Fans poured into Riverfront Park on Sunday afternoon, searching for an open spot on the ground where they could welcome Country Music legend and “Hee Haw” mainstay Roy Clark.

The 78-year-old, seven-time CMA Award winner and Country Music Hall of Famer received a standing ovation when he walked onto stage, when WSM-AM Nashville on-air personality Bill Cody introduced him.

Clark responded humbly by saying, “Bless your hearts, thank you. I hope I can live up to that.”

He opened the show with his 1981 single “Love Takes Two” and then announced that he had a surprise: his friend and fellow entertainer Buck Trent.

The audience responded warmly as Trent shouted, “I’d rather be here than the best hospital in Branson, Mo.!” Trent joined in with Clark as they performed ‘Rolling in My Sweet Baby’s Arms,’ a definite crowd pleaser.

Fans sang along as Clark then did “What a Wonderful World.” “Bless your heart, thank you for being so kind, it really is a wonderful world.,” he said as applause rose at the end before he introduced another guest, Justin David. The former “Nashville Star” fourth runner-up and Clark performed the Country classic “Man of Constant Sorrow” together.

As the cheers subsided, Clark asked the crowd, “How ’bout a little fiddle music? I’m gonna try something – and I do this with mixed emotions, because I’m showing off, and I wasn’t raised that way. It’s to let the young folks know that the ole’ boy can still get it done! It may take me three trips, but I can still bring the whole load!”

Then, turning toward a stage crew member, he said, “Fetch me my fiddle!” Moments later, he tore into “Orange Blossom Special,” earning another standing ovation as he made his exit.
Cody put this set in perspective, telling the audience, “That was Roy Clark and you have been a part of Country Music history today.”

Ralph Fowler, 46, of Gulf Port Miss, agreed. “I enjoyed watching Roy Clark perform and I loved watching him on ‘Hee Haw.’ I’m amazed by his determination to perform for his fans, still at his age. It’s just fantastic.”

Fans at Lay’s Stage outside of Bridgestone Arena lined the metal barrier Sunday morning, to hear one of Country Music’s favorite new artists Jaron Lowenstein, a.k.a. Jaron and the Long Road to Love.

Host Billy Block from WKDF-FM Nashville welcomed Jaron and his band. Jaron was dressed casually in black jeans, a blue shirt, a hat and sunglasses. Smiling and waving, he thanked everyone and joked, “Stay thirsty, my friends! Drink water! And use sunscreen. It’s not too hot, though. Last year was so hot that my guitar stuck to my shirt!”

Before singing his new song, “Beautiful Lies,” Jaron revealed, “I was lucky enough to meet Big Kenny (Kenny Alphin) from Big and Rich, and this is one that we wrote together.” It was evident that fans enjoyed the new song.

Jaron then announced that he was going to play a song that he and his brother Evan had written together called, “Crazy For This Girl.” Many of his fans knew the song and sang along with him.

After finishing, Jaron noted, “This next song is one that struck a chord with a lot of people. Thank you for having such a good sense of humor.” Cheers erupted before he began to play because they knew he was talking about his irony-rich hit “Pray for You.” The audience sang along to the chorus, “I pray your brakes go out running down a hill, I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to.”

Kylie Tillet, 18, of Paducah, Ky., a first-time CMA Fest attendee, said, “I love Jaron’s songs! Especially ‘Pray For You.’ He has such a funny personality.”

Jackie Lambert, 32, of Gainesville GA, and first time CMA Fest attendee said, “Jaron’s songs are awesome and relatable. I have been wanting to see him live and I’m so glad I finally got to. I know his song ‘Pray For You’ is relatable for many people, including myself!”

The Family Zone on the corner of Demonbreun and 4th is a place to have fun. Over the course of the weekend, it’s been home to a gigantic CMA Fest 40th birthday party, a family picnic and the Ultimate Air Dogs competition.

But on June 12, Country Music fans had the chance to give back to an organization that’s supported families throughout Middle Tennessee for years—the Nashville YWCA. At the 28th Annual Celebrity Auction hosted by Martina McBride, fans donated more than $154,000 to help the organization’s violence awareness and prevention program in Middle Tennessee.

