us we could have 5 minutes with him, but they yanked him at 4 1/2. Still, it was 4 1/2 minutes we weren't expecting to get. He talked a lot about his wife's book, coming out this summer.
- Reba apparently took Ronnie's fashion advice - she showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. "Everything but the belt buckle" she told us. She talked a lot about her upcoming duet album, due in September.
I got to see Alan and Reba's full sets. The crowd was really into Alan, singing along with every song. And then Reba knocked everyone's socks off to close the show - she's SUCH an entertainer! Kelly Clarkson joined her onstage for "Does He Love You" and then stayed to perform their current single "Because of You."
Tonight we're expecting to talk to Montgomery Gentry, Bucky Covington, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood. I'll bring you all the backstage buzz tomorrow!
Is it hot enough for ya?
Well, as expected, it was hotter than H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS yesterday! I think we got up to 94, but the crowd was so “cool” about it (not the last pun you’ll hear from me!). Everyone was smiling and dancing and having a great time. At least that’s what they seemed to be doing when I saw them!
After I got “off air”, I made my way down to the Crisco Family Zone (passing hundreds of XM goodie bags left and right) and the place was crawling with kids (as to be expected) and mine was one of them. Teddy (my 22-month-old) loved the balloons and the music!! We sat under the white tents, sipping freshly squeezed lemonade and taking in some great country music. It was “Safety Day,” so while he was entertaining himself with my straw, I was having fun watching the police fitting people with “beer goggles” and simulating sobriety tests. What wasn’t funny was witnessing, first hand, the effect that alcohol can have and knowing that there are still people who get behind the wheel after they’ve had “a few”. Hopefully, some of “those people” learned a lesson today. It was quite sobering (told you there’d be more puns!) Nature called on Teddy and I took that as a sign from above that it was time to move on. It was getting late and he was a little cranky. It’s not fun hanging out with him unless he’s having fun, so we left.
A friend of mine is coming to town tomorrow (Friday) with her 1 year old. I think we’ll head down to Hall of Fame Park for more live music and story time with Beverly Mitchell (7th Heaven and now a recording artist) between 1 and 2. As if the kids will sit still for it! Yeah right!!!
What a great event!!! I’m so happy that I can experience it with my family. If you’re not here, try to come down next year and bring the rest of the gang. There’s plenty for everyone to do.
See ya!
Amy
After I got “off air”, I made my way down to the Crisco Family Zone (passing hundreds of XM goodie bags left and right) and the place was crawling with kids (as to be expected) and mine was one of them. Teddy (my 22-month-old) loved the balloons and the music!! We sat under the white tents, sipping freshly squeezed lemonade and taking in some great country music. It was “Safety Day,” so while he was entertaining himself with my straw, I was having fun watching the police fitting people with “beer goggles” and simulating sobriety tests. What wasn’t funny was witnessing, first hand, the effect that alcohol can have and knowing that there are still people who get behind the wheel after they’ve had “a few”. Hopefully, some of “those people” learned a lesson today. It was quite sobering (told you there’d be more puns!) Nature called on Teddy and I took that as a sign from above that it was time to move on. It was getting late and he was a little cranky. It’s not fun hanging out with him unless he’s having fun, so we left.
A friend of mine is coming to town tomorrow (Friday) with her 1 year old. I think we’ll head down to Hall of Fame Park for more live music and story time with Beverly Mitchell (7th Heaven and now a recording artist) between 1 and 2. As if the kids will sit still for it! Yeah right!!!
What a great event!!! I’m so happy that I can experience it with my family. If you’re not here, try to come down next year and bring the rest of the gang. There’s plenty for everyone to do.
See ya!
Amy
Thursday, June 7, 2007
I came to Fan Fair twice in the 90's, but this is my first full experience at the CMA Music Festival in downtown Nashville. I'll tell you what...the streets of downtown are packed with country fans from all over. And there are plenty of events to keep them busy.
