PRISON REFORM GROUP URGES FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF TENNESSEE PRISON >> PAGE 7
NEWS: WITH PANDEMIC FUNDS ENDING, CHILD CARE PROVIDERS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE >> PAGE 7
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Letter responds to horrific conditions, neglect, assaults and systemic abuse reported at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center
BY ELI MOTYCKA
One projection estimates 1,199 centers will close statewide — ‘a scary thought’
BY HANNAH HERNERCouncilmember Sean Parker talks permanent parklets in a post-pandemic world
BY CONNOR DARYANIPith in the Wind
This week on the Scene’s news and politics blog
State to Launch New School
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MNPS rep: ‘There seems to be a rush to put a model in place without any of us really understanding what it’s gonna be’
BY KELSEY BEYELER
Talking with Adeem the Artist about adding nuance to a flattened discourse
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Instrumentalist of the Year nominees Chauntee and Monique Ross discuss moving to Nashville and finding balance amid myriad projects
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NASHVILLE IS of course considered the heart of country music, and has seen its fair share of musical legends. Icons including Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and others who have called Nashville home have left an incredible and enduring mark on the music industry. But there was one man who — while he might not have been born in or spent decades in Music City — has certainly had an unforgettable impact on Music Row and the music made in Nashville: Jimmy Buffett. His recent passing has left a void that will long be felt in Nashville and in the world of country music.
As Rolling Stone aptly put it, “Jimmy Buffett was your favorite country singer’s biggest influence.” And as Axios noted, “If you’ve listened to the radio in the last 20-plus years, you know Buffett’s beachy vibes shaped a generation of Nashville stars.” These include, of course, Kenny Chesney, who saw great success with hits like “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” and “When the Sun Goes Down,” songs that can transport the listener to a tropical paradise, much like Buffett’s timeless tunes.
Chesney is just one of the many artists who have followed in Buffett’s footsteps and pursued what Rolling Stone dubs the “tiki bar sound,” and Chesney is credited for introducing “Buffett’s island attitude to country music.” Buffett’s music seemed to resonate with artist after artist who found great success from their own sunny, beachy songs. Songs like “Some Beach” by Blake Shelton, “One Margarita” by Luke Bryan and “Day Drinking” by Little Big Town all reflect the influence of Buffett’s carefree style. In his 2003 hit “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” Alan Jackson famously asked, “What would Jimmy Buffett do?” Buffett himself joined Jackson on the track, and as noted by Billboard, it became one of the decade’s biggest country hits.
I’ve long been an admirer of Buffett’s music, and I can hardly think of anyone who doesn’t enjoy the infectious vibes of his beachy melodies.
Buffett had a way of making the listener feel
as though they were part of the very scene he was singing about. That’s a true gift. Still, the singer-songwriter was not just a music icon, but also a savvy businessman. “Margaritaville,” from the 1977 album Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, propelled Buffett to stardom. The song soon became a brand, and later an empire that extended far beyond the confines of the music industry. According to the Associated Press: “The song soon inspired restaurants and resorts, turning Buffett’s alleged desire for the simplicity of island life into a multimillion [dollar] brand. He landed at No. 18 in Forbes’ list of the Richest Celebrities of All Time with a net worth of $1 billion.”
In Nashville, his impact was twofold. As The Tennessean’s Marcus K. Dowling recently wrote: “Yes, in Nashville — or anywhere by land, sea, or even airport — there are nine different types of retail, resort, or vacation establishments attached to his name. One needs only to walk the six-block expanse from Buffett’s Margaritaville bar on Lower Broadway to his recently opened Margaritaville hotel just south of Lower Broadway showcase to understand the power of his empire.”
I think many of us could learn a lesson from Jimmy Buffett — especially when it comes to the way we live our lives. Are we just dreaming, or are we achieving? Do we wish to inspire others, or are we actually working to do just that? Jimmy Buffett successfully inspired many, many people for more than 50 years. Let’s take a leaf out of Buffett’s lifelong songbook and live our lives to the fullest each day. And remember the words shared by his loved ones upon his passing: “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
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FAMILIES AGAINST MANDATORY MINIMUMS (FAMM), a national criminal justice reform organization, has called for a federal investigation into Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, a state prison in Hartsville operated privately by CoreCivic. In a letter addressed to U.S. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Henry Leventis, the group calls on the Department of Justice to investigate civil rights abuses at the facility. A comparable DOJ investigation resulted in a 2019 lawsuit against the state of Alabama for unconstitutional conditions in its state prisons for men.
The letter by FAMM cites “disturbing letters and emails from individuals incarcerated there, their families, and even former staff,” alleging “sub-par medical care, neglect of medical and physical needs, sexual and physical assault by staff, and use of force, threats, and retaliation by staff.” Medical neglect, substandard conditions and staffing shortages at Trousdale have been on the state’s radar since CoreCivic opened the prison in 2016. Currently led by its sixth warden in seven years, Trousdale is the state’s largest prison, housing more than 2,500 people.
The Department of Justice now decides whether to commit resources to an investigation into Trousdale, similar to a recent investigation into the Memphis police department. Incarcerated individuals are protected by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, an extensive federal law cited by FAMM that empowers the U.S. attorney general to intervene in response to suspected constitutional violations.
“Trousdale Turner Correctional Center’s problematic reputation has long been an open secret,” says FAMM Tennessee state policy director Matthew Charles in a press release. “Over the years, we have heard a number of stories alleging horrifying abuses — we are still stunned by
BY ELI MOTYCKA
reporting, a company-wide hotline accessible anonymously internally and externally, and direct access to our government partners.”
Families with loved ones at Trousdale relay stories about gang activity, corrupt correctional officers and arbitrary punishment for those on the inside. Earlier this summer, the Scene reported on recent deaths at Trousdale, which fit a pattern of medical neglect. In January, Jean Cooper learned that her ex-husband Darrell Cooper, 61, had died in custody. She knew Darrell, who used a wheelchair, had been beaten by fellow inmates, but didn’t know the extent of his injuries. As of Aug. 15, Jean is still looking for answers.
