Elle King, Dierks Bentley and Lainey Wilson to Host CMA Fest 2023

The summer concert special will air July 19 at 8/7c on ABC

The longest-running country music festival in the world gets bigger and better each year.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest, Elle King, Dierks Bentley and Lainey Wilson will be hosting a three-hour primetime special airing this summer.

"Each of these artists have a deep passion for CMA Fest and the Country Music fans from around the globe who travel to Nashville for the event," Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said in the press release. "We are thrilled to have all three of them together to help us celebrate 50 years!"

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The CMA Fest special, which is set to air July 19, will include surprise never-before-seen performances in addition to parts of the filmed festival that is taking place this week from June 8-11 in Nashville.

In 2022, Bentley and King co-hosted as a duo, and this year Wilson — whom Trahern said will only "amplify" the energy from last year — is joining for CMA’s 20th consecutive summer concert special broadcasting on ABC.

The first CMA Fest took place in 1972 and garnered 5,000 attendees in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium. Fifty years later, tens of thousands of fans come from all over the world to attend what is called "The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience."

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Artists who perform at CMA Fest do not get paid for their performances but rather volunteer so ticket profits can go toward the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit created in 2011 that aims to support equitable music programs around the country.

According to the CMA Foundation, its efforts focus "on providing sustainability, advocacy and accountability within music education by investing in various resources for students, schools and communities."

This year's headliners include Luke Combs, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Tim McGraw and more — including hosts King, Bentley and Wilson.

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CMA Fest, the Music Event of Summer, airs Wednesday, July 19 at 8/7c on ABC.

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