Thursday, June 8, 2023
Posted from: Nashville North TV Park, Goodlettsville, TN
Miles driven: 50
Total trip miles: 741
Today we plan to find out if you can experience Nashville in one day. We will:
1) Eat at Biscuit Love in the Gulch neighborhood of Nashville
2) Tour the Country Music Hall of Fame
3) Walk around the city, including a stroll down Broadway
4) Experience a taste of the 50th Annual CMA Fest (fka Fan Fair)
5) Tour Studio B where Elvis recorded
6) Attend a concert at the Grand Ole Opry
Let’s start by finding parking in the Gulch. We planned to stay here until it’s time to go to the concert. Once again Cameron’s parking guidance brought the truck within millimeters without touching. (Reminiscent of the child sized finger width between the bumper and a concrete wall at Mt Rushmore.)
Thankfully, niece Claire who recommended Biscuit Love for breakfast also told us to not be afraid of the line…it goes fast. We waited15-20 minutes and the food came out quick.
The biscuits, iced coffee, and brown sugar lemonade were yum!
We then made the short walk to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I tried ordering the tickets online the night before but it kept giving me errors when I tried to place the order, so Grace gave it a try on her phone (after I lost my cool with my phone and went for a walk). She texted that she got tickets. Great.
The next morning I realized they were through a third party so we didn’t have time slots reserved. At first I was a bit worried, but because of the CMA Fest, it ended up working out better than the original time I had planned to book.
This little gem is hidden in the Taylor Swift creative song writing area. Love this picture!
There are a crazy amount of platinum and gold records here.
A VERY large guitar to teach about the parts of a guitar.
The actual Hall of Fame. If you stand right in the middle and talk quietly the sound sounds very amplified in your ears. The big gold words say, “May the circle be unbroken.”
The CMA Fest map we found on Broadway. We are at the orange star in the middle. It was so busy. Broadway was completely blocked off to traffic. Music pouring out of every bar and large stages set up in parking lots and river front. Every five steps you take you pick up a different live song coming from somewhere, and often heard 3-5 bands at the same time.
The sign the kids are pointing at has poorly chosen font. Instead of “Howdy CMA” it looks like, “Howdy GMA” so the kids took a picture to say hi to their grandmas. Ha!
There are a crazy amount of platinum and gold records here.
A VERY large guitar to teach about the parts of a guitar.
The actual Hall of Fame. If you stand right in the middle and talk quietly the sound sounds very amplified in your ears. The big gold words say, “May the circle be unbroken.”
The CMA Fest map we found on Broadway. We are at the orange star in the middle. It was so busy. Broadway was completely blocked off to traffic. Music pouring out of every bar and large stages set up in parking lots and river front. Every five steps you take you pick up a different live song coming from somewhere, and often heard 3-5 bands at the same time.
The sign the kids are pointing at has poorly chosen font. Instead of “Howdy CMA” it looks like, “Howdy GMA” so the kids took a picture to say hi to their grandmas. Ha!
Looks like Howdy Gma to me!!
The pedestrian bridge was all decked out with banners showing various big artists and the year they made their Fest debut. Kind of cool to look at.
Found food at Food Truck Row of the festival and sat on the steps to listen to a band at the Chevy Stage.
After walking around the festival, we met our tour guide at 2:30 to hop on a tour bus to Studio B.
So many great artists recorded here but it is best known as the place Elvis recorded. The studio also recorded Charlie Pride and hired women in key roles.
The “x” where Elvis stood when he recorded “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” It was recorded at 4:00 in the morning. Elvis couldn’t get the lighting right (atmosphere) so he had them turn off the lights and the song was recorded in the dark.
This grand piano was brought here when the place was opened and never left despite Elvis trying to purchase it several times. He was told this was the one thing his money couldn’t buy.
After the tour we headed back to the Gulch neighborhood. We found a fun photo opp.
By now Caleb was so hungry he was fading fast so we found an English pub. We had a recommendation for a good BBQ place, but three people in the group sometimes get migraines from smoked meat, so we went with the pub…which was also really good.
The pedestrian bridge was all decked out with banners showing various big artists and the year they made their Fest debut. Kind of cool to look at.
