Lara Spencer is known for her work on Good Morning America, as well as being a dedicated thrifting enthusiast and animal advocate. Another fun fact about the TV personality is that she is a big country music fan. So needless to say joining Riley Green, one of the genre’s biggest stars today, to host this year’s CMA Fest concert special on ABC was a career highlight.
The duo find themselves in good company alongside past masters of ceremonies over the last 23 years with recent names Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Jelly Roll, Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson and more. This year’s three-hour event premiering June 25 features a star-studded lineup from a packed Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Some of those performers hitting the stage from the 2026 CMA Fest are also former hosts. Not to mention fellow chart-toppers from Blake Shelton, HARDY, Ella Langley and Deana Carter to Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Carly Pearce and Tim McGraw.
The program will also see the surprise return of Florida Georgia Line. Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, who went their separate ways in 2022, have now put the pieces in place for a comeback. Spencer is no stranger to televised CMA shows, presenting awards at past ceremonies. We caught up with Spencer to talk about what it was like working with a heartthrob and her own memorable moments. .
(Disney/Michael Le Brecht)
How big of a country music fan are you? What kind of cred would you say you have?
Lara Spencer: I have a lot of cred! I’ve been a fan for a long time. Now I have two kids in Nashville (Duff and Katharine Haffenreffer). I’ve been listening to country music for a long time on my own. My daughter is now at Vanderbilt, and we go see live music every chance we can.
What does it mean for you to host the CMA Fest special joining so many others like Little Big Town?
They are my favorite by the way. I used to host a show for ABC News called Good Afternoon America. Little Big Town in 2012 or 2011 wrote our theme song. We became fast friends ever since. That hopefully gives me a little cred, right? I mean that’s over a decade ago.
For sure! I also think it’s great that you bring that fan perspective too. Like being one of us just taking it all in.
Oh yeah! I actually ran into Riley Green about two years ago at a gym. I was completely freaking out, fangirling. So to be standing on the same stage next to him and getting to see him perform in close range was such a thrill. I’m happy to say he is absolutely the nicest guy. Not only is he incredibly talented, but he couldn’t be nicer. He was the best partner a new country music host could ask for.
You mentioned going to a lot of concerts in Nashville. Have you ever been to CMA Fest before? How would you describe the atmosphere? It’s a crazy couple of days and really a country music fan’s dream.
This is my third one. The first two were fans. This one put things in a whole new light. It’s a lot of live music over those four days, and there are all these different stages all around the Downtown Nashville area. There are even little venues you can find. If you know Nashville, you know the bars are hopping with great music on any given day. Especially, on Fest weekend from Thursday through Sunday, it’s absolutely hopping with no shortage of opportunities to see incredible emerging or already superstar artists mingling with the fans. That is what they are there for. I did it two years ago with my husband and friends. Last year, I did it as a girls’ weekend. This year was a family affair. I brought my sister, brother and husband. We just had the time of our lives, introducing the bands, interacting with the bands. I got to know them in a whole new way.
What were some of the highlights for you on stage or even backstage?
I have two memories that really make me smile. The first is thinking about when I was in the back where all the dressing rooms were. Mine was right in the mix. It was directly across the hallway from Riley’s. I heard music playing right outside my door. I open up the door, and there is Lainey Wilson rehearsing for her moment on stage. She was doing a collaboration with Tim McGraw. She was outside the door singing “Wild Horses,” and I was like, “What is that angelic noose I’m hearing?” I opened it up, and it was surreal to see her and members of her band right outside my door rehearsing. That’s exactly how it was backstage. It was like Tim McGraw sitting there and listening to her, meeting her new husband for the first time. Just watching all these artists who are legitimate friends and fans of each other, supporting each other, talking about their families, and tours. That was really fun to see backstage. What an incredible community it really is. You get the feeling it is as a fan that it’s a very friendly, warm, and loving community. Seeing it from behind the scenes, it was very affirming that it was a very nice place to be.
The other thing that was similar was just being backstage after I introduced the bands, I had the opportunity to watch them perform their sets. It was electrifying because you’re looking out at 65,000 plus fans, maybe even more. To see it from their perspective, it was something I would never have fathomed. It was really mind-blowing. It was so energizing. Then to turn around, and while Riley is doing his set, there is Zach Top singing along. There are all of these artists, Carly Pearce is backstage, Lainey Wilson is backstage, all cheering each other on. While they are not even performing, but having a beer and listening to the tunes, and enjoying the show every bit as much as the fans are off stage.
ABC/Heidi Gutman
One of the big standouts for this event that I’m excited to see on the special is the reunion of Florida Georgia Line. How was that?
Oh my gosh. They are such a fun and ionic band. I think everybody is so thrilled to have them back on the scene together. Of course, both were continuing to make music. However, they are a force together. As you can imagine, the place went absolutely insane when they were performing. That’s all I’ll say on that. The other really great moment I’m sitting here smiling about was Keith Urban and Michael McDonald singing yacht rock in a whole new way. It was so much fun. Michael McDonald is a legend in his own right. His voice is as strong as ever and so singular. Combined with Keith Urban’s take on yacht rock. It was really one of the great moments of the weekend.
You’ve done so much in your career, but do you get some extra cool points from the kids with a gig like this?
Oh for sure. My son actually works for WME (William Morris Endeavor) in Nashville as well. He is out of college and moved to Nashville. So, he was able to join us Friday night. I think it’s fun to have adult kids and do these kinds of things with me finally. I’ve been blessed with a really long career and lots of opportunities. So, to have them be able to join me and do something they both really love as country music fans was very special.
Speaking of opportunities, how is it for you to see That Thrifting Show renewed for a second season?
I’m super excited about Season 2. People have found the show and really love it. I’ve been wanting to do this since Flea Market Flip ended its run after 14 amazing seasons. I could not be prouder of the show. I feel like it’s Flea Market Flip on steroids. It’s super fun, very much at the moment. The younger generation, meaning my kids’ age group seem to be really into it. I’m looking forward to hopefully many more seasons to come. I’m literally working on it today. We’re in pre-production for Season 2 and start filming in just about a month from now at the end of July.
Being part of GMA and seeing other opportunities like your show and CMA Fest come out of it over the years, how is it juggling it all?
My story is no different than any other working mom. You do what you can. You do everything as well as you can. Kids come first, and I have two kids who are almost grown up. That’s allowed me a little more time to dive back in and create some new opportunities to do what I really love.
CMA Fest, June 25, 8/7c, ABC (Next Day on Hulu)