MONTGOMERY GENTRY TO KICK-OFF 2012 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH FIRST PERFORMANCE ON CHEVROLET RIVERFRONT STAGE

NASHVILLE – Reflecting the wide range of artists who perform at CMA Music Festival, the lineup for the Chevrolet™ Riverfront Stage includes a collection of past, present, and future superstar artists. The 2012 CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10, in downtown Nashville. The Chevrolet Riverfront Stage is free and open to the public. The performances on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage will kick-off on Thursday, June 7 at 10:00 AM/CDT with a high energy show from the CMA Award-winning, multi-Platinum recording duo Montgomery Gentry. The duo last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2009. “Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry are the perfect act to launch the 2012 CMA Music Festival on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage because of the excitement they generate with the fans while performing their great repertoire of hit music,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “This stage is packed with great hit-makers for four days, and it’s free! We invite everyone to come and enjoy the great music on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage.” Chevrolet, a valued partner of CMA Music Festival and the Official Ride of Country Music, will once again host a vehicle display at Riverfront throughout the four-day event. Other artists performing on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage include Wade Bowen, Lee Brice, Laura Bell Bundy, Craig Campbell, Edens Edge, Brett Eldredge, THE FARM, Colt Ford, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Gloriana, JT Hodges, Steve Holy, Casey James, Jana Kramer, Tracy Lawrence, LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, Love and Theft, Dustin Lynch, Neal McCoy, Jo Dee Messina, Kip Moore, Craig Morgan, Lorrie Morgan, David Nail, Heidi Newfield, Jerrod Niemann, Oak Ridge Boys, James Otto, Randy Rogers Band, Thomas Rhett, Sawyer Brown, Corey Smith, Sunny Sweeney, Josh Thompson, Mel Tillis, Uncle Kracker, Phil Vassar, James Wesley, and Darryl Worley. Bowen, Campbell, THE FARM, Hodges, Kramer (who also starred on The CW’s “One Tree Hill” television series), Lynch, and Rhett will be making their debut performances on a CMA Music Festival stage this year. The current daily artist lineups are revealed below in alphabetical order: Thursday, June 7: Lee Brice, Colt Ford, Tracy Lawrence, Dustin Lynch, Neal McCoy, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan, Jerrod Niemann, Randy Rogers Band, Josh Thompson, and Uncle Kracker. Friday, June 8:  Craig Campbell, THE FARM, Gloriana, Jo Dee Messina, David Nail, Oak Ridge Boys, Thomas Rhett, Sawyer Brown, Phil Vassar, and James Wesley. Saturday, June 9: Laura Bell Bundy, Edens Edge, Casey James, Lonestar, Love and Theft, Kip Moore, Heidi Newfield, James Otto, Corey Smith, and Mel Tillis. Sunday, June 10:  Wade Bowen, Brett Eldredge, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, JT Hodges, Steve Holy, Jana Kramer, LoCash Cowboys, Lorrie Morgan, Sunny Sweeney, and Darryl Worley Performance order will be listed on CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, closer to the event. Artists and dates subject to change. Always a fan favorite area of CMA Music Festival, the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage lineup includes several past CMA Award winners: Tracy Lawrence – CMA Musical Event of the Year (2007) Lonestar – CMA Vocal Group of the Year (2001) Jo Dee Messina – CMA Horizon Award (1999) Montgomery Gentry – CMA Vocal Duo of the Year (2000) Lorrie Morgan – CMA Vocal Event of the Year (1990); CMA Album of the Year (1994) Oak Ridge Boys – CMA Vocal Group of the Year (1978), CMA Single of the Year (1981) Sawyer Brown – CMA Horizon Award (1985) Mel Tillis – CMA Entertainer of the Year (1976); Country Music Hall of Fame (2007) Admittance to the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage is free, but four-day ticket holders have an exclusive 45-minute, early-entrance window before the gates open to the general public. The Riverfront concerts are a popular destination for families who want to enjoy great musical performances while relaxing on the sloping bank above the Cumberland River. The concerts are fun in the sun within easy walking distance of all the Festival event sites, with food vendors, activities, and more. CMA Music Festival celebrates the unique relationship between Country Music artists and their fans in the heart of Music City USA. The artists participate for free, and on their behalf, CMA donates half the net proceeds of the Festival to support music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools through the Keep the Music Playing program. To date, more than $6.1 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies. The total also includes a $1 million endowment gift for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Words & Music program. For up-to-the-minute information about tickets, travel information, schedules, artist appearances and more, visit CMAfest.com, the official Internet home of CMA Music Festival. On CMAfest.com fans can buy four-day tickets (which includes all four Nightly Concerts at LP Field and the Fan Fair® Exhibit Hall), sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news, watch helpful videos to make their CMA Music Festival experience better than ever, follow the CMA Facebook and Twitter feeds for more insider info and of course see the entire lineup of Country Music’s biggest stars as they are announced for the event. CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA. Chevrolet™ is the Official Ride of Country Music. BIC is an Official Partner of the 2012 CMA Music Festival. -30-