Sundays in Nashville

On Sundays in Nashville, nothing really happens until after noon time, because it is the Bible belt.  If you don’t go to one church, you go to another.  My Sundays are no different.  I started attending a Southern Baptist Church, and have only missed one Sunday since I’ve been in Tennessee and that was because I got here on a Saturday night and didn’t go that first Sunday.  After hanging out in the back pews and darting out right after the service for the first few Sundays I eventually branched out, and now have lunch with a few people after service, including the pastor.  After lunch I usually watch the Seahawks lose (I will be a Seattle fan forever, they’ll make a come back again…) Then I practice banjo, maybe write some stuff and play some music for a while.  Then at 7:00 I head to Nashville, to The Station Inn.  I have heard of The Station, before I came here.  It is one of those famous honky-tonks that specializes in traditional bluegrass. 

The Station Inn, is a small dark bar, with a hard wood floor and a stage up front.  Sunday nights is an open bluegrass jam.  And this is not like any bluegrass jam I’ve ever been to.  The people here are true bluegrassers.  They could not be nicer either, the usual crew is an older crowd and are amazing musicians, but all levels of pickers are welcome.  It’s hard to explain what its like without actually being there, and I’ll admit it might not be your style, but for me seeing these people get together and play songs with each other like they’ve been playing together for years even though they just met, is AMAZING!  The best part is when they call out a song I know and pass the lead around the circle and give me the head not to take it, I mostly stand in the back and play along, but every once in a while I step up and pick one with them all.  Music in Tennessee is everywhere and there is no cover to get in the bar to see a bad band.  You can’t walk down Broadway in Nashville without hearing music.  They pass the tip jar around every so often, these musicians may have plans to be a superstar someday, or maybe they just love playing in the bars, but there is a universal love for music around this town, which is exactly why I am here.  Pickin’ and Grinnin’!