New Holland has a booth in the Chevrolet Sports Zone area here at the CMA Music Festival.
People can enter to win a video iPod which will be pre-loaded with all the media content I’m creating here this week.
If you’re in the area, stop on by!
Cattleman And Country Star
Meet Todd Fritsch. I sat down and interviewed him this morning and I’m glad I did.
Here’s an outspoken advocate for agriculture and an up and coming country music star. Todd’s family is involved in cattle in Texas. He is very active being the “little brother” who gets assigned the chores no one else wants. But he’s not complaining.
I think you’ll enjoy hearing about his farming roots and how intends to maintain them regardless of where his music career takes him. You can listen to our interview here: 
Todd Fritsch Interview (5 min MP3)
Getting Ready For The First Big Concert
This is a big empty stadium today but it will be filled tonight and I’ll be there for the opening night concert featuring Hank Williams Jr, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Brooks & Dunn.
It has been a hot one again in Nashville. I hope people used their sunscreen.
CMA Block Party
After today’s parade event the crowd hung around for a mid afternoon outdoor street concert. This stage is set up right outside the Gaylord Entertainment Center right off Broadway street.
It’s the CMA Block Party and it was packed. According to the CMA release the performers were, “Emerson Drive, The Grascals, Little Big Town, LoCash Cowboys, Pinmonkey, Poverty Neck Hillbillies.” I caught the very end of one on my way back here to the hotel to bring you these fine posts. I will be attending many of the daily concerts and you can look forward to more pics, audio and video.
I think this is what downtown Nashville is going to look like for the next several days.
Watching The Parade
The parade got underway and the New Holland/FFA/Michael Peterson/Chevy float was one of the main attractions.
I followed along and shot a couple video clips for you.
You can watch one here that shows almost all of the participants in the parade: 
CMA Chevrolet Parade (5 min WMV)
Here’s a shorter clip with just the FFA float: CMA Chevrolet Parade (30 sec WMV)
Other Parade Participants
Tractors weren’t the only vehicles in today’s parade.
There were bass boats too. I’m not sure who was on board this one. I know her shirt says “Coyote Ugly.”
If you know, then post the answer in a comment.
Posing On The Tractor
Just prior to the start of today’s parade Michael Peterson posed for a number of pictures. I’ve got them all and will make them part of my end of the event photo album.
Here he’s on the New Holland tractor with an FFA member who’s name I didn’t get. If you know it, please use the comment feature to let us know who he is. Also pictured on the left is Jimmy Wayne.
New Holland And CMA
Here you can see that New Holland and the Country Music Association are tied together. This tractor will be signed by the participants in Sunday’s Michael Peterson Celebrity Boomer Tractor Race.
Then the tractor will be auctioned off on Ebay and the proceeds will go to charity. This should be interesting since we just got to see the course this afternoon and let’s say that “it’s not flat” eventhough it’s in a downtown parking lot. This should be interesting.
First Interview With Michael
Before things kicked off today Michael Peterson checked out the tractors. Here he’s looking over the New Holland TZ22D which will be part of Sunday’s big race. I’ll have more on this later.
I got Michael to walk over to a shady spot for a couple minutes for the first of several interviews I plan to do with him over the next several days.
To get us started he explains why he’s here. You can listen to our interview here: Michael Peterson Interview (3 min MP3)
FFA Parades With Michael
Michael Peterson posed with the FFA members who took part in today’s parade.
I interviewed FFA member Lindsey Farris (third from left) prior to the parade. She was very excited to be here eventhough it was 90 degrees and those blue jackets weren’t made for the sun.
You can listen to Lindsey here: Lindsey Farris Interview (1 min MP3)