There is no other event like this where the artists block nearly a week from their schedule to be here in Nashville to meet their fans and in many cases perform some of their biggest hits. The CMA Music Festival features autograph sessions, photo opportunities, concerts, and fan club parties. It truly is amazing.
Speaking of fan club parties, before this week I had never been to one. But what a cool thing they are! Imagine getting a ticket to see your favorite star up close and personal in a club or theater setting. Some do acoustic shows and some offer a full band performance. Some even give snacks for their fans and parting gifts too. WOW...how cool.
Another cool thing has been meeting so many great folks from all over the country who are part of the great XM Nation. Dawn and Kathy from St. Petersburg, FL and I chatted about music and baseball. They're big fans of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Kenneth Eberhardt from Dittmer, MO met me this afternoon at the Chevrolet Stage in front of the arena downtown. Gerald and Dorothy Cichocki of Newark, DE tracked me down for a souvenir XM bag to carry many of their fan fair goodies. I've talked to to folks from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and many other states who've made the trek to Music City for all this fun.
Of course, this is June in Tennessee. And that usually means plenty of heat and humidty. This year has been no exception as today's temps were well into the mid 90's. Sometimes I think this is Mother Nature's way of "performing" at the CMA Music Festival. There was a whole lotta sweating going on.
And one more thing, my co-workers at XM weren't as excited as I was...but the fried pickles at the Wildhorse are a must for me when visiting Nashville. And they sure were mmmm good the other night during Chely Wright's benefit concert.
If you're thinking about making the CMA Music Festival part of the summer of 2008 then I suggest you act fast. Tickets for next year will be going on sale this weekend, and that's really your best shot at getting some of the best seats at the stadium for the nightly shows.
Jay Thomas
There is no other event like this where the artists block nearly a week from their schedule to be here in Nashville to meet their fans and in many cases perform some of their biggest hits. The CMA Music Festival features autograph sessions, photo opportunities, concerts, and fan club parties. It truly is amazing.
Speaking of fan club parties, before this week I had never been to one. But what a cool thing they are! Imagine getting a ticket to see your favorite star up close and personal in a club or theater setting. Some do acoustic shows and some offer a full band performance. Some even give snacks for their fans and parting gifts too. WOW...how cool.
Another cool thing has been meeting so many great folks from all over the country who are part of the great XM Nation. Dawn and Kathy from St. Petersburg, FL and I chatted about music and baseball. They're big fans of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Kenneth Eberhardt from Dittmer, MO met me this afternoon at the Chevrolet Stage in front of the arena downtown. Gerald and Dorothy Cichocki of Newark, DE tracked me down for a souvenir XM bag to carry many of their fan fair goodies. I've talked to to folks from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and many other states who've made the trek to Music City for all this fun.
Of course, this is June in Tennessee. And that usually means plenty of heat and humidty. This year has been no exception as today's temps were well into the mid 90's. Sometimes I think this is Mother Nature's way of "performing" at the CMA Music Festival. There was a whole lotta sweating going on.
And one more thing, my co-workers at XM weren't as excited as I was...but the fried pickles at the Wildhorse are a must for me when visiting Nashville. And they sure were mmmm good the other night during Chely Wright's benefit concert.
If you're thinking about making the CMA Music Festival part of the summer of 2008 then I suggest you act fast. Tickets for next year will be going on sale this weekend, and that's really your best shot at getting some of the best seats at the stadium for the nightly shows.
Jay Thomas
Fun for the Whole Family!
Hey All,This is my first CMA Fest EVER and I’m so excited. Since I have a toddler under the age of two (and friends visiting from out of town with a toddler of their own), I’ll be blogging about the more family friendly events happening this week. Thursday through Sunday (10a-6p), CMT is sponsoring a FREE “Fun Zone” for country music fans of all ages.
