BUENA PARK, Calif. — The 2007 Country Music Association (CMA) Festival in Nashville set a record breaking 191,154 in attendance during the four-day event, which was held June 7-10. The festival aired Monday, July 23rd on ABC. Yamaha Commercial Audio products were highly visible at both stages, with two PM5D-RH consoles and two PM5000s at front of house, and two PM1D systems and two PM4000s used for monitors at the LP Field main stage. The Riverstage was outfitted with two Yamaha PM5D-RH consoles at both front of house and monitors. Clair Brothers Nashville provided production support for the festival.

(L to R) Tennerson "Bird" Katawaroo, guest engineer for Lorrie Morgan, and Rick Reith, FOH for the CMA Riverstage.

"I was fortunate to get my hands on the first PM5D console in Nashville in early 2004," said independent engineer Rick Reith, who mixed front of house at the Riverstage. "I had taken the PM1D training seminar previously, and after a quick study of the layout of the work surface I found the 5D pretty easy to navigate, since there is a similar architecture native to Yamaha digital consoles."

"I think in most throw-n-go festival situations, and especially for the CMA Fest, the Yamaha console familiarity made it easier for some guest engineers who had never mixed on a 5D before, arriving at FOH just as their band went on, to still have a good show," Reith notes.

"We had more than 110 artists in four days, and with only 20-minute sets there's not a second to waste," Reith adds. "The fact that you have extensive EQ, dynamics and effects at your fingertips allows you to focus more on the mix. With the ADD ON effects package now being released in Version 2 firmware there's even more control."

The first night at LP Field included an unannounced appearance by first season "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson, who joined Reba McEntire on stage, and on Friday evening Ted Nugent joined Montgomery Gentry onstage for a rendition of his classic "Cat Scratch Fever." Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Rascal Flatts made a surprise concert appearance the following night.

The lineup of artists performing at both LP Field and Riverstage included Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Lorrie Morgan, The Wreckers, and a two-song acoustic performance by Jason Michael Carroll. Fans were also treated to performances by Jason Aldean, Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, and former "American Idol" finalist Bucky Covington performed an acoustic set. Saturday's lineup included Billy Ray Cyrus, Martina McBride, Jo Dee Messina, LeAnn Rimes and Josh Turner. Sunday rocked the house with Rodney Atkins, Big & Rich, Billy Currington, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Kellie Picker, Taylor Swift and Gretchen Wilson.

The concerts and events benefit children and music education in Nashville. The artists and celebrities participating in CMA Music Festival donate their time and in appreciation of their efforts, CMA donates half the net proceeds from the event to music education on their behalf through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance for Public Education called "Keep the Music Playing."

For more information on Yamaha products, contact Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc., 6600 Orangethorpe Avenue, Buena Park, CA 90620; telephone 714-522-9011; e-mail casales@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamahaca.com.