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CMA Fest 2026: If You Love Ella Langley, Here’s Your Full Week
The Nashville-by-way-of-Alabama artist who writes like someone who's been through it — and her perfect CMA Fest week for fans who know real recognizes real.
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By That Nashville Girl
These days, we’re all Ella Langley fans. She’s the girl we all want to see win. Her sound is so completely unique and authentic that you can’t help but stop and listen when that voice comes through your speakers.
And if you’ve been an Ella fan since the beginning, you know exactly why you fell in love with the singer/songwriter from Alabama.
You didn’t find her on radio first — you found her on a playlist, or a TikTok, or a friend said “you have to hear this,” and then suddenly Hungover was on repeat for three months.
You love that she co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Miranda Lambert. You love that her voice sounds lived-in. You love that she writes like someone who’s been through it and isn’t going to pretend otherwise. You love that she is doing things her way. She was born to break molds and by just being herself, we all just want to Be Her.
So when you show up to CMA Fest this June, we’ve got your perfectly curated itinerary that gets you more of what you love…and helps you discover another Ella or two while you’re at it.
This itinerary is for you if you’re showing up in denim shorts, worn-in cowboy boots, and a dandelion in your hair. You aren’t here to fit in…you’re here to stand out without trying.
This itinerary is classic country meets Southern rock meets emotionally direct songwriting. Every artist below lives somewhere in that world, whether they share Ella’s Alabama roots, her Miranda Lambert influence, or just that same sense that music should feel like something real.
STAGE KEY
Chevy Riverfront — Riverfront Park, 1st Ave & Broadway
Dr Pepper Amp — Ascend Park, 310 1st Ave S
Chevy Vibes — Walk of Fame Park, 5th & Broadway
Good Molecules Reverb — Bridgestone Plaza, 5th & Broadway
Wrangler Remix — Fan Alley (new for 2026)
Nissan Stadium ★ — requires pass
Riverfront + Amp are on 1st Ave. Vibes + Reverb + Remix cluster at 5th & Broadway. About a 10-minute walk between clusters. Nissan Stadium is a 15-20 min walk or take the shuttle.
Thursday, June 4
The Night Our Girl Plays
Morning — Start at 5th & Broadway cluster
| 11:15 AM | MORIAH Warm, soulful country voice with her own sense of style. Her latest single Superwoman is raw and real. You’ll feel it in your soul. | Chevy Vibes |
| 12:05 PM | Karley Scott Collins Stay put. Rising songwriter with real country roots — the kind of early-day find that pays off later. | Chevy Vibes |
| 12:30 PM | Just Jayne Make the quick walk to Bridgestone Plaza to enjoy the harmonies and lyrics from Just Jayne. Add their latest release Love A Loser to your playlist before you get to Nashville so you can sing along before everyone else does. | Good Molecules Reverb |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch You’re steps from Broadway. Puckett’s (245 5th Ave S) or Hattie B’s for hot chicken. | Food |
Afternoon — Make your way toward the Riverfront
| 1:45 PM | Kelsey Hart You probably already know this voice…but in case you don’t, Kelsey has that classic country voice with a modern edge that will have you buying merch and following him on Instagram. | Chevy Vibes |
| 3:10 PM | Stephen Wilson Jr. – ★ Daytime standout We can’t get enough of SWJ. If you see That Nashville Girl during CMA Fest, she’ll be by the stage in her Gary hat singing every word! He’s a real one. Lyric-forward, Southern-rooted storytelling. Our prediction – seeing SWJ in 2026 will be like seeing Taylor Swift in 2007. Don’t miss this. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 4:00 PM | Redferrin Stay at Riverfront and rest your feet. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 4:50 PM | Vincent Mason – ★ Daytime standout Rising Platform Stage act — he’s also on at Nissan tonight. This is the preview set. And honestly, we can’t imagine skipping a Vincent Mason show. Twice in one day? That’s just a little bit of magic that you can’t afford to miss! | Chevy Riverfront |
| 5:40 PM | Shane Smith & the Saints Perfect daytime closer. Texas Americana storytelling at its best — pure crowd energy before the stadium shift. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 6:15 PM | Dinner Assembly Food Hall (5th Ave N) near the pedestrian bridge — fast, good options. Head to Nissan by 7:15 PM. | Food |
Tonight — The Main Event
| 7:45 PM | Caylee Hammack (National Anthem) She’s singing the anthem — already tells you this night is going to hit emotionally. | Nissan Stadium |
| 8:00 PM | Rhett Akins Legendary songwriter warming up the stadium. He co-wrote half the songs you know. | Nissan Stadium |
| 8:30 PM | Tucker Wetmore Alabama-raised, emotionally direct — the same lane as Ella. We can’t get enough of this cutie! | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:00 PM | Ella Langley – ★ OUR GIRL TAKES THE STAGE The whole reason you built this week. Hearing Dandelion, Be Her, and Choosin’ Texas in a stadium is going to be a moment. Be in your seat early. | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:40 PM | Deana Carter Strawberry Wine in a stadium crowd after Ella’s set is a full-circle country music moment. | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:50 PM | Gretchen Wilson The original gritty Southern woman. We’ll all be scream-singing at the top of our lungs. | Nissan Stadium |
