'CMA FEST' HOSTED BY DIERKS BENTLEY AND ELLE KING TO AIR WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3, ON ABC

The Country Music Association announced today "CMA Fest," the Music Event of Summer, will air WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3, at 8/7c on ABC. The three-hour primetime concert special, bringing Country Music's Ultimate Fan Experience to a national television audience, will be hosted by Dierks Bentley and Elle King.

"I'm thrilled we get to partner with Dierks and Elle as our hosts this year," says CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. "They have such passion for the fans. I know the chemistry and camaraderie they bring to the stage will be felt by the millions of TV viewers around the globe."

"We are excited to once again collaborate with our longtime partners at CMA for this summer's must-see music event, 'CMA Fest,'" said Rob Mills, executive vice president, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television. "With Dierks Bentley and Elle King hosting the evening, music fans everywhere can be sure to expect an unforgettable night featuring the biggest names in country music."

This marks both Bentley and King's "CMA Fest" hosting debut. Bentley takes the Nissan Stadium stage to perform Sunday, June 12.

Filmed during Nashville's four-day CMA Fest Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12, the television special features performances and surprise collaborations onstage at Nissan Stadium. This year, 2022, marks the 19th consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.

"CMA Fest" is executive produced by Robert Deaton.

Hundreds of artists perform at CMA Fest, donating their time so a portion of ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music education initiatives across the United States through the CMA Foundation. CMA Fest is unlike any other, with tens of thousands of country music fans descending upon downtown Nashville for four straight days of live music on eight official stages as well as meet-and-greets and up-close-and-personal experiences for fans inside Fan Fair X. CMA Fest's outdoor daytime stages are free and open to the public. All stage lineups are available in the Official CMA Connect App as well as CMAfest.com. Artist lineups are subject to change.

A limited number of four-day passes, plus recently announced single-night tickets for the Nissan Stadium nightly concerts are available at CMAfest.com or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST. Tickets are also available for CMA Fest Nighttime Concerts at Ascend Amphitheater, Fan Fair X and CMA Fest's new Riverside Retreat, an exclusive premium destination along the Cumberland River. View all the perks and purchase four-day and single-day tickets at CMAfest.com/tickets.

Named the "gold standard" and topping Billboard's list of the 10 Best Country Music Festivals, CMA Fest is the longest-running country music festival in the world. The 2019 CMA Fest sold out with capacity crowds and had the largest engagement by country music fans in the event's history, with visitors from all 50 states and 37 international countries flocking to downtown Nashville.

About CMA Fest

The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience(TM) began in 1972 as Fan Fair(R), which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville's Municipal Auditorium. Now celebrating its 49th year, the legendary festival has become the city's signature Country Music event that hosts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and 37 international countries. In 2019, CMA Fest featured hundreds of artists performing - all to benefit music education. CMA Fest is a one-of-a-kind festival with artists donating their time to perform so ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music programs across the country through the CMA Foundation. This is the 19th consecutive year CMA has produced a summer music program to be broadcast as a network television special.

About ABC Entertainment

ABC Entertainment's compelling programming includes "Grey's Anatomy," the longest-running medical drama in primetime television; ratings juggernaut "The Bachelor" franchise; riveting dramas "Big Sky," "The Good Doctor," "A Million Little Things," "The Rookie" and "Station 19"; trailblazing comedies "Abbott Elementary," "The Conners," "The Goldbergs," "Home Economics" and "The Wonder Years"; popular game shows, including "The $100,000 Pyramid," "Celebrity Family Feud," "The Chase," "Press Your Luck" and "To Tell the Truth"; star-making sensation "American Idol"; "Judge Steve Harvey," the network's strongest unscripted series debut in a year; reality phenomenon "Shark Tank"; family favorites "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "Holey Moley"; "General Hospital," which has aired for more than 55 years on the network; and late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"; as well as the critically acclaimed, Emmy(R) Award-winning "Live in Front of a Studio Audience" specials. The network also boasts some of television's most prestigious awards shows, including "The Oscars(R)," "The CMA Awards" and the "American Music Awards." ABC programming can also be viewed on Hulu.