Carolina Country Music Fest Logo

Carolina Country Music Fest will return in 2023, taking place on Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from 8-11 June 2023. Tickets have recently sold out for the festival, with the event shaping up to be yet another immensely popular occasion. 

Announced to headline the four-day event is summertime superstar, 

 having suffered another injury to his vocal chords, and subsequently being placed on six-week voice rest. 

Also confirmed as performing are 90s legends Brooks & Dunn and Travis Tritt, along with southern-rock superstars 

The McDonalds Thursday Night Kick-Off Concert will be headlined by 

, with Tracy Lawrence as special guest on the night.

In addition, Bret Michaels, Scotty McCreery and ‘Flower Shops’ hitmaker 

To make it even sweeter, some of country's most exciting prodigies, 

, Ian Munsick, Jon Langston and Megan Moroney are also playing the festival.

In the coming weeks, the festival is set to add 40 more of country's biggest acts to its official line-up.

Holler will have all the up-to-date coverage and ticket details for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023 here.

For the full line-up for Carolina Country Music Fest, see below:

General Admission and Super VIP 4-day passes are available now for the festival, with payment plans available for both options. Tickets start at $259.00, with Main Stage VIP passes now sold out.

For more information on tickets and for other country festivals set for 2023 and 2024 - head here.

For more coverage on Carolina Country Music Fest 2023, see below:

Kenny Chesney Announced for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023 After Morgan Wallen is Forced to Drop Out

Brooks & Dunn Announced to Headline Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

HARDY Unveiled as Thursday Night Headliner for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

Megan Moroney and Jon Langston Announced for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

All the latest line-up announcements, date confirmations and ticket details for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

Festival - Carolina Country Music Fest 1

Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

Miranda Lambert grew up singing in Texas before catching Nashville’s attention as a teenager. But she didn’t like the pop direction they tried to push her in, so she learned guitar, began writing her own songs and self-released her self-titled debut album in 2001.

Lambert’s sophomore album, and major label debut, Kerosene arrived in 2005, quickly topping Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and eventually going platinum. 

It would take one more album, 2007’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend for Lambert to earn her first Academy of Country Music Award – for Top New Female Vocalist. 

Lambert has gone on to release a number of additional solo albums, including 2020’s best-selling album Wildcard, which won the Grammy for Best Country Album. She’s also co-formed the supergroup Pistol Annies, with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, recorded the campfire collaboration The Marfa Tapes with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall.

She even become the first female artist to open her own bar in downtown Nashville, appropriately called Casa Rosa (or Pink House).

A commercial and critical success, Lambert’s gutsy attitude comes across in her tell-it-like-it-is songwriting, which has garnered Grammys, CMA Awards for Album of the Year, and led to her being named Female Vocalist of the Year at the ACM Awards more times than any other female artist. 

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Miranda Lambert on Holler

Miranda

Lambert had an auspicious start, taking charge of her own destiny, that set the stage for what followed.

Miranda Lambert: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Michael Wilson Hardy was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi. He studied songwriting at Tennessee State University and jumped right into the country music industry with that education. 

He’s written songs for Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, Thomas Rhett and many others. 

Hardy’s talents caught the eye of producer Joey Moi, who signed him to Big Loud Records in 2018. Hardy released two back-to-back EPs: his debut, This Ole Boy, arrived the year of his record deal and his second EP, Where to Find Me, came out the following year, as did a collaborative mixtape featuring 17 major artists. Hardy tapped Rhett, Keith Urban, Trace Adkins and many others for Hixtape, Vol. 1.

In 2020, he released his debut studio album A Rock. It featured the single “One Beer”, which hit the number one spot on US Country Airplay.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Hardy on Holler

Hardy

HARDY is a half country, half-rock singer/songerwriter who grew up with the love of music through his dad.

Hardy: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Texas six-piece Whiskey Myers have marked out a sonic patch of turf that feels immediately recognisable as a concoction of Red Dirt and Southern Rock, with a healthy dose of straight-shooting Rock ‘n’ Roll thrown in for good measure.

Yet when you scratch beneath the surface of Whiskey Myers’ most popular tracks, the terrain becomes a lot harder to map. They’re not afraid to stray from the dirt-road tracks and surprise fans with a gospel-infused anthem or a bluesy twist.

