Music rules in Nashville
Fans of TV show make pilgrimage to country-fried city
NASHVILLE
— Being a little more rock ’n’ roll than country, I had never considered putting a countryfried city like Nashville on my travel bucket list. Yet here I was, standing in a parking lot in Music City, outside The Bluebird Cafe.
“It’s closed? I don’t understand. I thought they filmed here,” said one young woman before taking a picture and driving away.
The Bluebird is an often-used setting in ABC’s Nashville drama. Although the show films in a soundstage replica, that hasn’t stopped fans from visiting the real space.
The Bluebird is one of several places that’s received a Hollywood bump from the show, which stars Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere as country-music superstars. I followed my inner fan-girl and decided to see Music City for myself. A tour company offers a bus tour, but I opted to use a list from the city’s tourism website.
Ry man Auditorium
The ‘Mother Church of Country Music’ was built in 1892 in what would become down town Nashville by businessman Thomas G. Ryman as a venue for evangelist Sam Jones. From 1943-1974, it was the home of the long-running weekly radio showcase, the Grand Ole Opry.
A National Historic Landmark, the Ryman is open for tours. Today, it only hosts the Grand Ole Opry between November and January. Tickets are sometimes available the day of the show.
Honky-Tonk Highway
Tourists and locals flock to the bars and clubs, or “honky-tonks,” on Broadway in downtown Nashville. It’s a buffet of bars that hums with live music. At night, neon signage lights up the row, an often-used exterior shot on the show. Nashville has also filmed inside some of the bars, including Layla’s Bluegrass Inn and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge.
Bluebird Cafe
The Bluebird Cafe’s location close to a McDonald’s will probably take Nashville viewers by surprise. For songwriters and singers, playing the 100-seat room is a rite of passage. Show reservations are available online a few days in advance and sell out quickly. Some shows are free (with food and drink purchases) on a first-come-first-serve basis.