CMA Music Fest 2015 is winding down on the last full day, to include performances from Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Keith Urban and many more to close it out. Over the course of several days, hundreds of artists performed and thousands upon thousands came to Nashville to see them. For the artists themselves, they love this week to get up close and personal with the fans.

“I truly love this week for, I mean, hundreds of reasons. I always remember my first ones starting out and doing River Stages and always dreaming of coming over here and performing at LP Field,” says Luke Bryan. “I did my fan club party, and I truly love that opportunity to do that show for them really, really kind of acoustic and a chance to kind of sit there and be real with them for a little bit, and then obviously through the day and being here tonight. It’s an amazing night of music and an amazing week for Nashville and it’s a great, great week for me.”

Darius Rucker agrees with Luke’s sentiment about the week. “Being at CMA Fest, I love it! It’s such a great festival, and I can’t believe they can put it together every year and get everybody to play every year. It’s so great for Nashville, and it’s great for country music.”

Tickets for next year’s CMA Music Festival go on sale Friday, June 19th.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (June 13, 2015) – Here’s a piece of advice for country music fans: Don’t miss an opportunity to see Eric Church live because you never know what will happen.

This time around on the always-eventful Outsiders World Tour, Church opened for himself in front of a record crowd at The Amphitheater on The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, playing a 45-minute acoustic set before joining his full band for his regular show. The seven-time GRAMMY Award-nominated singer played 28 songs over a period of nearly three hours, mixing deep cuts like “Before She Does” and “Carolina” with hits “Talladega,” “Cold One” and “Wrecking Ball” from universally acclaimed 2014 album “The Outsiders.”

Church has vowed that no two shows on The Outsiders Tour will be the same and fans and critics have responded with enthusiasm. A venue record 10,021 fans sang along the whole night in Orange Beach. It’s the fifth attendance record for Church on the tour, which has been ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Tours list.

The Outsiders Tour returns the road June 20 in Marion, Illinois, but not before Church makes two more high-profile appearances in a week full of them. First he joins Kenny Chesney’s The Big Revival Tour tonight at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Then he’s back in Nashville for the second time this week to help close down the CMA Music Festival at LP Field on Sunday.

For more information about Church and tour dates, visit www.EricChurch.com.

Lady Antebellum picked up the Group Video of the Year award for “Bartender” at last week’s CMT Music Awards, and they couldn’t be more excited, because in addition to their Wheels Up 2015 Tour, it means they’re on the right track musically.

“Our goal is, it is about the ‘Long Stretch of Love.’ It’s about trying to continue our journey as a band and really push ourselves, and always try to realize that to not try to chase the staying at the top as much as trying to make sure we chase what we feel like is who we are musically, that we’re doing something that we’re proud of,” says Lady A’s Charles Kelley. “This tour has been probably, for us, the biggest kind of confirmation that we’re on the right track. I think this is one of our biggest tours we’ve ever had, and having Sam Hunt and Hunter Hayes out with us is obviously been huge, as well. The fans are loving it, and I don’t know. Again, that’s the affirmation that we need that we’re doing the right thing.”

Lady A’s Hillary Scott is thrilled their “Bartender” video was celebrated with an award, because they had a blast making it. “That video in particular, we had so much fun with Kate Upton and Tony Hale, and it was great. We were literally laughing the whole time, and so to be acknowledged for that one was really awesome.”

The members of Lady Antebellum are currently climbing the chart with their latest single, “Long Stretch of Love,” from their 747 album.

Little Big Town realized a full circle moment when they took to the stage to perform “Elvira” with the Oak Ridge Boys during this year’s CMA Music Fest.

“I saw the Oak Ridge Boys – it was my very first concert as a little girl in Maryville, Indiana at the Star Amphitheater, I think they call it, and they’ve been playing there ever since,” says Karen Fairchild. “It’s such a full circle moment for me, standing in front of that stadium crowd last night and singing ‘Elvira.’ I just love them. Their hearts, they have the most generous, kind, beautiful hearts, and we can only hope and pray to have long careers like them.”

Little Big Town have returned as hosts for CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock for the third year. The special is scheduled to air August 4th at 8pm ET on ABC.