“I’ve written certified letters to TDOC, Trousdale, CoreCivic, and the medical examiner asking for documents from Dec. 25 to Jan. 13,” Jean Cooper tells the Scene in an email. “I’ve got two autopsy reports and one says there were signs of trauma. So I know they let him die after being beaten.”
BY HANNAH HERNERFOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, American Rescue Plan funds have helped child care centers stay alive to the
Despite a string of state fines that total close to $20 million, CoreCivic continues to operate four Tennessee prisons. The company — founded in Nashville as the Corrections Corporation of America in 1983 — won a five-year contract extension at Trousdale in 2021 and a two-year extension at South Central Correctional Center this year.
tune of $24 billion. The final round of funding is set to be distributed by Sept. 30.
“We are sitting at a point where we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop,” says Kristie Ryan, executive director at Fannie Battle Day Home for Children in East Nashville. “Because we know that we’ve increased all of our expenses, and now our income is going to go down significantly moving forward.”
Independent think tank the Century Foundation projects that 1,199 Tennessee child care centers will close as a result of American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grants ending — adding up to an estimated 89,989 children potentially losing care. The first two rounds of grants brought $540 million to 2,875 centers in Tennessee, including 357 in Davidson County.
Fannie Battle received more than $400,000 in the first two rounds. Much of that went to hiring and retaining staff,
Brian Todd, a CoreCivic spokesperson who resigned from the Metro Nashville Health Department last year, responded to the allegations with a statement that reads, in part: “In both policy and practice, CoreCivic respects the dignity of every individual entrusted to our care. We have clear lines of communication for those in our care to make concerns known without fear of repercussions, including in-facility
Without answers, Cooper and other family members have to fill in gaps about what happens on the inside. Danny Lowrance, 40, died in April after being transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to a stroke induced by sepsis, often caused by untreated infections. His mother, Pam, received intermittent updates from Danny about his medical treatment before she was eventually contacted by Vanderbilt about his death. Another Trousdale inmate was found dead in his cell in June.
Pending a DOJ investigation, Leventis’ office would be responsible for litigation against CoreCivic, the state of Tennessee or both. The civil rights division of the DOJ declined to comment on FAMM’s letter. Leventis’ office indicated to the Scene that it would take its cues from the DOJ regarding any legal action against Trousdale. ▼
WITH PANDEMIC FUNDS ENDING, CHILD CARE PROVIDERS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE
One projection estimates 1,199 centers will close statewide — ‘a scary thought’KRISTIE RYAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT FANNIE BATTLE DAY HOME PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND DANNY LOWRANCE PHOTO: COURTESY OF PAM LOWRENCE
Ryan says. The organization already fundraises more than 50 percent of its funds to operate the center, and offers sliding-scale prices for low-income families.
At Glen Leven Day School in Berry Hill, the first two rounds of stabilization funds (around $230,000 each) bumped base pay for employees from $12 to $16 per hour. Executive director Debbie Ferguson says she’ll use the final round of a projected $175,000 to bring it up to $17.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen when these funds dry up,” Ferguson says. “I really don’t know. It’s a scary thought.”
Along with paying more to keep staff, centers have also seen the cost of food jump an estimated 20 percent since before the pandemic. On top of that, March’s Covenant School shooting and a July incident at a local day care — when a man reportedly threatened to blow up a church’s day care center — brought attention to the need for updated security measures. When the Scene speaks with staff at King’s Daughters Child Development Center in Madison, they’re installing a security fence.
“It’s almost feeling like when the pandemic happened, we didn’t know what direction to go in,” says Rhonda Trumbo, executive director of King’s Daughters. “It’s kind of feeling like that again. We’ve had a few years we’ve known this help has been here. What are we going to do when that help is not there?”
Many providers have been avoiding passing the buck to parents, but they will likely have to raise tuition to keep up with the costs.
“We’ve been trying to hold off passing the [cost] to our clients and families because they’re struggling already,” says Trumbo.
Even before the pandemic, profit margins were small for child care centers. They save some rent money if they’re in a church, like Glen Leven, or can fundraise if they’re a nonprofit, like Fannie Battle.
The state has stepped in to help, though the new numbers are nowhere near the $24 billion federal and $550 million statewide over the past three years. Applications just closed for the inaugural round of annual $5 million Child Care Hub pilot grants aimed at establishing newly licensed child care locations from the $220 million federal Child Care Development Block Grant. In addition, the state approved a part of a $15 million Child Care Improvement Fund.
It’s the staffing struggle that feels unprecedented, says Ferguson, who organizes a weekly Zoom support group of sorts, inviting more than 100 providers statewide. Ferguson, who has worked in the field for 31 years, says a lack of staff affects the quality of care and puts more work on the existing employees — causing more of them to walk away. Plus, there’s a lack of consistency for the kids and a lack of lesson-planning time for teachers.
“I’ve never been in this place,” Ferguson says. “Having to look at the financial piece, which is a huge burden, and where those funds are coming from. Trying to find qualified staff, because we really are at a place where I started looking for someone with a bachelor’s degree and a couple of years of experience. That wasn’t out there. I kept lowering my standards and said, ‘OK let’s go associate’s degree, and a year of experience’ — none of that. I got to the point where I was like, ‘If they’re breathing and trainable.’”
Local centers hope something is coming down the pike.
“I just don’t think our society actually understands the importance of providing quality care and how much our kids are developing lifelong skills that they’re going to use for the rest of their life,” Ferguson says. “It seems really backwards that I’m still only paying $16 an hour for someone to build a brain.” ▼
PARKING DAY is coming up this Sunday, and an event at Wilburn Street Tavern will showcase how a pandemic-born initiative could be used to make Nashville a more pleasant place for everyone.