| 11:30 PM | Gretchen Wilson The original gritty Southern woman. We’ll all be scream-singing at the top of our lungs. | Nissan Stadium |
Friday, June 5
The Discovery Day
Morning — Start at the Riverfront cluster
| 11:00 AM | Chayce Beckham Great voice, classic-country sensibility — a chill start with the Cumberland River behind you. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 11:50 AM | Alana Springsteen – ★ Must-watch Legendary songwriter warming up the stadium. He co-wrote half the songs you know. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 12:40 PM | Charles Wesley Godwin West Virginia Americana, deeply literary songwriting. One of the most underrated voices in country right now. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 1:15 PM | Lunch Acme Feed & Seed (101 Broadway) — rooftop is great, fast service. | Food |
Afternoon
| 1:30 PM | Kameron Marlowe Big voice, traditional country — another artist in Ella’s emotional ballpark. We have No Need For Leavin’ on every playlist these days. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 2:20 PM | Dylan Marlowe Rising male country voice with the same stripped-down instincts Ella fans love. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 2:45 PM | Sophia Scott – ★ Discovery pick Your discovery set of the week. Emotional, big voice, not yet on everyone’s radar. Get here early — the Reverb Stage fills up for acts like this. | Good Molecules Reverb |
| 3:25 PM | Jade Eagleson Traditional country from Canada — the real deal. | Chevy Vibes |
| 3:50 PM | Payton Smith Soulful, introspective country — check out the new Remix Stage inside Fan Alley. | Wrangler Remix |
| 4:35 PM | Lily Meola Lush, poet-country. For the fan who loves Ella’s quieter, more introspective moments. | Wrangler Remix |
| 4:50 PM | RaeLynn Worth the walk back — high energy, crowd-pleasing set to close out the afternoon. RaeLynn never disappoints. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 5:40 PM | Dasha – ★ Daytime closer Don’t let your boots stop workin’ because you can’t miss Dasha! Her perfectly country-pop lyrics are real and relatable – even if you’ve never been drunk, washed up in Austin.. Great energy before the stadium shift. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 6:15 PM | Dinner Tonight runs late — Cody Johnson closes around midnight. Eat a real meal now. The Southern Steak & Oyster (150 3rd Ave N) or Assembly Food Hall for something faster. | Food |
Tonight — On Our Feet from Start to Finish
| 9:15 PM | Shaboozey A Bar Song in a stadium crowd is going to be massive. Don’t miss it! | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:00 PM | The Red Clay Strays – ★ Priority set Alabama Southern rock soul — same DNA as Ella, different sound. Raw, sprawling, and they play like they have something to prove. One of the best live bands in country music right now. | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:35 PM | The Band Perry “If I Die Young” in a stadium will give you chills. A nostalgic hit-parade worth staying for. | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:45 PM | Keith Urban Whether you’re a fan or not, there’s no debate on Keith Urban’s ability to entertain the crowd. Always a crowd-pleaser. And we are pretty sure we’ll get some of his new yacht-rock vibes during this set! | Nissan Stadium |
| 11:30 PM | Cody Johnson You know you need to be there. It will be an iconic close to the day. | Nissan Stadium |
Saturday, June 6
The Itinerary to Make Sure You Keep Going
Morning
| 11:50 AM | Nate Smith We’ve been listening to Nate since 2024 and we’re not stopping any time soon. Whiskey On You will be a vibe to start the day. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 12:05 PM | Sister Hazel Are they country? We’re not sure you can say that, but we can definitely say they put on a great show! We won’t miss this one…it’s our nostalgia moment. | Chevy Vibes |
| 12:40 PM | Ian Munsick Wyoming cowboy country with real grit — Ella fans who love the rootsy edge will love this. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 1:20 PM | Lunch Saturday is the hottest crowd day — eat early. Skull’s Rainbow Room (222 Printers Alley) for something different or try the food truck fare in Riverfront Park itself. | Food |
Afternoon
| 2:20 PM | Josh Ross Canadian country with big emotional range. Crowd-pleasing writing, great afternoon energy. Bar and Back would be a great Ella duet…don’t you think? | Chevy Riverfront |
| 2:35 PM | Caylee Hammack – ★ Must-watch She sang the anthem Thursday night — now she’s doing a full set. Incredible songwriter, classic-country energy, and deeply personal writing. She’s a true girl’s girl…we love her! | Chevy Vibes |
| 3:10 PM | Midland – ★ Priority set The best traditional country band of the last decade. Impeccable catalog, real swagger. Get to Riverfront early to hold your spot. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 4:00 PM | Kaitlin Butts She managed to take one of our favorite pop songs from the early 2000s and make it current and country. Iconic! Oklahoma singer-songwriter, literary and raw. She’s also on the Platform Stage tonight at Nissan! | Chevy Riverfront |
