[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12842-12843]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              CMA FESTIVAL

  Mr. FRIST. Madam President. Nashville, TN is home to some of the best 
music in the world. Last weekend, I had the pleasure of being back home 
during the 2005 Country Music Association Festival--``Country Music's 
Biggest Party.''
  More than 130,000 country music lovers from around the world come to 
hear their favorite stars perform for the 4-day extravaganza. The 
energy is electric.
  From legendary artists like Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, to new 
talents like Sarah Evans, Rascal Flats, and Gretchen Wilson, more than 
400 country music stars perform over 70 hours of music.
  Not only are fans treated to the best country music has to offer, 
they get to meet their favorite stars up close and personal at the Fan 
Fair Exhibit Hall

[[Page 12843]]

where performers sign autographs and mingle with the crowd.
  This year, fans were treated to the first ever Music Festival Kick-
Off parade in downtown, and a spectacular fireworks display, Sunday 
night, at the Coliseum. In just 4 days, the festival generates more 
than $20 million for the local economy.
  The CMA Festival has become a Nashville institution, joining the 
Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium as symbols of our rich musical 
traditions.
  Nashville's thriving music scene has also attracted another festival 
called Bonaroo--a 4-day event that brings more than 75,000 music lovers 
to Manchester, TN. The event showcases a wide variety of music 
including rock, jazz and bluegrass.
  This year, more than 80 bands participated, including: the Allman 
Brothers; Dave Matthews; and Alison Krauss. In just 4 years, Bonaroo 
has become America's premier rock festival.
  Tennessee is truly a musical mecca. And it has launched some of the 
biggest careers in music history, including: Elvis Presley; Hank 
Williams; Johnny Cash; Loretta Lynn; B.B. King; and Garth Brooks, one 
of the biggest selling popular music artists of all time.
  I'm proud and blessed to be from this extraordinary place. And I am 
proud to be from Nashville, ``Music City USA.''

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