So-called parklets — such as sidewalk extensions used to provide additional space, or parking spaces used for outdoor dining seating — are familiar to anyone who’s lived in a city with a dense urban core, like San Francisco or New York City. In Europe, even in less bustling and dense cities, it’s common to stop at a cafe for lunch and be seated outside on the sidewalk, or even in the street. Parklets can take many different forms, and in a city like Nashville, where their usage is few and far between, it could take time for people to grow accustomed to them. This Sunday on Wilburn Street in East Nashville, residents will get to see what an evening out in the denser future of Nashville could look like.
“A lot of us, for safety reasons, were really pushing ourselves to congregate in outdoor spaces during the pandemic peak,” says Councilmember Sean Parker, whose District 6 is home to Wilburn Street Tavern. “And I think that a lot of us were kind of like, ‘Well, this is actually kind of nice.’”
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments around the country were trying to find ways to financially stimulate restaurants — incentivizing to-go orders, allowing alcohol to get packed up to go. But one of the most lasting ideas might be the utilization of parklets.
Parklets got people back to in-person dining in a way that was deemed safer than eating inside a crowded restaurant, and Nashville was one of the cities that took advantage of parklets. Parker, working with East Nashville business owners and Metro staff, began work on legislation to allow restaurants to implement sidewalk cafes on an emergency basis.
But what was once a temporary pandemic measure has since become a more permanent option for Nashville.
“We’re no longer tied to this kind of temporary pandemic-peak moment,” says Parker. “That
means that businesses can be more comfortable making investments in these installations.”
With the help of Nashville Department of Transportation director Diana Alarcon, Parker was able to pass legislation to permit restaurants to install permanent parklets. That means restaurants and bars like Wilburn Street Tavern can now invest more resources in making their parklets pleasant places for people to spend their time and money.
“If you think you might have your permit not renewed in six months, maybe you’ll go buy some plastic tables and stick them out there,” says Parker. “Maybe you’ll get an umbrella or two, but you’re not going to go and build these more complicated installations.”
Parker says there are a number of things businesses need to consider when trying to get a permit for a permanent parklet: the design, context of the space and whether it will obstruct the public right-of-way, to name a few. But he hopes businesses will be incentivized to make use of this tool and provide their patrons with outdoor areas to congregate.
The Wilburn Street Tavern parklet will be the first taste of what those more complicated installations could look like. Nashville’s nonprofit Civic Design Center hosted a competition to see which design firm could come up with the best plan. The winner of that competition, along with the fully designed and constructed parklet — which will be covered and feature permanent seating along with a number of other unique design features — will be unveiled on Sunday, at a ribbon-cutting event co-hosted by the Civic Design Center and NDOT.
Design experts and stakeholders see the Wilburn parklet as the model for how this new tool in the city’s belt could be used to reclaim areas often taken up by cars. But there are lots of options available to businesses in regard to parklets, and chances are Wilburn Street Tavern will not be the only one to take advantage of them.
“I think a lot of folks are just not aware of the possibilities and the opportunities here,” says Parker. “So I think Parking Day’s a really cool event to showcase that.” ▼
Freddie O’Connell holds a substantial fundraising lead heading into Nashville’s second Election Day in six weeks. The downtown councilmember has spent the runoff period consolidating support among the city’s business elite and political establishment, while his opponent, former GOP political aide Alice Rolli, has tried to rally the city’s conservative base. O’Connell raised $1.2 million since advancing from the Aug. 3 general election — thanks in large part to big checks from PACs, lawyers and executives counting on his victory — while Rolli brought in $441,729.
Quin Evans-Segall, Jeff Syracuse and Olivia Hill lead at-large Metro Council candidates in fundraising, where eight candidates are vying for four remaining spots. Sitting Councilmembers Burkley Allen Russ Pulley and Delishia Porterfield are in the middle of the fundraising pack, but brought in big shares of the vote in the Aug. 3 general election. Incumbent Zulfat Suara was the only at-large candidate to win a seat outright in the general. This year’s at-large race has headlined a pricey local election cycle that’s cost close to $10 million across all races.
A second federal judge in Tennessee ruled against Tennessee Republicans’ anti-drag law passed earlier this year. The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer of Knoxville earlier this month, granted a temporary restraining order against District Attorney Ryan Desmond preventing him from enforcing the state law as it related to a Blount County Pride festival. According to local reports, attendance at the Pride event more than doubled from the previous year following the court ruling. Anti-gay protesters gathered outside the event.
ON SEPT. 6, dozens of people gathered at the Ellington Agricultural Center for one of 10 town halls across the state to discuss the forthcoming A-F school accountability system. The system, which was originally intended to be incorporated during the 2017-2018 school year, will synthesize academic data to assign each school a letter grade, providing snapshots of its performance.
Several Metro Nashville Public Schools staff attended the meeting to question Tennessee Department of Education chief of staff Chelsea Crawford. Though Tennessee’s new education commissioner, Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, did attend at least one other town hall, she did not appear to attend the Sept. 6 event — she did speak in Nashville earlier that day at a summit for the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist’s pro-charter organization.
In 2016, the Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation requiring that schools be assigned an A, B, C, D or F letter grade. The law states that the grades must factor in student performance as determined by standardized testing, as well as student growth, which is measured in part through the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System. The TDOE can also determine other factors to include in these scores, such as absenteeism or graduation rates. Former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn attributed the system launch’s multiyear delay to testing issues and later the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the TDOE already had a model, the state never rolled it out. The first round of letter grades will be released this fall, using last year’s data.
“There seems to be a rush to put a model in place without any of us really understanding what it’s gonna be,” said MNPS chief of academics and schools Mason Bellamy. “That’s a little concerning to me in that it’s been a law for seven years now, and now there seems to be a rush to implement in a way that wasn’t the case originally.”
