In lieu of the annual CMA Fest, fans were able to get a taste of what they’ve been waiting for — live music, that is — at CMA Summer Jam on Tuesday night (July 27). Blake Shelton, in particular, took the opportunity to give fans a memorable surprise at the event: During his set, he brought to the stage his new bride, Gwen Stefani.
Together, Shelton and Stefani sang their duet “Happy Anywhere.” Footage from the show shows Stefani creeping in from backstage, rocking another white dress — this time, a fun fringe number that was light and perfect for a fun evening onstage with her new hubby.
The honeymoon glow was shining bright as the pair stared straight into each other’s eyes and belted out the tune that they originally recorded when Stefani was just Shelton’s girlfriend. The couple tied the knot on July 3.
Though recently Stefani admitted to Jade Iovine that she wasn’t sure she would marry Shelton, she was sure she wanted to duet with the “Sure Be Cool If You Did” singer. Stefani says that when Shelton originally sent her “Happy Anywhere” and asked if she would like to join him for the song, she “freaked out.”
“My fantasy in my brain would be that we would do a song together,” Stefani told Iovine in the same interview. Thus far, the two have recorded together four times.
While talking to Iovine, Stefani also dropped some hints that something like her appearance at CMA Summer Jam would be happening. “It did feel very natural to get up onstage and perform with him,” shared Stefani, who has surprised Shelton’s crowds a number of times throughout their relationship, including at a recent festival.
In addition to Shelton and Stefano, the first night of CMA Summer Jam also featured Carrie Underwood, Dwight Yoakam, Mickey Guyton, Carly Pearce, Cole Swindell, Lainey Wilson and Luke Bryan. A second night of CMA Summer Jam — featuring Brothers Osborne, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line, Gabby Barrett, Jimmie Allen, Jon Pardi, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett — is set for Wednesday night (July 28), also at Ascend Amphitheater.
ABC will condense the two nights of entertainment into a three-hour broadcast version of CMA Summer Jam, scheduled for a date to be announced, as the network has done with their annual CMA Fest broadcast in years past.