“I can’t tell you what this means, not only to me, but to the thousands of women and children who will be helped,” said the five-time CMA Award winner. McBride brought down the house the night before at LP Field with her performance of “A Broken Wing,” an emotional song about a woman who breaks free from an abusive relationship.

Country stars of all ages and genders donated items to the auction, but those donated by McBride herself seemed to be crowd favorites.  The dress McBride wore to the Grand Ole Opry’s comeback performance after last year’s flood was sold for $27,000.

Host Storme Warren of GAC hyped a personal tour of Blackbird Studios given by McBride herself as “the ultimate album release party.” The package included an autographed microphone and the chance to listen to McBride’s unreleased album with the artist herself over a glass of her signature wine.

After a ferocious bidding war, Dayna Jones, a 30-year-old from South Dakota, won the package, rolling the total amount raised for the YWCA over $100,000.

“You only live once, I guess,” said Jones, laughing.

Other popular items included handwritten lyrics by various Country artists, including Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Miranda Lambert, Bill Anderson and Zac Brown.  Several signed guitars were also auctioned off. Keith Urban’s signed guitar was sold for $4,000, prompting Warren to quip, “A lady up here just about passed out.”

Auctioneers Nelson Bandy, Amon Ringemann and George Weatherby kept the audience laughing throughout the auction, with Bandy reassuring them, “It’s only gonna hurt for a little while!” Nashville YWCA Director of Volunteer Services Abby Sasser said the organization is extremely grateful for the fans’ generosity. “It’s always amazing. We just have so much fun, and CMA is so good to us.”

If the smiles on their faces as they left the auction tent were any indication, it seems the fans thought it was pretty amazing as well.

It was the second to last CMA Fest 2011 show at the Riverfront Stage, but the crowd showed no signs of thinning out, packing the amphitheater for a performance by Josh Kelley.

After an introduction by his brother, Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, Josh took the stage.  “You look good, you’ve got tans, you’ve got smiles on your faces … I love it!” he said and then launched into a hybrid set of new songs, old favorites and mashups.  He opened with four songs from his debut Country album, Georgia Clay: “Ain’t Lettin’ Go,” “Gone Like That,” “Great Idea” and “Naleigh Moon.”

Kelley told the audience the last of those songs is about his daughter, a two-year-old he and wife, the actress Katherine Heigl, adopted from South Korea.

If the women in the audience weren’t already swooning at that, when the opening chords of his pop hit “Amazing” began, they did.  All around the Riverfront grounds, they raised their arms and cheered, bouncing along to the beat.

Boyfriends and husbands looked a little uncomfortable, but when Kelley segued smoothly into Cee Lo Green’s smash single, “Forget You,” the entire audience belted out the lyrics.

“I was in the wrong key the whole time on that song,” said Kelley, laughing, though the audience didn’t seem to mind.  Kelley closed out his set with the title song off his album, “Georgia Clay,” but he still had a surprise in store for the fans.

As a drumbeat backed him up, Kelley told the audience, “I had somebody send me something on that Twitter thing.  They dared me to do Snoop Dogg — so we’re gonna do it.”

Kelley slid into a family-friendly cover of the rapper’s song “Lodi Dodi,” proving he’s not just a pretty face — the man is at home in any genre, be it Country, pop and rap.

“That was awesome!” said Barbara VanDyke, 55, who traveled to CMA Fest from Clinton, Conn. with her 20-year-old daughter Ashley.

“Awesome,” Ashley echoed, nodding — or as Kelley might say, “Amazing.”

Performers on the Lay’s Stage nestled next to Bridgestone Arena included Foster & Lloyd, the bluegrass group Daley & Vincent and Christian Kane.

Foster & Lloyd, a team of songwriters turned country duo (Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd), played a mix of old hits and new releases, including “Crazy over You” and “What Do You Want from Me This Time?” were just a few of the songs that got fans like little Leah out of their seat.

Radio personality, Billy Block from WKDF-FM Nashville, entertained fans in between sets by telling jokes and tossing CD’s to those who had “great smiles.”

