CMT On Tour: Tivoli filled with 'Smoke' tonight

photo Sam Hunt

If You Go• What: CMT On Tour: Up In Smoke, featuring Kip Moore, Charlie Worsham and Sam Hunt• When: 8 p.m today, Oct. 16• Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.• Tickets: $35 plus fees or $100.50 plus fees for VIP seating package• Phone: 423-642-TIXS, 423-757-5050• Website: www.chattanoogaonstage.com

photo Kip Moore

Just 200 seats remained earlier this week for tonight's concert featuring platinum-selling country singer Kip Moore.

"CMT On Tour: Up In Smoke" rolls into the Tivoli Theatre with rising stars Charlie Worsham and Sam Hunt opening for Moore. Moore was one of three nominees for the Academy of Country Music's New Artist of the Year earlier this year and is nominated in the same category at November's CMA Awards.

Here's a look at each of tonight's performers.

KIP MOORE

It's confusing that Moore continues to be nominated in the New Artist categories of country music awards, even though it's been two years and three Top 10 singles since the release of his debut CD, "Up All Night."

Born in Tifton, Ga., to a golf pro and a painter, he didn't start playing guitar until high school - but even then it took a back seat to golf and basketball. It wasn't until college that he got serious about playing music and joined a band.

After college he bummed around in Hawaii for six months, then moved to Nashville 10 years ago. Four years later he was signed by MCA Nashville.

• Big break: Release of debut CD, "Up All Night," and its No. 1 single, "Somethin' Bout a Truck."

• His hits: "Beer Money" and "Hey, Pretty Girl"

• Next up: He is one of a dozen artists on "The Best of Me" soundtrack, released last week by EMI Nashville/Relativity Music in promotion of the Nicholas Sparks film of the same name. Moore sings "Lead Me."

SAM HUNT

Hailing from Cedartown, Ga., only a 90-minute drive from Chattanooga, Hunt's sure to have lots of hometown friends and family in tonight's audience. Before making a name for himself as a Nashville songwriter, he played quarterback for the University of Alabama-Birmingham's football team.

• Big break: Co-wrote Kenny Chesney's "Come Over." Also wrote "We Are Tonight," recorded by Billy Currington, and "Cop Car," made famous by Keith Urban.

• His hits: "Raised On It" and "Leave the Night On," currently No. 5 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.

• Next up: His debut album, "Montevallo," comes out Oct. 27. The CD is named in honor of the small town in which he lived while attending UAB.

CHARLIE WORSHAM

He started out singing in his Baptist church in Grenada, Miss., played the Opry by age 12 and then back-road blues bars where he wasn't even old enough to be inside, much less performing.

After studying music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Worsham returned to the South hoping to make a name for himself in Nashville. His debut CD, "Rubberband," was released in August 2013 by Warner Music Nashville.

• Big break: Opening for Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert. Just finished Brad Paisley's Country Nation tour.

• His hits: "Could It Be," peaked at No. 28 on country charts.

• Next up: Joins Dallas Smith on his January-February 2015, cross-Canada tour of 20 cities.

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