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Wynonna Judd, Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Trisha Yearwood and tons of other powerhouse country artists relived five decades of CMA Fest in a new documentary that premiered Wednesday (July 5). CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair delves into the history and the most memorable moments of the iconic annual event in downtown Nashville, Tennessee — and how it’s grown over time.
The 75-minute documentary includes exclusive one-on-one interviews, powerful performances, unique collaborations, throwback footage from the festival’s earliest days when it was originally called Fan Fair. Some of country music’s most beloved legends, fast-rising stars and industry executives shared unforgettable moments and heartfelt stories of the world’s largest and longest-running country music festival, which launched in 1972. the first-ever Fan Fair drew about 5,000 attendees to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. It moved to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds a decade later, and ultimately, grew large enough to take over downtown, beginning in 2001. Now, the four-day festival draws about 80,000 fans from all over the world, according to the Country Music Association. Artists who share their stories in the documentary include:
Bill Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, BRELAND, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Shy Carter, Luke Combs, Valierie Ellis Hawkins, Vince Gill, Wynonna Judd, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, Mark Miller, Craig Morgan, Lorrie Morgan, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, Jeannie Seely, Blake Shelton, Frankie Staton, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Trisha Yearwood and Chris Young.
“CMA Fest has taken several shapes throughout its storied history,” CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern said in a statement. “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.”
The 50th CMA Fest was hosted in Nashville from June 8-11. The highly-anticipated three-hour special is set to air on ABC on Wednesday, July 19 at 8 p.m./7 p.m. CT, hosted by Dierks Bentley, Elle King and Lainey Wilson.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Dierks, Elle and Lainey as our ‘CMA Fest’ hosts this year,” Trahern previously said in a statement. “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 have a deep passion for CMA Fest and the 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!”
Watch the CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair trailer here: