This performance gave McCreery the perfect moment to highlight his gift for captivating a crowd with his rich baritone voice and deeply emotional lyrics.
Scotty McCreery, Photo Courtesy of CMA Fest
Scotty McCreery offered an emotional performance of his chart-topping hit “Five More Minutes” during the 52nd anniversary of CMA Fest in Nashville.
Performing from the b-stage in the center of Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, the 31-year-old country superstar connected with over 70,000 fans during a very special, stripped down performance. Wearing a royal blue button-up and jeans, McCreery took to the stage solo with just an acoustic guitar in hand, allowing the spotlight to fall entirely on his voice and the powerful lyrics of the beloved track that resonate with the masses.
Strumming his guitar softly, McCreery poured his heart into the performance, his signature baritone echoing across the packed stadium as fans swayed and sang along to every word. This performance allowed McCreery to showcase his ability to truly captivate an audience with his signature baritone vocals and heartfelt lyrics.
“I get to play it and instead of just me and the whole band like we do every night, it’s just going to be me and my guitar. So that’ll be cool. I mean, you typically do that at a writer’s round with 200 people, not 70,000 people,” he explained ahead of his performance.
“Five More Minutes,” the emotional ballad that marked Scotty McCreery’s first No. 1 single back in 2018, was co-written by McCreery along with Frank Rogers and Monty Criswell. The song appears on his fourth studio album, Seasons Change, and continues to resonate with fans years later.
Ahead of his highly anticipated performance at CMA Fest, McCreery reflected on what it meant to return to the iconic Nashville event. “It feels so good. I always love coming out here to CMA Fest,” he shared. “It’s just one of the best, if not the best events of the year, country music fans from all over. It’s been a little while since we got to play the stadium, so being here tonight is special, and we have had this circled on the calendar for a while.”
The 2025 CMA Fest, proudly presented by SoFi, lived up to its reputation as “The Music Event of Summer.” Held at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, the four-day celebration brought together more than 30 of country music’s biggest names. Performers included Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Jason Aldean, Trace Adkins, Jordan Davis, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, Ashley McBryde, Rascal Flatts, The Red Clay Strays, Dylan Scott, Zach Top, Keith Urban, and many more.
Fans were also treated to several standout collaborations during the three-hour broadcast. Highlights included Brooks & Dunn joining Lainey Wilson for “Play Something Country” and teaming up with Marcus King for “Rock My World [Little Country Girl].” Dierks Bentley shared the stage with Zach Top for “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)” and a “Mountain Music” medley. Other memorable duets included Cody Johnson and Carín León on “She Hurts Like Tequila,” Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll performing “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” Jason Aldean and Travis Tritt uniting for “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive,” and Blake Shelton teaming up with Trace Adkins for “Hillbilly Bone.” Bailey Zimmerman and BigXthaPlug also debuted their new collaboration, “All The Way.”
The event, filmed during Nashville’s June festival and broadcast on ABC, marked the 22nd year CMA has produced a summer concert television special. It continues to stand as a powerful celebration of country music’s rich tradition and evolving sound.
CMA Fest presented by SoFi was filmed at Nissan Stadium during Music City’s four-day country music festival, which took place Thursday, June 5, through Sunday, June 8. 2025 marked the 19th consecutive year that CMA has produced a summer concert TV special. The show is a production of the Country Music Association, executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Alan Carter. The 2025 airing marks the 22nd consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.
