Fans and Celebrities Meet Face-To-Face in the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall at 2007 CMA Music Festival

Fans and Celebrities Meet Face-To-Face in the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall at 2007 CMA Music Festival

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 2007 CMA Music Festival is the ultimate experience for fans of America's music, with more than 90 hours of live music, celebrity events and more, during four days (Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10) in Downtown Nashville. The event celebrates the relationship between fans and celebrities, and is perhaps best realized at its core: the Fan Fair(R) Exhibit Hall. Held at the Nashville Convention Center, the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall gives four-day attendees the rare opportunity to meet some of their favorite entertainment personalities, discover new talents and receive a cherished autograph and photo.

"What sets CMA Music Festival apart from other music festivals around the world is the amount of artist/fan interaction that takes place during the event," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "The connection that the fans make with their favorite artists in the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall is truly the heart of CMA Music Festival."

Among the artists and celebrities scheduled to appear in a booth and meet their fans are: Trace Adkins; Deborah Allen; Country Music Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson; John Anderson; Rodney Atkins; Charlotte Autry; John Berry; Big & Rich; Bonnie Lou Bishop; Shy Blakeman; Blue County; Paul Brewster; Lane Brody; Luke Bryan; Sonny Burgess; Burrito Deluxe; Tracy Byrd; Carolina Rain; Jason Michael Carroll; The Cherryholmes; Eric Church; John Conlee; Elizabeth Cook; Katie Cook (host of "CMT Insider"); Kristina Cornell; Brad Cotter; Bucky Covington; Cowboy Crush; Cowboy Troy; Shanna Crooks; James Taylor Curtis and the Silver Eagle Band; Justin David; Cole Deggs & The Lonesome; Dusty Drake; Emerson Drive; Ty England; Erika Jo; Donna Fargo; Janie Fricke; Todd Fritsch; Billy Gilman; Josh Gracin; The Grascals; Jennifer Hanson; Heartland; Ty Herndon; Steve Holy; Damien Horne; Con Hunley; Jack Ingram; Carolyn Dawn Johnson; Sage Keffer; Rachel Kice; Lady Antebellum; Lantana; Shannon Lawson; Andy Leftwich; Lonestar; Daniel Lee Martin; John Arthur Martinez; Lila McCann; Jason Meadows; Memarie; Beverly Mitchell (from the television series "Seventh Heaven"); Ashley Monroe; Moore and Moore; Craig Morgan; Jamie O'Neal; James Otto; Amanda Pearce; Danielle Peck; Michael Peterson; Pirates of the Mississippi; PovertyNeck Hillbillies; Carmen Rasmussen; Reunionaires; LeAnn Rimes; Rio Grande; Julie Roberts; Stephen Salyers; Sawyer Brown; Keith Sewell; Kevin Sharp; Ricky Skaggs; Damon Smith; Daniel Smith; CMT personality Lance Smith; Sunny Sweeny; Taylor Swift; Brandi Thornton; Pam Tillis; Aaron Tippin; Trent Tomlinson; Trick Pony; Tanya Tucker; Josh Turner; Two Foot Fred; Taylor Ware (2003 Yahoo! Yodel Challenge winner and top five finalist on 2006's "America's Got Talent" television show); Storme Warren (host of GAC-TV's "Country Music Across America"); Jimmy Wayne; Whiskey Falls; Bryan White; Mark Wills; Gretchen Wilson; Darryl Worley; Kyle Wyley; Billy Yates; and more.

The Sony BMG Nashville booth, subtitled "hearsomethingcountry.com," will feature appearances from Keith Anderson; Terri Clark; Montgomery Gentry; Jake Owen; Carrie Underwood; Chris Young; and more.

As previously announced, the ABC booth will host autograph signings with ABC Daytime actors Kathy Brier (Marcie McBain from "One Life to Live"); Justin Bruening (Jamie Martin on "All My Children"); Colin Egglesfield (Joshua Madden on "All My Children"); Becky Herbst (Elizabeth Webber from "General Hospital"); John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex Balsom from "One Life to Live"); and Greg Vaughan (Lucky Spencer from "General Hospital").

All artists and celebrities are subject to change.

