Great Scott!

Denise Scott is off to Nashville to celebrate Christmas, country music and the fruits of her own fine parenting.

This month

John and I decided, doggone it, let’s fly to Nashville and have an early Christmas with our muso son, Jordie, and his girlfriend, Clare. They’ve been living there for four years.

Next thing (well after 35 hours on a plane), we were at The 5 Spot, as featured in the TV series Nashville, watching our son on stage. Wow, I thought, he really is living his dream.

I recalled the day, years earlier, when 17-year-old Jordie asked: “Mum, how do you get started in the music business?”

I replied: “I wouldn’t have a clue, but there’s one thing

I do know – at some point you’re going to have to get up off the couch, walk down the hallway and out the front door.” “And then?”

“I don’t know, son. All I do know is nothing will happen while you’re lying on the couch.”

I know! Such words of wisdom and I didn’t even get them from a parenting book – thought of them myself.

To my amazement, my son did get off the couch and walk out the front door. Fifteen minutes later he returned … with a sausage roll. Not exactly the outcome either of us had hoped for, but it was a start.

Meanwhile, back in Nashville at The 5 Spot, the crowd was loving Jordie’s guitar playing, original songs and banter. He told them his mother was a comedian and asked me to join him on stage. “It’s not often you get to stand onstage with someone who once lived inside you,” I told the crowd. “It’s your real Babushka doll situation. And yes, Jordie was a Caesarian birth.” The audience laughed. Jordie, not so much.

Next day we had a wonderful Christmas meal of corn grits, southern fried chicken and sweet potato fries. I’ll never forget it. In fact it’s still repeating on me.

Happy Christmas from Nashville, y’all!