Nonetheless, the songs that have gained the most prominence have been the grittier, Skynyrd-inspired anthems, epitomised on blazing tracks such as ‘Rolling Stone’, ‘Die Rockin’’ and ‘Frogman’.

in 2014 with mixed success, but saw their stock rise dramatically when they were chosen to be a part of the hit 

 TV series. Not only did they play on screen, but a number of songs, such as ‘Stone’, have made it onto the show’s hugely popular soundtrack.

This led to their whole catalogue being propelled into the Top Ten of the iTunes Country Chart, and helped to build momentum for a series of emphatic live shows across both the US and the UK.

, in the summer of 2022, a self-produced, guitar-driven and emotionally rich journey through Texas that again found the band testing out exciting new sonic waters.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Whiskey Myers on Holler

Whiskey Myers

Whiskey Myers are not afraid to stray from the dirt-road tracks and surprise fans with a gospel-infused anthem or a bluesy twist.

Whiskey Myers: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

When any starry-eyed country music hopeful packs up their life and moves to Music City, they're often moulded, sculpted and pulled in every which way by label execs in order to build a specific ‘brand’.  

, she's maintained a distinct determination to stay true to her roots. Many artists sing about their down-home upbringing as a marketing device, but for Lainey, it's always been the truth - all she needed was three chords to accompany it. 

She grew up in a camper trailer in rural Baskin, Louisiana, and stormed onto the scene with her reflective 2021 single, ‘Things A Man Oughta Know’. The track earned Lainey a No. 1, a Platinum certification and the award for ACM Song of the Year. Alongside this, Lainey also picked up the ACM New Female Artist of the Year prize. 

It didn't take long for Nashville to warm to Lainey's honeyed drawl and traditionally-minded yet contemporary sound. Billboard named Lainey as their Top New Country Artist of 2021, while CMT championed her as the 2022 Breakout Artist of the Year. 

If 2021 was Lainey's take-off, then 2022 saw Lainey rocketing into country's galaxy of modern-day stars. Two successful collaborations set the ball rolling. Her Cole Swindell assisted single, ‘Never Say Never’, became Lainey's second No. 1 in April 2022, while her dark, ominous HARDY duet, ‘wait in the truck’, sent ripples across Radnor Lake and quickly became one of the most notable tracks of the year.

This laid the foundation for the October 2022 release of 

The project spawned singles such as ‘Heart Like A Truck’ and ‘Live Off’, both of which embody the unpretentious, small-town way of life that continues to inspire so much of Lainey's music. 

Often, Lainey Wilson's sound of choice is fun, playful and swaggering, while at other times, it's beautifully poignant and heartfelt. But whichever sonic playbook she chooses to draw from, one thing's for sure - it's always going to be unmistakably, unashamedly and unwaveringly 

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Lainey Wilson on Holler

Lainey

For Lainey Wilson, her brand is as simple as it is resolute - being her own damn self. 

Lainey Wilson: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

When you hear Ernest's mellow, honeyed vocals, it's hard to believe that he started off his musical career as a rapper. On his 2021 smash hit, ‘Flower Shops’, he has his boots planted firmly in classic country terra firma - but to get there, it’s safe to say that Ernest eschewed the traditional pathway in favour of the scenic route.

The stylistic influences that have shaped Ernest’s chart-topping sound are hugely varied, and they emerge like easter eggs hidden amidst the steel guitars and layered drawl. From his moody, EDM collaboration with Diplo, ‘Bottle’s Bout Dead’, to the retro, Hailey Whitters-assisted tribute to Dolly and Kenny, ‘Islands in the Stream’, Ernest regularly showcases his diverse musical palette.

Ernest’s creative dexterity is clearest when examining his illustrious songwriting track record, having penned hits for a range of country stars. These include Florida Georgia Line (‘I Love My Country’), Sam Hunt (‘Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90’s’), Kane Brown (‘One Mississippi’, ‘Memory’), Thomas Rhett (‘Church Boots’, ‘Paradise’), Chris Lane (‘Big, Big Plans’) and Jelly Roll (‘Son Of A Sinner’).

