CMA Fest puts spotlight on Music Row's mental health work
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CMA Fest brings throngs of country music fans to Nashville. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
CMA Fest is taking over downtown Nashville starting Thursday, and there will be cheering fans, monster hits and rising superstars in every direction.
- But most fans won't see the significant, and potentially life-saving, work that's taking place backstage.
The latest: The Country Music Association is using this year's CMA Fest as an opportunity to emphasize and expand mental health supports available for the musicians and crew members who keep the genre humming.
The big picture: Long hours, late nights and nonstop touring can contribute to suffocating stress that is hidden behind the shimmering rhinestones.
- In the 2024 Greater Nashville Music Census, more than 1 in 4 respondents in the industry reported struggling with their mental health.
What he's saying: Manager William Dyer tells Axios that mental health support is essential to prevent burnout.
- "There is no sustainable art from an individual without the prioritization of mental health," Dyer says.
Zoom in: The CMA is making its emphasis on mental health a prominent part of the festival footprint.
- The CMA is partnering with ECCHO Live for a second year to provide free and confidential on-site counseling sessions for artists, crew members, touring professionals and event staff.
- An "artist oasis" outside Nissan Stadium will offer performers an escape complete with private counseling sessions and therapy puppies.
Driving the news: Music Row has acknowledged an ongoing mental health crisis in the industry.
- A new fund backed by advocates and major-label money is available to connect music industry professionals from every rung of the ladder to mental health resources.
- For two years, the CMA has offered mental health scholarship grants that pair tours with Amber Health supports.
Between the lines: Dyer, who manages artist Wyatt Flores, says he's seen and experienced the paradox of the music industry, where soul-fueling music is tied to unrelenting demands.
- "Everybody gets to have a career in their passion, which is beautiful," Dyer says. "But it comes at a cost.
- "There's really high highs, but no one publicly sees the low lows."
Yes, but: Weaving Amber Health into Flores' tour has been a game changer, Dyer says. It has helped boost teamwork and cool tempers.
The bottom line: Dyer says the growing pool of resources from CMA and other organizations could help artists and crews maintain long-term careers.
- "You have to put your oxygen mask on first."