Nashville, TN

With the drought, I saw that a couple of counties in middle Tennessee are suspending fireworks next week because of the fire hazard. I understand the reason for doing it but it’s still kind of sad. I don’t want to be a killjoy, but if it rained all day on the 4th and gave the region the rain it needed, I don’t think I’d complain too much. OK, I would a little bit…but not a lot. I would like to at least hit the outdoor pool on the 4th and possibly grill out some food.

But, anyway, back to my original point….

There are a variety of 4th of July activities going on, some of them starting this weekend. I know that Smyrna has their town fireworks show this Saturday evening. I like the idea becuase it allows more people to enjoy it and also the other fireworks displays around town. Also, it’s on a Saturday night and for those of us who have to work the next day after the 4th, sometimes staying up to see the fireworks show can make us tired and grumpy. With Sunday the next day, we have a chance to at least get a little caught up on our sleep with the wonder that is a Sunday afternoon nap.

I know that next week there will be the big fireworks show at the river in Nashville.

So, are there any other fireworks shows I should be aware of? What’s going on where you live? Let us know….

This is Kyle Aaron & Matt Jenkins at 3rd & Lindsley last Tuesday night. Go here for more!

Have a great weekend!

I think we all know that Nashville is nicknamed Music City USA and that it’s the home of country music.

I used to really like country music–I still do, but a lot of what is played these days is too homogonized for my tastes. It’s the whole–let’s copy what has been successful and replicate it until it all sounds the same theory.

When I moved to Nashville, I had visions in my head of visiting local honkey-tonks and musical venues where I’d hear up and coming musicians and bands.

Three plus years of living in Music City and I’ve yet to go out to a honkey-tonk or the corner bar to hear a musical act. (I’ve been tempted to go to a couple of shows at various places but due to my work schedule, it’s hard to stay out too late). Part of it is, I don’t honestly know where to start. So, that is why I’m turning to you, Nashville. What are some good places to hear some lesser known or up and coming singers or groups? Who are some of the best people to catch and who do you enjoy going out to hear?

Help me out here Nashville!

So last night I was at Sambuca, hanging with friends and listening to Eric Heatherly play on stage. I’ll admit right now I didn’t really want to go. I was tired and I wanted to get in bed at a decent hour, and every time we go to Sambuca we end up leaving much later than we intended. But I went because this was the last night Eric would be playing at Sambuca for the summer.

My resolve to leave early was strong though, and as soon as Eric was done with his first set, I got up to leave and started making the rounds of good-byes. I finally came to Eric to wish him well on the road this week. He and his band leave on a three week tour soon, and I knew he was really pumped.

Me: Good luck on the tour!
E: Thanks! I can’t wait to get OUT of Nashville!
Me: Yah, I think I know what you mean. But it’s good to be from Nashville…
E: Yah, it’s a great place to live, but it’s cancer when you’re working here (in the music industry, that is).
Me: I get it…when you’re a performer, you HAVE to go on tour. You have to get out of the local scene and get your music out there.
E: Are you from Nashville?
Me: No. I was born in California, and then we lived in Texas, Virginia, and Florida. This is the first place I’ve ever chosen to live.
E: Really?! So you had to live in all those other places…
Me: Yup. Eric, have a great tour. But just remember: it’s good to be from Nashville.

The people have spoken and once again Carrie Underwood is the winner.

The American Idol winner and country music sensation Underwood has been named PETA’s sexiest vegetarian for 2007. The award was voted on by users logging onto PETA’s web site and casting their votes.

Carrie has done well for herself after winning American Idol. She’s got a best-selling country album, has won a plethora of awards and has a whole lot of hit singles. She was rumored to be dating Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, Tony Romo, which would be the only real negative thing on her record. (The Cowboys are evil….)

Anyway, congrats to Carrie.

Hey live music lovers! Last night I got to see a couple of friends play at 3rd & Lindsley. Matt Jenkins and Kyle Aaron are, in my opinion, two of Nashville’s most talented rising stars. Matt sings like he is the love child of Randy Travis and Josh Turner, and Kyle can play just about any stringed instrument known to man. He is especially rockin’ on the fiddle. They write their own stuff to boot. Also, watch for Matt on a new reality show that will air on Fox, probably this Fall or next Spring. They just started filming this week.

Anyways, like I said, the venue was 3rd & Lindsley. This bar is pretty well known in Nashville because they always have a great line up of local singer/songwriters. It’s located downtown on the corner of 3rd….and Lindsley. Need I say more?

Folks, I am just plum out of ideas and creative writing flare for this morning’s post. I did run across info on a book signing tomorrow at Davis-Kidd in Green Hills though, in case that is any point of interest for you.

Only child of Johnny and June Carter-Cash, John Carter Cash, will be signing copies of his newly released memoirs of his late mother. You can now get your copy of,Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash, at bookstores everywhere. The signing starts at 6pm June 27.

Apologies for not having much else to say this morning. I’ll try to be back tomorrow!

Saturday night, the 2007 Miss Tennessee was crowned. Grace Gore won the competition and begins a year-long reign as Miss Tennessee.

Her win means she will represent the Volunteer state in the Miss America pagent.

Gore (not sure if she’s related to Nashville’s most famous Gore or not) has Nashville connections. Gore is a doctoral student in audiology at Vanderbilt University.

She won a $12,000 scholarship and will be Gov. Phil Bredesen’s new spokeswoman for the Safe and Drug-Free Tennessee program.

The Nashville Public Library system is facing a problem–seems the funding for the system was decreased this year. This is leading to discussion of having to let some library workers go and possibly closing all but two branches on Sundays.

I saw a bumper sticker a while ago that said something like “If you want to get a good gauge of a town, check out its library.”

