Nashville/Country Music Hall of Fame/Photo Shoot
Hi again! This past week has been a busy one. I know I probably say that in every post, but it's the truth. Since my EP will be finished soon, a trip to Nashville was needed for a photo shoot. Mostly, we needed promo shots and possibly a cover for my new album. It was a last minute trip (well, planned about a week in advance). I was so excited when we arranged a photo shoot, mostly because my mom has done all of my pictures up until this point. I honestly didn't know what to expect and I was a little nervous. Like always, I worry too much because it was such a fun experience. I worked with a photographer just outside of Nashville and she was wonderful. She also gave me a lot of great advice on my music. You can check out her photography at The Factory Photography website. I'm super excited to see the finished product of my pictures soon!
Anyways, this post isn't just about my photo shoot. On the way to Nashville I had a friend of mine, who lives in upstate New York, tell me she had never been to Nashville and would love to go. Nashville is a beautiful place and I thought it was a shame that not everyone has the chance to visit it. So, in honor of anyone who has never been to Nashville because they live too far away, here's a few shots I took of Broadway and the Country Music Hall of fame.
One of the many things Nashville is known for is Broadway Street. On a weekend you hear nonstop music coming from every bar/restaurant. You'll also see some musicians busking on the side of the street.
One of my personal favorite places to visit is the Ernest Tubb Record Shop. It is also on Broadway Street. They have all kinds of records and cd's of new and old artists. Plus, the people who work there are so friendly. In the back of the store there is also a stage that many old country artists have performed on.
If you haven't heard of Tootsies, there's just one word you need to know. Crazy. Willie Nelson wrote the hit song Crazy by Patsy Cline in the back of Tootsies after he performed at the Ryman. Many people don't know that at the back of Tootsies is an alleyway that connects to the Ryman. Many artists would go there after performing. It's an amazing place to walk in and look around. You can almost feel the history and imagine the things it has seen.
This past trip was my first time ever going to the Country Music Hall of Fame. My advice to anyone who goes is to make sure you have plenty of time to look around. It takes you from the beginning of country music to today's mainstream country you hear on the radio. There is so much to read and see that I couldn't even decide on the pictures I wanted to share with you. I did, however, decide to share this quote with you. It was one of those things that gave me the chills when I read it.
Johnny, I want to send out a big thanks for the inspiration. You took the social consciousness from folk music, the gravity and humor from country music, and the rebellion out of rock & roll, and taught all us young guys that not only was it all right to tear up all those lines and boundaries but it was important. -Bruce Springsteen.
On your final stop, there is a big room full of plaques of every person inducted into the hall of fame. The walls are filled with legend after legend. The thing the caught my attention the most was the ceiling. If country music had one motto it's this: May The Circle Be Unbroken.
There is so much more to do in Nashville, this is only a dent in it. In fact, this was my fourth trip there and my mom and I were still seeing new things. In between meetings, we drove around and saw new parts of the city we had never seen before.
On a different note, during my meeting with my PR guy, Don Grubbs, I got to meet Billy Dean! It was so random. He had a meeting in the same building and stopped by to say hello. He is such a nice guy and he gave me a lot of advice as a young artist.
Well, that's about as exciting as my life gets for this week. Now I have to catch up on some school work. :\ I hope you all are doing well!
xx Carson