Nissan Stadium came to life with the sound of country music on Friday night (June 9) during night two of CMA Fest’s 50th anniversary as Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Hardy, Cody Johnson, and Tanya Tucker offered passionate performances and all-star collaborations that showcased how the genre touches all corners of music.
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Johnson delivered the first of many surprises of the night when country queen Reba McEntire came out to help him sing a tender rendition of one of her signature hits, “Whoever’s in New England.” The packed venue erupted at the sight of McEntire, who humbly helped Johnson sing the final bridge and chorus, their voices sounding like they were made to sing together on the beautifully-written ballad. Serving as his first performance at the stadium, Johnson’s set was tried and true country, complete with prominent fiddles and steel guitars. Demanding “crowd participation” throughout his 30-minute set, the Texas native posed an interesting question when he asked the crowd of thousands if they’ve ever had a dream that didn’t come true. He responded by saying he’s “living proof” that dreams can indeed come true, as he powered through action-packed songs “Dear Rodeo,” “Human” and his first No. 1, “‘Til You Can’t,” the latter of which sent a surge of energy through the crowd that immediately rose to its feet at the sound of the opening notes.
Johnson was followed by superstar Miranda Lambert, who proved to have the most star-studded set of the night with special guests Avril Lavigne, Leon Bridges, and CMA Fest co-host Elle King. She first welcomed Bridges for the live debut performance of their new duet, “If You Were Mine,” with fellow Texan, Bridges, bringing a dose of soul and effortlessly cool vibes to Music City.
“I don’t think you’re ready Nashville,” Lambert warned as she invited her “bestie” King onstage for a rowdy performance of their hit collaboration “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” that had the crowd riled up from start to finish. Following feisty performances of two of her signature hits that are now classics, “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Kerosene,” Lambert offered arguably the biggest surprise of the night when she remarked about the “girl power” moments that had already taken place and hinted “we could use a little more badass up here,” calling her “new bestie” Lavigne to the stage to deafening applause from the crowd. The pop-punk superstar helped Lambert finish “Kerosene” before they transitioned into her beloved hit that helped define the early 2000s pop-punk scene, “Sk8er Boi,” which had the all-ages crowd singing along.
Wilson helped set the girl power tone that Lambert was referring to when she invited King and Tanya Tucker to perform Tucker’s 1978 hit, “Texas (When I Die)” with her during her set earlier in the night. The trio formed a train and walked down to the lower stage to get up close to the audience, singing directly to the fans in the front row. It was one of the highlights of Wilson’s electrifying set that ranged from the sentimental “Watermelon Moonshine” to leading the “redneck choir” in a sing-a-long of her current hit, “Heart Like a Truck.” The Louisiana-born and-raised singer recalled how this was her 15th CMA Fest and has been coming to the festival since she was a teenager, sitting all the way up in the top row to now performing on the stage she once dreamed of being on. Her dynamic set and undeniable stage presence made a strong case that she’s on her way to headlining stadiums herself. The gratitude she expressed matched that of another surprise guest, Jelly Roll.
The rapper-turned-country star rose from under the stage to a platform in the center of the field as he sang his heart out to his debut country No. 1 hit, “Son of a Sinner,” and his 2022 single that’s featured on his new album, Whitsitt Chapel, “Need a Favor,” keeping the audience in the palm of his hand for the entirety of the performances. He drove his powerful story home when he gave a shout-out to the juveniles at the youth detention center next to the stadium where he was once an inmate, noting that he was having two dreams come true simultaneously: getting to perform in his hometown stadium, as well as at a festival he’d been coming to as a fan for years. The impact of his story and music was not lost on the crowd that rewarded him with steady applause, tears falling from Jelly Roll’s eyes as he soaked in the monumental moment, the cheers of support only getting louder at the sight of his emotion.
The sentimentality was the perfect segue into Urban’s full-throttle set that opened with “Wild Hearts.” “This song is dedicated to all singers and songwriters out there literally imagining being on this stage right now,” Urban professed as he lit up the stage with his fierce guitar playing and lyrics that encourage dreamers to keep shining your light. Urban soon made the pilgrimage from the massive stage into the crowd to shred in the middle of a sea of fans. Judging by the smile that didn’t leave his face and his infectious stage presence, it was clear that Urban was as much at home on the main stage as he was among the people as he crooned the sultry “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” After he led multiple full-stadium sing-a-longs to such hits as “Somebody Like You,” “Long Hot Summer” and “Summer Nights,” the Australian native exited the stage by promising, “Thank you CMA Fest, happy birthday, we’ll see you next year!”
Hit singer-songwriter and artist Hardy brought the night to a close with a dynamic set that blended his affinity for rock and country, from opening with the raucous “Unapologetically Country as Hell” to bringing Wilson onstage for their sinister, chart-topping duet “wait in the truck” and inviting Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson to perform their collaborative hit that became Hardy’s first No. 1 single as an artist, “One Beer.” The roars from the crowd could be heard from miles away, proving that the power of the music lives in the fans who traveled far and wide to experience the festival curated specifically for them.
Photos by Terry Wyatt/WireImage
