Riley Green is having quite the moment. Fresh off a CMA Awards sweep in November—where he took home single, song, and music video of the year for“You Look Like You Love Me”with Ella Langley—the rising country star is about to land on another major platform that’ll put him in front of millions of fans.
On June 25, Green will co-host CMA Fest Presented By SoFi alongside Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer. The three-hour special airs at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on ABC, then streams on Hulu the next day. It’s the Country Music Association’s 23rd consecutive year producing a summer concert special, and this year’s lineup proves they’re not resting on their laurels.
The actual festival runs June 4-7 across downtown Nashville, with performances spreading across five stages including Nissan Stadium, the Chevy Riverfront Stage, Dr Pepper Amp Stage, Chevy Vibes Stage, and the Wrangler Remix Stage. The Nissan Stadium roster reads like a who’s who of country music right now: Jason Aldean, Green himself, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, HARDY, Cody Johnson, Blake Shelton, Zach Top, Keith Urban, Tucker Wetmore, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman. That’s the kind of lineup that keeps country fans glued to their screens for three hours straight.
For Green specifically, the timing couldn’t be better. His two Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 hits—”Worst Way”and“Don’t Mind If I Do”(featuring Langley)—proved he’s not just a one-hit wonder riding a wave of awards buzz. He’s also branching beyond music in a big way: a recent appearance on the series Marshals, where he portrayed a former Navy Seal, showed he’s got acting chops, and he’s set to join The Voice later this year as a coach alongside Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and Queen Latifah. The guy’s pulling off a rare feat in modern country—maintaining momentum across multiple entertainment lanes without losing his core audience.
If you’re planning to tune in on June 25, expect surprise collaborations and performances you won’t see anywhere else that night. That’s the whole point of CMA Fest—it’s where country music’s established names and fresh talent collide, and the special captures all the energy without requiring you to fight downtown Nashville crowds in June heat.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
