Columbia NashvilleIt’s been a couple months since CMA Music Festival took over downtown Nashville, but this week on ABC, country music’s biggest week of the year comes back to life in a three-hour primetime special. This year’s show features quite a few big-name pairings, including Maren Morris teaming up with Rascal Flatts on her breakthrough hit, “My Church.”
Prior to her performance, the newcomer confessed this was set to be the biggest performance of her career so far.
“I remember looking at all the seats [during rehearsal]. It was empty at the time, but looking at all the seats was crazy. Because I think one of the producers said, it’s like 60,000 people and I have not performed anywhere near in front of that many people. So, I’m feeling the butterflies right now a little bit,” she laughed.
Compounding her nervousness was the fact that Maren’s been a longtime Rascal Flatts follower.
“I have been a fan of them since ‘Prayin’ for Daylight.’ So, to be onstage with them, especially here at Nissan [Stadium]… I have written with Joe Don [Rooney], and then Jay DeMarcus has been so sweet, and has just said he loves ’80’s Mercedes.’ Everyone has been so kind to me, so to walk out on that stage and them just be so warm and inviting — It’s their stage and it’s their performance, so to give me some of the spotlight, it’s incredible.”
You can check out Maren Morris’s stage time with Joe Don, Jay and Gary LeVox Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET, when CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock airs on ABC.
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