The CMA Music Festival, an annual four-day celebration of country music in Nashville previously known as Fan Fair, shattered its attendance record last weekend despite rainy weather and the absence of many of country's top stars.
The Country Music Association announced Monday that 145,355 people attended the festival, easily breaking the previous record of 132,000 last year.
Alan Jackson, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson were among the more than 100 artists who did perform at the festival, but other top-name acts, including Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Reba McEntire did not. Artists are not paid for appearing.
Ed Benson, the association's executive director, said in a statement: "Our fans are the most dedicated fans in the world. They didn't let the weather spoil the fun."
— Phil Sweetland, New York Times News Service