Ernest has been particularly prolific when writing for his good buddy, Morgan Wallen, having helped to create ‘You Proof’, ‘More Than My Hometown’, ‘Dangerous’, ‘Broadway Girls’ and numerous other hits. With HARDY, the hugely popular trio are considered by many to be the tastemakers of today’s country music scene.

, was a romantic, beachside getaway, with the tropical setting reflecting the paradisal relationship that Ernest celebrates on the record. Highlights such as ‘I Think I Love You’, ‘Sugar’ and ‘All We Need’ helped to build a burgeoning following for the Nashville native.

While some suspected that Ernest would double down on this Buffettian, Gulf and Western sound, at the end of 2021 he shifted gears and dropped his biggest hit to date, ‘Flower Shops’. The Morgan Wallen collaboration felt like the kind of song George Jones would record if he was part of today’s generation of artists, and it marked a clear departure from the idyllic shores of 

. ‘Flower Shops’ went Platinum in November 2022.

, built out this troubled, heartbroken persona, spawning fan-favourites such as ‘Comfortable When I’m Crazy’, ‘Feet Wanna Run’ and ‘What It’s Come To’.

In December 2022, Ernest confirmed that he would be releasing two new singles, ‘Miss That Girl’ and ‘Unhang The Moon’.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Ernest on Holler.

Ernest

Ernest is a classic country singer with a voice so mellow, it would be hard to believe that he started his career as a rapper.

Ernest: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

 EP in June 2022, it became the biggest streaming country debut of all time. Zimmerman also became one of just three country artists to earn over a million streams on each track during street week alone. The other two artists? None other than Luke Combs and Zach Bryan.

It’s sometimes difficult to believe that Bailey Zimmerman is still in his early twenties, and that he’s only been releasing music since 2021. In the space of just over a year, Zimmerman has enjoyed an ascent that has felt so meteoric, that he seems to have already transcended the labels of ‘prodigy’ and ‘prospect’.

‘Fall in Love’, one of the highlights from his 2022 EP, became his first Country Radio No. 1 in December. The single serves as the perfect encapsulation of what makes Zimmerman such a threat. It has the signature rasp and heart-wrenching intensity that pervades much of the project, but - crucially - it is packaged up with a pop-leaning production style that makes it ideal for Country Radio.

The result is a sound that simultaneously straddles both the mainstream and the outer edges of the modern country landscape. Part of Zimmerman’s ability to infiltrate both markets can be traced back to his blue collar roots, having grown up working on a gas pipeline.

In 2023, Zimmerman is joining Morgan Wallen on his blockbuster 

world tour. Zimmerman has previously cited Wallen as a mentor, with the Sneedville native having even co-written ‘Trainwreck’ from the 

When he heads out on the road with Morgan Wallen, Zimmerman will receive a first-hand glimpse into what it takes to become one of the biggest country stars on the planet. Given how emphatic Zimmerman’s emergence has been so far, few would be surprised to see him unveil his own world tour this time next year.

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Bailey Zimmerman on Holler.

Bailey

Zimmerman has enjoyed an ascent that has felt so meteoric, that he seems to have already transcended the labels of ‘prodigy’ and ‘prospect’.

Bailey Zimmerman: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Alongside the good company of Taylor Swift and Garth Brooks, he’s one of the only recipients of the CMA Pinnacle Award, which recognises artists that will have a “long-term positive impact on the appreciation of country music for generations to come”. 

Chesney is synonymous with the beachside, island-inspired way of life that he champions on anthems such as ‘No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems’, ‘Coastal’, ‘We Do’ and ‘Save It For A Rainy Day’.

But the Tennessee crooner first made his mark on the country charts with a much more traditional-leaning sound that was influenced by the likes of Garth Brooks and George Strait. Chesney’s first five albums were all released during the 90s, and spawned a slew of smooth, rose-tinted hits, such as ‘She’s Got It All’, ‘What I Need To Do’ and ‘You Had Me From Hello’ - along with the hilarious ‘She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy’, which remains one of his go-to encore songs at his live shows.