The band is currently climbing the charts with “Girl Crush,” their latest single from Pain Killer.

Paul McCartney, Sting, Lady Gaga, Rush, Billy Joel, have all taken to the main stage at the Festival De Quebec, as will The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Doobie Brothers and Iggy Azalea over the next ten days. But the highlight of the Festival for country music fans was the historic main stage performance by Keith Urban who, on Friday night, broke a four-decade old country music drought when he became the first county artist to perform at the historic festival.

“We honestly had no idea of what to expect when Mr. Urban arrived here in Quebec,” said Louis Bellavance, programming director of the festival.  “We were hoping that our fans would be ready for country but it was somehow a blind date for lots of them. But his unbelievable performance, professionalism and graciousness, were not only beyond all expectation, they showed us why Country music is so popular. It was a first for the Festival d’été de Québec, but thanks to Keith Urban, we’ll have country music again for the years to come on our main stage!”

“It was a huge honor to have been invited to Quebec to play the historic Le Festival d’ete de Quebec,” said Urban.  “It was a phenominal experience – the power, energy and love from the crowd was beyond anything I could’ve imagined happening.  I so hope that we get to do it again.”

Before what event organizers estimated as a crowd of 70,000, Urban grabbed a hold of them and didn’t let go as they sang, danced, cheered and even cried along with Urban, whose two-hour set electrified.

For more Keith Urban news and tour information go to www.keithurban.net

Scotty McCreery is having a great time during this year’s CMA Music Festival. The North Carolina native performed at his fan club party and invited Lauren Alaina on stage as a surprise to the fans to perform “I Told You So.” He also performed on the Riverfront Stage, signed thousands of autographs and played the Grand Ole Opry where he met movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Arnold.

Gary Allan has released the video for his latest single, “Hangover Tonight.” Check it out below.

Little Big Town will return to host CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock for the third time. The special is scheduled to air August 4th at 8pm ET on ABC. “We are honored to host this incredible party for another year,” says LBT’s Jimi Westbrook. “We look forward to this week all year long, and being able to spend all four days with the fans is just incredible. Big thanks to ABC and the CMA for having us back!”

Keith Urban has been tapped as one of the headliners of the PlentiTogether Live concert July 19th at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom. The show will also feature performances by Nick Jonas and Pitbull.

Lady Antebellum, who picked up the CMT Award for Group Video of the Year for “Bartender” this week, tweeted that they will team up with electronic dance music producer and DJ Audien on the song called “Something Better.”

Lady Antebellum ‏@ladyantebellum  Jun 9

We are so excited to be featured on the upcoming song “Something Better” by our amazingly talented friend @Audien. Stay tuned…coming soon!

Grand Ole Opry member Jim Ed Brown passed away Thursday night (June 11^th). Brown, who was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in March with his sisters Maxine and Bonnie, died at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, Tennessee (south of Nashville). He was diagnosed with lung cancer in September. He was 81.

Fellow Opry member Dierks Bentley said he always enjoyed running into him backstage at the Opry, and the legendary performer always had a nice word to say.

He’s just a really nice, nice guy, a great singer and a great ambassador to the next generation of how country should be even as it grows and leaves some of its roots behind. He’s a great example of what it’s all about.”

Alan Jackson had a blast when he teamed up with Steven Tyler to film a couple of skits for Wednesday night’s CMT Music Awards. Steven played a “Guuber” driver, who picked Alan up to take him to the awards. The two seemed to get along famously, even singing Alan’s huge hit “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” together, followed by a little “Walk This Way.” Alan had previously met the Aerosmith rocker and his family at one of his shows in Boston years ago, and he says Steven is very genuine.

“He’s a character. I mean, I haven’t been around him that much, but he’s always wide open, and that’s the way he was at this little shoot, but really just full of energy,” says Alan. “He’s got a lot of soul. He’s a singer, and he’s just genuine. He seems really nice. I was very surprised at how nice he really is.”

Apparently, the second skit was due to some adlibbing the pair did during the shoot, and the show’s producer liked it so much, he put it in the show.

Alan is getting ready to release his new album, Angels and Alcohol, July 17th.