Many commenters at the town hall emphasized the need to consider student growth in accountability scores — it’s a factor that’s required by law, but it’s unclear how heavily it will be included in this process. Schools that serve
high-needs student populations, such as economically disadvantaged students, often have lower achievement scores because of realities that exist outside the classroom. If a student doesn’t have stable housing, for example, they’re likely not able to perform as well as their peers who have a consistent home or those whose families have extra resources for outside tutoring. As such, growth scores can better indicate how a school is serving students whose adverse childhood experiences may affect their education.
At the event, MNPS parent Ashley Gish noted that she’d like to see detailed metrics that consider how schools serve students with disabilities, or how they engage families. Parent Francisco Moreno expressed a desire for a straightforward rating system that is easy to understand.
Crawford confirmed at the town hall that the state accountability system will be separate from the federal accountability system — some commenters expressed concern about that. She also noted that, while federal accountability systems provide resources for low-performing schools, the state system is not designed to do that.
There’s a lot of criticism about how the TDOE is handling the rollout. There are timing concerns, particularly around the quick rollout that leaves districts little time to understand and appeal the new calculation despite years of preparation. Some claim the new system is a way to encourage the distribution of education savings accounts, a program pushed by Gov. Bill Lee in which families can use public money to attend private schools. If schools have low accountability scores, it creates more incentives for families to seek other options like charter schools or ESAs. Tennessee’s former executive director of accountability, Mary Batiwalla, questioned the whole process on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that it’s being influenced by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s provoucher education nonprofit ExcelinEd, where Commissioner Reynolds formerly worked.
The TDOE’s window for public feedback closes on Sept. 15. Those wishing to submit comments can find more information on the TDOE’s website, or send comments to schoollettergrades@tnedu.gov ▼
MNPS rep: ‘There seems to be a rush to put a model in place without any of us really understanding what it’s gonna be’
BEYELER
Eric Church used this Vox AC15 amp during many concerts, including the Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2018. The show’s set list, taped to the side of the amp, shows Church’s #1—“Drink in My Hand”—as #2 on the set list.
From the exhibit Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul, presented by Gibson RESERVE TODAY
Talking with Adeem the Artist about adding nuance to a flattened discourse
BY BRITTNEY McKENNA
WHEN I MEET Adeem the Artist at Dose in Riverside Village, the critically acclaimed rising star is sipping an iced chai, their perfectly applied forest-green lipstick staying fixed in place. Based in East Tennessee, they’re only in Nashville for the afternoon, stopping by for a handful of meetings before hitting the road for other engagements. Despite the tight timeline, Adeem is eager to chat about, among other topics, their recent accomplishments, like performing on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time in June and nabbing a nomination for Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Music Association’s annual Honors and Awards ceremony, set for Sept. 20 at the Ryman. They’ll also play Sept. 21 at The Vinyl Lounge.
Adeem is as thoughtful in conversation as they are in their music, holding forth on topics as wide-ranging as class solidarity and ’90s country music with passion and expertise. That’s no surprise to any listener of Adeem’s, of course, as the singer-songwriter’s brand of country music is clear-eyed, whip-smart and pulls no punches. That’s certainly true of their 2022 record White Trash Revelry, a fittingly celebrated collection of songs that offers a nuanced, grounded look at class, gender and intersectionality.
It’s also true of their recent one-off “Sundown Town,” a satire written in response to Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town,” a dog whistle of a song whose video — which CMT announced it had pulled from its programming — pairs footage of protests (some of which actually occurred in Canada) with lyrics like, “See how far ya make it down the road / Around here, we take care of our own.” “Sundown Town” is more clever by a country mile, with lines like, “I sweat a lot and I sing ’em loud / Even though I didn’t write the shit I’m singing about / I just read the words and say ‘That was good’ / As long as it implies a gown and hood.”
Unsurprisingly, Adeem received quite a bit of blowback from the parody, but
PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO; PHOTO ASSISTANT: SANDI HARRISON; LOCATION: LOU NASHVILLE
Ahead of AmericanaFest, check out our conversations with Adeem the Artist and SistaStrings, our show recommendations and more
not just from right-wingers. During an interview with critic Emily Nussbaum on The New Yorker Radio Hour podcast, Adeem expressed frustration with wealthy liberals who blame poor Southerners for their own poverty. They soon received hate mail from Democrats — “very fine people on both sides,” it seems. Recently, the Scene caught up with Adeem about being recognized by the Americana community, the flattening of online discourse and, of course, writing and fielding reactions to “Sundown Town.”
How does it feel to be recognized as an Emerging Act nominee at the Americana Awards? It was very surreal. I won tickets to the Americana Award ceremony in 2017 from a radio station out here that I followed on Twitter. So me and my partner went that year, having no context for what Americana was. We just knew that John Prine and Van Morrison were going to be there. We discovered Rhiannon Giddens that night. We discovered Hurray for the Riff Raff. At the time, I was starting to write country music and starting to study country music again, after having been gone for a while — because of, you know, bigotry. … Sitting in that space at the Ryman, listening to Jim Lauderdale lambaste [Trump], it felt very warm, like maybe this is my corner. Maybe this is where I could fit. I remember when I got home I wrote my friend and said, “That’s the stage I want to be on.”
Well, that’s about as full-circle as it gets, winning tickets to an award show you’d later wind up attending as an honoree. Given the state of country music and the much-argued-about “culture wars,” how do you see the Americana genre and its kind of catchall mentality, within this broader ecosystem? As a genre, it’s a really expansive idea conceptually. To me, it feels really frustrating in a lot of ways.
