The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee

We were heading south from our Indianapolis home to spend the day at Holiday World Theme Park when we made plans to go just a little further on down to Nashville. I had recently read a series of books with my daughter about an American girl who wanted to become a country music singing-star, so this was a great way to explore some of the places we discovered in our reading. Rich with tradition and noted for being an intimate setting to enjoy listening to up and coming singer-songwriters, we headed to the Bluebird Cafe.

If you don’t have tickets, which we did not, it is common to begin forming a line outside this quaint venue located in a strip mall and hope you can get seats by the time the show begins. We started our wait about an hour and a half before showtime, standing in the very warm summer sun. I’m so grateful for the awning that provided a little shade.

My daughter and I stood outside knowing that we would be next in line to enter the Bluebird Cafe!

The very kind and thoughtful employees here had an ice-cold jug of water and cups just outside the door for which we were thankful. One of the managers also came outside occasionally to gives us updates and let us know what our chances were of getting a seat. We were finally refreshed by the air conditioning and, eventually, the artists themselves.

Performance in the Round

Once inside, we were seated in a pew (a remnant from the original Grand Ole Opry which was formerly a church) among the handful of seats that surrounded the artists in the center of the room. There were three performers or groups that we got to enjoy this night.

Brandon James, CΛIN and SZLACHETKA

All three were wonderful, and what I loved most of all was hearing the stories that fed their music and kept them alive and present to their creations. They were all beautiful and talented and so gracious. Their songs were heartfelt, rich, and true, pulling you into their world and along for the ride. Time slowed down and life felt simpler within these walls, like we had been transported to another place and time. I do believe that is one of the gifts of music, inviting us to sway and move and feel something we’ve never felt or to feel it in a way we’ve never felt it.

Brandon James singing ‘Bring Your Own Beach’

One of the siblings from the CΛIN Trio, brother Logan

I knew nothing about this venue before we read about it in our book, and I’m grateful my husband suggested we spend our night here.

I’m including a video clip of a song that we listened to at the Bluebird Cafe, “Giving Back the Best of Me”, by Matthew Szlachetka. Rolling Stone Magazine highlighted him as one of the 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know… This is your chance!

If you’re headed to Nashville and think you might want to visit, you can take a look at the line-up here.