Since 1972, the event cherished by Country fans the world over – CMA Music Festival – has made its mission to bring the fans and stars together.
The first Fan Fair© brings 5,000 fans to Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville. Performers include Roy Acuff, Lynn Anderson, Tom T. Hall, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Minnie Pearl, Marty Robbins, Ernest Tubb, and more.
No fans are left in the dark as George Strait signs autographs for seven hours despite a power failure.
Garth Brooks signs autographs for a record 23 hours with no breaks. And, surf’s up! The Beach Boys make a special appearance. 1999 Waylon Jennings takes his final Fan Fair bow performing with Andy Griggs.
Fan Fair moves on up to Downtown Nashville. CMA introduces a charity element – “Cause for Celebration!” – giving Festival proceeds to charities picked by participating artists.
What’s in a name? Fan Fair becomes CMA Music Festival and Willie Nelson performs for the first time in 10 years. Redneck Woman Gretchen Wilson thanks her fans in person during her first Festival performance.
The CMA Music Festival sells out LP Field each night for the first time. Tim McGraw, who hadn’t signed in Fan Fair Hall since 2000, signs 3,000 autographs in two hours. The Judds, who hadn’t signed autographs together since the 1990s when the event was at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, sign in the CMA booth. NASCAR superstar Richard Petty makes an appearance.
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