To me, nothing could be more true. A good library system is a great selling point for a community in my book (no pun intended). The Nashville library system is wonderful, offering not only books but music, movies and a variety of other sources of information and entertainment to the Nashville area.

I am hopeful the system can find a way to overcome those budget woes without having to cut too many services to the public.

If you don’t have a library card, you should really look into getting one. And learn more about what the library has to offer–from story time to public lectures to community outreach programs.

No, I’m not talking about where to get the best buffalo wings in Nashville.

Sorry.

I’m talking about Flugtag. Gesundheit.

Flugtag is a local contest where people build “human-powerd flying machines” and run them off of a 30 foot ramp over…or in most cases…into the Cumberland River.

This event was brought to you by Red Bull. “Red Bull gives you wings!” Get it?

Anyways, when all was said and done, the best wings (and Farthest Flight) went to (drumroll, please): Rocky Top Rocket, piloed by Brandon Vincent of Graham, KY.

We actually did have two Brentwood locals place 3rd and 4th. Congratulations all. And thanks for playing this weird game.

While I know that Nashville is the home of country music, I’ve got to admit that for the past few years, I’ve found myself not enjoying country music as much as I used to. Part of this could be that I’m getting old and more like Grandpa Simpson with each passing day, but I think another part of it is that country music has become so much more homogonized sounding the past couple of years.

That said, the past couple of years, I’ve found myself listening to and enjoying bluegrass music a lot more.

My parents have purchased tickets for the yearly Ryman bluegrass series for a couple of years now. They found out about it a few years ago when my mom borrowed my idea to get my dad bluegrass tickets for his birthday. Last year, I made my first trip to the historic Ryman audiorium to hear Doyle Lawton and Quicksliver and Rhonda Vincent. It was a great show and I looked forward to going back.

This year, my parents were kind enough to get me a season ticket to the event and I will be able to hear the entire series.

Last night was the first in the series, featuring the legendary Earl Scruggs. Now, I will admit I don’t know a lot about the history and development of bluegrass, but I do know what I like. And I really enjoyed the show. Scruggs put on a great show, seeming to gain energy as the evening went along. He came out on stage slowly and at first I wondered if he’d make it past songs…then an hour and a half later as he brought the house down with the theme to the Beverly Hillbillies and the theme from Bonnie and Clyde, it seemed as if though only a few moments had passed.

Before Scruggs took the stage, we were treated to the opening act of the Nashville Bluegrass Group.

Both acts were good and as I sat there enjoying the music, a thought struck me on one reason I may love bluegrass so much. I think it’s becuase bluegrass takes more group talent to make it work. Yes, Scruggs is great at what he does, but he is surrounded by great talent who make the music come alive..and during the show, each member of the band is given a chance to show off what he can do–or in the case of several band members, the multiple talents they have. And from what I’ve seen last year and last night, the top billings may bring in the fans, but they’re not so horribly convinced their the only reason for being there and aren’t afraid to let the band show-off their talent.

It makes for a great, fun and entertaining evening. And there are five more concerts left in the series, each one reasonably priced at $22.50. So if you’re looking for something fun to do on a Thursday evening, you might give a bluegrass night at the Ryman a try.

Word on the street is the statute of limitations is now up on Jim Balsillie’s exclusive offer on our Nashville Predators. Locals have been in “save our team” mode ever since this Canadian billionaire offered to buy the team from current owner Craig Leipold in late May.

Get the full story here. Then come back and let’s have some fun.

Ready?

The article dropped several big local names as hopefuls for Predator ownership. Cal Turner…Martha Ingram…Tommy Frist…I even heard an Al Gore in there. So Nashville, who do YOU think should step up and save our team? Hint: I’m not asking for votes on the above-mentioned. Drop some new names on me.

My vote is this: let’s all bid together and take joint ownership of the team. Would we even be allowed to do that? How would ticket sales work if we were all part-owners? Just throwing the hypothetical ball around. Thoughts anyone?

You know, I don’t hear much buzz about the Nashville Kats these days.

The team is having a decent season and if they win this week, they have an outside shot at the playoffs. But yet, we don’t hear much discussion of them in the local media.

I went to a game a few weeks ago and it was virtually empty. The ticket prices were reasonable and it was a good time. I’ve looked for games on TV in our local market, but haven’t seen any on cable of late (why can FOX SS show us Braves games but not the Kats games?)

As Nashville gets ready to lose a hockey team, I think it’d be a shame if we also lost our arena football team. If that happens, the former GEC is going to have tumbleweeds rolling through it

Last night was the first time I ever went to Movies in the Park. It is held at Centennial Park in the amphitheater. I got there a little late, just as the sun was setting, and the movie had already started. I didn’t expect that half the population of Nashville would be there, but I’m pretty sure they were. I had to park almost 1/2 a mile a way. I was very lucky to have found my two friends that I was meeting there. If it weren’t for the Ben & Jerry’s stand landmark they gave me, and the fact that they were sitting right on the outskirts of the crowd, I would have resolved to sit alone.

The movie last night was Singin’ in the Rain, and I realized as I watched, that I had never seen this movie before. I was somehow shocked at my own lack of classic pop-cultural depth. I knew I had seen the play - a high school version - some 15 years ago, but the plot was a brand new concept to me. Also, who knew Gene Kelly was hot. Yes, yes he was.

Next week is the last night of Movies in the Park. Get there early. Bring a blanket and a little spending cash for pizza, drinks and/or ice cream.

Running back Chris Brown has re-signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Brown was drafted by the Titans in an attempt to fill the gap left by Eddie George. And while Brown has been good at times, he’s been hampered by injury for most of his career. He’s missed a lot of games and that opened the door last year to Travis Henry coming in from Buffalo and having a great season.

Brown starts this year with a desire to get the starting job back.

If he can remain injury free, he might have a good chance.