DIERKS BENTLEY, BRANTLEY GILBERT, ALAN JACKSON, SCOTTY McCREERY, AND BLAKE SHELTON WILL PERFORM AT 2012 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL

NASHVILLE - Dierks Bentley, Brantley Gilbert, Alan Jackson, Scotty McCreery, and reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton have joined the performance lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2012 CMA Music Festival. The event that USA Today calls "the crown jewel of Country Music festivals" will once again take over downtown Nashville for four days this summer, Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10, 2012. 

Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, and Zac Brown Band were previously announced as performing at the legendary Festival, which has grown since starting in 1972 as Fan Fair® to become Nashville's signature music event. Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks. 

 

Bentley won the CMA Horizon Award in 2005. He recently released the album Home, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album contains the No. 1, Gold-certified single "Am I the Only One" and the current, Top Five-and-rising single, "Home."  

Gilbert, who will make his debut performance on the Nightly Concerts at LP Field this year, was a 2011 CMA Awards nominee in the Song of the Year category for co-writing "Dirt Road Anthem" with Colt Ford. His current album is Halfway to Heaven Deluxe, featuring the No. 1 Gold-certified single "Country Must Be Country Wide."

Jackson has won 16 CMA Awards, including three Entertainer of the Year Awards (1995, 2002, 2003); two Male Vocalist of the Year Awards (2002, 2003); two Album of the Year Awards (1994 for Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles, and 2002 for Drive); two Single of the Year Awards (1993 for "Chattahoochee" and 2002 for "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)"); two Song of the Year Awards (1994 for "Chattahoochee" and 2002 for "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)"); two Music Video of the Year Awards (1992 for "Midnight in Montgomery" and 1993 for "Chattahoochee"); and three Vocal Event of the Year Awards (1993 for "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" with George Jones, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, T. Graham Brown, Mark Chesnutt, Joe Diffie, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, and Travis Tritt; 2000 for "Murder on Music Row" with George Strait; and 2003 for "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Jimmy Buffett). He has earned 80 CMA Award nominations over the years, second only to George Strait. Jackson is one of only four songwriters who have written and recorded more than two dozen songs that they've also taken to the top of the charts - his elite company in that achievement includes Merle Haggard, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney. Jackson is currently climbing the charts with his new single, "So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore," from his forthcoming album on ACR (Alan's Country Records) and EMI Records Nashville.   

McCreery is the reigning "American Idol" winner. His debut album, Clear as Day, has been certified Platinum, and his singles "I Love You This Big" and "The Trouble With Girls" have both been certified Gold.

Shelton has won three CMA Awards, including two consecutive Male Vocalist of the Year Awards (2010, 2011) and one Musical Event of the Year Award (2010 for "Hillbilly Bone" with Trace Adkins). He currently stars as a mentor on the No. 1 television series "The Voice" on NBC. Shelton's current album, the Gold-certified Red River Blue, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album features two No. 1 and Platinum-certified singles, "Honey Bee" and "God Gave Me You," as well as the current hit "Drink on It."

                                                                                                                                                                 Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-(800)-745-3000. They can also purchase them by calling 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $125 to $325 plus handling fees. A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are also available, ranging from $32 to $124 plus handling fees, depending on the size of vehicle.

Ticket and parking prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE.  For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800- CMA -FEST.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, where they can sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news, follow the CMA Facebook and Twitter feeds for more insider info, play games, and of course see the entire lineup of Country Music's biggest stars as they are announced for the event.

