When the temperatures start warming up in Nashville, you know the excitement level is also rising as fans and stars pour into Music City for the CMA Music Festival! This year’s music and fun-filled four-day extravaganza (formerly known as Fan Fair) officially begins Thursday morning, June 11th, with a performance by Gretchen Wilson. With the big day right around the corner, we thought this was a perfect time to share some stories about fans and Music Fest and getting a little crazy over the stars you love. (AUDIO INFO BELOW) 

• Visit cmamusicfest.com to learn all about this year’s event!

  Kenny Chesney says that fans are great, but sometimes, things just get wacky. (:32)
“Some of the more rabid ones, you know, they’ll follow us to the next city and follow us to the hotel. You know? (laughs) This is no lie…my steel guitar player, Jim Bob, one night had a heart attack in Virginia Beach, and there were some fans that literally beat the ambulance to the hospital. And that’s when I realized it was gettin’ a little bit…we had to stop those people (laughs). You know, you’re as nice as you can be! (laughs) Then you gotta…you know, but for the most part, it’s been, it’s okay.”

  Miranda Lambert recalls completely losing her cool when she met “Angels in Waiting” singer Tammy Cochran. (:24)
“I completely mobbed Tammy Cochran…randomly, for no reason, and was freakin’ out…it was during Fan Fair week. And I was up here with my parents, and I just completely, was the biggest gherm, groupie fan ever and would not shut up, and she probably hates me to this day (laughs). She doesn’t know it’s me, though! She doesn’t know it was me. I’m sure she doesn’t remember, so, yeah, that was probably my stupidest moment (laughs).”

  Martina McBride talks about the joys of performing for her fans. (:34)
“I love lookin’ out there and seein’ my fans, and people singin’ along, and when you think about the fact that they pay their hard-earned money for a ticket and they plan on it, and they, you know….I just remember the feeling going to concerts myself and how excited you’d get for weeks ahead of time and just all that excitement, and I think, ‘Wow! People are doin’ that comin’ to my show!’ And it makes me want to go out there and give ’em the very best show that I possibly can because it’s important, and it’s a privilege to get to be up there and to share that experience with them.”

  Brad Paisley talks about the passion of the fans attending the CMA Music Festival. (:32)
“You’re talkin’ about your most intense fan base and group of people being in the same place at one time once a year. Fan is short for fanatic, and these people are fanatics. I mean, they plan their vacation around that festival. You know, I love playin’ that festival. It’s like I say, you know, these are people that are very serious about music. These people, they know every word, they want to hear certain songs, they want to meet you, they want access, and they get it at this. And it’s really a great thing to be a part of.”

  Kellie Pickler recalls several occasions when she found herself starstruck. (:28)
“The first time I was really starstruck was, you know, of course, when I met Martina McBride, and when I met Dolly Parton. But the last time I was really starstruck, I met Shania Twain, and I started cryin’. I was so embarrassed, I was like, ‘Holy cow, I just totally, like, cried in front of Shania,’ and she was like, ‘No, don’t mess your make-up up.’ You know, I’m like, I know I probably scared her to death, but I made a fool of myself…sorry, Shania!”

  Carrie Underwood recalls loving her first experience with Music Fest back when she attended as a fan. (:08)
“I actually got the chance to come to CMA Music Fest back when it was Fan Fair when I was a little bit younger — about a decade ago actually. It was really awesome.”

  Carrie Underwood talks about Music Fest. (:16)
“Coming here, my very first CMA Music Fest right after Idol, that’s a moment I will never forget. It’s just…it’s amazing that country music does something like that, you know, for the fans. And the fans come to support their favorite country music people, doing a lot of autograph signing and things like that.”