CMA Fest 2022 Day 2 Best Moments: Wynonna Judd Joins Carly Pearce, Kane Brown Packs in Hits & More

It was truly a “girls night out” during the second night of performances at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium for the 2022 CMA Fest on Friday (June 10).

Deana Carter Wynonna Judd Kelsea Ballerini Maddie & Tae Lily Rose and Carly Pearce , The evening was filled with performances by women artists who shared their stories, their lives, their dreams, their life, and their hopes and their own, their journeys and their life-affirming moments and their lives, their goals, and their lives, their hearts and their experiences, their, and their true, their lives and their most importantly, their, their, and their love and their families, their children and their parents and their children.

Of course, the night also featured some stellar performances from the guys, as Cole Swindell performed his new release “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” (a nod to Jo Dee Messina‘s 1996 hit “Heads Carolina, Tails California”), while Thomas Rhett and Kane Brown each turned in hit-filled sets.

Here are six memorable moments from Friday night’s show.

Wynonna Judd and Carly Pearce Steal the Show

Judd and Pearce were the evening’s most talked-about highlights. After performing her new release, “What He Didn’t Do” earlier in the evening, Pearce told the crowd, “We lost one of our pillars in country music earlier this year … my first concert was to see Wynonna and I’ve always loved all of the music that the Judds made and just feel that is a representation of the best of country music. So CMA Fest, please make welcome Wynonna Judd!” Judd walked onstage, smiling and bowing slightly to the crowd, saying, “Let’s go back to the ’80s,” and later adding, “Let’s do this for mama.” Judd joined fellow Kentucky native Pearce onstage as the two sang The Judds’ 1984 hit “Why Not Me,” just weeks after the passing of The Judds’ matriarch Naomi Judd on April 30, one day before The Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Pearce’s pure soprano was a match for Judd’s soulful growl at Nissan Stadium. Wynonna stated to the crowd, “We need more celebrations.” “Thank you .”

for tonight.”

Deana Carter Offers a Set of Timeless Hits

Similar to the Thursday evening lineup at Nissan Stadium, Friday’s CMA Fest evening show started with a nod to the ’80s/’90s era of country music. Carter recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of her 1995 album, Did I Shave My Legs for This? , and the Nashville native’s all-too-brief, five-song set was filled with compositions from that project, including “Count Me In,” “How Do I Get There,” and her signature hit “Strawberry Wine.” “It’s about throwing your cares to the wind and having fun, which is what we are doing tonight!” she told the crowd, before launching into another timeless tune, “We Danced Anyway.”

Kelsea Ballerini’s Acoustic Moment

Ballerini opened her set with the self-affirming pop tune “Miss Me More” before moving on to a complex mashup featuring three of her songs, “Love Me like You Mean It,” and “Dibs.” The audience was captivated by Ballerini’s vulnerability and willingness to share her struggles with anxiety. She also performed “hole in the bottle”

. Ballerini finished her performance by wearing a sparkly cowgirl cap and performing “hole In the bottle .”.”

Lainey Wilson Continues Her Star-Making Turn

Building on two Billboard Country Airplay No. Wilson achieved another milestone by bringing her brand “bell bottom country” to her first CMA Fest performance at Nissan Stadium. She was joined by Swindell for “Never Say Never” and took her turn in the spotlight with ease.

Thomas Rhett Revs the Crowd with “Vacation”

Rhett may be best known for songs such as his 2015 ballad “Die a Happy Man,” which he did perform during his Nissan Stadium set, but it was the frenetic pace of “Vacation” — a song that barely cracked the top 30 on country radio — that instantly turned the massive stadium into a club scene, with the audience cheering, jumping and dancing in their seats. Rhett’s set included hits like “Craving You” without Maren Morris, “Slow Down Summer”, and “Country Again “.

Kane Brown Packs in the Hits

In his set, Brown mentioned that his performances at CMA Fest were limited to a few songs. Brown proved why he is a concert powerhouse on Friday night. He packed out arenas on his Blessed & Free Tour and is now preparing for an international tour later in the year. Even with a 45-minute set, Brown couldn’t fit in all of the hits he’s earned since notching his first Country Airplay chart leader back in 2017 with “What Ifs.” His Nissan Stadium set included “Homesick,” “Good as You,” “One Mississippi,” “One Thing Right,” and “What Ifs.” Since 2017, Brown’s earned seven No. Brown has a unique performance style that is both engaging, energetic, and personal. He has had seven No. 1 Country Airplay hits. He moved around the stage to be closer to the audience, and during several songs, he took selfies and videos with fans’ phones. This was much to the delight and delight of the fans. He also performed songs from his forthcoming album, including “Riot”, and kept the evening’s nods towards classic country eras going with his new album “Like I Love Country Music “.

CMA Fest runs from June 9-12 in downtown Nashville.

Read More

Elroy Pepper

I have been writing professionally for over 20 years and have a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional elements that affect people. I’m an experienced ghostwriter and editor, as well as an award-winning author of five novels.