Jessica Simpson Emotes

Jessica Simpson will be on hand for the Country Music Association (CMA) Festival this weeked in Nashville. She's pushing her new country music schtick, with an album debuting in the fall. Did Jewel successfully pull this off, as well? Is that why she's involved in all the country stuff lately?

Other artists who will be performing at one one of the biggest events of the year for country music are Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Kellie Pickler, Dwight Yoakam, Trace Adkins, Faith Hill, and Billy Ray Cyrus.

I am not a country music fan, so my apologies to anyone who is if I speak out of turn. Hit me with your doublewide or whatever.

Country music fans have been pouring into the city since Monday, but the festival officially began yesterday with a concert featuring Phil Vassar, Jo Dee Messina, Jason Michael Carroll, Luke Bryan and Chuck Wicks. Are they any good?

I'm dying to see what their reception of Jessica is. Though she did just break a chart record with highest debuting country single by a solo artist. At #41. Someone else had really set the bar there.

Photos: WENN