CMT News

For country music fans, Nashville's Fan Fair is the place to be this week. But for those fans who can't make their way to Music City, CMT Most Wanted Live brings the music, fun, excitement and stars of Fan Fair to CMT's audience. Host Lance Smith welcomed the likes of Lonestar, Lee Ann Womack, Dolly Parton, Montgomery Gentry and Billy Ray Cyrus to the MWL set.

MWL is turning into the place to see CMT's newest videos. Monday's show saw the debut of Lonestar's "I'm Already There," and Country Music Hall of Fame member Parton appeared on Wednesday to premiere her new video, "Shine." By Thursday, both clips were on MWL's Top 10 list of most-requested videos.

In order to accommodate as many fans as possible, MWL moved the whole shootin' match outside on Thursday and Friday, airing their show from the steps of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Scores of country and CMT devotees gathered around the stage and across the street Thursday in withering heat, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Montgomery Gentry, who played a two-song set featuring their break-out tune, "Hillbilly Shoes" and their current hit, "She Couldn't Change Me." The fun-loving pair, fresh from the high jinx of the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game, cooled the crowd by dashing buckets of cold water onto fans and passing out popsicles.

In the audience was Krista Hamby, a 2-time Fan Fair attendee from Evansville, Ind., who introduced a video on-air with Smith. A Montgomery Gentry fan who has seen the duo twice in concert, she happened onto the MWL set accidentally. "I was just walking by and when we saw all the excitement, we asked what was going on," she told country.com. "When they told us that CMT Most Wanted Live was doing their show here today, we stayed! I actually saw the first show, and I've watched it every day."

On Friday, Cyrus appeared on MWL to play "Burn Down the Trailer Park" and the title cut from his Southern Rain album. Artist appearances will be an ongoing highlight of MWL, including Lila McCann next Monday (June 18) and Chely Wright on Thursday (June 21). Brooks & Dunn are scheduled to appear later in the month.

See our MWL flipbooks for Lee Ann Womack, Dolly Parton and Montgomery Gentry.