ELLE KING & DIERKS BENTLEY SET TO HOST CMA FEST 2022 (AUDIO)
EK: I can’t wait to host the CMA fest.
DB: I can’t believe they’re letting us do it together.
EK: I know.
DB: It’s gonna be fun.
EK: They try to keep us apart.
DB: They do. They know the two of us together could be…
EK: Trouble?
DB: Can be too much. Yeah, I mean, I’m a lot and then us combined is kind of…
DB: They need us for primetime.
EK: They do.
DB: I mean, come on the two of us together, it’s explosive. It’s gonna be great. I’m excited. Actually, it’s fun because A) we’re together. Friends get a chance to hang out for four days together, but it’s gonna be huge for Nashville. This is the first time in three years I guess, since they’ve had the big downtown CMA Fest.
EK: Yeah, and the only other experience I’ve had with it is coming up there and singing with you. So yeah, I’m excited to do that again.
DB: Well we should do that again for sure. Yeah, and we should host the show.
EK: Yeah. What are you going to wear?
DB: I’m just gonna you know, I was thinking maybe summertime you know…
EK: Nice dress.
DB: Jorts. Yeah, cut off real high like dad high.
EK: Yeah, that’s nice!
DB: 70s dad style.
EK: Like very Brazilian.
DB: Yes. Probably gonna have to do that. Becuase I’m planning on going very high cut very high cut in my jorts. Yeah. What are you gonna wear?
EK: Same
DB: Oh, good.
EK: I look great in shorts, yeah.
DB: Maybe a tank top you know?
EK: Yeah, like that.
DB: Yeah it’ll be a good look.
EK: Keep it cool.
DB: Yeah, midriff maybe just airflow
EK: Yeah, exactly.
DB: Yeah, just it’s gonna be hot out there.”
EK: Honestly, you do love to show your belly.
DB: I’m pretty good at pushing it out. I mean, I can make it really stick out and then kind of scratch it a little bit.
EK: Yeah, that’s cool. That’s good for you because I have to work really hard and sucking mine in.
DB: No you look so good.
EK: Thank you.
DB: No one’s going to be looking at what I’m wearing because you’re gonna have on something amazing.
EK: That’s actually true.
DB: You are, and you have several I’m sure amazing outfits as you do.
EK: Well apparently you’re only supposed to really wear one but…
DB: So it looks like one night.
EK: that’s why I have layers so I can interchange.
DB: The fans know it’s a four day experience but on TV it’s a one night deal.
EK: Right.
“CMA FEST” HOSTED BY DIERKS BENTLEY AND ELLE KING TO AIR
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3 ON ABC
NASHVILLE—The Country Music Association announced today “CMA Fest,” the Music Event of Summer, will air Wednesday, Aug. 3 at 8/7c on ABC. The three-hour primetime concert special, bringing Country Music’s Ultimate Fan Experience to a national television audience, will be hosted by Dierks Bentley and Elle King.
“Not only are Dierks and Elle sensational artists, they’re great advocates for the Country community and have impeccable chemistry as hosts,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “I know the energy and camaraderie they bring to the stage will be felt by the millions of TV viewers around the globe.”
This marks both Bentley and King’s “CMA Fest” hosting debut. In addition to hosting, King joins the list of performers for the Nissan Stadium stage on Sunday, June 12. As previously announced, Bentley will also perform Sunday.
Filmed during Nashville’s four-day CMA Fest Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12, the television special features more than 30 performances and surprise collaborations on stage at Nissan Stadium. 2022 marks the 19th consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.
“CMA Fest” is executive-produced by Robert Deaton.
Hundreds of artists perform at CMA Fest, donating their time so a portion of ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music education initiatives across the United States through the CMA Foundation. CMA Fest is unlike any other, with tens of thousands of Country Music fans descending upon downtown Nashville for four straight days of live music on eight official stages as well as meet-and-greets and up-close-and-personal experiences for fans inside Fan Fair X. CMA Fest’s outdoor daytime stages are free and open to the public. All stage lineups are available in the Official CMA Connect App as well as CMAfest.com. Artist lineups are subject to change.
A limited number of four-day passes, plus recently announced single night tickets, for the Nissan Stadium nightly concerts are available at CMAfest.com or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST. Tickets are also available for CMA Fest Nighttime Concerts at Ascend Amphitheater, Fan Fair X and CMA Fest’s new Riverside Retreat, an exclusive premium destination along the Cumberland River. View all the perks and purchase four-day and single-day tickets at CMAfest.com/tickets.
Named the “gold standard” and topping Billboard’s list of the 10 Best Country Music Festivals, CMA Fest is the longest-running Country Music festival in the world. The 2019 CMA Fest sold out with capacity crowds and had the largest engagement by Country Music fans in the event’s history, with visitors from all 50 states and 37 international countries flocking to downtown Nashville.
About CMA Fest
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Now celebrating its 49th year, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and 37 international countries. In 2019, CMA Fest featured hundreds of artists performing—all to benefit music education. CMA Fest is a one-of-a-kind festival with artists donating their time to perform so ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music programs across the country through the CMA Foundation. This is the 19th consecutive year CMA has produced a summer music program to be broadcast as a network television special
Dierks Bentley and Elle King will host “CMA Fest,” the Music Event of Summer, airing Wednesday, Aug. 3 on ABC.
For more information about CMA Fest, visit CMAfest.com.
Press Contacts:
Catharine McNelly, CMA
Senior Director, Communications
Krista Farmer, CMA
Manager, Media Relations