| 4:35 PM | Alli Walker Rising songwriter in the same woman-with-a-story lane as Ella. Quick walk to Fan Alley. | Wrangler Remix |
| 4:50 PM | Carter Faith Smooth, heartfelt country — good wind-down before dinner. And we know it’s CMA Fest, so we aren’t supposed to talk about that other awards show…but if you know you know. She was an absolute stand out on that stage! We’re excited for this one! | Chevy Riverfront |
| 5:40 PM | Braxton Keith High energy day closer. Great vibe to send you off toward the stadium. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 6:15 PM | Dinner Tim McGraw closes tonight — it’s a late one. Fuel up properly. Head to Nissan by 7:45 PM. | Food |
Tonight — We’re All Singing Along Tonight
| 8:00 PM | Sara Evans “Born to Fly” in a stadium is a full nostalgia moment. | Nissan Stadium |
| 8:30 PM | Carly Pearce – ★ Priority set Traditional country with a modern gut-punch. Emotionally, she’s in the same territory as Ella — love, loss, no sugarcoating. | Nissan Stadium |
| 9:00 PM | Kaitlin Butts Platform Stage — she plays twice this weekend. Go support her again, she’s earned it. | Nissan Stadium |
| 9:15 PM | Zach Top We’re all obsessed. He’s perfect. New traditionalist, old-school instincts. Your Saturday night classic-country discovery. | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:00 PM | Jordan Davis He just makes us happy. Excited to see him have this iconic stadium moment. | Nissan Stadium |
| 11:25 PM | Tim McGraw – ★ Closing headliner The headliner. “Live Like You Were Dying” in a stadium, under the Nashville sky, hits different. | Nissan Stadium |
Sunday, June 7
The Full Circle
Morning
| 9:30 AM | Brandon Lake Sunday morning gospel and worship at the Riverfront – and you never know who will show up on stage with Brandon. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 11:00 AM | Lauren Alaina Big voice, Southern roots, emotionally generous performer. A great Sunday morning anchor set. Also – we’ll have our eyes peeled for Lauren’s biggest fan, her husband Cam. He’s the ultimate hype man! We love this couple! | Chevy Riverfront |
| 11:50 AM | Tigirlily Gold Sister duo with tight harmonies and a clean country sound. Stay at Riverfront. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 12:40 PM | Priscilla Block Unapologetic, funny, and real — same “I’ll tell you the truth even if it’s messy” energy as Ella. A fan-favorite set every year. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 1:20 PM | Lunch Give your feet a rest. They’re starting to feel those miles and summer heat in your boots. | Food |
Afternoon
| 2:20 PM | Marcus King – ★ Don’t miss Southern soul and blues-rock that lives in the same emotional zip code as Ella’s rootsy edge. Marcus King on the Riverfront Stage on the last afternoon of CMA Fest — be here early. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 3:10 PM | Molly Tuttle Grammy-winning bluegrass and Americana. An artist’s artist. The kind of set that changes how you hear country music. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 3:25 PM | Ashland Craft Pure country voice, no frills — sits directly in the Miranda Lambert / Ella Langley tradition of women who write hard truths beautifully. PS – we have Ashland on That Nashville Girl podcast on July 7th! See her here, and hear her talk about it with Amanda later! | Chevy Vibes |
| 4:00 PM | Chase Matthey We think Chase is one to watch in 2026. Emotionally direct, real writing. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 5:40 PM | Mackenzie Carpenter The final daytime closer at Riverfront. End the afternoon here, then head toward the stadium for the last night. | Chevy Riverfront |
| 6:15 PM | Final dinner — go big Last night — make it count. Splurge with a cool indoor vibe that requires a reservation or walk the Broadway strip one final time. Head to Nissan by 7:45 PM. | Food |
Tonight — The Closing Night
| 8:30 PM | Russell Dickerson Nashville local and crowd favorite. High energy love-song country to open the final night. | Nissan Stadium |
| 9:10 PM | Bailey Zimmerman – ★ Priority set Massive voice, zero filter, emotionally raw. The rawness that makes Ella’s fans feel seen — cranked to 11 in a closing-night crowd. | Nissan Stadium |
| 9:50 PM | Riley Green – ★ Full-circle moment Ella’s collaborator on “You Look Like You Love Me” — the duet that broke her out. Closing the loop on the entire week. | Nissan Stadium |
| 10:30 PM | HARDY Country rock with an edge. Deeply connected to Nashville’s songwriter world that Ella lives in. | Nissan Stadium |
| 11:30 PM | Luke Bryan – ★ Final headliner Closing out CMA Fest 2026. High energy, massive catalog, full stadium singalong. A perfect ending to four days in Nashville. | Nissan Stadium |
Curated by That Nashville Girl | @thatnashvillegirl | CMA Fest 2026 | June 4-7 | Nashville, TN
★ Nissan Stadium shows require a 4-night pass or single-night ticket. All other stages listed are free and open to the public. Capacity limits apply at free stages — arrive early for priority sets. Schedule subject to change; verify times in the CMA Connect App.
