Saturday’s schedule was dominated by an astounding number of blockbuster sized artists signing autographs at the Fan Fair Hall throughout the morning and afternoon. Stealing headlines was teen idol Taylor Swift, who had amazed fans and critics alike with her performance on Thursday at L.P. Field. Due to the high demand for autographs, those who wished to meet Taylor were given tickets on Friday, one day prior to when she was actually scheduled to sign. On this day, she certainly did not disappoint, greeting fans, posing for pictures, and signing nearly 900 autographs in the Big Machine Records booth from 10:00 am-6:00 pm. This marked the longest consecutive autographing session since Garth Brooks’ marathon 23 hour stint in 1996. Other top-notch artists who devoted extended hours to autographs and fan meetings were Carrie Underwood, who signed nearly 400 autographs in 4 hours, and Kix Brooks, who made a surprise appearance in the Fan Fair Hall signing approximately 500 autographs in three hours at the Brooks & Dunn booth – after signing another 100 in the Borders® booth. Sara Evans, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Billy Gilman, and Joe Nichols were also on hand at the Fan Fair Hall on Saturday.

The renowned concert hall/dance club Rocketown was one of the busiest venues in downtown Nashville throughout the weekend, and on Day 3 of the festival, housed two of the most exuberant and entertaining artist fan club parties on the bill. Josh Turner’s extravaganza was scheduled to open its doors at 3PM, but due to the large number of fans who arrived up to 3 hours early for a prime spot, security showed some compassion for those enduring the severely humid weather and allowed fans in nearly an hour early. Mexican style cuisine was offered to guests, as well as a Chinese auction offering some rare memorabilia signed by Mr. Turner. Following the auction and a tasty dinner, Josh himself took over the entertainment, providing fans with a full out set, stretching nearly 2 hours, which included a story-teller theme and a Q+A session. Lady Antebellum’s party at Rocketown was equally as impressive, providing cocktail drinks and draft beers by the pint, while the hot trio entertained their favorite fans well into the early morning hours. Following their performance, the “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” stars signed autographs and took pictures with each attendee present, as they did the entire festival weekend. Other artists’ fan club parties on Saturday included John Berry, Kassie DePaiva, and Chris Young.

Other daytime events that attracted hundreds of fans included Day 3’s editions of the Music City Rising Star Youth Vocal Competition at the Dr. Pepper Family Zone and Mary Kay’s Acoustic Corner in the Fan Fair Hall. The A.C.’s Saturday lineup featured some of the best talent of the weekend, including future household names James Taylor Curtis, Chris Gray, and Mustang Creek. The Hard Rock Café, located just across the street from the Greased Lightning Riverfront Stage, became one of the most popular cool spots for festival-goers to escape the heat and enjoy a nice meal. Just outside the restaurant also was the HRC’s own stage, which featured southern rock bad boys Tommy Joe Wilson, Zane Lewis, The Wrights, and Cody McCarver during the afternoon and CMA award winner Mark Wills at the late night spot.

A separate event requiring an additional credential, the CMA Songwriter Series continued on Saturday with storytelling and the playing of rare unreleased songs from artists Rodney Clawson, Ashley Gorley, Lee Thomas Miller, and Tim Nichols. Across the street from the Chevy Sports Zone, Phil Vassar offered fans a unique experience at his own CMA Songwriter Series performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Also requiring a separate ticket, Phil’s event sold out in nearly 15 minutes, and fans waited outside the HOF as early as 4 hours before his scheduled noon set. Joking with fans throughout, as well as sharing never-before-heard stories surrounding his biggest hits, including “Real Love” and “Just Another Day in Paradise,” fans were treated to a once in lifetime experience with one of country music’s finest artists. In addition, Phil also donated a number of “souvenirs” to the Country Music Hall of Fame, including lyric sheets to some of the #1 country tunes he penned, including “I’m Alright” and “Bye Bye” by fellow country star and close friend Jo Dee Messina. Following the performance, Vassar greeted fans at the HOF souvenir store to sign copies of his last album, ‘Prayer Of A Common Man.’

The Greased Lightning Stage at Riverfront Park continued its impressive lineup of stars on Saturday, including sets by southern rockers Flynnville Train and Whiskey Falls, as well as standout performances by CMA veterans Buddy Jewell and Mark Wills, both of which who intertwined their traditional favorite hits with new songs from their upcoming releases. Stealing the show in the morning slots was Joe Nichols, who got the crowd up and moving early at his 10:00 AM slot. Saving his slower, soulful tunes for another day, Nichols bombarded fans with his slew of Top Ten hits, including “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” and “Size Matters.” The beer began to flow freely nearly midway through his live rendition of “Ain’t No Crime,” and following his cover of Hank Williams’ “A Country Boy Can Survive,” the thousands in a attendance stood to their feet and raised their fans for nearly a full minute, before Nichols was nearly escorted off stage.

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