Tanya Tucker, Oak Ridge Boys, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Hank Jr. & Many More Moments From CMA Fest 2016 Featured In Latest Episode Of 'The Pickup'

By Timothy Yap Jun 21, 2016 07:03 AM EDT

It's The Pickup's biggest episode of the year! A recap of CMA Fest 2016 features red carpet interviews from the CMT Awards, coverage of all the best events including the City of Hope Celebrity Softball game and concerts at all new stages, plus backstage footage from Nissan Stadium that you won't see anywhere else.

An inside look at Tug McGraw Foundation's 5th Annual Celebrity Pro-Am Sporting Clay Fundraiser includes interviews from Craig Campbell, Jamie Lynn Spears, LOCASH, and Tanya Tucker. Every year, money raised from this event helps soldiers with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Coverage at Charley Pride's 50th Anniversary Fan Club Party features an exclusive interview with Pride, who reveals that even after 50 years as an artist, he is still learning.

The City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game took place at the beginning of the week at First Tennessee Park. Teams iHeartRadio and Grand Ole Opry went head to head, ending the game in an 18 to 18 tie. Charles Esten and Bobby Bones were among the many stars who played in this year's game to help "strike out cancer."

The 2016 CMT Awards were held at Bridgestone Arena, where Blake Shelton brought surprise guests The Oak Ridge Boys onto the stage. On the red carpet, an inside look at interviews with Aaron Tippin, Cam, and Ty Herndon reveal what the festival and country music means to them.

Highlights throughout the weekend from Nissan Stadium include memorable moments from artists Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Charlie Daniels, who brought out Randy Travis during his set, and the 50th anniversary celebration of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Joining Hank Williams Jr. on stage were Eric Church, Chris Janson, and Justin Moore. Backstage, Hank Jr. was presented with a gold plaque for "Family Tradition" and a platinum plaque for more than a million sales of "A Country Boy Can Survive."

Along with all new stages at this year's festival, new events were also added to the mix including 'Match Game', hosted by The Pickup's very own Adam Wurtzel, at the CMA Close Up Stage at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center. Among the stars playing the game was Bill Anderson, who was on the original 'Match Game' show on NBC over 30 years ago.

In 1972, the first festival called "Fan Fair" was held in Nashville with 5,000 attendees. This year's CMA Music Festival had a record-setting daily attendance of 88,500 fans, with 500 artists and celebrities participating in more than 250 hours of concerts.

Check out the latest episode of 'The Pickup' here:
http://www.viewbix.com/v/The-Pickup--35/8f61a849-5e30-468d-bd32-19bfa3efddb0

ABOUT THE PICKUP:
Launched in early 2015, The Pickup, a syndicated country video news series produced by The Hot Seat, highlights today's stars and classic country artists making news today. New episodes are posted on the 1st and 15th of each month. The Pickup can be seen on the websites of broadcasters across the country (Nash Icon, HankFM, Midwest Communications, Zimmer Communications' 94.3 KAT Country, etc.), online media blogs, the U.K.'s SKY Television, Heartland Network, and Sandy Zimmerman's Las Vegas Television Network.