Broadway Street and the Ryman Theater

What a day.  Yesterday was a day of meetings and our Board banquet, so we didn't get out and about.   Today our board meetings ended at noon.  I rented a car and three of us headed to downtown Nashville.  We really had no idea what to expect.  We knew we wanted to see the Ryman theater - the "Church of Country music". 

We got to Broadway, found a spot to park.   Bars, bars, souvenir shops, and record stores.  We saw the sign on Earnest Tubbs Record Store and knew we had to go there.  His record store is in a old building that pre-dates the Civil war.  Apparently in the Civil War it was a hospital.  All along the walls, there are rows of pictures (with signatures) of the who's who in Country music.  Very special place.  Of course, now it is lined with CD's for sale instead of the vinyls. 

Along the street you constantly hear music coming out of the bars and grills.  Every now and then someone will try to draw you in.   One spot we went in, one of the band members came after us to come back in when we left.  One place had chicken wire.   To make a long story short,  Wanda and I wandered around a bit later in the evening on our own and stepped in to give a listen to some of the music.  One place had a 4 piece group playing some rockabilly music.  When we went in they were playing Johny Cash's Folsom Prism (rockabilly version).  The place was jumping.  They had this guy playing double bass who was the most incredible double bass player you'll find anywhere.  He broke into a bass solo that brought the house down.  You see that kind of stuff all along the street.  

The highlight of the day though was our visit to the Old Ryman Theater and a back stage tour.   Got to go into the dressing rooms, but no picture.  Heard the history of the Ryman and its near death a couple of times and about its restoration by the Gaylord properties (who own the new grand ole opry theater).  Apparently Emmy Lou Harris was its saviour because it sat unused for 20 some years and she wanted to do a show there - and did.  That brought the interest in restoring the Ryman back to its glory and its future protected as a historic site.  

So at the end of the tour, you can get up on the Ryman stage, look out into the theater and play a song.  An older fellow and a woman got up there just before me and did a version of one of my favourite songs "In the Summer Time".   The acoustics are so great, the sound just carries.  She started singing and the everyone wandering around the theater stopped in their tracks to listen and gave her a great applause when they finished.  That's a tough song to do and she did it proud.   I have no idea who she is.  

So then my turn.  Its the Ryman..  You can't help but stand their and think of all the great artists who stood in that same spot.  Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Little Jimmy Dickens,  Earnest Tubbs,  Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Elvis,  and on and on and on.   My fingers went like butter and I couldn't play a thing.  I played "Sitting Here" - got through it, but I didn't sing it.  Too Chicken I guess.  But I actually got up and played a guitar on the Ryman theater stage.  How frickin' cool is that.