As a fan of D’Orjay the Singing Shaman, as a fan of Amythyst Kiah — they’ve been told for so long that they’re not country because of the color of their skin. And having that wrapped up in, “Oh no, you’re really soul,” or whatever dog whistle gets thrown around, there’s a frustration to it. The idea that protecting the monolithic view of country music and the tradition of country music as a sort of white, cis-male-dominated thing doesn’t feel good to me. I don’t know that it adds to the greater discourse to have this sort of subgenre. I make country music. My records are pretty explicitly that. But people correct me when I say that; they say, “Well, it’s more Americana.”
Do you push back on that, or ask what they mean? No. Because I don’t care at the end of the day. But I do think the protectiveness of that [country] space leads to a lot of real, tangible harm, whether that be from instances like this song [“Try That in a Small Town”] that so clearly harkens to the specter of sundown towns — or just the fact that there’s a handful of dudes who haven’t moved beyond ’80s pop-culture ideas of being gender normative, who are still asserting that that’s the way it is and that’s the way it has to be. There are a lot of kids who aren’t being exposed to the fullness of who they are or who
they could be. … I feel like it’s worth expanding the conversation for those kids to not be left behind. Especially as somebody who was barefoot running around the trailer as a kid — I think about Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain. Country music as it exists right now is more conservative than it was.
I agree. I think back to Garth Brooks’ 1992 song “We Shall Be Free,” which talks about ending racism and loving who you love and all these “taboo” topics. I don’t think it could get released today, at least not on country radio. It’s hard to imagine Luke Combs doing something like that, and he’s pretty benign.
It’s been interesting to follow the conversation around Combs’ “Fast Car” cover. Most importantly I hope Tracy Chapman is making bank, but my first reaction was that it was cool to see one of country’s biggest mainstream stars cover a song by a queer Black woman. That counts for something to me. But maybe my bar is too low because I’ve seen a lot of criticism of his decision to do that. I think discourse has devolved to a point where that level of nuance is no longer welcome to the table. Because there was a lot of that with the Morgan Wallen situation, too — where there were so many components that made that a really interesting and socially rich conversation that just got totally neglected. … Everything is getting distilled to their systems of operation, in a really weird way. For example, I put out this satire [“Sundown Town”] that everyone called a parody. People come on my Twitter and say stuff like, “You cancel-culture people are all the same. You should have your account banned for this.”
Gonna go out on a limb and say there’s a bit of irony in those two sentences being paired together. Then they’re responding to me saying, “Explain to me exactly why you think Jason Aldean’s music video should be taken down.” When did I ever
say that? And it’s because everybody is treating everyone that they interact with as sort of a spokesperson for this whole system of operation that they disagree with. And so people aren’t actually responding to me. They’re responding to this Antifa Power Rangers machine that they think I’m connected to, right, and that I’m just smashing country music. I don’t think Jason Aldean’s music video should be taken down. I don’t care. Ultimately, CMT should do whatever they want to do with CMT. And it’s none of my business. I think it’s interesting that there’s never really prime attention given to queer artists or people of color on that channel, really.
It’s low-hanging fruit — “Well, we removed that video, so can we have our gold star now?” But there’s way more that needs to be done. And it actually catapulted the song forward. That became the moment: CMT pulling the trigger just made everybody care about it more.
While we’re talking about “Sundown Town,” one of many things that struck me about the song is how quickly you were able to write it. It’s such a clever and well-constructed song that it’s surprising it didn’t take weeks to finish. What did writing that one look like? My friend Jason can finish drywall in a room in like an hour, you know what I mean? [Laughs] But also, I don’t have a lot of opportunity for creative action lately. I have a partner; I’m married; we got a 5-year-old and I’m touring. When I’m at home, I’m trying to bring this old pop-up camper back to life. I’m spending a lot of time in the driveway sanding and cleaning. So I think that’s part of it, too, is there’s kind of a pent-up excess of creative energy that just needs to be worked out.
So you have all this creativity brewing just beneath the surface, and then the Jason Aldean thing happens. Yeah, because it also just pisses me off. It makes me very upset. And this is the nuance
that everyone says they want but don’t actually want. The truth is, I don’t believe the writers of that song intended to be racist. I don’t think they intended to disparage Black people, or to scare marginalized voices. I think they genuinely thought they were espousing good small-town values. And I think they thought that because they only know how white people feel about the words they use. They never thought about how it would sound to anybody from any divergent perspective. So to me, the conversation is way less about how Jason Aldean is racist and way more about how this genre is so devoid of perspective that people can say the most asinine, racist shit and it’s treated as normal. Because no one’s there to say, for example, there was a situation in 2020 where a Black man [Ahmaud Arbery] was jogging through a small town and that didn’t go so well for him.
The New Yorker posted a conversation you had with Emily Nussbaum, who wrote a piece about the growing divide in country music for the magazine earlier this summer. What did you make of the piece and the podcast conversation? I tell you what, I spent the last couple of days getting shit emails from Democrats. So it goes both ways. They were mad that I accused liberals of calling Southerners “toothless hicks.” And they told me that we should vote for better politicians. They basically proved my point. I would rather hang out with a Trump-supporting laborer than a wealthy Democrat. Class solidarity is my shit. … There is something about being from low class, being from laborers, [experiencing] generational poverty. I can communicate with people like that even if we disagree. We find ways around it. But liberal Democrats? I said that I was mad that liberals called us “toothless hicks,” and Democrats wrote to tell me that I was a conservative propaganda machine. I was like, “Motherfucker.” Anyway, cognitive dissonance is available to all who seek it. ▼
“There are a lot of kids who aren’t being exposed to the fullness of who they are or who they could be. … I feel like it’s worth expanding the conversation for those kids to not be left behind.”PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO; PHOTO ASSISTANT: SANDI HARRISON; LOCATION: LOU NASHVILLE
Instrumentalist of the Year nominees Chauntee and Monique Ross discuss moving to Nashville and finding balance amid myriad projects
BY RACHEL CHOLSTSISTERS MONIQUE and Chauntee Ross, who perform together as SistaStrings, made the move from Milwaukee to Music City in 2021 and have been on a rapid rise. Raised by two ministers, the pair grew up in the church playing gospel and classical music, with Chauntee on violin and Monique on cello; they both sing as well. They’ve lent their talents to all kinds of musical projects, from hip-hop to country music. Their most recent recording project — a 2022 collaborative album with Milwaukee’s Peter Mulvey called Love Is the Only Thing — soars with impassioned harmonies and gorgeous arrangements. The sisters have also spent a great deal of time on the road with Allison Russell as part of her Rainbow Coalition band, and are on tour with Brandi Carlile and Pink; in October, they’ll be supporting Brandy Clark.
