Music City: Year in Review

March 1

Taylor Swift surprises attendees at Country Radio Seminar when she joins Florida Georgia Line onstage for megahit “Cruise. x93

March 10

John Mellencamp, Jeff Bridges, Elvis Costello, and cast members from Nashville salute T. Bone Burnett at the T.J. Martell Foundation Honors Gala. Blues legend Keb’ Mo’ toasts friend Vince Gill; songwriters Tim Nichols, Rivers Rutherford, and Aaron Barker honor Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Butch Spyridon.

April 2-6

Tin Pan South highlights the songwriters behind the hits, taking over ten local venues for almost 100 shows.

April 16

Only in Nashville will you find a house band led by stars with the caliber of Keith Urban and Vince Gill. They host the fourth annual We’re All For The Hall fundraiser for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where Tim McGraw, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, and Sheryl Crow rock the Bridgestone Arena.

May 2

George Jones’ funeral at the Grand Ole Opry House is a ceremony fit for Nashville royalty. As Vince Gill and Patty Loveless offer an emotional performance of “Go Rest High On That Mountain, x93 Garth Brooks rises to his feet, inspiring the crowd of 4,000 to follow. Paying their respects in song is everyone from Barbara Mandrell and Brad Paisley, to Kid Rock and Kenny Chesney.

May 3

The Black Keys bring their acclaimed rock show home, performing at the Bridgestone Arena for the first time since moving to Nashville in 2010.

May 14

Music industry mavens groove to up-and-comers Kristen Kelly, Will Hoge, Kip Moore, and The Lone Bellow at the Grammy Block Party on Music Row.

May 19-20

Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, and Mikky Ekko are among the performers celebrating the grand opening of Nashville’s newest crown jewel: the Music City Center. Two days of festivities mark the debut of the $585 million convention center.

June 1

Alison Krauss and Jerry Douglas lead an intimate concert at The Factory at Franklin and tap fellow artists Amos Lee, Angel Snow, and Sarah Jarosz to join the show. The event previews the Americana Music Association’s Cross County Lines Festival, set to debut in Franklin in 2014.

June 6-9

CMA Music Festival packs downtown Nashville with four days and nights of concerts from the brightest superstars and the hottest new talent. More than 80,000 people turn out each day.

June 8

Kool And The Gang celebrate into the night while entertaining revealers at the ultra-exclusive Swan Ball. The white-tie benefit for Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is one of the South’s premier social events.

August 2

Grammy award-winning duo, The Civil Wars releases their second album despite being on hiatus. The self-titled full-length debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart its first week.

August 19

Jake Owen rocks the block on Music Row with thousands of fans in attendance. The free party celebrates his number one smash “Anywhere With You x93 and welcomes performances by fellow hitmakers Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley, and Thomas Rhett.

August 28

The iconic career of George Strait is toasted at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Some of Nashville’s top tunesmiths perform selections from King George’s catalog of 60 No. 1 hits while Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, and Carrie Underwood offer video tributes.

September 3

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler surprises a crowd at the Bluebird Café with an impromptu performance and storytelling session.

September 6

Thousands of fans pack Lower Broadway for a rocking free concert by Keith Urban. The event starts at Cumberland Park on the riverfront and careens through the downtown honky-tonks, with Urban playing a few songs at each venue along the way.

September 10

The Academy of Country Music Honors at the Ryman Auditorium toasts a slew of award winners. Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley offer a stellar salute to Songwriter of the Year Dallas Davidson. Chris Young wows with a medley of George Jones classics. And a moving tribute to Hank Williams features Holly Williams, Jamey Johnson, and The Mavericks.

September 14

Blake Shelton thrills fans at the Bridgestone Arena, keeping the night rollicking along with hits and his hilarious brand of unfiltered humor.

September 18

Roots music stalwarts Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell shine as big winners at the Americana Music Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium.

September 21

International rock stars and Music City residents Kings of Leon spearhead Music City Eats, a food and music festival. The highlight of the weekend is "Petty Fest Nashville," a salute to Tom Petty by members of Kings of Leon and The Black Keys, with Norah Jones, Jakob Dylan, and Lady A’s Charles Kelley.

September 27-28

Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Music and Food Festival invades the Lawn at Riverfront Park for an extravaganza of performances by Kenny Rogers, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, John Fogerty, Jason Mraz, and Amos Lee.

October 3

Dierks Bentley’s annual Miles & Music For Kids concert and motorcycle ride rocks the Nashville riverfront with guests Luke Bryan and Jake Owen, raising more than $300,000 for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

October 12

Taylor Swift does the honors at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Country Music Hall of Fame’s latest addition, the Taylor Swift Education Center. Equipped with classrooms, a learning lab, and state-of-the-art children’s exhibit gallery, the center will have hands-on, interactive exhibits for all ages.

October 16

The Eagles welcome former bandmate turned Music City-resident Bernie Leadon onstage during their concert at Bridgestone Arena. The evening of storytelling and song takes the audience through the history of the iconic group.

October 18-19

Luke Bryan shakes up Bridgestone Arena with two sold-out concerts, bringing a country-dance party complete with neon lights and spinning mirror ball.

October 18-19

Country’s hot young sensation Hunter Hayes plays back-to-back nights of sold out shows at the Ryman Auditorium.

October 27

Bobby Bare, Kenny Rogers, and Cowboy Jack Clement are inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the venue’s new theater. Offering tributes are Garth Brooks, Barry Gibb, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, and Emmylou Harris.

November 3

Jennifer Nettles recruits Ronnie Milsap, Richard Marx, Dustin Lynch, and Cassadee Pope to help debut her solo music at an exclusive event.

November 5

Music industry elite rub elbows at the glamorous BMI Country Awards. The evening salutes songwriter Dean Dillon with performances by George Strait, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, and Lee Ann Womack.

November 6

The CMA Awards offers one stellar performance after another, with a major highlight being Taylor Swift’s acoustic version of “Red x93 featuring Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, and Sam Bush.

November 15

Justin Timberlake brings his unstoppable 20/20 Experience tour to the Bridgestone Arena for two-and-a-half hours of music and dance action. The international superstar even hints at plans to take up digs in Music City.

November 22

Countless country stars align for the George Jones tribute concert at Bridgestone Arena, where George Strait and Martina McBride duet on “Golden Ring x93 and Alan Jackson offers “He Stopped Loving Her Today. x93 Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, and Brad Paisley also take the stage. The event was originally scheduled as The Possum’s farewell concert, but he passed in April.

November 22

Former CMA executive director and Country Music Hall of Fame member Jo Walker-Meador received The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award inside CMA’s Atrium in Nashville. Meador's legacy includes the creation of Fan Fair (now CMA fest), the popular CMA Awards, and the formation of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University.

December 14

Brad Paisley performs with the Nashville Symphony and receives the 2013 Harmony Award at the Symphony Ball at the Schermerhorn.