Lay's Potato Chips and Dollar General Give Fans Chance to Win Exclusive Trip to CMA Music Festival in Nashville

Ten Lucky Winners will see Country Music's Biggest Names Rock the Stage at the 40th Annual Country Music Celebration; Sweepstakes Ends May 22, 2011

PR Newswire

PLANO, Texas, May 17, 2011

PLANO, Texas, May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lay's, America's favorite potato chip and a leading brand from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, is teaming up with Dollar General and the Country Music Association (CMA) for a sweepstakes that will give fans the chance to win a trip to the 2011 CMA Music Festival. The ultimate country music celebration will feature country music superstars such as Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Reba, and more.
From now until May 22, 2011, at 11:59 PM/CT, fans can enter the Lay's/Dollar General CMA Music Festival sweepstakes at www.dollargeneral.com for their chance to win. Ten winners will be selected to receive an exclusive, four-night CMA Music Festival experience for two that includes air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, festival tickets and $500 in spending money.
CMA Music Festival takes place Thursday, June 9, through Sunday, June 12, 2011, in downtown Nashville. The event, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, includes an exciting line-up of live concerts featuring some of country music's iconic legends, current hit-makers and up-and-coming performers. Thousands of country music fans from around the world attend the festival each year, enjoying live performances, autograph signings, family activities, and more. Lay's is the official snack of this year's CMA Music Festival and the sponsor of the Lay's Stage at Bridgestone Plaza, which will welcome dozens of popular performers throughout the event.
The Lay's/Dollar General CMA Music Festival sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia, 18 and older.  Visit www.dollargeneral.com for more information. To learn more about the CMA Music Festival, visit www.CMAfest.com.
About Lay's
Lay's potato chips is one of the billion-dollar brands that makes up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY.  Learn more about Lay's by visiting www.facebook.com/lays.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable and wholesome foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

New group of artists added to CMA Music Fest

NASHVILLE - Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley and New Artist of the Year Zac Brown Band join Easton Corbin, Sara Evans, the JaneDear girls, Little Big Town, Ashton Shepherd, Josh Turner, and Chris Young as the next group of performers announced for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2011 CMA Music Festival, which celebrates its 40^th anniversary this year. The legendary four-day event will be held Thursday-Sunday, June 9-12, 2011 in Downtown Nashville, and will once again be filmed for an ABC Television special that will air later this summer.

Previously announced performers include Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, and Keith Urban, with more to be revealed later.

The artists announced thus far for CMA Music Festival have won a total of 52 CMA Awards and earned 240 CMA Award nominations. Paisley is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year; Lambert is the reigning Female Vocalist, Album, and Music Video of the Year winner, as well as the performer of the Song of the Year ("The House That Built Me"); Shelton is both the reigning Male Vocalist and, with Adkins, the reigning Musical Event of the Year winner; Lady Antebellum is the reigning Vocal Group and performers of the Single of the Year ("Need You Now"); Zac Brown Band is the reigning New Artist of the Year; and Reba was recently announced as a 2011 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

"After 40 years, we are still making history," said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "This is the first time that our Nightly Concerts lineup at LP Field includes the current Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Vocal Group, and New Artist of the Year, as well as a new inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. We are excited to present the fans with the opportunity to enjoy this outstanding group of performers."  

CMA Music Festival, which started as Fan Fair® in 1972, is Nashville's signature music event. USA Today calls the annual Country conclave "the crown jewel of Country Music festivals." The Festival annually attracts thousands of fans from all 50 states and around the globe while raising millions of dollars for music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting the all-new CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, which makes its debut today. On CMAfest.com fans can buy tickets, 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 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 $4.7 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies. The total also includes an annual endowment gift for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Words & Music program.

Featuring concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more, CMA Music Festival is an unparalleled celebration of America's music. In 2010, the event drew a record-setting 65,000 fans from all 50 states and 26 nations and, for the first time, sold out each night at LP Field for the star-packed nightly concerts in advance. According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, direct visitor spending generated by the Festival totaled more than $23 million. CMA Music Festival is a four-time winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association's LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010).

Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-(800)-745-3000. They can also purchase them through CMAfest.com or 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $115 to $325 plus handling fees.

 

Ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are available. Call toll-free 1-800-CMA-FEST, 1-800-345-3000 (Ticketmaster) or www.ticketmaster.com to order. The price is $32 for cars; $64 for vans/shuttles; and $124 for RVs/motor coaches. Prices do not include handling fee. Spaces are limited, and no overnight parking is allowed. All persons planning to park at LP Field must pre-purchase the parking pass. Free shuttles (for four-day registrants) will run daily between major Festival event locations.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA.

