Nashville rhythms prompt childhood memories, spark honky-tonk fun

One of my earliest memories is of playing with the wood scraps in my father’s basement workshop, making trains and tepees from the little triangles and circles that fell to the floor from his tools.

The soundtrack for these cozy sessions with my dad was country music on WSM, the radio station from Nashville, Tenn. The music faded in and out from a set he was constantly moving around in an effort to get a better signal. Hank Williams, Roy Acuff and Webb Pierce were his heroes.

Dad never made it to the Grand Ole Opry, but I did, and how I wish I could tell him about it - the women in cowgirl outfits who ushered us inside the auditorium, the church-pew seats reminiscent of the Opry’s beginnings in the Ryman Auditorium (formerly the Union Gospel Tabernacle), the respectful way people slipped out for refreshments and came quietly back to their seats or moved down the aisles to take pictures of the entertainers from the edge of the stage.

I’d save the best part for last - that Little Jimmy Dickens is still the star of the show.

Little Jimmy

Earlier in the day I had stopped by Ernest Tubb’s Record Store, where famous performers used to play after hours, and noticed that the lineup for that evening’s program was posted on the wall. The headliner was Jimmy Dickens.

“My dad used to listen to him on the radio,” I told my companion as I pointed to the list. “This must be his son - maybe even his grandson.”

The woman behind the counter laughed.

“No, honey, it’s still the same one,” she told me.

When he bounded out onto the stage that night in his sequined blue suit and cowboy hat he told the audience he was 89, and then he cracked a joke about the songs he was singing being from his latest album - recorded 40 years ago.

Hall of Fame

What had taken me to the Tubb record shop was a curiosity about Hank Williams’ music that had been born during an earlier tour at the Country Music Hall of Fame. An exhibit about his short and tragic life on view there for the rest of 2009 is the most ambitious they have ever mounted, and it’s definitely worth a visit to see the musical instruments, clothing, photos, furniture, papers and other personal items that belonged to this famous family.

There’s a lot more to see in this museum, too. Originally located on Music Row, it moved downtown in 2001 and is today housed in a dramatic building shaped to resemble a bass clef and with windows that look like piano keys.

The artifacts inside that tell the story of country music include Elvis Presley’s Cadillac, Webb Pierce’s 1962 Bonneville with a pair of steer horns mounted to the front grill, Maybelle Carter’s Gibson L-5 guitar, one of Patsy Cline’s cocktail dresses, Merle Haggard’s presidential pardon and the set of the television show “Hee Haw.”

The walls are covered with the 854 gold and platinum records awarded to country singers in the 20th century. The Frist Library and Archive housed here contains thousands of songbooks, audiotapes and other artifacts.

“Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music” is a permanent exhibit that shows through text and video how what has come to be known as American folk music originated with early European and African settlers.

Tours of RCA’s Studio B, where Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and other stars recorded their hits, originate at this museum.

Ryman Auditorium

Once I’d been to the “new” Opry house, I knew my Music City pilgrimage wouldn’t be complete until I’d been to the Ryman Auditorium, the “mother church” of country music, which had a colorful history even before the Opry opened.

It was built in the 1880s, for traveling evangelist Sam Jones, by Thomas Ryman — a riverboat captain whose business had been curtailed by the preacher’s religious message. He went to a service to heckle Jones but was instead converted and built his new friend a church.

It was renamed after Ryman’s death in 1904 and became a venue for all kinds of musical, sporting, religious and business gatherings until the Opry arrived in 1943, bringing with it fried chicken dinners and so many waving paper church fans that one performer recalled having to look up at the ceiling to keep from becoming nauseated by the movement.

When the Opry left in 1974, a circle of the stage where legendary musicians had stood to perform, was cut out and moved to the new venue.

The Ryman stood empty for 20 years until it was renovated by the Gaylord Co., owners of the Opry complex on the edge of town.

Our guide told us that during the renovation, 50-gallon buckets of chewing gum were scraped from beneath the old church pews. She also took us for a backstage peek at dressing rooms that once belonged to Johnny Cash, June Carter and Minnie Pearl.

Bluebird & honky-tonk

With all this talk about music, my friends and I wanted to go someplace where we could actually hear it. Our first stop was the Bluebird Cafe, a small diner with a long pedigree of songwriters who have composed their hits at its 21 tables. Bob DePiero was performing the night we attended the show, and thanks to the Bluebird’s “Shhh” motto, we were able to listen to the music with no interruptions.

When everything else closes, the action moves to the honky-tonks on Lower Broadway, such as Tootsie’s, where Opry performers used to go when the show at the Ryman was over. Here bands play by the hour for tips, and while a new group sets up, music lovers can wander next door or up the street to see what’s going on elsewhere. There are no cover charges, and the music doesn’t stop until the wee hours.

When I left the honky-tonks late on my last night in town, an Elton John-Billy Joel concert had just let out at nearby Sommet Center and the blocked-off street was filled with music-loving revelers singing the tunes they had just heard. Country songs spilled from the bars; musicians leaned against buildings and strummed their guitars. Music literally filled the air.

My dad would have loved it.

IF YOU GO

To learn about packages that include visits to most well known sites - and can save money, visit www.visitmusiccity.com

Be sure and book tickets ahead for the Grand Ole Opry (www.opry.com) and the Bluebird Cafe (www.bluebirdcafe.com) since these are famous venues that sell out quickly. Once you’re in town, watch for guitar-pick signs along the sidewalk indicating a spot that has live music at least four times a week.

For the best local food, try Jack’s Barbecue (www.jacks barbecue.com), which is in the heart of the Broadway scene, or Swett’s “meat and three,” a soul-food eatery that specializes in dishes such as country-fried steak, fried cornbread and turnip greens, all washed down with sweet tea (www.swettsrestaurant.com).

Opryland, now a huge hotel and shopping complex, offers many dining options for before and after the show. We checked out Fuse, the Las Vegas-style nightclub where celebrity-watching and designer vodka shots put a sophisticated spin on country music’s home.

Tags: Bluebird Cafe, Hall of Fame, honky-tonk, Jimmy Dickens, Johnny Cash, Nashville, Patsy Cline, Ryman Auditorium, SDNN

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