The seven-member group Dailey & Vincent was easily the best dressed act of the day, all clad in blazers and ties. A collection of old bluegrass classics, Statler Brothers hits “Susan When She Tried” and gospel tunes made up the bulk of the set. After ending with “Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord,” the group received a standing ovation.

Next was TV actor and Southern rocker, Christian Kane. He started with the song “American Made” from his album The House Rules, during which one fan screamed out that her husband was onstage. Jokingly, Kane told the adoring woman that he “loved her too, babe.” The set continued with “Happy Man,” “Thinking of You” and his new single “Let Me Go.” “Thinking of You” will be featured on the June 26 episode of Kane’s TNT show “Leverage.”

Former CMA New Talent of the Year Award winner Darius Rucker took time for pictures and autographs he greeted fans inside Fan Fair Hall.

Long before the doors opened Sunday morning, Country Music lovers of all ages waited for the doors to open at 10 AM. Many Rucker followers stayed overnight, in hopes of getting one of the 150 tickets given out by CMA officials at 8:30 AM. Those who were unable to get a ticket rushed to the “hopeful” line for even the slightest chance of getting to meet him.

Rucker walked into the CMA booth, sporting a blue shirt, cowboy boots and jeans as he posed for pictures, smiling with his hands tucked in his pockets.

Beth Ward, 25, of Pleasant View Tenn., was lucky Fan No. One who got to meet Rucker. “I got here early this morning about 6:30, but I had a friend saving me a spot until then, she said. “Me and my mom both love Darius. I’m glad he keeps showing up for his fans. It means a lot to us that he keeps making appearances at CMA Fest.”

Christie McDonald 49, of Columbia Tenn., who has been coming to the Festival for 19 consecutive years, got a chance to meet her favorite country star for the second time, “I’ve waited to see Darius since 6 this morning,” she said. “I’ve loved Darius Rucker since the first time I saw him in Nashville. He blew me away, especially coming from a different genre of music. He loves his fans and he makes you know that he loves what he does.”

Just around the corner at Fan Fair Hall was Country and gospel singer Buddy Jewell, spreading “Sweet Southern Comfort” with his fans.  Jewell was wearing a black, buttoned-up shirt, jeans and a cowboy hat with printed skulls.

While fans waited in line, they bought Buddy Jewell T-shirts, albums, hats and posters to be autographed by the singer.

Morris Herring 84, and his daughter Angel Herring 38, drove from Houston Texas to meet Jewell for the second time. “We saw Buddy when he was on ‘Nashville Star’ and we’ve followed his career ever since,’ she noted. “I love his music!”

Morris Herring brought a picture of himself with Jewell from the first time they had ever met, for Jewell to sign. Much to his surprise, Jewell remembered the photo.

Lillian Hulme, 83, of Gilbertsville Penn., said, “Buddy was very charming and he’s a great artist. I have all his albums and he knows how to talk to people. He doesn’t rush it. He gave me a good hug too, and ladies love that.”

Hulme jokingly added, “If he’s ever in my area, he can sure come and visit!”

Along with thousands of other Country Music fans, four young women have been exploring Downtown Nashville since they arrived in the city on Monday, June 6. They had autographs signed by artists at Fan Fair Hall and went to the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Tournament on Saturday morning.

But on Sunday, the final day of the Festival, at 8:30 AM, they were camped outside the ramp that descends into Level 1 of LP Field, where the talent’s trucks pull in to set up for the evening concerts, with only one mission: to reconnect with their old friend, Taylor Swift.

Christy Harrison, 23, from Charleston, S.C.; LeAnn Pierce, 19, from Snow Hill, N.C.; Lindsey Sauter, also 19, from Cincinnati, Ohio; and Maggie Noonan, a 21-year-old from Burlington, Iowa, said they discovered Swift before anyone else.

“In 2006, we were there for her when she was starting out. We’d go to all the concerts. We met basically online through fan sites, and we just all became close,” said Pierce, who found Swift’s music after watching GAC’s “Shortcuts,” a documentary about the rising Country Music star.

“When I saw that, I went online right away and looked her up, and I loved her music, so I started a little fan site for her. It’s her first fan site,” Pierce said proudly.

