Downtown Nashville

Yes, not all the life is out at the Opry and points east of town. The downtown was home to the Opry for years at a venue called the Ryman Auditorium. Fascinating history, worth the ticket for the tour. you would not believe the acts that have played the hall. Birthplace of bluegrass, with Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs. Opry legends galore. The reason the current Grand Ole Opry has benches, not seats. There's a preacher in the past...

I wanted to look at the sound stuff (you are shocked, I'm sure) and we met this Brit who, as it turned out, was the actual sound engineer for last night's show. Great guy, very personable and animated, and antsy for us tourists to leave so he could do the sound check at 4. I got to hear a lot about the nuts and bolts of traveling with the band.

Are y'all ready for the name of the band?

Jethro Tull.

I was floored. One of my all-time faves... "sitting on the park bench..."

Shortening the story, I talked about James (what else would I talk about, with a sound guy) and wanted to take a pic of his 72-channel Yamaha beast. He quickly set the EQ (the green on the screen) to make James freak out... that would be, telephone voice, no highs, no lows. And he insisted I get the closeup. Amazing.


Here's that closeup:


Lunch was al fresco at Puckett's, recommended by several. I had the prettiest girl in Nashville at my side:


And in case you wondered how pervasive the music is in Nashville, even the Presbyterians are aspiring songwriters:


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