INTRODUCTION:
For longtime country music fans, the name CMA Fest carries excitement, but for many of us who were there from the beginning, it will always echo with another name first. Fan Fair was more than an event. It was a feeling, a ritual, and a yearly pilgrimage that turned Nashville into the beating heart of country music. Even for those who could not attend this year, the memories it stirs remain as vivid as ever.
Before it became a polished, city-wide celebration, Fan Fair was built on something simple and powerful. It was about connection. Fans waited patiently under the summer sun, artists shook hands without barriers, and music felt close enough to touch. The heat was relentless, the chance of rain always present, yet no one complained. Being there mattered more than comfort. That consistency never changed, no matter what the festival was called.
My own memories stretch back to 1975, the first time I experienced Fan Fair. Nashville felt different then. Smaller, slower, and more personal. Over the decades, the event grew, and so did my involvement. Years later, standing on major stages like the Riverfront and Bridgestone Arena felt surreal. Performing there wasn’t just another job. It was a reminder of how far both the festival and the artists had come together.
One of the most unforgettable chapters came in 2010, a year that perfectly captures the demanding and joyful chaos of CMA Fest. That day included performing Farewell Party seven times in a single day, each time with a different backing band. It was exhausting in the moment, no doubt about it. Yet with time, that experience has turned into a story worth smiling about. Those are the moments that define a career, not because they are easy, but because they become memories that last.
What truly defines the journey from Fan Fair to CMA Fest is the unwavering presence of the fans. Faces change, generations pass, but the devotion remains. You see families who first attended together decades ago now returning with children and grandchildren. That continuity is rare in modern entertainment, and it speaks volumes about the soul of country music itself.
Artists, too, have always felt that bond. Whether signing autographs, sharing stories, or stepping on stage multiple times a day, the exchange has always gone both ways. The festival has served as a meeting ground where respect flows naturally between performer and listener. That spirit is something no rebrand or name change can erase.
Looking back at old photos from those years, including moments featuring Gene Watson, you see more than performances. You see history in motion. Each image captures a snapshot of an era when the music industry felt grounded, human, and deeply personal.
Whatever name it carries in the future, this Nashville tradition must continue to protect what made it special in the first place. CMA Fest, like Fan Fair before it, succeeds because it honors memory, community, and music above all else. And for those of us who lived it year after year, those memories will always play on, louder than the heat, stronger than the rain, and timeless in every sense of the word.
VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/agmXzGnR3LA?si=6_wIc9WQa7LBZGhB