Lenny Kravitz made a surprise visit at the CMA Music Festival Saturday night in Nashville where he played a five-song set of his rock hits.
According to Rolling Stone Kravitz led a seven-piece backing band including a horn section. He opened with “Fly Away” and “Always on the Run.” Kravitz had country star Jason Aldean join him on stage repeating their performance on Wednesday’s CMT Awards by playing Kravitz’s cover of “American Women.”
“I’m sure you weren’t expecting me to play right here,” Kravitz said to the 50,000-strong audience at music City’s LP Field.
The country-strong crowd did not feed off of Kravitz’s rock energy. His almost 15-minute-long performance of his 1989 single “Let Love Rule,” closed the 30-minute set and received no enthusiasm when he said, “you can join in, c’mon.”
According to CMT Kravitz insists he has country music running as deep as rock music in his veins.
“You know, I’ve always had influences of country in my music, back to [1995’s] ‘Can’t Get You Off My Mind’ and songs like that. Country and rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues all work together so well,” Kravitz said.
Image: NBC