Found food at Food Truck Row of the festival and sat on the steps to listen to a band at the Chevy Stage.
After walking around the festival, we met our tour guide at 2:30 to hop on a tour bus to Studio B.
So many great artists recorded here but it is best known as the place Elvis recorded. The studio also recorded Charlie Pride and hired women in key roles.
The “x” where Elvis stood when he recorded “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” It was recorded at 4:00 in the morning. Elvis couldn’t get the lighting right (atmosphere) so he had them turn off the lights and the song was recorded in the dark.
This grand piano was brought here when the place was opened and never left despite Elvis trying to purchase it several times. He was told this was the one thing his money couldn’t buy.
After the tour we headed back to the Gulch neighborhood. We found a fun photo opp.
By now Caleb was so hungry he was fading fast so we found an English pub. We had a recommendation for a good BBQ place, but three people in the group sometimes get migraines from smoked meat, so we went with the pub…which was also really good.
They had these grand chairs fit for a king, so the kids stood guard while the king enjoyed his meal. (Not really, but they look so serious!)
Fancy CMA Fest water bottle.
Here’s where things get a little bit harry. First, as we left downtown Nashville to drive to the concert, my phone kept us on the backroads and it was taking forever. I also needed to down load the tickets so Grace took over navigation while I looked up the tickets. Her phone took us the quick way…I later found out that my phone was somehow set to take us by bicycle. I confessed to that the next day when I figured it out.
Fancy CMA Fest water bottle.
Here’s where things get a little bit harry. First, as we left downtown Nashville to drive to the concert, my phone kept us on the backroads and it was taking forever. I also needed to down load the tickets so Grace took over navigation while I looked up the tickets. Her phone took us the quick way…I later found out that my phone was somehow set to take us by bicycle. I confessed to that the next day when I figured it out.
So now we have arrived. I have the tickets on my phone, and then I don’t. Because my phone died. Ugh. Here’s where the kids step in as the heroes!
I’m running back to the truck to try to charge my phone enough to send the ticket link to someone else’s phone. I get almost all the way there and I hear Caleb’s footsteps running up behind me (it’s the distinct sound of a small person who sounds like an elephant). He says they got the tickets. So here’s how this went.
Cameron saw the ticket office and decided to walk in and explain the situation to see what they could do. The lady was like, well, I need your mom here. But then Grace and Caleb run in and give the same story. They must have all looked pretty believable because the lady gave them a voucher for the tickets. Nice job kids!
So here we are!
The line up for tonight’s show was great especially if you like 90’s country. But the kids knew several of the songs too.
Sam Hunt was good. He played a couple new song and the Body Like a Backroad.
And yes, our seats were in the nosebleed section, but they make sure there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
Pam Tillis did great. She played four of her best songs and even took a request someone yelled out.
Terri Clark was also great. She played all of her best songs too. Her “I Just Want to be Mad for Awhile” song hits different after 22 years of marriage. If you don’t recall, it basically says that I love you and I’ll never leave you but right now I’m mad at you so stop trying to make me smile. Sums it up!
AND she was just inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
Grace and I loved this group. Chapel Hart.
The comedian was oddly hilarious at telling every joke you’ve already heard, but so rapid fire you couldn’t stop laughing.
Then there’s this guy. Don Schlitz, the most famous guys you’ve never heard of. He wrote some of the greatest hits sung by others over the years. He sang a few of them including The Gambler.
We just liked the lights in the atrium. They constantly changed colors.
And finally, after a long energetic day in Nashville, we headed home…not on a bicycle.
Grace and I loved this group. Chapel Hart.
The comedian was oddly hilarious at telling every joke you’ve already heard, but so rapid fire you couldn’t stop laughing.
Then there’s this guy. Don Schlitz, the most famous guys you’ve never heard of. He wrote some of the greatest hits sung by others over the years. He sang a few of them including The Gambler.
We just liked the lights in the atrium. They constantly changed colors.
And finally, after a long energetic day in Nashville, we headed home…not on a bicycle.
Tomorrow is one of our longest travel days all the way to the east coast.
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