Not only was it jam-packed with performances all day, every day from the best in country music…I mean Carrie Underwood joined Miranda Lambert on stage for "Somethin' Bad" and I died. And Luke Bryan shook that tooshie like nobody's business. Then Faith Hill came on stage to perform with her hubby Tim McGraw and he copped a big ole feel in front of the crowd of thousands. Like I just can't.
But it was hands-down the best people watching in the world. You've got guys in daisy dukes, more glitter and rhinestones than you could imagine, and just straight up rednecks having the time of their lives. I don't know that anything can top this crazy week!
It almost got to the point where all I wanted was a dern nap!
My week kicked off with Craig Campbell's 2nd Annual Cornhole Challenge. Why not watch country stars play cornhole for a good cause?! The proceeds go to the TJ Martell Foundation for colon cancer research and awareness. Some of the artists there were Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Chase Rice, Parmalee, The Cadillac Three, and many more!
Here are a few pics and look out for my interviews with the artists on AfterbuzzTV!
Country boys playin' some cornhole (& having a beer of course)
Me w/ up-and-comer Chelsea Bain
Me with the man of the event Mr. Craig Campbell
Me w/ 3 of the 4 boys of Parmalee
Me w/ The Cadillac Three
Such a fun time! And trust me…the fun (and the heat) never ends. The cool thing about Nashville is that it's just not Hollywood. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good Hollywood celeb spotting now and again, but it's just so relaxed and laid back in Music City that the artists are straight chillin' at the bar with you. It's just feels like the good ole South.
Speaking of the South…I don't think I can drink another beer for the life of me! One thing's for sure...CMA Fest is an all day, every day kinda party!
Me and my girl Traci on Night 1 (Can you tell we're excited?!)
I did catch some great performances during the day too!
By far the guy to be on the lookout for is Sam Hunt. This dude's got it! There's not a doubt in my mind he's gonna be HUGE!
I also stopped by the HGTV Lodge during the day for great intimate performances as well. It's so cool y'all…they literally build a barn the week of CMA Fest and then tear it down after!
Here's Chase Rice performing for the crowd:
Any chance I get when I'm back home…I go for that Southern cookin…and this was my all-time fave meal of the week:
I mean what's better than some BBQ and baked beans? And sweet tea, of course! SO YUMMYYY!!!
Another awesome event I got to cover was the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game. It was bright and early on Saturday morning, but a lot of your fave country stars rallied together to #StrikeOutCancer.
It was #TeamOpry versus #TeamiHeartRadio, and in the end the Opry team took home the win. The event raised over $200,000 for cancer research, a cause that obviously hits home to me because of my momma, so it was definitely a special event for me to cover. I've got tons of interviews from the day, so I'll make sure to post them on AfterbuzzTV asap!
Here a few candid pics from the event:
That's Dee Jay Silver, Scotty McCreery and Eric Decker chatting before the game
Nashville fans…that's DEACON CLAYBORNE! What a sexy man! ;)
Jamie Lynn Spears, Florida Georgia Line and Jana Kramer were amongst the celebs at the game. Such an awesome game and the crowd loved it!
Then, I was gearing up for the night of performances at LP Field and lo and behold it's raining cats and dogs! It was INSANE!! That kind of crazy weather is one thing I don't miss. Cali's sunshine will always win! But have no fear, all ya gotta do to weather the storm is invest in a cow design poncho and traipse the streets of Broadway in the pouring rain. Definitely a night to remember, especially when you're up this close and personal when FGL takes the stage…
What can I say...CMA Fest 2014 was seriously one of the best weeks ever. I already can't wait until next year, although with all that Southern food and Bud Light, this girl needs a detox, y'all!
Overall: amazing people, stellar performances and a week I'll never forget...
Until next time…
Always have faith!!
