It’s that time of the year again, 90-degree weather mixed with thousands of country music fans on Nashville streets. But besides that, If you’re heading out to CMA Fest this year, you’re in for a treat. Being able to see the bigger artists is always a blast, but there’s something special about seeing the uprising artists. Here are some of my top picks for CMA Fest 2019 that you don’t want to miss:
I’ve been DYING to see this duo live. If you haven’t listened to their tracks yet you’re missing out. They’re already impacting country fans with their catchy songs that will be stuck in your head. The amount of times I’ve blasted their tracks is ridiculous and I’ve been waiting for CMA fest to finally see them. Their upcoming single “Love That” hit country radio earlier this week. Give their EP a listen and head over to the Chevy Breakout Stage on Saturday, June 7th at 11:50 AM to check them out.
Barrett is an artist I’ve admired since her third-place finish on American Idol. Her fiery vocals take over in her single “I Hope” and has put her #1 on The Highway XM. This track has been on repeat since it dropped. It’s such a classy breakup tune that will get you fired up for sure. Make sure to check out Barrett Thursday, June 6th at 12:45 PM on the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Bridgestone Plaza.
Green is someone who I’ve been lucky to see many times, yet it never gets old. All of his tracks are underrated and should be blasted at all times. He’s bringing the old-school country back and it’s time we do too. Green’s single “There Was This Girl” earned #1 on the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart and it won’t be his last. His current single “In Love By Now” will soon take over country radio. Make sure to check out Green on Sunday, June 9th at 3:15 PM on the Chevy Riverfront Stage.
If you’re at CMA Fest for a good time, HARDY is your man. He was one of the writers on Florida Georgia Line/Morgan Wallen collaboration “Up Down,” which is a #1 platinum-selling country single that’s on everyone’s summer playlist. His EP “WHERE TO FIND ME” released earlier in the year has some tracks that make you wanna turn up the radio as loud as possible. Check HARDY out at the Chevy Breakout Stage on Friday, June 7th at 12:00 PM.
This band does not have one bad song. With over 95-million global streams, this band is taking over country music one unforgettable song at a time. This Canadian group released their most recent single “Keep It Simple,” which currently has over 10-million streams. James Barker Band just dropped their album “Singles Only” that’s a must listen. Check out James Barker Band at the Chevy Breakout Stage on Friday, June 7th at 3:10 PM.
This is the one you need to keep an eye on. I’ve been following her on Instagram for quite some time now and I’m obsessed with the song teasers for her upcoming EP. Her melodic single “Behave” has over 800,000 streams, give it a listen. Make sure to check Michaels out at the Nashville Acoustic Corner on Saturday, June 8th at 12:45 PM.
Don’t forget to download the CMA Fest app for scheduling and updates on everything festival related.
Kelly Shea Cunningham 