The MySpace site, “Taylor Fans Unite,” didn’t just unite the four friends with each other—it united them with Swift herself.
“In the beginning she was just on MySpace to talk to her fans,” Harrison said.

“She’d comment us and message us, and it was like a friendship,” Sauter added. “Whenever she’d say something to us on MySpace or whatever, she’d put, ‘Love, love, love T.’”

That slogan—“Love, Love, Love”—is written across Pierce’s red T-shirt and on the matching leather wristbands three of the young women are wearing.

“It’s her signature thing. She would always do that. These are old bracelets, like, they don’t even make them anymore, but they’re from the very beginning,” Pierce said.

Millions of fans around the world now feel the same connection with the 21-year-old superstar, which the friends attribute to Swift’s powerful lyrics. “Her writing is just amazing. I know she didn’t even know that she would connect with this many people. It’s just unreal how she can write stories about my life,” said Pierce.

The young women said it feels strange to be camped out and waiting to see Swift, but they didn’t have much choice.

“It’s gotten so crazy now, this is the only way to get her attention,” said Pierce, motioning to the brightly colored sign they hung over the guardrail. The poster reads “T-Swift Oldies: Est. 2006,” and is decorated with flashing lights and pictures of the young women with Swift early in her career.

A second poster hanging nearby features lyrics to a song Swift used to cover, Rihanna’s “Umbrella:” “Told you I’ll be here forever/Said I’ll always be your friend/Took an oath, I’m a’stick it out to the end.”

All around the Nashville Convention Center, fluorescent graffiti fills the sidewalk.  Members of singer Chris Young’s street team go out in groups of four every night from 5 to 10 p.m. to draw eye-catching messages—“Booth 506!” “Keep going!”  “He’s cute!”

It’s all part of Young’s grassroots marketing campaign, and Chris’ devoted fan club has been at it for the past decade.

“They saw him open for Trace Adkins as part of a talent contest when he was 14, and a bunch of them turned around and were like, ‘Does he have a fan club?’ And we were like, ‘Sure, he’s got a fan club!  Send us $10 and we’ll send you a T-shirt.’  He’s had a big fan following ever since then,” said Young’s mother, Becky Harris, as she sold more of those shirts in Saturday morning at her son’s Fan Fair Hall booth.

“We’ve always done a lot of fan-friendly marketing because his fans have kept him in business all this time,” said Harris.  “Part of the reason that the chalk was so prevalent this year is that on July 12, his CD Neon comes out.”

Several of Young’s newest hits, including the fastest-climbing single of his career, “Tomorrow,” will appear on Neon, and the street team thought fluorescent chalk was the perfect way to let Country Music fans know about it.

“It’s pretty exciting because people will stop and ask you what you’re doing, so it’s really just a great way to help promote him,” said Terri Thompson, President of Young’s fan club.  “Whatever’s going on, you just chalk it up.”

They also handed out glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets at LP Field when Young opened the evening concert there on June 11 — about 6,500 of them.   Harris believes her son’s fans are so devoted because he remains just as devoted to them.

“He was in the booth twice this week signing for three hours each time.  On Thursday, we cut the hopeful line off and thought we would make it through everybody, and we didn’t, so he stayed an extra 20 minutes to make sure he got everybody,” Harris said.  “He really kind of goes the extra mile to make sure that all the fans are taken care of.”

Young’s down-to-earth manner and hard work is paying off.  He’s always had a five-year plan, and when he turned 25 he decided he’d work towards playing LP Field during CMA Fest before he turned 30.  Just one day shy of his 26th birthday, his dream came true.

This year, he only asked for one birthday present.

“A day off,” said Harris, smiling.

“Ain’t it a great day to be alive and be in Tennessee?”

Charlie Daniels said it first, but on Saturday morning the Riverfront Stage Production Manager Mike West found it appropriate to repeat in kicking off another day’s festivities.

The national anthem was performed by up-and-coming duo Brother Trouble. The Brothers, Mark and Jason Sutton, are a rising name thanks to Kenny Chesney’s Next Big Star competition.

