Month: September 2017

The Bluebird—for the rest of the country, these two words likely conjure up the image of a literal blue bird. But for the majority of Nashvillians and country music patrons, they bring to mind a small, awning-covered cafe, tucked obscurely into a strip mall in the heart of the high-end shopping district of Green Hills. It may be the smallest of Nashville’s famous music venues (it only seats 90 among its 20 tables of varying sizes, a few old church pews and handful of bar stools), but it seems the limited access and the challenge of securing tickets have actually contributed to its popularity over time.

While most of the stages in Music City spotlight the artists, The Bluebird exists to showcase the writers of the songs themselves. The restaurant opened in 1982 and within a few years’ time was featuring singer-songwriter performances of up-and-coming artists looking for a platform to share their talent. So, apart from those in the know, or those behind the scenes of the music world, most of the performers aren’t household names; but each is incredibly gifted and worthy of a moment to shine and to be recognized for their musical creations. However, there are now several well-known musicians who credit being discovered there; so one never knows who could be heard tonight in the intimate café setting and then a few years later will be playing a sold out arena! And though I imagine that to some degree they all have dreams of performing for large crowds of fans, by and large it has been my experience that true musicians are genuinely content to play for an engaged, appreciative audience, regardless of the size.

I had been with friends to a show a few years back, but recently decided it was time to visit again. Since the TV show Nashville came on the air in 2012 scripting the Bluebird into its storyline over its five seasons, the demand for tickets has made the online reservation process more difficult (see website for details). So, on a weekday afternoon off work, I went and started the “wait and see” line at 4pm for a 6pm show. There were easily 20-25 people that gathered in the following hour, each hopeful for a seat (the website indicates they allow 10-12 in on a first come basis for the earlier shows, but it seemed to me that more lucky souls made it in that particular night). The wait was warm in the afternoon Tennessee sun, but the show that evening was worth every minute of it! I met people from multiple states and an international couple and enjoyed pre-show dinner conversation with everyone seated at our small table. During the show, there is a quiet policy requesting low voices and minimal talking due to the intimate living room style set-up. As the performers take turns “in the round” style, it seems that each balances the vulnerability of sitting with just his/her voice and a stringed instrument, with a gratefulness for the captive listeners willing and wanting to hear the songs they have penned.

Perhaps I’m more inclined than some to have an ear for country and bluegrass music, but I realized again that night that there is something that just comes alive in me when I hear the strum of a skilled guitarist singing an acoustic masterpiece, authentically Nashville-style. 🙂

Although I’ve never considered myself a history buff, I still appreciate the preservation of our past—for better or for worse, it provides pieces of the puzzle that have contributed to the bigger, modern-day picture of who we are today. And wanting to take advantage of an historical landmark just a few miles from my home in Donelson, I recently visited The Hermitage, the home of our seventh president, Andrew Jackson (who, interestingly, was the last president to have personally known all of his former presidential predecessors).

I had seen the mansion at a distance at last year’s Fall Festival (a weekend event of artisans, live music and food trucks, benefitting The Hermitage; Fall Fest 2017 is coming up again soon (Sept 30-Oct 1), but had not yet toured inside, or seen the full scope of the beautiful grounds surrounding the home. So I went with my parents to the summer’s final “Pinot with the President”—a special evening held after normal business hours that provides wine and hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity to leisurely tour the cabins, gardens and mansion at your own pace. And there were expertly-knowledgeable guides stationed at the different sites to share historical stories of centuries gone by—accurately portraying what seems to be in all of us—goodness marred by the flaws of humanity and the sins of their current era; stories that share the impact of it all and the lessons we can learn and carry forward from them.

On a clear, late summer afternoon with the sun beginning to set and the temperature sitting comfortably in the 70’s, the weather lent itself perfectly to a mostly outdoor event, to fully enjoy the well-manicured garden, the mature trees and acres of rolling fields that give the feel of being hours from the city! The Hermitage estate was sold to the state of Tennessee in the 1850’s, and has been pristinely maintained; the mansion had been in the Jackson family until its sale, so most of the furnishings inside are original to when the president and his family lived there (another factoid I found interesting: Pres. Jackson and his wife Rachel never had children of their own, but adopted two sons, one was their nephew, and the other was a Native American baby who died of tuberculosis at age 16).

Pinot with the President is a once a month summer event that you can look for in 2018; but regular tours are available daily (thehermitage.com). It’s a short drive from the city and is a great way to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors of Middle Tennessee while also procuring a history lesson outside of the classroom 🙂