Nashville Trip

We took a little trip to down to Nashville last week. On our way, we stopped by the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, VA. For any fans of traditional country/bluegrass music, the Fold is a must see. Every Saturday, people gather at the fold to hear some great music, some corny jokes, and dancing, all under the watchful eyes of the spirits of A.P., Mother Maybelle, Sara, June, Anita, Johnny Cash, and many other legends. Honoring the legend of the Carters, the performances have a religious element to them and no profanity or bad behavior is tolerated.
Once in Nashville, we took in all the history. The first floor of the Country Music Hall of Fame is so full of music lore that one could easily spend two or three hours up there. The second floor was less exhilarating for me, as I'm not very interested in the likes of Garth Brooks and Travis Tritt, but entering the rotunda, with plaques bearing the names of Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, and others is a special experience.
So too is entering the Ryman Auditorium. Here is where the Grand Ole Opry used to perform. Just going up on the stage and walking the aisles of the legendary theater is treat enough, but the hall also holds a fair amount of memorabilia.
Unfortunately, the current music scene in Nashville isn't exactly what I expected. I stopped in at Tootsies, the bar behind the Ryman where Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings would go drinking, to hear some local music. Suffice it to say that the band played some Garth Brooks, as well as "Play That Funky Music," and "Another Brick in the Wall." Not exactly the music I was looking for. Fortunately, the drummer only used his double bass pedal a few times.
Either way, the city of Nashville is definitely worth visiting. You can truly feel the presence of all the great artists who passed through the city on their way to music stardom.