I just got back today from Nashville, where I attended the Women’s Final Four basketball tournament.
I had never been to Nashville, even though I grew up in Louisville, KY, which is only about three hours north of Nashville.
Nashville probably wouldn’t have appealed to me in my Louisville days, anyway, because I didn’t develop a taste for country western music until the 1980s, long after I had moved to Kansas City.
The only country western music I like, however, is from the 80s and 90s — sometimes called the country legends — when the great artists like George Strait, George Jones, Alabama, the Bellamy Brothers, Pam Tillis, Kathy Mattea and others were in their primes.
You can find plenty of live music being played from that era — as well as the new stuff — in downtown Nashville. For at least two blocks of Broadway, narrow, dark and deep bars (for the most part) line both sides of the street. Western wear stores and other retail establishments are interspersed among the bars, but the bars are the main attraction.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is just off Broadway, but I couldn’t tear myself away from the live music long enough to get over there.
An interesting thing about the bands is that there’s a core group of musicians, all of whom seem to rotate from group to group, joint to joint. For example, I saw the same guitar player with three different groups, at three different places, on three separate days.
You don’t seen any signs bearing the names of bands and nobody asks. The only thing the bands have in common is that there’s always a tip jar near every stage…and the band leader reminds the patrons about that. (My advice: tip generously; this is good stuff!)
Another interesting thing is that most of the bands solicit requests, and if you ask for a song they haven’t played before, sometimes the players will put their heads together, strum a few notes, talk about how they’ll approach it, then resume their positions and…one, two, three, four, hit it! That’s how versatile and experienced these players are.
I’m definitely going back — and I intend to find that same skinny, ball-cap-wearing guitar player.
…Of course, Nashville isn’t just about music. Other attractions include good restaurants; the State Capitol; LP Field, where the Tennessee Titans play; and Bridgestone Arena, where the Nashville Predators hockey team plays and, of course, where the Women’s Final Four was contested.
The semifinal games were played on Sunday and the championship game — won by UConn, of course — was played last night.
And now, for your viewing enjoyment, here are some photos…
The name of the place? “I like it like that…” No, no, make that The Second Fiddle.
On the left is that guitarist I mentioned — the guy I saw with three different groups on three different days.
Broadway by day
Broadway by night (at least basketball finals’ night)
Ryman Auditorium, first home of the Grand Ole Opry
Looking up Capitol Drive at the State Capitol
The library
The UConn and Notre Dame teams warming up before Tuesday’s game
Just like that, it’s over
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
The train station turned hotel is pretty spectacular as well.
I saw that but didn’t go in. Very impressive exterior — that gray stone. There are a few other buildings of similar construction.
I’ve driven through Nashville dozens of times on my way south to Naples. I fly now, but your travelogue got me thinking about driving again with tourists stops along the way…like Nashville.
The West End, which is about a dozen blocks southwest of downtown, on Broadway and West End Avenue, is an area of good restaurants and home to Vanderbilt University. It’s impressive to have a great school like that so close to downtown.
Fitz,
Glad you al enjoyed Music Row and the Women’s NCAA hoops.
Larry — I just figured this out with a Google search. When I was in the West End, I saw signs for Music Row and thought it must be another area of bars. Not so. Wiki says:
“Music Row is an area just to the southwest of Downtown Nashville, Tennessee, that is home to hundreds of businesses related to the country music, gospel music, and Contemporary Christian music industries. Centered around 16th and 17th Avenues South (called Music Square East and Music Square West, respectively, within the Music Row area), along with several side streets, Music Row is widely considered the heart of Nashville’s entertainment industry. In this area, one will find the offices of numerous record labels, publishing houses, music licensing firms, recording studios, video production houses, along with other business who serve the music industry, as well as radio networks, and radio stations.”
…But no cluster of bars, like downtown, with live entertainment.
Off topic, but you’ll find this interesting: http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/the-best-college-basketball-program-of-all-time/
Well, not entirely off topic.
i have many friends in Nashville, and they tell me you can’t go there and not eat at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack unless you’re just a big pansy.
Sorry, could care less about women’s basketball, but love Nasville and food.
Amazing run for UConn–men and women. Women’s bball needs more teams to challenge them. UConn gets the best players and they stay four years. That equals multiple championships. Their coach is still a d__k, though.
Oh, Jennifer, didn’t you see Geno tear up when he was being interviewed after the game??? How could you call someone with such a tender heart a d__k?