ABC Invites America to Music's Hottest Event, 'CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock'

ABC Invites America to Music's Hottest Event, 'CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock'

Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, and Taylor Swift Perform

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Country Music takes center stage when "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" airs Monday, Aug. 31 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Filmed in Nashville June 11-14, the special has been expanded to three hours to showcase more of today's most exciting Country Music stars. Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Sugarland and Taylor Swift are the first performers to be confirmed, with more artists to be announced soon.

The annual CMA Music Festival is unlike any other, with four days filled with more than one hundred hours of live music, 30 hours of autograph signings by Country Music's biggest names and up and comers, hundreds of artists and celebrities, and a party list of thousands of avid fans. This is the fifth time ABC will broadcast this special - which invites the whole country to America's biggest Country Music bash - since the original Fan Fair(R) was launched in 1972. This year an average of 56,000 fans attended each day of CMA Music Festival, its biggest turnout yet.

"CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" is executive-produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson. The 2009 CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

For more information, media outlets should visit www.CMApress.com. The
site contains information and downloadable photos for media use only. The site
is password protected and not meant for public use. The public should be
directed to www.CMAfest.com.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl or Scott Stem of CMA, +1-615-244-2840; or Mozell
Miley-Bailey of ABC, +1-212-456-6444

Web Site: http://www.cmafest.com/

-------
Profile: intent