News & Publications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 16, 2003
DIVERSITY OF MUSIC HIGHLIGHTED DURING CMA’S FAN FAIR® WITH PERFORMANCES AT GREASED LIGHTNING™ RIVERFRONT PARK STAGES
Bellamy Brothers, Bering Strait, Kellie Coffey, Derailers, Emerson Drive, Rhonda Vincent and Kitty Wells Among More Than 50 Acts Set To Perform at the Riverfront Daily Concerts; Jessica Andrews & Brad
NASHVILLE – The complete spectrum of Country Music from traditional to alt.country, bluegrass to Texas Swing, classics to contemporary, can be found at the Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages during CMA’s Fan Fair® 2003, June 5-8 in Downtown Nashville.
“The shows at Riverfront Park have grown in popularity each year,” said Ed Benson, CMA Executive Director. “The Riverfront concert stages are a wonderful place to present the breadth of talent and styles of music in our format.”
More than 45 hours of musical performances, with a mix of Country Music’s most loved artists and rising newcomers, spans the four-day event hailed by USA Today as the “crown jewel of country music festivals.”
Daily Concerts at Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Concert Stages lead right up to the start of the star-packed Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum. DreamWorks recording artist Jessica Andrews and Arista recording artist Brad Paisley have been added to the concert lineups at The Coliseum. Andrews will perform on Thursday night, June 5, while Paisley will take the stage on Friday night, June 6. And, former “MTV Real World Chicago” favorite Kyle Brandt, who launches his actor career as “Philip” on “Days of our Lives” in May, has been added to the list of NBC Daytime stars returning to Fan Fair as well.
Before The Coliseum concerts however, daytime entertainment will rock the banks of the Cumberland River in Downtown Nashville, where variety epitomizes the Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages. Some of the highlights include: The Martha White® Bluegrass Show with Rhonda Vincent and other bluegrass favorites to be announced soon; the Country Standard Time show with Bering Strait, Emerson Drive, Eric Heatherly, Steve Holy and Craig Morgan; RCA Label Group Country with Kellie Coffey, Aaron Lines and Pinmonkey; the Reunion of Professional Entertainers (ROPE) Traditional Experience with Country Music legends Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens, Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard, Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright; and the schedule of concerts concludes with exciting performances by the fan favorites Bellamy Brothers and Confederate Railroad.
Other entertainers on the Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages include Rodney Atkins, Sherrie Austin, Eddie Bayers & The Players, T. Bubba Bechtol, Dierks Bentley, John Berry, Suzy Bogguss, Thom Bresh, Bristol Crossing, Chad Brock, Lane Brody, T. Graham Brown, Sonny Burgess, John Conlee, Linda Davis, Dusty Drake, Clint Daniels, The Derailers, Fox Brothers, Lee Greenwood, Jeannie Kendall, Hal Ketchum, Jill King, Shelley Laine, Johnny Lee, Little Big Town, Ronnie McDowell, Ken Mellons, Daron Norwood, Oak Ridge Boys, Colt Prather, Marty Raybon, Kevin Sharp, Sixwire, Anthony Smith, Johnny St. Clair, Chalee Tennison, Trent Summar & The New Row Mob, Tanya Tucker, Wild Horses and Michelle Wright, with others to be announced soon. Artists appearing are subject to change. A current Fan Fair schedule (including the Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages schedule) can be found at www.FanFair.com.
Single-day tickets for the Daily Concerts at Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets may be purchased the day of show at the Riverfront gate for $12 each, with children 6 and younger free. Fan Fair’s Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages area will also feature a full complement of food and beverage vendors and is within easy access of Fan Fair’s free Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ Family Zone, with events and activities for children. Single-night, reserved-seat tickets for the Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum are available now. Advance-purchase tickets for each nightly show cost $25 plus $2.50 per ticket handling fee for any ticket purchased through the Gaylord Entertainment Center Box Office or toll-free at (866) FAN-FAIR (326-3247). Tickets for the Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum are also available at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or over the Internet (with applicable Ticketmaster fees).
“What we hear over and over from our attendees, especially those in the Nashville area, is that they appreciate the wholesome values and family entertainment they find at Fan Fair,” Benson said. “And with discounts for children and our daily tickets, Fan Fair is an affordable event for the whole family.”
Artists previously announced as appearing at Fan Fair include: Trace Adkins, Alabama, Steve Azar, Brooks & Dunn, Chris Cagle, Kenny Chesney, Terri Clark, Tammy Cochran, Billy Ray Cyrus, Charlie Daniels, Kassie DePaiva, Diamond Rio, Ty England, Sara Evans, 4 Runner, Donna Fargo, Vince Gill, Billy Gilman, Vern Gosdin, Andy Griggs, Jennifer Hanson, Alan Jackson, Cledus T. Judd, Jim Lauderdale, Tracy Lawrence, Lonestar, Patty Loveless, MARCEL, Brad Martin, Mila Mason, Lila McCann, Neal McCoy, Jo Dee Messina, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Nichols, Rushlow, Sawyer Brown, Blake Shelton, Marty Stuart, Trick Pony, Trini Triggs, Travis Tritt, Keith Urban, Phil Vassar, The Wilkinsons, Mark Wills, Darryl Worley and the winner of the USA Network’s “Nashville Star” competition, with additional artists to be announced in coming weeks.
Continuing its partnership with NBC Daytime, Fan Fair will also host stars from “Days of our Lives” and “Passions.” “Days” stars scheduled to appear are Kristian Alfonso (“Hope”), Kyle Brandt (“Philip”), Bryan Dattilo (“Lucas”), Kyle Lowder (“Brady”), Peter Reckell (“Bo”), Alison Sweeney (“Sami”) and Arianne Zuker (“Nicole”). Appearing from “Passions” will be Galen Gering (“Luis”), Justin Hartley (“Fox”), Lindsay Korman (“Theresa”), Eric Martsolf (“Ethan”), Jesse Metcalfe (“Miguel”), McKenzie Westmore (“Sheridan”) and Deanna Wright (“Kay”). Artists appearing are subject to change.
Four-day ticket packages for CMA’s Fan Fair are still available. In addition to the broad-ranging shows at the Greased Lightning™ Riverfront Park Stages, four-day packages include the Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum; activities for the whole family at the Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ Family Zone; access to the popular exhibits and autograph sessions at the Wranglerâ Exhibit Hall at the Nashville Convention Center; Fan Fair After Hoursâ with late-night music and specials at Downtown clubs; the Second Annual Andy Griggs Celebrity Archery Tournament; free in-town shuttles to Fan Fair event sites; collectible program book; and discounts to area restaurants and attractions.
Four-day ticket packages are priced from $125-$145, with reduced admission for fans 18 and younger. Children 3 and younger are admitted free of charge. To order tickets by phone, call toll-free (866) FAN-FAIR (326-3247), or contact Ticketmaster. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.FanFair.com or www.Ticketmaster.com.
Fan Fair is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Country Weekly and Country Music Magazine are official media partners of Fan Fair. MJI Programming, a division of Premiere Radio Networks, is the official radio packager for Fan Fair. Promotional partners include CMT; Coca-Cola®; Ford; Georgia Pacific Sparkle Paper Towels; Greased Lightning™ Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ Martha White®; Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau; NBC Daytime; Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; Southwest Airlines; The Rage; and Wrangler®. Half of the net proceeds from CMA’s Fan Fair are donated to charities designated by participating artists through “Cause For Celebration!” In 2002, CMA donated $100,000 to 53 charities on behalf of the artists who participated in Fan Fair.