Dierks Bentley Remembers Experiencing CMA Fest In The 90s

Dierks Bentley has come a long way since his first CMA Fest in 1994. Now, nearly three decades later, the Gravel & Gold star is hosting the iconic annual festival with Elle King and Lainey Wilson.

Bentley remembered his first-ever CMA Fest in the 90s, starting by catching performances at the Station Inn (a small venue in Nashville’s Gulch area known for hosting bluegrass bands in addition to classic country and Americana) to performing at Nissan Stadium in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Bentley reflected, per his record label:

“This is a great weekend for me, ‘cause I get to go from the Station Inn to the Stadium. I mean, I get to run my whole life in that little, you know, I started off going to watch a band play at the Station Inn back in 1994 with dreams of one day trying to make it as a country artist and nothing says country artist like playing the Stadium here in Nashville. So, it’s kind of a look back at my life in a short six-day period, and even the Hot Country Knights is like that’s to me Lower Broadway at its best…or worst. But, so it’s really, for me it’s a magical week of reflection and being a fan. I’m playing, but also just like total fan mode. I’ve always said I’m a fan of country music first and foremost, and this weekend is a great place to be a fan. It’s just the best of the best.”

Bentley was one of many country stars to take the Nissan Stadium stage during CMA Fest from June 8-11, and will co-host the upcoming televised special. The show will also feature Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Little Big Town, Jon Pardi, Ashley McBryde, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan and many others.

“Hosting the CMA Fest is the ultimate gig. It’s so fun,” Bentley said. “I mean, I’ve hosted some big awards show as well and those are great too, but this is a four-day festival, so I get to be there for four days. And which if I was doing it by myself, it would be great because you get a chance to see all your artist buddies you don’t see very often, hear great music, see the all-stars of the country music fans, people that travel from all over the world to be here and they bring the most energy. It’s the greatest fans to play in front of, BUT I get to co-host this with two of the funniest people I know – Elle King and Lainey Wilson. I mean, yes, talented beyond all talent, both incredible stylists vocally that sound like nobody else, great songwriters. You can list all that stuff. Whatever. Who cares? They’re funny. They’re so fun to be around. They make you laugh the whole time, so it doesn’t even feel like work. It just feels like this is ridiculous that I get the chance to hang out with these girls. So, yeah, we’re hosting the CMA Fest. Last year it was Elle and I; this year we’re bringing on Lainey Wilson. It’s gonna be…it’s fun. It’s going to be so much fun. I cannot wait. It’s gonna be the greatest CMA Fest of all time.”

CMA Fest will air on ABC (and will be available the next day on Hulu) on Wednesday, July 19 at 8 p.m./7 p.m. CT.