I love it already. It has two of my favorite words in it: “FUN and FREE”! LOL! We’ll be hitting that up! Also, Crisco is sponsoring a Family Zone in Hall of Fame Park (free and open to the public) which is where Martina McBride will host the YWCA Celebrity Auction on Saturday morning (also FREE and open to the public). Click on the following link for more family friendly events happening in the Crisco Family Zone.
Even just walking up and down Broadway will be exciting enough as I hear there will be performances happening outside the Sommet Center (formerly the Gaylord Entertainment Center). You really never know what you’ll run into on a normal day here in Music City. This week will just be better than ever!
Love this city. There’s ton to do whether you’re here alone, as a couple or with the family. I’m here to prove the latter. CAN’T WAIT!!!
Chat at ya soon!
- Amy Paige
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Hot, Hot, Hot!
I don't have any meteorology experience, but I can predict the weather for CMA Music Festival week with 50/50 chances: It's either going to be HOT, or it's going to rain.
This year, it's hot. Really hot. And I think it's going to get hotter as the week wears on. A little while ago I popped outside of our studios here at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Musuem to 
watch the Chevrolet Parade. I'm pretty sure that most of the people lining the streets were there to see Jon Anthony in the XM Vehicle, but it was also fun to see stars like Pam Tillis in the back of a convertible, and Van Zant in the back of a pickup truck.
From there I walked across the street to the Chevy Block Party, happening in front of the Sommet Center (which you might
know as the Gaylord Entertainment Center, or the Nashville Arena, depending on how long it's been since your last trip to Music City.) Jon is emceeing the event, and it was wall to wall people. Hot, sweaty people! I caught a little bit of Jason Michael Carroll's set - I love his deep growly voice.
We've gotten to meet a lot more listeners who have come by the studio or stopped us on the street. The whole XM Crew is decked out in XM shirts and usually carrying these awesome tote bags we're giving away, and we LOVE hearing from subscribers about how much XM has changed their life. Yesterday I had one of my favorite listener experiences yet, at the Hall of Fame.
I was in the live studio, talking to Jay Thomas, when this woman came into the gift shop and got all excited to see the XM booth. You could see her getting really animated and she starts waving and talking to her friend and gesturing towards us. She was pointing at me and trying to ask me something through the glass. I see a lot of fans from year to year at CMA Music Festival, and I'm racking my brain trying to figure out why I don't recognize her, or how she'd know me. I'm just the producer, most people could care less about meeting me!
So she very goes around to the entrance to our booth where our intern opens the door and we hear her ask excitedly "Is that really Amy Paige?"
I hated disappointing her, but I knew I couldn't for even a minute pull off Amy's east coast accent. She'd only missed Amy by 20 minutes too! But she's going to come back Thursday and hopefully get to meet her. And I know Amy is working on a blog for this spot, so keep checking in, and you can meet her too!
- Joyce Rizer
This year, it's hot. Really hot. And I think it's going to get hotter as the week wears on. A little while ago I popped outside of our studios here at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Musuem to 
watch the Chevrolet Parade. I'm pretty sure that most of the people lining the streets were there to see Jon Anthony in the XM Vehicle, but it was also fun to see stars like Pam Tillis in the back of a convertible, and Van Zant in the back of a pickup truck.From there I walked across the street to the Chevy Block Party, happening in front of the Sommet Center (which you might
know as the Gaylord Entertainment Center, or the Nashville Arena, depending on how long it's been since your last trip to Music City.) Jon is emceeing the event, and it was wall to wall people. Hot, sweaty people! I caught a little bit of Jason Michael Carroll's set - I love his deep growly voice.We've gotten to meet a lot more listeners who have come by the studio or stopped us on the street. The whole XM Crew is decked out in XM shirts and usually carrying these awesome tote bags we're giving away, and we LOVE hearing from subscribers about how much XM has changed their life. Yesterday I had one of my favorite listener experiences yet, at the Hall of Fame.