The first hints at Chesney’s gear shift from the lovelorn ballads of Brooks and Strait to the tropical escapism of Jimmy Buffett emerged on 1999’s ‘How Forever Feels’. Shortly after the turn of the century, Chesney’s new mission statement was concretised in his 2002 quadruple-platinum album, 

From that point on, through his expansive discography and the high-octane live shows that he has become known for, Kenny Chesney has taken ownership of country music’s slow lane, celebrating the joys of island living and removing oneself from the stress of the rat-race. 

It’s a philosophy that has been embraced as a cri-de-coeur for members of his loyal ‘No Shoes Nation’ fan club, with Chesney embodying the modern longing to break free from an accelerating pace of life. For many, this pinpoints the reason why his music feels more relevant than ever today.

 completed a trio of albums that showcased the various facets of his sound. From the rum-drenched, sandbar soundtracks (‘Guitars and Tiki Bars’, ‘When The Sun Goes Down’, ‘Big Star’), and the wistful odes to years gone by (‘I Go Back’, ‘Young’, ‘Live Those Songs’), to the intricate ballads often accompanied by nothing more than a simple acoustic guitar (‘Old Blue Chair’, ‘Be As You Are’, ‘Sherry’s Living In Paradise’, ‘There Goes My Life’).

It’s a recipe that Chesney honed through the remainder of the 2000s and 2010s, racking up a suite of uptempo smash-hits, such as ‘You and Tequila’, ‘Setting the World on Fire’, ‘All the Pretty Girls’, ‘American Kids’, ‘Get Along’ and, more recently, ‘Here and Now’.

While Chesney’s music is notable for its tropical nature, to focus only on this overlooks his unique ability to weave in heart-wrenching tales of love and loss (‘Don’t Blink’, ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey’, ‘Knowing You’), without every straying from his core credo, which is most lucidly expressed in the hook of ‘Happy Does’ (“

Steal a slow dance in a rain storm/And a kiss from who you love/Laugh and live with a half-full cup/Yeah, happy is as happy does

That song featured on Chesney’s most recent album, 

, which he released during the pandemic in 2020. It debuted at No. 1 and became the singer-songwriter's sixteenth Top 10 album.

Kenny Chesney will embark on another nationwide US tour in 2023. His British fans may still be holding out hope for a long-awaited UK tour in order to see him in the flesh, but until then, the Knoxville native’s grinning, sun-kissed face can often be spotted around Holler HQ on one of Maxim’s innumerable Kenny Chesney t-shirts…

Home of all the latest news, information and coverage of Kenny Chesney on Holler

Kenny

Over the course of nearly three decades, Kenny Chesney has become a four-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, a six-time Grammy nominee, and the holder of 31 No. 1s.

Kenny Chesney: News, Songs & Reviews | Holler

Carolina Country Music Fest 2023: Line-Up, Dates and Tickets

Ross Jones is the CMA Award-winning Editor-In-Chief of Holler.

Based in London, UK, Ross graduated from Staffordshire University with a bachelors degree in Music Journalism and Broadcasting, before further pursuing a career within the music industry. 

Ross served as a freelance writer for over ten years for a variety of independent and national UK publications, including DIY, So Young, Goldflakepaint and Wax Music. He also served as News Editor for Bristol In Stereo.

Editor of Holler since the platform's launch in December 2020, Ross has overseen the launch of the editorial website, Holler Live Sessions and the Holler Weekly Podcast.

Ross was awarded the CMA Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award

, a commendation established to recognise outstanding achievements in the media as they relate to Country Music outside of the United States.

As well as fulfilling his role as editor, Ross is a music Journalist, DJ and Podcaster. As a DJ, Ross has performed sets at The Long Road and Citadel Festivals, as well as across a variety of reputable London and Bristol venues. 

As a Podcaster, Ross co-hosts the country music magazine show Strokes of Country on Whynow with Ciara Bains and Holly Smith, where they have interviewed such high profile artists as Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll.

Ross

Author - Ross Jones 2

A handy, chronological list guide to the country music festivals taking place across the world in 2025 and 2026.

A handy, chronological list guide to the country music 

 taking place across the world in 2025 and 2026.

Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

READ MORE:

Brooks & Dunn Announced To Headline Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

HARDY Unveiled As Thursday Night Headliner For Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

Megan Moroney and Jon Langston Announced for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023

Kenny Chesney Announced for Carolina Country Music Fest 2023 After Morgan Wallen is Forced to Drop Out