CMA Country Music Festival

Charter a Private Jet to the CMA Country Music Festival

For almost 50 years, with attendance growing each year, country music fans have flocked to Nashville to hear the most famous singers in the genre perform.

We can get you there

If you’d like to be among fans from all 50 states and dozens of other countries who flock to Music City U.S.A. for four days of music from hundreds of artists, Paramount Business Jets can arrange a charter flight for you into any nearby airport, including:

• Cornelia Fort Airpark Airport, KM88, M88, Nashville, United States (4 miles)
• Nashville International Airport, KBNA, BNA, Nashville, United States (6 miles)
• John C Tune Airport, KJWN, JWN, Nashville, United States (7 miles)
• Smyrna Airport, KMQY, MQY, Smyrna, United States (18 miles)
• Sumner County Regional Airport, KM33, M33, Gallatin, United States (25 miles)
• Lebanon Municipal Airport, KM54, M54, Lebanon, United States (25 miles)
• Robertson Airport, KM91, M91, Springfield, United States (27 miles)
• Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, KMBT, MBT, Murfreesboro, United States (30 miles)
• Portland Municipal Airport, K1M5, 1M5, Portland, United States (33 miles)
• Dickson Municipal Airport, KM02, M02, Dickson, United States (37 miles)

Popularity grows

Country music isn’t just for cowboys and rednecks anymore.

According to research done by the Country Music Association, its fan base is growing – in the most unlikely demographics.

The association, seeing that more and more people are coming to the music festival, wanted to find out why – and who those new fans are.

It found that country music is drawing younger and more racially diverse fans – especially millennials and Hispanics.

Until about 10 years ago, white people made up almost all of country music’s fan base. Since then, it has 25 percent more Hispanic listeners and only 7 percent more white listeners. This information was gained in a 2015 survey of 3,400 people, the CMA said.

The number of outsiders coming to the festival also keeps growing. In 2015, 83 percent of festival-goers were from outside Nashville. In 2016, that figure went up to 84.6 percent, 12.6 percent of which came from outside the United States.

Almost 90,000 fans attended the 2016 CMA Music Fest. It was an attendance record.

About the festival

The top performers in country music appear to not only perform but also to interact with fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures.

Instead of being held in one large arena as it had been for years, the music festival now takes place in many venues in the downtown area, including:

• Music City Center where fans can shop in air-conditioned comfort for country music memorabilia.
• The Riverfront Park stage and many other stages around the downtown area is where country music stars, young and old, known and unknown perform during the day.
• Nissan Stadium where top artists gather for nightly concerts.

Music fest trivia

• The first CMA Music Festival was held in 1972. Then called Fan Fair, 5,000 fans descended on Municipal Auditorium to see the likes of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff.
• The music festival was moved to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in 1974, still under the name Fan Fair.
• Do you know which country music star is the most loyal to his fans? Well, Garth Brooks is certainly near if not at the top. In 1996, he signed autographs for 23 hours straight.
• The music festival was again moved in 2001, this time spread out in different venues in downtown Nashville.
• It was renamed the CMA Music Festival in 2004.
• The stars come rolling in despite the fact they are not paid to appear. Profits – almost $14 million so far – are used to fund school music programs.
• Who will be playing? While each year is different, you are sure to hear the best and favorite of country music artists. For example, 2016 performers included:

Carrie Underwood, Ray Stevens, Keith Urban, Hank Williams, Jr., Frankie Ballard, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels Band, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, The Oak Ridge Boys, Clint Black, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Steven Tyler, Chris Young, Marshall Tucker Band, Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Exile, Little Big Town, Thomas Rhett, Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Chris Stapleton and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

While in Nashville

If you can’t get enough country or you want to see what else Nashville has to offer, check out these tourist favorites:

• The Grand Ole Opry: This American icon has become synonymous with Music City. What has been called the country’s most famous stage started out in 1925 as a radio broadcast station.
• The Parthenon: Located in Centennial Park, it is a replica of the temple in Greece.
• Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage: the historic plantation home of Old Hickory.
• The Johnny Cash Museum: Look, listen and buy in this old brick storefront dedicated to the man in black.
• Lane Motor Museum: Car buffs will have a lot to see in this museum that specializes European cars.

Picture Source

Picture Source