Shortly after the anthem, Lonestar took the stage at 10 AM. Standing throughout most of the show, Lonestar fans sang along to songs like “What About Now” and “Party Heard Around the World.”

Fans even got a taste of new material. Lonestar’s new single, “Live, Laugh, and Love” seemed to be a hit with those at Riverfront. After one run through the chorus people began clapping, dancing and even singing along to the upbeat song.

Armed with sunscreen, beach towels and water, fans joined Lonestar frontman Cody Collins in singing their last song of the day, “No News.” Collins made sure to spice things up though, incorporating the Beatles’ hit “Get Back” into their set.

The next artist took the stage ready to party. Introduced by WKDF-FM Nashville DJ Sweet Becca, Jason Michael Carroll ignited his set with “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead.”  The hard-working entertainer ran around the stage, jumping on top of monitors and kick drums like it was partly cloudy and 75 degrees. He then wowed onlookers with his cleverly written single “Numbers,” the first single and title track of his new album. The album is exclusively available at Cracker Barrel, where the North Carolina once worked as a server.

Carroll then thanked fans for coming to his birthday party, which he’ll officially celebrate on Monday. Directly after that, he launched into a song that Carroll described as one that would cover every emotion he’s ever felt.

“We’ve written a lot of songs about being happy and sad, songs about whiskey drinking and beer drinking, and partying with our friends,” Carroll said. “For this one, we just wanted to incorporate all those things.”

The song, new to most of the crowd, seemed to be a big hit as Carroll supporters began to sway to the chorus of “This One’s for the Lonely.” Carroll followed with a tune that showed off his vocal talents. Changing keys several times in “Meet Me in the Barn” proved to be a huge hit with the crowd, which lined the tiered hill next to First Avenue.

Carroll closed his Top 10 single “Livin’ Our Love Song.” He then asked all the fans to pose for a picture he said he was going to post on his twitter account.

For artists and fans alike, this was indeed “a great day to be alive and in Tennessee.”

Pounding music and a line long enough for an amusement park marked the beginning of the Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Fan Social Presented by CMT, taking place once again at the Wildhorse Saloon on June 11.

Fans waited for two or more hours to enter the jam-packed three-story venue to hear acoustic sets, a question-and-answer session and the chance for a meet-and-greet.

“We waited two hours just to get in the door. We literally got in here 15 minutes before Joe Nichols took the stage,” said Cornnie Turk, a schoolteacher from Ocala, Fla.

A sibling trio, The Harters, Kristin Chenoweth, newcomers The Civil Wars, “CMT’s Next Superstar” winner Matt Mason, Thompson Square and Joe Nichols were featured in this year’s social.

Mike, Scott and Leslie Harter’s relaxing set including their debut single “Jenny” as well as their newest release “If I Run.”
Former Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth was the next to take the stage. Her small stature was overshadowed by her larger-than-life personality as she performed her sassy single “WWDD” or “What Would Dolly Do.”

Chenoweth continued her flair for the dramatic with her new single “I Want Somebody (to Bitch About),” which she followed by playing “Dueling Banjos” on arm and thigh during the Q&A session.

Matt Mason followed with “I Run” and “Middle of Nowhere,” two singles off his debut album scheduled to come out later this year.

The Civil Wars performed next. Their unique sound, and the chemistry shared by Joy Williams and John Paul White, are at the heart of duo’s appeal. Williams’ haunting vocals invested their single “Barton Hollow” with a special depth.

Keifer and Shawna Thompson of the duo Thompson Square entered to a warm reception. Aside from playing songs from their newest album, they paid tribute to the troops by doing “Won’t Back Down.”  Their hit single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” rounded out the duos set.

The final artist to take the stage was Joe Nichols. Staying true to his party nature, he sang all his major hits including “Size Matters,” “Take It Off,” “That Girl” and “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.” One group of women from Kansas City took the last song literally by tossing a white bra at him during his performance.

“You’re going to have nothing left,” joked Nichols after two more articles of clothing were thrown off the second floor.

Fan Social closed out with a drawing for Sunday fast passes to the head of the LP Field photo line and an autographed Taylor guitar.