Returning to the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall this year is Music Row, a section featuring record label booths. Each booth will spotlight the label's artist roster. Among the record labels participating in Music Row this year are Broken Bow; Capitol Records Nashville; Curb; Universal Music Group; and Universal South.

Borders(R) Books & Music, the exclusive CD, book and DVD retailer sponsor at CMA Music Festival, will host book and CD signings in the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall booth. Big & Rich will sign copies of their new CD, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace, and their book, Big & Rich: All Access, on Thursday, June 7 (11:00 AM). Author/producer John Carter Cash will sign copies of his newly written biography of his mother, Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash, as well as the CD of the same name on Friday, June 8, (3:00 PM). The CD features songs written by June Carter Cash and performed by Carlene Carter and Ronnie Dunn (of Brooks & Dunn), Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley and others. In addition to the Exhibit Hall, Borders will also host booths at Riverfront Park and LP Field.

The Acoustic Corner, outside the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall on the second floor of the Nashville Convention Center, has become a popular area to enjoy intimate performances from artists on independent labels. Every artist performing at the Acoustic Corner will also appear in a booth in the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall to meet their fans. The artists selected to perform at Acoustic Corner this year are Curtis Alan; Bernadette; Cadillac Sky, Don Campbell, Will Clements, Stephan Cochran, Timothy Craig, Brett Daniels; singer/actress Kassie DePaiva; Carly Goodwin; Chris Gray; Dennie Hall; Kyle Jennings; Abel Kane; Laura Lynn; Miko Marks; Ken Mellons; Mustang Creek; Roadmark; TelluRide; Rhonda Towns; Well Hungarians; Dustin Wilkes; and Rachel Williams. For performance times and artist schedule, please visit http://www.cmafest.com/.

"Acoustic Corner is a great way for our attendees to be exposed to rising new talents and rediscover old favorites while taking a break from the heat in a comfortable, air-conditioned setting," said Genovese.

Only four-day attendees of CMA Music Festival have access to the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall and Acoustic Corner.

Now in its 36th year, CMA Music Festival was dubbed the "crown jewel of Country Music Festivals" by USA Today and was the winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association's 2006 LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year.

For up-to-the-minute information about CMA Music Festival tickets, travel information, schedules, artist appearances, and more, visit http://www.cmafest.com/ and sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member Tony Conway is the Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music. Borders(R) Books & Music: The Official Music & Book retailer of the CMA Music Festival. Additional promotional partners include Allstate Insurance Company, American Airlines, AT&T-Tennessee, Back Yard Burgers, BMI, Carl Black Chevrolet, CiCi's Pizza(R), Coca-Cola(R), Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Weekly, Coyote Ugly(R) Saloon, CMT(R), Crisco(R), Davidson County Sheriff's Department, Digital Rodeo, Dr Pepper(R), GAC, Great American Country, GEICO, Gillette Venus(R) Breeze, Grand Ole Opry, Greased Lightning Cleaning Products(R), Gibson Guitar(R), Hard Rock Cafe Nashville, Hewlett-Packard(R), Loveless Cafe, Mossy Oak Apparel, Music Festivals(R), Nashville Fire Department, Office Depot(R), New Holland Agriculture Equipment S.p.A., On the Run(R) at Exxon, Prilosec OTC(R), Purity(R) Dairies, Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, Second Harvest Food Bank, Whirlpool(R), Shane Co., Sharpie, Super 8(R), Tennessee Education Lottery Corp(R)., TGI Fridays(R), The Sportsman Channel(R), Wrangler(R),Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, Yankee Candle(R), EMT services are provided by Vanderbilt Sports Medicine and Vanderbilt Life Flight. Fan Fair(R) is a registered trademark of CMA. Smucker's(R), JIF(R), Crisco(R), Hungry Jack(R), Martha White(R) and White Lily(R) are registered trademarks of The J.M. Smucker Company.

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl, +1-615-244-2840 or Scott Stem, +1-615-244-2840,
both of CMA

Web site:

http://www.cmafest.com/
http://www.cmaworld.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information, media outlets should visit http://www.CMApress.com. The site contains press releases and downloadable photos for media use only. Photos from CMA Music Festival events will be updated throughout the event to aid media in their coverage. The site is password protected and not meant for public use. The public should be directed to http://www.CMAfest.com.

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