John Rich still remembers the first time he attended CMA Fest, a festival dedicated to country music fans, as a teenager.
Rich, who was 16 at the time, saved up his money to see the Judds play live.
“The first time I ever came I was about 16 or 17, saved up my money. I bought a ticket to Fan Fare [now named CMA Fest] to come see the Judds: Wynonna and Naomi,” Rich told Fox News Digital in June when the 2023 CMA Fest was playing.
He continued, “It was the biggest thrill I’ve ever had at that point in my life because I got that close to some of my heroes in country music.”
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WATCH: John Rich remembers attending CMA Fest for the first time
Though Rich didn’t perform at this year’s CMA Fest – he put on a show at his downtown Nashville bar Redneck Riviera – Jason Aldean did, and he expressed to Fox News Digital he was very excited to participate in the festival’s 50th anniversary.
“When I think back to how this whole thing got started, it was way before I got to town and before any of us got to town,” Aldean said in June. “To be one of the artists that gets to carry that on, to me is really cool.”
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He continued, “It’s only gotten bigger and better every single year. It’s always good to be a part of that and be a part of country music history.”
WATCH: Jason Aldean talks 50th anniversary of CMA Fest
Adam Doleac echoed Aldean’s statement, saying that every year the festival is “all of my buddies in the same spot playing shows.”
“It has the best fans in country music all in the same place,” he continued. “We get to play shows for people who have been wanting us to play for a long time. It’s a great week.”
Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley headlined the popular weekend event hosted by the Country Music Association last month.
Bentley spoke about hosting the 2023 CMA Fest with Lainey Wilson and Elle King: “I feel really lucky to be hosting with both of them.”
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Wilson kicked off CMA Fest with Tractor Supply Co. to host the Bell Bottom Barn Dance. The invite-only event was full of members from Wilson’s fan club and included performances from the “Heart Like a Truck” singer and members of Tractor Supply’s “Emerging Artists Program.”
Of co-hosting with King and Wilson, Bentley added, “A lot of hosting is just spending time together. I like being around both of them, they are great people, great artists, I have tremendous respect for them. They’re both very funny in completely different ways, and they’re just good friends.”
The 2023 CMA Fest special is scheduled to air July 19 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET and on Hulu the following day.