I was in the live studio, talking to Jay Thomas, when this woman came into the gift shop and got all excited to see the XM booth. You could see her getting really animated and she starts waving and talking to her friend and gesturing towards us. She was pointing at me and trying to ask me something through the glass. I see a lot of fans from year to year at CMA Music Festival, and I'm racking my brain trying to figure out why I don't recognize her, or how she'd know me. I'm just the producer, most people could care less about meeting me!
So she very goes around to the entrance to our booth where our intern opens the door and we hear her ask excitedly "Is that really Amy Paige?"
I hated disappointing her, but I knew I couldn't for even a minute pull off Amy's east coast accent. She'd only missed Amy by 20 minutes too! But she's going to come back Thursday and hopefully get to meet her. And I know Amy is working on a blog for this spot, so keep checking in, and you can meet her too!
- Joyce Rizer
Monday, June 4, 2007
The fun is just beginning!
Monday was a travel day for me...going from Washington, DC to Nashville for the annual CMA Music Festival. And already after just one afternoon/night in Music City, I can tell you that this year's festivities are off to a great start.
We met a lot of great XM subscribers who've also made the trek to Nashville to share in the fun this week. Our XM crew gathered at the historic Ryman Auditorium for the 40th annual IFCO (International Fan Club Organization) concert. And what a show from folks like Joe Diffie, Aaron Tippin, Ty Herndon, Chris Young and many others. There's always something special about hearing live music from inside the Ryman. That's a true experience!!
On Tuesday we'll begin to cover the first of several artist fan club parties when the XM gang heads to Mark Wills' event. He's supposed to be coming out with a new CD this summer, so I bet we'll get a chance to hear some of the new music...including that terrific new song you hear on Highway 16 called "Days of Thunder."
So much to see and so much to do this week!! If you're already in Nashville be sure to find us. If you're heading to town later in the week be sure to plan for hot, sticky weather. It's supposed to be 95 degrees or better by week's end...so pack the sunscreen and the shorts and bottled water! And if you're not able to make it this year, no worries. XM has you covered with live music, fan club parties, and more on Highway 16, US Country, America, and Bluegrass Junction.
Jay Thomas
We met a lot of great XM subscribers who've also made the trek to Nashville to share in the fun this week. Our XM crew gathered at the historic Ryman Auditorium for the 40th annual IFCO (International Fan Club Organization) concert. And what a show from folks like Joe Diffie, Aaron Tippin, Ty Herndon, Chris Young and many others. There's always something special about hearing live music from inside the Ryman. That's a true experience!!
On Tuesday we'll begin to cover the first of several artist fan club parties when the XM gang heads to Mark Wills' event. He's supposed to be coming out with a new CD this summer, so I bet we'll get a chance to hear some of the new music...including that terrific new song you hear on Highway 16 called "Days of Thunder."
So much to see and so much to do this week!! If you're already in Nashville be sure to find us. If you're heading to town later in the week be sure to plan for hot, sticky weather. It's supposed to be 95 degrees or better by week's end...so pack the sunscreen and the shorts and bottled water! And if you're not able to make it this year, no worries. XM has you covered with live music, fan club parties, and more on Highway 16, US Country, America, and Bluegrass Junction.
Jay Thomas
Come on Down!
The best part about CMA Music Festival to me is getting to meet all the XM listeners who come to town. Like Mark and Cindy from Barrie, Ontario, Canada - who DROVE down to Nashville, listening to Highway 16 the whole way. Can you imagine THAT drive without XM? No thanks!
Mark and Cindy came in while Jon was on the air live, so he put them on the radio! That's the great thing about having studios at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum - you can just knock on the glass and meet your favorite DJ. Tonight I met a bunch more listeners at the Ryman Auditorium, where we broadcast the IFCO show. I always like to ask people what their favorite XM channel is, and tonight the predominant answer was "Willie's Place!"
Tomorrow night it's my favorite event of the week - Chely Wright's 7th Annual Reading, Writing & Rhythm Benefit Concert - hear it LiVE from the Wildhorse Saloon on Highway 16 at 9pm Eastern!
- Joyce Rizer
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