On June 8, country music legend Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam, the kick-off event for the CMA Music Festival, will celebrate its 10 year anniversary. Marty started the event as way to welcome fans to country music’s biggest festival, but the jam has also raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for MusiCares, which provides assistance for music people in times of need.
This year’s event will feature performances by Doug Kershaw, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Dolly Parton, the Quebe Sisters Band, Connie Smith and Mel Tillis. Past performers have included Dierks Bentley, Neko Case, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Jerry Lee Lewis, Old Crow Medicine Show, Keith Urban and Porter Wagoner, among others.
“It’s hard to believe that the Late Night Jam is ten years old,” said Stuart. “I can’t help but think back on the first one. I was nervous; pacing and hoping that we’d have enough people show up. The show ended up being a sell-out and we’ve been going strong ever since. That first show was over 25,000 people ago, and it was also many good deeds ago from MusiCares, and a lot of really magical performances ago from some of my dearest musical friends. Every year I say, ‘How can I top that show?’ Somehow it happens and good things result from it. This year will be no different.”
The event takes place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville at 10pm. More information can be found here.
