Carrie Underwood is First Artist Announced to Perform at 2012 CMA Music Festival

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The iconic CMA Music Festival will once again take over the Downtown Nashville campus for four days this summer, Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10, 2012. The event that USA Today calls "the crown jewel of Country Music festivals" started in 1972 as Fan Fair®. More than 40 years later, the legendary festival has become Nashville's signature music event, which annually attracts thousands of fans from all 50 states and around the globe and has raised millions of dollars for music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools. The event will once again be filmed for an ABC Television special airing later in the summer, shining a national spotlight on both the Country Music format and Music City USA.

Five-time CMA Award winner Carrie Underwood is the first artist announced as performing on the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during CMA Music Festival. Underwood has sold more than 13 million albums; has placed 14 No. 1 singles at the top of the charts; won three CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Awards (2006-2008); and has co-hosted the CMA Awards for the last four consecutive years. After winning "American Idol" in 2005, she made one of her first public appearances at CMA Music Festival, and has been a strong supporter of the event ever since. Underwood last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2010.

Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

"Normally we do not announce talent until early in the next year, but we wanted to be sure everyone knew that Carrie has already committed to perform at 2012 CMA Music Festival," said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "She continues to be one of our most requested artists, and we knew the fans would want to be aware so they could go ahead and make plans to attend our event."

Just in time for holiday gift giving, fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-(800)-745-3000. They can also purchase them by calling 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $115 to $325 plus handling fees. A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are also available, ranging from $32 to $124 plus handling fees, depending on type of vehicle.

Ticket and parking prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE.  For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, where they can sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news, follow the CMA Facebook and Twitter feeds for more insider info, play games, and of course see the entire lineup of Country Music's biggest stars as they are announced for the event.

CMA Music Festival celebrates the unique relationship between Country Music artists and their fans in the heart of Music City USA. The artists participate for free, and on their behalf, CMA donates half the net proceeds of the Festival to support music education through the Keep the Music Playing program.

To date, more than $4.7 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies, providing thousands of Metro Nashville Public Schools students with the resources and opportunities they could not have afforded on their own, and giving many of them a strong reason to remain in school. The total also includes an annual endowment gift for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Words & Music program, which assists language arts and music teachers with classroom instruction in the basics of songwriting. CMA will announce their donation from the 2011 CMA Music Festival in early 2012.

Featuring concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more, CMA Music Festival is an unparalleled celebration of America's music. In 2011, the event drew a record-setting 65,000 fans from all 50 states and 26 nations and, for the second consecutive year, sold out each night at LP Field for the star-packed nightly concerts in advance. According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, direct visitor spending generated by the Festival totaled more than $30 million. CMA Music Festival is a four-time winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association's LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010).

CMA Music Festival will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network. This is the ninth consecutive year that the event has been filmed for a network television special, a feat no other music festival has achieved. CBS aired the first CMA Music Festival special in 2004, with ABC airing it from 2005 onward. "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA.

SOURCE Country Music Association