Performers Announced for CMA Festival

Nashville's Signature Music Event Celebrates 40th Anniversary And Will Once Again Be Filmed for ABC Television Special

The iconic CMA Music Festival will celebrate its 40^th anniversary when it takes over the Downtown Nashville campus for four days this summer, Thursday-Sunday, June 9-12, 2011. The event that USA Today calls "the crown jewel of Country Music festivals" started in 1972 as Fan Fair®. Forty years later, the legendary festival has become Nashville's signature music event, which annually attracts thousands of fans from all 50 states and around the globe while raising millions of dollars for music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools. 2011 will also mark the eighth consecutive year that CMA Music Festival will be filmed for a network television special, shining a national spotlight on both the Country Music format and "Music City USA."

Reigning Female Vocalist Miranda Lambert

   

The reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert, Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton, and Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum join Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Sheryl Crow, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, and Keith Urban as the first artists announced as performers during the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during CMA Music Festival. This will be Crow's first performance at CMA Music Festival. Additional names and performance schedules will! be announced in coming weeks.

"This is an excellent collection of superstar artists to launch 2011 CMA Music Festival, continuing the legacy started 40 years ago by artists such as Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette at the first Fan Fair," said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer.  

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting the all-new CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, which makes its debut today.  On CMAfest.com fans can buy tickets, 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 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 $4.7 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies, providing thousands of Metro Nashville Public Schools students with the resources and opportunities they could not have afforded on their own, and giving many of them a strong reason to remain in school. The total also includes an annual endowment gift for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Words & Music program, which assists language arts and music teachers with classroom instruction in the basics of songwriting.

Featuring concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more, CMA Music Festival is an unparalleled celebration of America's music. In 2010, the event drew a record-setting 65,000 fans from all 50 states and 26 nations and, for the first time, sold out each night at LP Field for the star-packed nightly concerts in advance. According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, direct visitor spending generated by the Festival totaled more than $23 million. CMA Music Festival is a four-time winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association's LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010).

Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-(800)-745-3000. They can also purchase them through CMAfest.com or 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $115 to $325 plus handling fees.

Ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE.  For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are available. Call toll-free 1-800-CMA-FEST, 1-800-345-3000 (Ticketmaster) or www.ticketmaster.com to order. The price is $32 for cars; $64 for vans/shuttles; and $124 for RVs/motor coaches. Prices do not include handling fee. Spaces are limited, and no overnight parking is allowed. All persons planning to park at LP Field must pre-purchase the parking pass. Free shuttles (for four-day registrants) will run daily between major Festival event locations.

CMA Music Festival will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network late this summer. This is the eighth consecutive year that the event has been filmed for a network television special, a feat no other music festival has achieved. CBS aired the first CMA Music Festival special in 2004, with ABC airing it from 2005 onward. "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton.

CMA Music Fest to announce lineup via Facebook

Throughout its history, CMA Music Festival has always been a celebration of the fans and their unique relationship with Country Music and its artists. To honor that relationship and kick-off the countdown to the 40^th anniversary of the event that began as Fan Fair®, the first performers for 2011 CMA Music Festival will be unveiled on CMA's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/countrymusicassociation) on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 10:00 AM (CST). Fans should visit the page and click "like" button in order to have the news show up in their news feed on Facebook.  A press release announcing th! e performers will be distributed to media outlets later that morning.   

"We know our fans will be excited to have this opportunity to learn, before anyone else, which artists are among the initial group of performers for 2011 CMA Music Festival," said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

2011 CMA Music Festival will take place Thursday-Sunday, June 9-12, 2011 in Downtown Nashville. Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-(800)-745-3000. They can also purchase them through CMAfest.com or 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $115 to $325 plus handling fees.  Ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Child! ren 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. 

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA.