Places Visited: Tennessee: Nashville an evening in The Stage on Broadway

June 3, 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.

Our first stop on honky tonk row tonight was the Second Fiddle where we enjoyed Becki McLeod and her band. We have enjoyed Becki and her band on many occasions the past several weeks. Becky is a talent along as are all the members of her band. Every one of Becki's band members do session work (playing in the studio when CD's are cut) and travel on the road with various stars.

This is Don Mott Becki's base guitar player he not only plays a mean base but also provides good vocals.

You can enjoy some of Don's music here:

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This unpretentious drummer is Matt Billingsly. He not only plays for Becki but does session work (in the recording studio) plus it leaked out on stage tonight why he wasn't going to be performing with Becki Friday night. It seems that he is the new drummer for Lady Antebellum which will be performing at LP Field Friday night. LP field is where the CMA is presenting 4 to 5 BIG TIME performing groups each night from 7:30pm until after 11pm. Performing at LP field for the CMA Country Music Fest is about the pentacle for Country Music musicians. Becki was introducing her band members and bragging on how good Matt was when one of the other band members let the "cat out of the bag" that Matt had landed the coveted job of drummer for Lady Antebellum. It was at that time that Becki realized why Matt would not be with her band on Friday night ------ he was going to be on stage at the big CMA event.

In musician speak "making it across the river" ------------- that is the "Holy Grail" for County Music artists. "Across the river" refers to LP Field (where the Tennessee Titans play) where the BIG name bands perform during Music Fest. Becki was happy for Matt even though that means that she will have to find another drummer when Matt will be on the road with with Lady Antebellum. Of course she and all the other performers on honky tonk row have to do routinely that since virtually all the musicians on honky tonk row play for the stars when they are not playing down here.

We stayed with Becki McLeod and her band until 8:30 when the doors open to the public at The Stage on Broadway. A private party had been going on over there to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Darryl Worley & Friends Mark Chestnut & Josh Turner were performing for the event and they were not finished with the show. Needless to say when the doors were opened to the public we made our way in and participated with the others. It was a good night. VBG

This is Mark Chestnut. If you that listen to country music you will recognize some of his songs like, Bubba shot the Juke Box, too hot to fish---to cold to go home, goin' thru the big D-- and I don't mean Dallas, it sure is Monday, it's a little too late and a host of others.

We not only enjoyed Mark at The Stage on Broadway we saw him again later in the week performing on the River Front stage and again across the river at LP Field one night.

This is Joyce and Linda, a lady from Texas, as they get an autograph from Darryl Worley. The bright orange shirt Darryl Worley wore was in keeping for the "Malibu" party they were having.

Worley's hits have included "I Miss My Friend," "Awful, Beautiful Life," "A Good Day to Run" and "Have You Forgotten?"

Joyce snapped this picture of Josh Turner from close up. We did not get a good picture of him performing. Some things are hard to get in a mass of people in dark honky tonk. Actually, we are lucky to get this picture, especially without a flash!

If Josh Turner does not ring a bell with you he is the country crooner with an extremely low voice. His hits include Long Black Train, Lock the doors & turn the lights down low as well as his current hit My Little Darling is a Fire Cracker.

Here is Joyce and Linda again. Darryl is signing autographs under the Dinkle & Dinkle picture. Dinkle & Dinkle is sponsoring Darryl and his current tour so this is supposed to be significant. The significance mostly escapes me but it was a big deal for others.

Joyce is proud of herself, wouldn't you say? VBG

Linda wanted this picture but when her husband tried to take it his camera flashed a msg that the memory card was full. Linda was one hot lady when she came down to join her husband to learn that they didn't have picture of her with Darryl.

Linda gave me her e-mail address so I sent her this picture. I hope this picture will do. VBG

Actually we saw Linda & her husband later in the week and this picture did the trick.

Are white girls allowed to have this much fun on a Tuesday night?

Craig Campbell's band followed Darryl Worley, Josh Turner & Mark Chestnut. Craig is every bit as talented as any of the super stars, probably more talented. I have no idea why he doesn't have a recording deal. Anyway, this is Craig Campbell and his fiddle player.

Yesterday afternoon we met Craig's wife, Mindy, who was with him while he was performing at Legends Corner. Later in the evening we were in The Wheel (another honky tonk) where Criag's wife's was hanging with several of off duty bar tenders and musicians. We thought Craig might be performing across the street at the private party going on in The Stage on Broadway but Mindy told us "Craig was home baby sitting --- it was "girls night out" she said with a grin."

During one of his sets Craig Campbell called his friend Trent Tomlinson out of the audience to perform a few songs with the band. This is singer/songwriter Trent Tomlinson. He performed several of his own songs with Craig's band. Trent's music, as well as his performing style, is as straight-ahead and unpretentious as he is. Trent likes to say his songs, "are real-life situations with kick-ass guitar." "It's 'open a beer, sit in a lawn chair, let's have a party' country". At the same time, he wants his songs to say, 'I have the ability to love you, to understand,' and at the end of the day all that matters is Mama and Daddy and going to heaven.

In addition to his albums Sarah Evans has one of his songs on her new album as does George Strait.

After listening to the songs these performer's do I have a real hard time understanding who it is that chooses what we listen to on the radio since so many of the original songs being performed on the stages of Broadway are sooooo much better than many of the songs that make it to the radio.

The Stage was rocking tonight with a house full of performers and artists in the crowd. One of our honky tonk favorites, Melissa Paige, stopped and talked with Joyce and I for a few minutes. When Melissa stopped by to speak with us she was "resting". She had been putting on a dance lesson, just kidding, she had been cutting the rug with what looked to me like a country music dance instructor. They put on a show! Melissa not only can sing with the professionals she can cut a rug with them also. She is what you call "the TOTAL package".

We have lost count on how many times we have enjoyed Melissa performing in a variety of the Broadway honky tonks.

It can't get any better than this but CMA Country Fest starts Thursday and promoters promise the fun & excitement will move to another level. We are going to have to find the energy to keep up. VBG

Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix