Some locals may not like all that company in town at once (that’s their prob, tho!) but I love it. It’s great to see ALL that music and ALL those fans converge for a great time.
As far as music-wise, I did take in the free Sara Evans show Sat. evening and then the Gatlin Bros on Sunday morning on the Riverfront. Good stuff!
See y’all next year!

Here’s my take:

The Convention Center was great if you avoided the mob of people trying to get in early. I showed up about 15 minutes after it opened every morning, and it was never even that crowded.

I got to Nashville Monday night and went to the Global Artist Show. The highlight was Victoria Banks. I think she is nominated for 7 CCMA awards. She wrote “Saints & Angels” for Sara Evans. Anyway, she was great!

Tuesday night, I went to the Nashville Navy Show. I got their about 15 minutes late and missed James Otto’s surprise performance. I did get there in time to meat him though. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy.

Wednesday was packed. We got up early for the GAC breakfast, which was my highlight of the week. We got intimate performances from Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Mark Wills, and others and also got to meet them after the show.

My 4-year old son really enjoyed the parade later that afternoon, and we watched Trent Tomlinson at the block party before going back to the hotel to get ready for the softball game.

The softball game was kind of fun, but I don’t think I would need to ever go again.

I never once made it to the Riverfront Stage. I spent most of everyday going back and forth between the Chevy Stage and Hard Rock Stage. Bomshel, Julie Roberts, and Bo Bice were the highlights of the Chevy Stage. Her & Kings County and the Amber Leigh band stole the show at the Hard Rock Stage

Sugarland and the Zac Brown Band highlighted the LP Field shows for me. I didn’t see most of Saturday night’s show since I took my son back to the hotel so my wife could enjoy Martina and Trace.

I loved the convention center. I’ve met very few celebrities, and I though it was a blast! Rhonda Vincent was very sweet, and so was Rachel Williams (who is she? check her out http://www.rachelwilliamsonline.com).

Anyway, I hope to go back next year!

My week started out at Carrie’s party and let me tell you there is huge difference between seeing an artist in concert then seeing them with about only 800 others. It was very intimate, and she was so candid and this may surprise sum but she was real funny (I was). She pulls out all the stops for her fans, a gift bag of all her favorite things. *sidetrack- I knew there would be an exhibit at the HOF with her dress and it said her accolades. Saying that when I walked in the Opry and saw her awards there I totally thought that case would be making its way to HOF afterwards, but no I was wrong she brought them to show her fans what they helped accomplish. There was one of each major award, and to see CMA, ACM, and a Grammy up close is something else, they are beautiful.

She then came out slammed Ever After took a drink and said “I love you all, but right now not so much, you pick the hardest songs possible for me to sing, and I haven’t sung in two months, but we’ll get through it”, very light hearted. “Stand By Your Man” the people just went crazy for it and yes got a huge roar when she said she would like to record an album full of similar songs one day. What blew my mind was “How Great Thou Art” now that is when you see her vocals shine and it is spine chilling how good she did. After the songs which I think she did nine or ten, came and Q&A with Lance Smith, with submitted questions from the fans. When asked about winning the Entertainer of the Year she seemed to get rather chocked up. Then came a game with some huge give aways. We left there speechless.

It was back to the Opry at night to see a magnificant show. Trace Atkins was great, that was my first time seeing him, but it was the Opry greats that did it for me. Ricky Skaggs was real good. Everyone seems to be really at home when they perform there. It really is a special feeling seeing a performance there and I can’t wait to go again.

You read above about the two hour rain delay but it was well worth the wait for the 40,000 some odd who stayed. Brad finished his set at 2:40am, and nobody minded. He said “you know they told me to only sing four songs, cause it will be 2:00am, what do you guys think”? To the fans roar he performed another three songs. I was a little disappointed that Rascal Flatts didn’t stick it out, apparently they had a show the next day, but what got me was Darius Rucker is their opener and he stayed and performed after the rain delay.

All in all like I said I will be going for the whole week next year, and I am not going to miss a thing (already booked last week, you need to or you will not get good seats!)Actually I think I will skip the pandamonium that is the Convention Centre for autographs, as I did this year. There were stories of people on the news camping out the night before, people getting trampled on, broken and spraind ankles, that’s just not for me!

Everyone should really experience it at least once!!!

Great write up!

Nice write-up too.