Artists You MUST Know: CMA Fest 2015 Recap

As those who attended CMA Fest in Nashville this year know, it’s impossible to see every great act. While this is by no means a complete list, we wanted to focus on some of the most impressive up and comers we saw – the ones that you MUST check out, and soon. If you were in town, let us know who you were most impressed by.

Canaan Smith

If you’re not yet sold on Canaan Smith’s catchy, high-energy sound, get on board before his debut album “Bronco” comes out Tuesday and you can still claim you were there first. Smith isn’t afraid of the genre-bending that’s been both embraced and eschewed, and his attempts are both engaging and feel natural. From tracks like the pop-hooky and festival-ready “Two Lane Road” to his cover of Nick Jonas’ “Jealous,” Smith shone as both a vocalist and a performer, with a stage energy that put many of the other Riverfront Stage acts to shame.

Levi Hummon

We’ve made no secret of the fact that we think Levi Hummon is one of the most exciting up and comers in country music, and his performance at the Gildan Hard Rock Stage only reinforced our enthusiasm. Hummon has an interesting blend of country heritage and pop sensibilities, with a pinch of soul a la Rhett or Eldredge. Hummon deviated from original tunes only once, to cover Walk The Moon’s “Shut Up And Dance,” and while it worked with the crowd, Hummon’s own material was the more interesting.

Courtney Cole

Courtney Cole has an amazing set of vocals and the swagger to match. Confident, soaring, and at times sassy, Cole delivered songs landing from her more mellow “Fall Like Rain” to her cheekier release, “Drunk.” Cole also launched into her new song, the sassy “Shady,” which she mixed with a cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name,” a risky choice that she absolutely delivered. The best covers do more than simply replicate the original, and Cole absolutely made the classic her own.

LanCo

If you need lessons on how to command a stage, go see LanCo. The group, who have bene working with producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town) on their debut effort, have no music released and close to no presence on social media, but that didn’t stop fans or industry players alike from catching the Nashville natives for their set on the Belk Park Stage.

Thomas Rhett

We expected good things from Thomas Rhett, who recently took “Make Me Wanna” to #1 and is climbing the charts with his infectious “Crash and Burn.” But the singer’s stellar stage presence and soulful grooves exceed our expectations, and he absolutely stole the show at LP Field. With quite a few hits under his belt, Rhett doesn’t exactly qualify as an up and comer, but his was among our favorite performances at LP last week, and deserved a mention.