Marty Stuart has hosted a Late Night Jam every June for the last six years, but this year will be the first time the fundraiser is officially a part of CMA Music Festival.

"In my mind, it was the unofficial kick off of Fan Fair," said Marty, using the festival's old, enduring name. And now it is in everyone else's, too. With this new association, the Late Night Jam will raise money for MusiCares, as it has always done, as well as CMA's Keep the Music Playing program, which provides musical instruments to Metro schools.

The seventh annual Late Night Jam, held at the Ryman on June 4 at 10 p.m., will feature Marty and his Fabulous Superlatives, the Charlie Daniels Band, John Rich, Sunny Sweeney, The Steeldrivers and Mike Ferris. Marty will also present his new Superlative, Paul Martin. "We are adding people by the week," said Marty, noting that he has asked John Rich to bring all of his friends.

You never know who is going to show up. "The performers that have showed up for the show are staggering actually — Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Urban, Earl Scruggs, Travis Tritt, Neko Case," Marty said. "It's one of the coolest shows in town, the pirate ship of the week."

By Beverly Keel