Been to Nashville Lately?
No matter your musical tastes, if you are headed to Nashville or if you are a genuine music lover you should go to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It is truly and experience, not just a museum of old country junk from the past.
The Country Music Hall of Fame is just a couple of blocks off Broadway, Nashville's famed street for live music.
My wife and I took a trip to Nashville and ended up arriving later than planned.
We started out late in the afternoon and with better planning we would have stayed down on Broadway and had dinner at the Wild Horse then gone bar hopping and music listening.
Instead we tried to cram it all in the first night.
The very first thing we had to do after we arrived is to jump on the bus over to historic RCA Studio B.
Over half of the Elvis Presley music collection was recorded in this studio.
Our tour guide Eddie was thoroughly knowledgeable about the studio and the music industry.
After some probing we found out the bus driver was also a studio musician for another studio in town.
We were fortunate that the studio wasn't in use so the four of us on the final tour of the day were able to sit at the very piano Elvis played.
We were also able to stand where Martina McBride recorded her latest Christmas album.
Even though I am not an Elvis fan by southern standards, it was truly an experience in history.
If you have an understanding of acoustics or any musical background you will appreciate the magic and uniqueness of Studio B as soon as you walk in.
Unlike any studio I have ever walked into, the sound was slightly live and truly unique.
You could hear the slight garage sound that was on many of Buddy Holly's recordings.
It now makes sense since this is the studio those songs were recorded in.
ZZ Top might be able to recapture their old garage sound there too.
The slight echo in the room was a sound that I don't think has been replicated in any other studio in the US.
I haven't heard them all, but the popularity of Studio B to this day is a testament to its unique sound and history.
At the end of the tour we got back on the bus and headed back to the main Hall of Fame.
The current exhibit telling the story of Hank Williams was awe inspiring to say the least.
I thought I knew quite a bit about Hank Jr when I arrived.
I quickly learned that I didn't know anything other than the man and his music.
I came away with an entirely new appreciation of Hank Sr, Jr, III and the three girls.
Hillary, Holly and Jett.
The story of Jett was the most bazaar and tragic story of the family in my mind.
If you go you'll get to decide that for yourself since there are so many strange and tragic stories within the famous family.
Many of the historical artifacts placed throughout the Hall of Fame were interesting to both my wife and I which is a rare occurrence.
Most of the time one of us is bored beyond belief.
At closing time we rushed out to head over to the Grand Ole Opry for the Tuesday night show.
No kidding, there is our tour guide Eddie playing on stage.
I walked up to the stage to take this picture and he remembered me from just 4 hours earlier and he was laughing about it.
As I walked back everyone looked at me wondering how I knew him.
I got my 15 seconds of Nashville Celebrity I guess, at least it looked that way to the people in the front four rows.
Nashville isn't the Hillbilly hollow most people think of it being.
It is a great city with a wonderful history, great music and great people.
Visit soon ya hear.
It is truly and experience, not just a museum of old country junk from the past.
The Country Music Hall of Fame is just a couple of blocks off Broadway, Nashville's famed street for live music.
My wife and I took a trip to Nashville and ended up arriving later than planned.
We started out late in the afternoon and with better planning we would have stayed down on Broadway and had dinner at the Wild Horse then gone bar hopping and music listening.
Instead we tried to cram it all in the first night.
The very first thing we had to do after we arrived is to jump on the bus over to historic RCA Studio B.
Over half of the Elvis Presley music collection was recorded in this studio.
Our tour guide Eddie was thoroughly knowledgeable about the studio and the music industry.
After some probing we found out the bus driver was also a studio musician for another studio in town.
We were fortunate that the studio wasn't in use so the four of us on the final tour of the day were able to sit at the very piano Elvis played.
We were also able to stand where Martina McBride recorded her latest Christmas album.
Even though I am not an Elvis fan by southern standards, it was truly an experience in history.
If you have an understanding of acoustics or any musical background you will appreciate the magic and uniqueness of Studio B as soon as you walk in.
Unlike any studio I have ever walked into, the sound was slightly live and truly unique.
You could hear the slight garage sound that was on many of Buddy Holly's recordings.
It now makes sense since this is the studio those songs were recorded in.
ZZ Top might be able to recapture their old garage sound there too.
The slight echo in the room was a sound that I don't think has been replicated in any other studio in the US.
I haven't heard them all, but the popularity of Studio B to this day is a testament to its unique sound and history.
At the end of the tour we got back on the bus and headed back to the main Hall of Fame.
The current exhibit telling the story of Hank Williams was awe inspiring to say the least.
I thought I knew quite a bit about Hank Jr when I arrived.
I quickly learned that I didn't know anything other than the man and his music.
I came away with an entirely new appreciation of Hank Sr, Jr, III and the three girls.
Hillary, Holly and Jett.
The story of Jett was the most bazaar and tragic story of the family in my mind.
If you go you'll get to decide that for yourself since there are so many strange and tragic stories within the famous family.
Many of the historical artifacts placed throughout the Hall of Fame were interesting to both my wife and I which is a rare occurrence.
Most of the time one of us is bored beyond belief.
At closing time we rushed out to head over to the Grand Ole Opry for the Tuesday night show.
No kidding, there is our tour guide Eddie playing on stage.
I walked up to the stage to take this picture and he remembered me from just 4 hours earlier and he was laughing about it.
As I walked back everyone looked at me wondering how I knew him.
I got my 15 seconds of Nashville Celebrity I guess, at least it looked that way to the people in the front four rows.
Nashville isn't the Hillbilly hollow most people think of it being.
It is a great city with a wonderful history, great music and great people.
Visit soon ya hear.
