CMA Fest Day 4 Best Moments: Dierks Bentley, Old Dominion, Elle King Close Out Four Days of Music

Dierks Bentley closed out the final night of CMA Fest 2022 on Sunday (June 12) at Nissan Stadium as the headliner, but it was perhaps Old Dominion lead singer Matthew Ramsey who most succinctly summed up the audience’s feelings since the festival launched four days ago after a two-year hiatus.

“CMA Fest is back, baby!” Ramsey told the audience. “This right here, nights like this—this is what country music is made for.”

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The evening was warm and the sky was clear as the crowd gathered for the conclusion of the four-day festival, with a stacked lineup that included Bentley, Old Dominion, trio Lady A, Elle King, Parker McCollum, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, and Sara Evans. The lineup also included performances from newcomers Angie K, duo Everette, Kylie Morgan and Madeline Edwards. Throughout the evening, the performers demonstrated country music’s continued evolution and broad spectrum, from Bentley’s bluegrass-inspired moments, to Old Dominion’s jam band amalgam of styles, Angie K’s Latin-tinged flair, and Edwards’ soul-country renderings.

Here, five standout moments from Sunday evening’s CMA Fest shows at Nissan Stadium:

Lady A adds cross-country flair: Lady A’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood led a set that drew from the group’s several hits, offering an ode to power of music on “What a Song Can Do,” starting the celebration with the ’70s-tinged “You Look Good,” and debuting a new song, “Summer State of Mind.” But the set’s most impactful moment came when the trio was joined by “My Truck” hitmaker Breland, who added another gorgeous layer of stunning harmony to Lady A’s signature breakup ballad, “Need You Now.”

Old Dominion pays tribute to a legend: Old Dominion was a last-minute addition to the Sunday night lineup, after it was announced that Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson was no longer performing. The group of talented singer-songwriters paid tribute to Jackson, leading the crowd in a rendition of Jackson’s 1993 hit “Chattahoochie.”

They also showcased their own skillful compositions with songs including “Make It Sweet,” “Written in the Sand,” and “No Hard Feelings.” Late in their set, Matthew Ramsey led his bandmates to a smaller platform stage during a performance of “One Man Band,” inviting the audience for a stadium-sized singalong to the romantic ballad.

A mighty female duo: King launched her Nissan Stadium performance with her recent Country Airplay-topping hit with Miranda Lambert, “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).” Though Lambert wasn’t present during that song, King did have a sterling collaboration up her sleeve, welcoming another excellent singer-songwriter, Ashley McBryde, for a powerhouse take on King’s 2015 rock hit “Ex’s and Oh’s.”

Russell Dickerson makes a dream come true: During his brief performance, Dickerson relayed how his Nissan Stadium performance was one he’d been manifesting for years. Prior to performing his No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Love You Like I Used to,” Dickerson said that during his previous CMA Fest performances on smaller stages, “every time, I would always say, ‘See you across the river next year.’ We made it!”

An “Achy Breaky” surprise: During Bentley’s set, Billy Ray Cyrus strolled onto the stage, unannounced, and launched into his star-making 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Bentley joined in for a full-on collaboration of the jaunty tune, to the delight of the audience. Bentley’s 45-minute set also included “I Hold On,” “Burnin’ Man,” “What Was I Thinkin’,” and a possible nod to any out-of-towners who still have a post-CMA Fest buzz going as they leave Music City on Monday, with “Drunk on a Plane.”

Country music fans who were not able to score tickets to the four-day music festival, can still catch some of the event’s biggest moments, as Bentley and King co-host the ABC television special CMA Fest on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

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