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MUSIC
CITY
Under Nashville’s gleaming new skyline, the beating
heart of country music is still going strong

By Robert Kiener

Honky tonks on Lower Broadway are magnets

2 reader's digest 04.2019 for up-and-coming singers and musicians.
A
s my plane flies over
the country music
mecca of Nashville, I
see a flurry of activ-
ity. Tennessee’s capi-
tol city has become
something of a boom
town lately. Scores of building cranes
dot the downtown area, giving birth to
over two billion dollars’ worth of shiny
new skyscrapers and an ever-changing
skyline.
Forbes magazine has called this city
of 660,000 one of the nation’s “hottest”
(as in trendy) cities, The New York
Times has dubbed it the nation’s “It”
city (as in very trendy), and GQ maga-
zine labeled it “Nowville” (as in even
trendier).
Long before it got those labels,
though, Nashville was known around
the world as “Music City,” and “The
Home of Country Music.” Generations
of legendary singer/songwriters, from
Hank Williams to Johnny Cash to Wil-
lie Nelson to Taylor Swift, have gained
both fame and fortune here. With all
that’s going on, I’ve come here to see if
the city is still in touch with its much-
vaunted musical roots.
As I land at Nashville International
Airport, I recall the lyrics to “Crazy
Town,” country singer Jason Aldean’s
hit song about the city:
It’s a crazy town, full of neon dreams.
Everybody plays, everybody sings,
Hollywood with a touch of twang.
To be a star you gotta’ bang, bang,
bang.
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Do these lyrics, I wonder as my
plane taxis to the gate, still apply to
Nashville? Minutes after I step off the
plane, I spot a country singer perform-
ing on one of the six stages that the air-
port has set up under its one-of-a-kind
“Music in the Terminal” program to en-
tertain travelers.
Joe West, the 58-year-old singer/
songwriter, is a six-days-a-week per-
former at the airport and is immensely
popular. Harried travelers stop and
listen to him and devoted local fans
drive out to the airport to catch his
performances.
After a moody Hank Williams classic,
he sets down his much-loved, battered
guitar and confesses to me that “Crazy
Town” could have been written about
Robert’s Western World is one of the hottest venues for showcasing would-be stars.
him. He’s been in Nashville writing
songs, singing, peddling his CD’s, and singer/songwriters, has agreed to give a decade younger than his 71 years.
“bang-banging” on this guitar for the me a behind-the-scenes tour of the As we sit in the historic theater’s
last 20 years. 127-year-old Ryman, Nashville’s most upper balcony watching electricians
When I tell him I have come to Nash- famous music venue. The one-time rig the stage for an upcoming perfor-
ville to discover if it’s still the heart of church is best known as the longtime mance, Gatlin tells me, “You know
country music, he smiles. “Definitely! home of the Grand Ole Opry country ‘holy’ is a good word to describe the Ry-
That’s why I came here. And I’m music radio show. man.” He gestures to the stage some 50
thrilled to be living my dream of per- Gatlin, an acclaimed solo artist feet away and adds, “When you think
forming and making a living with my and member of the trio the Gatlin of the stars who have performed on
music here.” Brothers, meets me in the lobby. If that stage, from Elvis Presley to Patsy
A passerby drops a five-dollar bill in the Ryman is the “Mother Church of Cline and Johnny Cash, there’s no
his tip jar as West explains, “Nashville Country Music,” as it’s often called, other word for it.” Even rockers such
Photo/Illustration credit
has been growing by leaps and bounds, Photo/Illustration credit then Gatlin is one of its most famous as Neil Young described the Ryman as
but music is in this town’s DNA." He high priests. His hit songs include “All “like country music heaven.”
suggests I visit the Ryman Auditorium, The Gold in California,” “Broken Lady,” Gatlin, who still performs at the
adding, “It will never change.” and “Houston,” and he still performs Ryman, remembers the first time he
with his brothers across the country. visited it, in July 1971. “I’d just moved
I’m in luck. Larry Gatlin, one of He has a guitar slung behind his back to Nashville, hoping to make it as a
Nashville’s Grammy-award winning and, but for his gray hair, looks at least singer/songwriter. I’ll never forget
04.2019 reader's digest 5
 A
quick walk around the cor- Grand Ole Opry used to duck out the
ner from the Ryman brings me Ryman’s backstage door between
to perhaps the most famous, shows, cross the alley (34 steps) to
some may say infamous, neighbor- down a few beers here.
hood in Nashville, known as Lower Both Tootsies and its near-neighbor
Broadway. Home to a dozen or so on Lower Broadway, Robert’s Western
neon-heavy bars known as honky- World, are two of the hottest venues
tonks, this is ground zero for tourists in Nashville for showcasing would-be
and locals in search of cheap drinks, country music stars. When I walk into
wild dancing, and live country, west- jam-packed Robert’s Western World,
ern, and bluegrass music. Happily, I’m reminded of what Grammy
it’s also a magnet for up-and-coming Award-winning songwriter Tim Nich-
talent: musicians, singers, and song- ols, once told me, “Nashville is the
writers who have come to Nashville place to be if you want to make a
to make their musical dreams come name for yourself in this business. Af-
The Nashville skyline at sunset frames a riverfront park that sometimes hosts concerts. true. Even more happily; there’s no ter all, if you want to hunt tigers, you
cover charge, food is inexpensive, and have to go where the tigers are.”
watching Dolly Parton and Roy Acuff He picks up his guitar, tunes it and no reservations are needed—
perform onstage. It still gives me begins singing softly: or accepted.
chills thinking about it.” She’s the Ryman, I duck into Tootsies Orchid
He says he was thrilled when it was mother church of country music. Lounge, one of the street’s
saved from the demolition squad in For almost a hundred years, most popular honky-tonks,
the 1990s and recently renovated. stars of country music have and head for an upper floor,
"The fact that the Ryman has been made her rafters ring. dodging a phalanx of hard-
saved proves how much this town If her old walls could talk, drinking bachelorette par-
cares about its musical roots.” they’d sing. tiers who sport cowboy boots,
During our discussion, curious The tourists who have gathered cut-off shorts and T-shirts
fans have begun snapping pictures around us seem as moved as I am with slogans like, “Smashed
of Gatlin and the braver ones have by this impromptu Nashville musical in Nash,” “My Last Ride Be-
approached closer, possibly gather- moment. Gatlin sets down his guitar fore I’m The Bride,” and “He Museums honor the mega stars of country music.
ing up the courage to ask for an au- to warm applause. This mini-perfor- Popped the Question.” The music is I’ve also been told that many, if not
tograph. He smiles and acknowledges mance from one of country music’s high decibel, professional caliber, and most, of the bartenders and other em-
Photo/Illustration credit