SistaStrings are nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year at next week’s Americana Music Association Honors and Awards ceremony, and the Rosses caught up with the Scene via email on a brief break at home. Their responses have been slightly edited for length.
Congratulations again on your nomination! How did you find out about it, and what was your immediate reaction?
Monique: I was actually already on the phone with my sister, Chauntee, when I saw the tag on Instagram. I was curious as to what the tag was for, and when I clicked on the app, I’m pretty sure
I started screaming with excitement!!! We immediately started group FaceTiming some of our closest friends so we could scream for joy with them as well! The amount of mindless/energetic pacing that began was quite entertaining. I was supposed to be packing my suitcase for the next tour run, but was much too excited to focus.
What was the creative community like in Milwaukee? How did you pick Nashville?
Chauntee: The creative scene in Milwaukee is oozing talent. My experience with the scene began mostly when I returned back to Milwaukee after graduating college and started exploring local venues and artists. The community is supportive and can be super close-knit. I met some of my best friends/forever chosen family due to Milwaukee’s creative community. I had such a beautiful community in Milwaukee, I was afraid I wouldn’t find that in Nashville, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. In late summer of 2020 I realized that I couldn’t stay in Milwaukee any longer. My parents and two of my older siblings and their families had moved to Jackson, Tenn., and I knew I needed to be near family. We took a look at Nashville and Memphis, but Nashville just seemed like a better fit for us.
Monique: Upon leaving college, Chauntee and I rented a house together along with some of our best friends. It was a house of young musicians, and my baby girl. The amount of music, jam ses-
sions, writing and inspiration that happened in that time period — and specifically in that house — is a memory that I will always treasure. The local music venues — Company Brewing, Cactus Club, Colectivo Back Room, just to name a few — were all so supportive, and we performed a lot as we collectively grew as artists.
You both grew up playing music in the church as well as classical music. What draws you to classical music? How do you feel that translates to playing in folk and pop settings?
Chauntee: My main influences are gospel and classical. There’s an excitement about the virtuosity of classical music that I love. I remember listening to a super difficult-sounding piece before I would learn it and just be like, “There’s no way I can learn all of these notes.” A few weeks later, I could play the piece memorized. This connects to playing in nontraditional settings for the violin … the challenge. I love to embrace what isn’t considered “normal” and play with it, which usually comes out as a blend of sounds.
Monique: As a young musician put into lessons at 3 years old, classical was one of the first languages I learned to use to express myself. I was a very shy child, but music was a way I felt I could express myself without having to speak to anyone. All of the different genres under the umbrella of classical music — baroque, Romantic, symphonies, concertos, operas, etc. — all are so different and make one feel different things. I feel like it organically happened that we would of course use our training/influences to create any of the music that we play!
You released the breathtaking album Love Is the Only Thing with Peter Mulvey last year. How did you three craft those songs together? What was the songwriting process like?
Chauntee: I love that project as well! It was recorded about a week before the shutdown in 2020. It holds a special place in my heart because of the very specific time of life it speaks from.
Peter had most of the songs written already, and we just came in and added string parts and vocal parts where they needed to be. It was just one big ol’ collaboration where we spent a week in one of our favorite spaces to play, Cafe Carpe in Fort Atkinson, Wis. That entire week we would just introduce a song, workshop it, and then record it.
I understand Peter helped make introductions in Nashville. How did you and Peter come to work together?
Monique: When we opened up for Peter Mulvey, it was at this awesome music venue: Paradigm Coffee and Music in Sheboygan, Wis. I happened to be quite sick, but in true pre-COVID times, we still pushed and worked even with a head full of mucus!! Peter had a hot toddy, and it truly helped me get through our opening set. When Peter’s set began, I was super into it, but when he sang “Are You Listening?” I began to cry. Something about that set moved me, and soon after he asked us to perform with him. The rest is history.
You’ve also worked as music educators, helping audiences appreciate the connections between
classical and pop music. How do you feel that experience translates to playing to large crowds, like on your recent tour with Brandi Carlile and Pink?
Chauntee: I don’t think I would say I set out to help folk connect these genres of music, but rather connect folks to their dreams. I play an instrument and learned in a setting where I was definitely the “other.” If I didn’t have the support system of my incredible parents and teachers, I would have quit and given in to the voices that said a loud little Black girl doesn’t belong in the conservatory setting. As an educator, a lot of my work is through representation. Just the sight and sound of my brown skin and purple hair slaying some Beethoven might help the next little girl or boy or them to see themselves doing something that they’re passionate about, whether or not that’s widely accepted. I’m now touring too much to keep a studio of students anymore, but it’s really the same thing on these large stages. We can never underestimate the power of representation.
Monique: As an educator, I’d have to say it was an honor to both educate the youth, but to also be an example of what you can do when you explore your instrument outside of the standard classical sound. Some of my favorite memories were when myself and Chauntee wrote some groovy beginning-level pieces for our students to learn. Some people thought that my syncopated bass lines would be too difficult for the young students to learn, but kids love a groove — and when they both nailed it and had fun doing so, I was beyond proud. Letting students know the sky is the limit with what you can do. We follow the rules in the beginning to learn the importance of technique, etc., but once you have that understanding, you can literally create whatever sounds speak to you. It is a beautiful, amazing thing how music lives and breathes — and lives and breathes differently for each of us.
