The Bluebird Cafe

Music City, USA...the official title of this ever-changing southern city. It's not a hick-town anymore, though you may have heard otherwise. “I see your Johns-Hopkins and I raise you one Vanderbilt University” which employs 13,000 people, and is one of the leading centers for medical research in the country. But that's not what you really want to know, is it? Indulge in Nashville's nearly infinite legacy of country stars and songs by visiting any one of several famous Honky Tonk's on Broadway St. downtown. All night long you will hear world class musicians (some of whom are barely old enough to take your daughter on a date!) playing songs so well it will blow your mind. But make time for some of Nashville's real and unique beauty. Edwin and Percy Warner Parks are just 9 miles south of downtown, and with almost 3,000 acres of natural Tennessee terrain, they are a sight to behold. Just be sure you leave time for a once-in-a-lifetime-must-hear event—the Bluebird Cafe'. Words cannot convey how it feels to hear the actual songwriters play and sing the songs they wrote for the stars of country music and other genres. You might hear Wichita Lineman sung by Jimmy Webb, or Maniac, of Flashdance fame, performed by Dennis Matkosky. There are so few goose-bump moments in life, this is a no-brainer. You're sure to get a few GB moments out of just one night. Believe it or not, the writers sit in the middle of the room, facing each other, while the crowd sits around the outside. The intimate room holds less than 100 people and is famous for it's "no talking" rule. The establishment pays homage to each songwriter by strictly enforcing the Silence Law!

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Four friends sit facing each other in the center of the room, relaxed yet intent as they tell stories and trade songs. The friends will likely include people who’ve written buckets of chart-topping hits and artists who sell out arenas. At the Bluebird, though, it’s as though they’re kicking back around the kitchen table. There are about a hundred other people around that kitchen table, too, people who share respect for the song and the connections created through music. On those nights when you have the chance to be one of them, this quiet, concentrated listening, reflection, and connection among audience and musicians refreshes you and sends you out into the Nashville evening ready to make your own music.

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