Nashville, 2018
Nashville, Tennessee was the site of the annual American Academy of Audiology convention, celebrating its thirtieth year. I have attended nine or ten since 2005, when I was a student. You can go back and read my (wistful and dynamic) thoughts on some of them. This year's? I got to see numerous old classmates and professors, and even got to meet a colleague who works very close by back home. That was quite interesting. I wish I could share those conversations with you. Anyhow, where the AAA Convention takes place plays largely in my decision to attend. I skipped Indianapolis and Orlando because, well... But I did have a relative inform me that Indianapolis is a pretty cool place, so maybe I missed out? Phoenix, Chicago, and San Diego were chosen either because I already loved those cities or I was eager to explore for the first time. This was also true of Nashville.
It was bigger and livelier than expected. Broadway and its side streets are teeming with music and neon. Live music spills out of just about every bar and restaurant (even out of speakers set on some street corners). While we unfortunately did not get to visit the Ryman Auditorium - site of the Grand Ole Opry until the mid 1970s, I did visit the current auditorium in Opryland, about ten miles from downtown. They're still doing live simulcasts on WSM AM, and an emcee stands at a lectern on the edge of the stage, informing us this this segment of the show is sponsored by Dollar General. It was great fun. I'm not a big country fan, but you have to give talent its due no matter the genre.
Pretty decent lineup, huh? I regrettably missed The Whites and Ray Stevens, the latter of whom made some novelty records I enjoyed when I was a kid ("Ahab the Arab" anyone?). I misjudged the timing. I flew in, dumped my luggage in my hotel room and got to the theater half an hour late. Each act did about three tunes. Ricky Skaggs, clear royalty, is a very devoted Christian and spoke quite explicitly of his faith, nearly delivering a sermon. Henry Cho is a Korean comic who grew up in the South and sounds like it. His humour is homespun and refreshingly clean. Trace Adkins ended the show on a very high note and got lots of excited screams from the womenfolk. The schedule is filled with country stars past and present. Do not miss this if you visit Nashville.
Speaking of my hotel, doesn't this remind you of BLADE RUNNER?
After getting the layout of the convention center, appropriately called the Nashville Music City Center, I got my first glimpse of Broadway and ate lunch at Jack's Bar-B-Que, which has been around for over forty years. It is one of three locations. My St. Louis ribs were fine and paired well with a Shiner Bock. I heard Martin's (also downtown) is another good spot. Before my afternoon sessions, I spent some time in the Johnny Cash Museum, a small but comprehensive look at a life lived to its fullest. Records, posters, musical instruments, and all sorts of memorabilia fill the space to piece together this complicated and talented musician. His Christian faith is not glossed over but rather embraced.
There are listening stations for each decade of Johnny's career. There's even an exhibit with a soundboard that allows you to remix Cash's tunes.
Johnny's museum is downstairs from the Patsy Cline Museum, by the way.
On Saturday we met an old friend I hadn't seen in person for close to thirty years. She and her husband picked us up at the hotel and drove us to their neck of the woods, Franklin. We stopped to pet horses in a field before walking down a street with quaint jewelry shops and a cool record store. Dinner was at Scout's Pub, where we snacked on almonds that had been soaked in duck fat. Delicious!
I first met Karen on the school bus when I was in kindergarten. She told me I used to make disapproving faces at her and Leah, whom I've seen more recently, joining her and another old friend at the South Florida Fair. We went to a private Christian parochial school and grew up in the same church (later also the same high school and college). We had lots to catch up on, and reminisced of the old days, with a few misconceptions on both sides cleared up. Lots of Youth Group tales. Her life has taken quite a turn, as these days she is a defiant agnostic. Back in the day she was a very devoted believer, and even became a missionary. Along the way she began to question her faith, and faith itself. It's a long complicated story that she claims will comprise a memoir. My fingers are crossed. What has not changed is that Karen is a caring, intelligent soul, no matter who she feels the owner of it may be.
Nashville. Check it out!
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