This last couple of years seem like they’ve been a whirlwind, if an exciting and fruitful one. Is it time for a rest? What’s next for you?
Chauntee: It’s been an incredible journey. I learned a lot the first year moving to Nashville and wanting to say yes to every single opportunity that came my way. I sort of burnt out touring with three projects outside of SistaStrings, and eventually learned that was too much for me to handle. I have no plans of rest, but I have learned how to create a better balance in my life — from my super amazing job, to being able to connect with self and have time home with friends and family. The main focus right now is writing a ton for SistaStrings’ debut album. We’ve been writing some super incredible songs, and I can’t wait for this project to all come together and have a life of its own soon!
Monique: What is that word, “rest”?! I kid, because the name of the game really is the grind. And luckily we get to grind doing something that we absolutely love doing. I don’t see any rest in my near future, but learning the importance of balance is a conversation that comes up for us often. We have so much more that we want to do as SistaStrings. The whirlwind is exciting and fruitful, so hopefully it continues while we continue to grow both as humans and as artists. ▼
THERE ARE MORE than 200 performances to see during the marathon that is AmericanaFest, and we’re here to help you find your path by highlighting our favorite shows that your festival pass will get you into each day. There is also a panoply of insightful panel discussions to check out as well if you’ve purchased a conference registration. Check out the AmericanaFest website or app for the full schedule, additional details and updates, and watch social media for an array of pop-up events around the fest, whether they’re official or not.
Whichever credential you have, you’ll be able to pick it up starting on Tuesday. The desks at both The Westin (where you’ll need to go if you have tickets to the Honors and Awards ceremony) and at City Winery open at noon, and hours vary at both locations each day.
You can ease into the rhythm of the festival with shows like WMOT Roots Radio’s The Old Fashioned String Band Throwdown, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge in Madison, with expert players like Cristina Vane and Robbie Fulks. A short ride back toward downtown brings you to The Underdog, where Change the Conversation — an organization that fights gender inequality in the music business — hosts the monthly Stella Prince and Friends get-together. The program kicks off at 5 p.m. and, in addition to Prince, features Julie Williams, Maya de Vitry and others.
Rufus Wainwright is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his landmark albums Want One and Want Two with a series of orchestral shows called Want Symphonic. He’ll join up with the Nashville Symphony Tuesday at the Schermerhorn at 7:30 p.m., and while the show is part of AmericanaFest, it requires a separate ticket. Rounding out your evening, you’ve got two chances to see Americana Proud: A Voice for All, a program at City Winery spotlighting LGBTQ Americana artists, co-hosted by stellar songsmith Autumn Nicholas and drag queen supreme Vidalia Anne Gentry. The 8 p.m. show includes guests like Crys Matthews and Denitia, while the 9:30 p.m. show features The Kentucky Gentlemen, Jobi Riccio and many more.
Per tradition, the main event Wednesday is the 22nd annual Americana Music Association Honors and Awards show, which runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Ryman There are limited tickets available that must be purchased separately, but festival passholders can head over to City Winery for the official watch party.
There’s plenty to see well before the ceremony. Swing by The Space at 100 Taylor between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m. for AmericanaFest Fiesta II, featuring sets from performers like Aaron Lee Tasjan, Bre Kennedy, Katie Pruitt and Nicole Atkins. The National Museum of African American Music hosts writers’ rounds from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and the inaugural edition features Ahi, Denitia and Joy Clark
After the awards show, the floodgates open with a slew of exciting sets kicking off at 10 p.m. Aforementioned singer-songwriter and ace guitarist Joy Clark heads to The Basement at that time, string band extraordinaire Della Mae is at The Basement East, and country legend Jessi Colter — whose Margo Price-produced album The Edge of Forever is due via Nashville indie label Appalachia Record Co. in October — takes the stage at 3rd and Lindsley
Hats off to the AmericanaFest organizers for making the festival look more and more like the America we actually live in. It feels like there’s a fight unfolding for the soul of American music, with the overlapping country, roots and Americana communities right in the middle. We all know the real action is on the undercard, including an absolute banger of a showcase spotlighting LGBTQ artists at The Vinyl Lounge. At the top of the bill and playing at 11 p.m. is our cover interviewee, the ever-awesome Adeem the Artist, and we are especially excited about Mya Byrne’s set at 10 p.m. Rhinestone Tomboy, Byrne’s debut record for Kill Rock Stars Nashville, is as queer as it is catchy, a détournement of American music traditions that is very welcome and very refreshing. Her “Autumn Sun” will absolutely be our festival theme song, while “Burn This State House Down” is at the ready for any time the legislature gets together. The outrageously talented Willi Carlisle brings rich story-focused songs and underrated guitar playing to his set, which starts at 8 p.m.
Of course, you can get started much earlier. At noon, The Native Guitars Tour’s Voices of Native Americana program brings Indigenous musicians, artists and fashion designers to The Blue Room, while the Northern Lights Music showcase kicks off at 1 p.m. at City Winery, with Brandi Carlile, Instrumentalist of the Year nominees SistaStrings and more. The Equal Access program, beginning at 4 p.m. at The Music Makers’ Stage at Delgado Guitars, gives you another chance to see Byrne and other folks in an intimate setting.
