Places Visited: Tennessee: Nashville Day two at CMA Music Festival

June 6, 2008.

We are staying in Two Rivers Campground near Opry Land in northeast Nashville over the Memorial Day weekend. Two Rivers is the private campground we recommend for anyone visiting Nashville. It ain't cheap $31 but it is $21 cheaper than the next best campground. The $31 is for water & 30-amps; full-hookup and 50-amps are a bit more. But, and it is a big BUT the Yogi Bear Campground next door starts at $51 and goes up. KOA a block away starts somewhere above that and the sky is the limit. In Nashville you are paying for LOCATION and Two Rivers Campground has LOCATION. Besides that they sponsor good entertainment in the park several times a week.

On Thursday music started at 10am on the Riverfront stage and continued nonstop until 6:30. Then at 7:45 the music resumed at LP Field across the River and continued until midnight. The later it got at LP Field the bigger the stars names that were performing. To give you an idea of the quality and type of performers featured on the River Front Stage Thursday: Deborah Allen, Luke Bryan, Phil Vassar, Jo Dee Messina, Chuck Wicks, Crystal Shawanda, Keith Anderson, Erika Jo, Mindy McCready, Phil Stacey, David Nail, Aaron Tippin, Bellamy Brothers, Heidi Newfield, Richie McDonald, Zac Brown Band, Carter's chord, Mark Chesnutt, Eddy Raven, Andy Griggs, Daniell Peck, Tracy Byrd and Lee Brice. Now how is that for a lineup, and it is just one of the venues available.

This is Luke Bryan and his fiddle player performing on the Riverfront Stage.

In addition to being a performer Luke is a songwriter. You will probably recognize one of the songs he wrote that is a current hit: "I was sitting in the back of a pickup truck selling turnip greens" released by Billy Currington.

Chuck Wicks is breaking on the Country Music scene with his hit song "Stealing Cinderella". Listen closely to the words of Stealing Cinderella they are memories, feelings and thoughts that most young men go through when left alone to look around in in his future bride's parent's home. In Chuck's case his wife actually played Cinderella at Disney World one summer. Now you know how he made the connection -- thus the inspiration for this hit.

Some folks had this motto that I spotted on a T shirt, but the vast majority were being responsible.

--------------------------------Erika Jo is a new performer and winner of the Nashville Star contest. From the looks of things I think she might make it in the business. vbg

This is the General Jackson Showboat passing by the Riverfront Stage during one of the performances on Thursday. We took that cruise on Tuesday of this week and passed by the Riverfront Stage as is was being assembled.

Yes, this is another picture of the General Jackson Showboat but look at the picture of Mindi McReedy on the big screen directly behind the General Jackson. Mindi has had a number of top hits including her 1995 chart topper "I need 10,000 angles watching over me tonight". Her latest hit was the in your face girl song "Guys do it all the time".

This is Aaron Tippin and his back up singer. His two boys joined him for one of his songs.

You probably know him for his songs "You have got to stand for something or you will fall for anything", "Kiss This", "Stars & Stripes where the Eagle Flies".

He also sang his "Ain't nothing wrong with the Radio" song that was big a few years ago.

Mark Chesnutt is one of the biggest stars we saw all weekend and we saw him perform at least three times.

Mark has so many hits it is difficult to pick the ones to mention: "Bubba Shot the Juke Box", "Too hot to fish, too cold to go home",

---------------------------------------This fellow is Eddie Raven who was a big star many years ago. In his day he compiled 20 number one hits but I can't remember the names of any.

This is Andy Griggs is the artist that sang "I want to be your man" as well as several other hits.

-------------------------------------This is Daniel Peck, a new Country Artist who has a current hit that has something do do with "Finding a good man".

Tracy Byrd is one of our favorite Country Artist. You probably remember his hits: "Watermelon Crawl", "Jose Cuervo", "The drinking bone is connected to the party bone" "Friend don't take here she is all I got", "Keeper of the stars" and "I'm from the country and like it that way" to name a few of his #1 hits.

I saw this on the back of a T shirt. I am beginning to think that is a motto for those of us that are attending Music Fest. There is just too much to see and do and not nearly enough time. Joyce and I tried it but we failed. vbg

The Bellamy Brothers are prolific songwriters and performers. They have been at this for over 40-years and have published 40-albums or more. Many of their songs are timeless. You will instantly recall some of their hits but there are so many that it is hard to select which ones to mention but here is a sample:

"Do you love as good as you look", "If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me", Ragae Cowboy was a #1 hit 33 years ago. We took Jeff, our son, to a concert in Mobile, Alabama where they were playing but Jeff was sound asleep by the time the Bellamy Brothers started singing. If I remember correctly Jeff faded off while Kenny Rogers was crooning. Man I hated to pay that kinda money and Jeff sleep through the good part. vbg!

Some more of the Bellamy Brothers hits include: "There is a reason for sun shine sky", "Give me a red neck girl" and "Let your love show". Those are the ones they performed for the audience at River Front Stage.

Lee Brice is a young songwriter song writer that has written several songs recorded by Garth Brooks like Garts hit about "Memories" and someone possibly Lee made his song "Upper middle Class White Trash" a hit. I am sorry but we didn't get a good picture of Lee.

When the music stopped at River Front Stage it was 6:30. The next venue would be on the Concert Stage across the river in LP Field at 7:45 where Montgomery Gentry, Kellie Pickler, Jewel, Taylor Swift, Sugerland, Luke Bryan and Jennifer Hanson were scheduled to perform.

This is Montgomery Gentry performing at LP Field Thursday night.

------------------------------- This is Montgomery

And this is Gentry.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------Jewell performing at LP Field.

Rascal flats performing at LP field.

In addition to the performers pictured above we saw Chuck Wicks who performed his current hit "Stealing Cinderella".

Emerson Drive performed but I can't remember their big songs.

Keith Anderson sang his hit songs "Picking Wild Flowers" and "Every time I hear your name".

Mindi McReedy did "Angels watching over me tonight" and her smash hit "Guys do it all the time".

Trust me there was more, lots more, but I can't recall everything.

Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix