Little Big Town to Host ‘CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock’

The four members of Little Big Town will collectively host ABC's 'CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock' broadcast when it airs later this summer. The group made the announcement via YouTube Thursday morning. They will take over after Luke Bryan and the Band Perry's Kimberly Perry co-hosted in 2012.

Little Big Town has been a mainstay at the CMA Music Festival since 1999. It was called Fan Fair back then, and Kimberly Schlapman remembers playing one month after signing a record deal. They knew two songs and had one guitar. Each year they've come back, and so have their most loyal fans. Seeing old friends is part of what makes the annual celebration so special, they said.

"It feels like the biggest gathering of country music fans in the world, and it is," Jimi Westbrook said. "People plan their vacations around that time, and it is all about one thing, the love of country music."

According to the Country Music Association, an average of 71,000 people attended the festival each day in 2012.

Filming for the broadcast will take place from June 6-9 at Nashville's LP Field. Confirmed performers include Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and many other big name country stars. The broadcast will air on Aug. 12 at 8PM ET on ABC, approximately one month earlier than last year's televised replay of the festival's highlights.

Watch Little Big Town Talk About Hosting 'Country's Night to Rock'