8/09
Nashville If You Love Country Music
- Johnny Cash via last.fm
What many folks don’t know about Music City is that the variety of live music is actually pretty diverse: the Nashville Symphony has a packed schedule of concerts and programs year-round, blues and jazz players roam numerous clubs and restaurants downtown and in the surrounding suburbs, and the bands and singers who play at the honky tonks on Broadway regularly stray into genres other than country.
For many country music fans, however, Nashville is Mecca, a place they have to visit at least once in their lifetimes. And there’s a well-worn path between the main attractions for these pilgrims:
The Country Music Hall of Fame is a place where fans can see Elvis’ Cadillac, Hank Williams‘ taxidermied squirrel band under glass, and learn about the long and sometimes twisty history of country music.
The Ryman Auditorium is generally regarded as the Mother Church of Country Music. The Grand Ole Opry got its start here, and tales abound about the smell of fried-chicken permeating the place every Saturday evening as families brought their dinners to enjoy while listening to country legends like Minnie Pearl, Johnny Cash, and Buck Owens.
The Bluebird Cafe is THE place where singer/ songwriters new and established go to debut new material and get feedback from audience and musicians alike. Reservations are strongly suggested because the place is pretty small, with only 21 tables and a few spots at the bar. And don’t let the fact that it’s located in a strip mall stop you from enjoying a great night out.
Of course, no country-music-centered trip would be complete without a visit to the Grand Ole Opry in the sprawling Gaylord Opryland complex on the outskirts of town. The Opry still broadcasts live every Saturday night over WSM. The night we visited, a young male country singer made his Opry debut, and after he finished taking his bows, he announced to the audience that it was the best ten minutes of his life so far. And why not? Following him were Jewel, Marty Stuart, and Charlie Daniels.
By Lisa Rogak
Related posts:
