Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe NASHVILLE, June 6 (UPI) -- Not all of the celebrities turning out at Fan Fair, billed as the world's largest country music festival, will be singing. Fourteen actors from the NBC soaps "Passions" and "Days Of Our Lives" will be guests of honor, along with the likes of country music superstars Alan Jackson, LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna, during Fan Fair this weekend in Nashville. Advertisement "I think the fit between country music and NBC Daytime really is established by some of country music's great old songs," said Sheraton Kalouria, senior vice president of NBC Daytime Programming, speaking recently from his Burbank, Calif., office. "Some are just soap operas set to music. "The investment from the fans in the country singers and songs is similar to the investment by our fans too...When those fans who come to Fan Fair, when they see their favorite country music performer and then they see their favorite star from 'Passions' or 'Days Of Our Lives,' it's the same level of excitement," he said. "That's why I love bringing our talent here, they get such a warm reception." Advertisement Currently in its third year of partnership with the Country Music Association, NBC has expanded its presence each year at Fan Fair. This year's activities include signing autographs in the Exhibit Hall, emceeing concerts, participating in the lecture series and hosting the "NBC Daytime Fan Fair After Hours Party" at the Wildhorse Saloon on Saturday. During the Wildhorse Saloon party, popular country trio Trick Pony will headline the concert, preceded by performances by soap actors, including Kyle Lowder, who portrays Brady on "Days Of Our Lives." "The biggest rush was performing at the Wildhorse Saloon," Lowder said recently during a break from taping "Days." This year will be Lowder's second trip to Fan Fair, made more fun because he and his wife, actor Arianne Zuker (Nicole on the soap), are both country fans, he said. "We get to go to a great city, meet up with a whole bunch of fans and we don't get to do that very often," Lowder said. "It's just nice to look them in the eye and say 'thank you.'" In addition to Lowder and Zucker, other daytime actors scheduled to attend incldue Kristian Alfonso ("Hope"), Bryan Dattilo ("Lucas"), Peter Reckell ("Bo"), and Alison Sweeney (Sami) from "Days Of Our Lives"; and Galen Gering ("Luis"), Justin Hartley ("Fox"), Lindsay Korman ("Theresa"), Eric Martsolf ("Ethan"), Jesse Metcalfe ("Miguel"), McKenzie Westmore ("Sheridan"), and Deanna Wright ("Kay") from "Passions." Advertisement In a nod to NBC's commitment to Fan Fair, both soaps have halted production during the event, a rare occurrence, according to Kalouria. This event is also one of the few times that the actors are not paid for their public appearances, he said. Of course, the investment has its payoff. "After last year's event, the week following Fan Fair (markets in Memphis and Nashville) showed an increase in ratings (for "Days Of Our Lives" and "Passions") of 10 or 15 percent over the previous week," Kalouria said. The strategy for increasing viewership, as well as promoting country music to soap fans, also has included promotions with country radio, along with story lines that include country music singers. In the month prior to Fan Fair, NBC Daytime teamed with "After MidNite with Blair Garner," a popular nationally syndicated country radio show that airs daily on more than 200 radio stations. During the promotion, soap stars appeared on the show to talk about their attendance at Fan Fair and about "Days Of Our Lives" and "Passions." The promotion ended with one listener winning both a trip to Fan Fair and a trip to Los Angeles with a walk-on role on "Days." Advertisement On Monday, country music singer and songwriter Phil Vassar will appear on "Days Of Our Lives." During the show, in which Vassar stars as himself, he will sing two of his songs. In the script, he also will reference that he just has attended Fan Fair, Kalouria said. In the past, LeAnn Rimes has appeared on the soap. The partnership between NBC Daytime and country music is a logical one, according to Kalouria. "The editor-in-chief of Soap Opera Digest surveyed its readers for their favorite genre of music," Kalouria said. "It was country."
