Larry A. Smail's Blog

One evening while in Nashville, Laurie and I enjoyed a great meal and Christmas concert by Trace Adkins. Trace Adkins is a well-known country singer, but this evening he performed Christmas songs. he had a great band behind him leaning strongly with a Celtic-style flavor of music. Great show!

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MUSIC ROW IN NASHVILLE

Music Row at night

Traditionally, Music Row featured old country music performers and many others performing within the local honky tonks to attempt to be discovered by passing record-producers. Well, that hasn’t changed at all. Anyone walking along the streets can easily hear and see bands set up on postage size stages seeking fame and fortune. Music was everywhere!

One of the most well-known, and famous honky tonks of Music Row is called Tootsies. Many of the old, and often deceased, country singers started by performing in this place and others. It has appeared in movies. Across the street is country music legend, Ernest Tubb’s place. A young Loretta Lynn walked into this honky tonk many years ago and sang and played. Ernest Tubb happened to be present that night and she became the star of country music she is today. Sissy Spacek was filmed in this place for the movie entitled, “Coal Miner’s Daugters”  In the movie, Loretta’s husband, played by Tommy Lee Jones went across the alley to the bar to hear his wife singing on the Grand Ole Opry radio station. (WSM)

I laughed when  a young fellow came down from the third floor of Tootsie’s  as I was about to go up. He asked me if I was an agent. I, jokingly, said yes but quickly told him I was “funnin'” him. I guess my age made me look distinguished. Most people in these places are much younger than I am.

A few years back, Country singers, George Strait and Alan Jackson had a hit called, “Murder On Music Row.” The song was a protest towards the country music producers leaving behind traditional country music and moving towards today’s style. Thankfully, there are many traditional country music singers out there. However, you don’t hear them on most country radio stations. Such are: Teea Goans and Amber Digby.

Tootsie’s