them but tells me he wants to play a brightest lights reminds me of what
song for me that he has been work- one writer noted about the Ryman:
ing on. “I just started writing it, but I “At the Ryman, anything is possible:
think it will help answer your ques- A soul can find redemption, a crum-
tion about how important it is that we bling building can find salvation, and
preserve the Ryman’s and Nashville’s unknown kids with guitars can find
role in country music.” their name in lights.”
much appreciated. Even the bar’s ad- ployees in Lower Broadway’s honky-
vertisements are rowdy: “Come to tonks are country music hopefuls
Tootsies for a holler and a swaller.” (A supporting themselves while they
shout and a drink.) hone their craft. When I ask Roberts’
I order a beer and imagine what it barmaid Theresa Bradford if any of
must have been like between 1960- the staff are also aspiring musicians,
1974 when performers at the nearby she laughs and tells me, “You’ve

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 Studio B, and the Musicians Hall of
Fame & Museum. Exhibits range from
the spectacular, Elvis’s “Solid Gold”
1960 Cadillac, to the less than spec-
tacular: a group of stuffed squirrels
that had been shot by Hank Williams.
In the Ernest Tubb record shop,
started in 1947 by Tubb, one of the
Grand Ole Opry’s brightest stars, I
meet manager Victor Black, a one-
man walking encyclopedia of country
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is music-themed both inside and out. music. He shows me the highlights
among the store’s treasure trove of
just described 90 percent of our interesting time,” says Mayor David memorabilia, hard-to-find CDs, and
employees.” Briley as I join him for a coffee at the the hundreds of historic vinyl records
She introduces me to Matt Camp- ultra-hip downtown hotel, the Noelle. and photos that line the walls.
bell, who explains he came to Nash- Briley is a grandson of the town’s first I also explore the oldest and most
ville, “lured by the beacon of country mayor. “We’re growing quickly, evolv-
music” five years ago and landed a ing, becoming more multicultural. But
job working as a beer stockman—a at the same time we’re concerned to
“schlepper”—at Robert’s. “It’s a great preserve what has made Nashville so TRAVEL TIPS
place to make connections and, if special—that unique spirit that attracts
you’re lucky, make music,” he says. 14 million visitors from all over the LODGING: Good values downtown
include the Union Station Hotel,
Campbell, a multi-talented singer/ world each year. And music is a huge
doubles from $165, and Courtyard
songwriter, performs regularly at Rob- part of that.”
by Marriott, from $149. In trendy,
ert’s and on tour across the country. Music superstar Waylon Jennings historic Germantown, the Germantown
Among his tunes is “The Night That I might as well have been describing Inn, a bed-and-breakfast, has doubles
Found Jesus Down at Robert’s West- Nashville itself when he said, “Coun- from $199.
ern World.” Before Campbell joins his try music isn’t a guitar, it isn’t a banjo, DINING: Seek out southern specialties
band for their gig on Robert’s Western it isn’t a melody, it isn’t a lyric. It’s a such as barbecue pulled pork and fried
World’s main stage, he echoes what feeling.” catfish sandwiches for $14 at Merchants
Tim Nichols told me. “If you have Restaurant, BBQ trays from $12
Photo/Illustration credit
famous music studio in Music City,
RCA Studio B, where many famous
singers recorded hits. On an early visit
to the studio, Dolly Parton smashed
her car into the side of the building
and later quipped, “That was my first
big hit.” Elvis fans take note: visitors
can sit at the same piano where he
recorded some of his hits.
At the end of my visit to Nashville, I
feel confident that the city’s musical
legacy is in good hands. The skyline
may be changing, parts of the city are
gentrifying, new restaurants are com-
peting for trendiest, but at its heart,
Nashville is still “Music City, USA.”
Happily, it’s a town where cowboy
boots, jeans, and guitar cases out-
number high heels, suits, and brief-
cases and is, as Jason Aldean noted,
"a crazy town, full of neon dreams,"
where “everybody plays, everybody
sings."

something to say, you need to take Signs abound that Nashville still re- at Martin’s Bar-B-Que, and inexpensive
it to the marketplace,” he says as he veres its past. Music-related museums menus including fried bologna
slings his guitar behind his back. “And are everywhere. Highlights include sandwiches at Robert’s Western World.
there’s still no bigger country music the 350,000-square-foot Country Mu- Attractions: One-hour walking tours
marketplace than Nashville.” sic Hall of Fame and Museum, the from the Nashville Visitor Center take in
much more modest Johnny Cash Mu- Lower Broadway honky tonks and other
“You’ve come to Nashville at an seum, the Pasty Cline Museum, RCA historic neighborhoods and buildings.

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