Surprises and star power: 5 unforgettable moments from CMA Fest's first day
CMA Fest's second half-century kicked off on a comfortably temperate late spring downtown Nashville afternoon.
In an era when country music feels ubiquitous and all-encompassing in its presence and scope, three timeless facets ruled Thursday's opening day: songs with plain-spoken truths, Western culture's bling, boots and buckles and Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton redefines her business and culture-conquering excellence
Parton, the Country Music Hall of Famer, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry member, opened 2024's CMA Fest at a capacity-filled "Close Up" stage at Music City Center's Fan Fair X activation via an interview with Entertainment Tonight co-host Rachel Smith.
In under 30 minutes, she made a year's worth of news. Instead of showcasing her trademark sense of humor, her other hallmark — her business acumen — shone brightest through eight separate announcements spanning eight industries.
No, Parton isn't opening yet another star bar on Lower Broadway. "In a few years," she'll bring the "Songteller" hotel and museum to downtown Nashville's bustling corner of 3rd and Commerce. Equidistant between Printer's Alley, Blake Shelton's Ole Red and the Ryman Auditorium, the space will likely take what already exists of Parton's influence at the Graduate Nashville's White Limozeen rooftop bar and restaurant to another level of impact.
Parton also announced that she will partner with ATG Productions to bring "Hello It's Dolly," a new musical inspired by her life and career, to Broadway in 2026.
The new musical borrows its title from the name of Parton's 1967 debut studio album. It will feature renditions of her classic hits and new songs she has written primarily for the musical. The musical will accompany a book by Parton and her frequent collaborator, Maria S. Schlatter.
All of that is combined with the revelation that Jennifer Aniston is putting her own spin on Parton's four-decade-old classic "9 to 5," her forthcoming "Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA — Family, Faith & Fables" documentary and album, plus Dolly Wines chardonnay.
It's clear that at least the next decade of Parton's ever-aspirational career has come into focus.
"I'm responsible and respectful of my dreams and the dreams of others," stated Parton about her motivations at this stage of her life and career. "It's a long way from the Smoky Mountains to the top of the world."
Tanner Adell creates deeper link between her unique authenticity, country's timeless culture
Kentucky-born and California and Wyoming-raised Tanner Adell's rise to greater media awareness may have been aided by her recent placement on Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" album as much as her ever rampantly-growing social media appeal.
For the third consecutive year, she arrived at CMA Fest. This time, her appearance included not just her latest viral smash, "Buckle Bunny," but yes, she was wearing a literal rodeo belt buckle her Wyoming-raised adopted mother won in 1976.
For Adell, her performance at Ole Red's Spotify House activation was a mid-afternoon moment defined by a crowd skeptically curious about her until they realized her charisma remained unwavering. Then, as she began to play her banjo, numerous nods of approval waved through the 45-54 demographic in the room.
Like many aspiring country stars, fashion is vital to Adell's live appeal, as much as music. Thus, she also wears a cowboy hat and glittery boots. On Thursday, the former was a gift from Miranda Lambert's Idyllwind brand. However, the latter were not from a Western wear store. Instead, they were, appropriately, from Akira — a retail brand with a significant social media and e-commerce presence.
The cultural remix is quintessential Adell but also indicative of where facets of country's culture is headed.
After singing "Buckle Bunny" — a song meant to repurpose the slang's meaning from a derisive term towards female rodeo fans to being an ode to being a free-spirited "Beyoncé with a lasso" — half of the crowd was overjoyed to see their social media favorite in the flesh, roared. Impressed by her artistry, the other half of the room applauded politely but were still trying to unwind the familiar tones and strange blend of urban and rural slang.
"It's just cool. You'll understand it one day," said Adell.
It'll literally take one day — Adell's next 2024 CMA Fest performance is Saturday night at Nissan Stadium.
Ashley McBryde showcases her country mastery
On her first night hosting 2024's CMA Fest, Ashley McBryde merged pieces of Minnie Pearl's genteel demeanor with Barbara Mandrell's showmanship and Loretta Lynn's grounded realism. But the deftness with which she led her band and the crowd to rapturous performances and joyous ovations was all McBryde.
Since COVID-19's quarantine, a three-album run has yielded her Grammy-winning success and more appeal and visibility than she's achieved in her career to date. Her personal authenticity stirred the crowd into a raucous romp, whipped into a frenzy when she brought to the stage Gretchen Wilson for a duet on Wilson's 20-year-old anthem “Redneck Woman.”
“She’s the baddest,” McBryde said.
Afterwards, the two singer-songwriters shared a heartfelt moment.
Most significantly, before playing "Girl Going Nowhere," she told the crowd that she wrote the song about debuting at the Grand Ole Opry. Seven years later, she took the stage at Nissan as a host, while also a recently-inducted Opry cast member. A nine-song set at Nissan Stadium feels like a lifetime away from her past and is indicative of her present and future potential.
Post Malone surprises crowd to play chart-topping hit, more
Post Malone further cemented his place as a countrified superstar Thursday night, as he shocked a crowd numbering into the tens of thousands with a surprise appearance at Nissan Stadium during CMA Fest's first night.
And he brought a friend to the party.
Solo, on the field-level Spotlight Stage, the chart-topping pop performer played a version of his Morgan Wallen duet "I Had Some Help."
Then, in a double surprise, while discussing his forthcoming debut country album, Malone brought one of his album's collaborators, 20-time chart-topping Grand Ole Opry member Blake Shelton, to the stage.
The tandem sang their unreleased duet, "Pour Me A Drink."
The driving country rock song fits into the pocket of work similar to popular artists of recent country memory, like Midland.
So far, Malone's fanciful drinking anthem, "I Had Some Help," has debuted at Indio, California's Stagecoach Festival and approached "Song Of The Summer" status at Nashville's CMA Fest.
Moreover, in the past few years, he's also been paired with Sara Evans, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, HARDY, Shelton, Wallen, and Dwight Yoakam as on-stage and in-studio collaborators while singing songs from a dozen country favorites—a diverse list spanning Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson to Joe Diffie and Alan Jackson.
Two months ago, he made his Ryman Auditorium debut, joining acts including Sam Hunt, Jon Pardi, Megan Moroney, Ben Rector, Ian Munsick, Nate Smith, Mat Kearney, Edwin McCain, Grace Bowers, and Lauren Watkins onstage for multimedia personality Bobby Bones' 7th Annual Million Dollar Show at the legendary Ryman Auditorium, which raised $215,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, the ultimate Southern rock closers
Yes, after having ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons join them for "Call Me The Breeze," the latest iteration of quintessential Southern rock act Lynyrd Skynyrd closed the first night of CMA Fest by playing "Freebird" for 12 minutes.
Had this particularly time-consuming act not occurred, the crowd that remained would've been unquestionably saddened.
Prior to playing, band members Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlocke offered that the band's recent connections via live performances with CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, plus artists including 2024 CMA Fest co-host Jelly Roll and Elle King had heartened them in ensuring that the band's legacy and sound would remain a timeless tastemaker for another generation.
Seventies rock in 2024 works because many of modern country music's stories — like Southern rock 50 years ago — remain unflinchingly honest in the face of despair, plus also allow enough room for liquor-filled libations to ease the pain.
"Simple Man" hits the chest and soars to the heavens. At some point in the next 72 hours, Jelly Roll will sing "Son of A Sinner" on the same stage and approach that level of appeal.
The band is still as tight as the songs are peerless.
In a stadium setting, peerless songs have a palpable impact.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dolly dishes and Post Malone, Blake Shelton surprise at CMA Fest
