Personal Touch Fan Fair Gives Plain Folks An Opportunity To Meet Their Favorite Country Music Stars

So you’re talented, successful, articulate and good-looking?

Fine, now prove you’re a regular Joe.

That’s what country music stars do each year at the International Country Music Fan Fair.

The whole crowded, sweaty, heat-soaked phenomenon is going down for the 25th time at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds through Saturday. It’s a good example of what makes the country music industry different than other entertainment entities.

A world-weary “I vant to be alone” doesn’t cut it here.

No one is alone. Everyone is shoulder to shoulder.

“I’ll be giving out lots of hugs - that’s what I’ll be doing,” said singer Marty Stuart with a laugh.

Hard-core fans come from all over the world, with 24,000 of them springing for $90 for a week of unparalleled access to their heroes. The $90 doesn’t include the cost of transportation, motel rooms or most meals.

Some fans use up their entire summer vacation each and every year at Fan Fair.

Among those who will perform at record-label showcases are biggies like Alison Krauss, Alan Jackson and Vince Gill. Fan clubs spring into action with their own events.

All the usual tourist spots - the Opryland theme park, the Country Music Hall of Fame, etc. - reap business.

There was a fan-voted awards show Monday at the Grand Ole Opry House, one of the few events of the week conducted in air conditioning.

But the heart of the matter is the booths in the exhibit halls, very much like kissing booths at a state fair. Here, country singers turn up for grueling (for both sides) autograph sessions.

This is where eye contact is made, where a fan earns bragging rights back home to say of a star, “Yeah, I met her once. She was really nice.”

Fail at getting fans to think that, and it won’t matter how good the records sound.

“I’m so busy during Fan Fair,” said singer Martina McBride. “I’ve kind of overcommitted myself.”

McBride will be host of the TNN Music City News Country Awards and another awards show that’s just for the radio. She also plans to point out merchandise at a charity auction and sign autographs at both her own and the RCA booths.

“And I’m having my fan club party Wednesday night,” she added.

Last year the thousand or so fan club members got to meet McBride’s new baby. This year she’s trying to persuade her father to perform with her.

“And then we go out to the lobby or wherever we’ve designated and sign autographs and take pictures until the last one gets their autograph and picture,” she says.

How long did it take last year?

“Till about 3 in the morning.”

Billy Ray Cyrus (“Achy Breaky Heart”) will have a private signing for his fan club, 1,500 strong, at a downtown auditorium.

“I love it, and it’s a lot of work,” Cyrus said. “They take numbers and come at certain times so every single one gets a personal moment.

“It takes a long time, but you just have to go in with the mindset that you’re there to make people happy.”

Cyrus has particular motivation to keep fans happy. He’s had a hard time getting radio airplay since “Achy Breaky Heart” back in 1992, but his core audience has stood by him.

He has two nominations at the TNN Music City News Country Awards, one for entertainer of the year. He has them because the nominations were decided by fans, and Billy Ray Cyrus’ fans are very loyal.

Vince Gill, a regular Joe in country music if there ever was one, says his only trouble with Fan Fair is “your cheeks eventually start hurting,” from smiling for photographs.

“Shoot, it’s not that hard,” Gill said. “It’s fun.

“You know, I don’t think of myself as any different from those people that love this stuff so much that they’ll fly in from all over the country or drive in and want to hang out just to get a chance to say, ‘We love your music.”’