There is no rest for the wicked stoked, so we’re hoping to teleport across the Music City-verse in time to catch Nat Myers, who’s on at 10 p.m. at 3rd and Lindsley. The Kentucky-residing Korean American bluesman’s new Dan Auerbach-produced album Yellow Peril investigates and interprets American traditional music in a way that feels corrective, contemporary and classic. Myers’ deep, resonant voice anchors achingly attentive songwriting and seriously downhome picking that feels like it climbed out of the Victorola to slap that cellphone out of your hand. Myers’ set is nestled in between Nashville mainstay and swoon-worthy singer Jonell Mosser and the Tajmaholics at 9 and a Tribute to Loretta Lynn at 11; performers haven’t been announced yet, but the Coal Miner’s Daughter
has influenced so many talented people that it’s bound to be a blast.
Across town at the Station Inn, folk historian and world-class performer Dom Flemmons (who plays at 8 p.m.) warms up the stage for legendary bluesman Bobby Rush (on at 9) for an evening that will likely involve some of the best stories you’ve ever heard told onstage and some of the strongest tunes of the whole weekend. Tommy Prine — who happens to be the son of a guy named John who wrote a song or three you might like, though Tommy does his own thing — makes his festival debut at City Winery at 7 p.m., and you’ll definitely want to stick around for The Secret Sisters at 9.
If you’re on the hunt for string-band sounds, Analog at Hutton Hotel boasts Steep Canyon Rangers at 7 p.m., Philip Bowen at 8, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper at 9 and Dan Tyminski Band at 10. And if you’d like to get your bowl on, you can get a few frames in before never-not-cool rocking country songsmiths like Chuck Mead (playing at 8:30 p.m.) and Amy Rigby (on at 9:30) take over Eastside Bowl
One of the great things about this music-writin’ gig is that you get to watch young talents develop into accomplished artists. Take Denitia, whom we’ve been fans of since she was a student, all the way back in the download-andblog era. She was a unique talent in a hyper-eclectic community; a decade and change later, after several years in New York, she remains so but on a much grander scale. Her warm and enveloping voice can navigate a harmonic narrative like few others, its rich timbre at home in sparse folk and late-night dance music alike. She’s a writer and performer of rare emotive quality, and you have several chances to see her Friday, including the Western AF Music Review (1 p.m. at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery) and at 9 p.m. amid a stacked bill at AB Hillsboro Village
You can say the same for another longtime Scene favorite: Knockout cosmic pastoral ensemble William Tyler and the Impossible Truth, which features some of Nashville’s busiest and most creative instrumentalists. They’ve been on the
From Autumn Nicholas and Mary Gauthier to Nat Myers and many more, here are our recommendations for who to catch at this year’s AmericanaFest
highways and byways all summer following their live LP Secret Stratosphere, and we’re fired up to see them finely honed and on home turf. Tyler & Co. play a monster lineup at The Blue Room at 10 p.m. Also playing are David Nance and Mowed Sound (9 p.m.), as well as The Watson Twins (8 p.m.), whose new Butch Walker-produced album Holler is a harmony-led highlight of the year. Rounding out the bill with his 7 p.m. set is Peter One, the Ivory Coast-born, Nashville-based country-folk singer whose Come Back to Me is gunning for a spot on your year-end Top 10.
As always, there’s lots to see during the day — one prime pick is Ishkōdé Records’ Eighth Fire Sessions, bringing Native American musicians like Aysanabee to The 5 Spot starting at noon. Another is a long string of players including Amelia K. Spicer and 19 Hand Horse at Bobby’s Idle Hour for Americana on the Row starting at 2 p.m. And you don’t even have to have any kind of credential to see the special AmericanaFest installment of Musicians Corner in Centennial Park, where Buddy Miller, North Mississippi Allstars, the Rodney Crowell Trio and more start playing at 3 p.m.
The Basement — always a sure bet for finding the future of music — hosts Autumn Nicholas, writer of pointed and poignant songs both personal and political, who plays at 8 p.m. Their voice is filled with fluidity and deep feeling that recalls the spine-tingling sensation of hearing Sylvester sing for the first time, while their guitar playing feels like the finessed fretwork of Janis Ian.
At 7 p.m., Dawn Landes and Friends will get together at Riverside Revival to perform songs from the classic ’70s sing-along tome The Liberated Woman’s Songbook — the Ultimate Fake Book-meets-Our Bodies, Ourselves guide that’s shaped generations of listeners and players. We’d be remiss if we didn’t try to hustle off to Eastside Bowl to catch hometown gospel heroes The McCrary Sisters, who will be bringing big Sunday morning joy to this Friday night party at 8:30 p.m. At 10 p.m., Juno Award winner Wil-
liam Prince will bring his windswept storycraft and velvet voice to 3rd and Lindsley. Setting the stage for him with a 9 p.m. set is the legendary Jim Lauderdale, who probably wrote six songs while you were reading the rest of this piece. He’ll be there hot on the heels of Sept. 15’s The Long and Lonesome Letting Go, a new collaborative LP with bluegrass champions The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, which they previewed a little during last year’s AmericanaFest
There are day parties all throughout AmericanaFest, but the final day of the festival is when they pop up all over. The 11th annual Thirty Tigers Gospel Brunch brings folks like Adeem the Artist and Henry Wagons to City Winery starting at 11 a.m. At 11:30, The 5 Spot hosts the longtime traditional Aussie BBQ with Toria Richings, Hamish Anderson and many more, while Kill Rock Stars Nashville’s one-year anniversary party, featuring Shelly Fairchild, Brennan Wedl and lots more, starts at noon at AB Hillsboro Village
Over the Cumberland, the Queer Cowpoke Roundup with Austin Lucas, Mercy Bell and lots more takes over The Groove starting at 2 p.m. That kicks off simultaneously with Right in Time: A Tribute to Lucinda Williams at The Basement East, during which Anne McCue, Jess Nolan and many more will play all the songs from Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
As the sun sets, your options continue to multiply. AB Hillsboro Village hosts another strong lineup of songsmiths who happen to be from the LGBTQ community, including Jessye DeSilva at 7 p.m. and Jill Andrews at 8. Suzy Bogguss, who’s been schooling us on how to update traditional country for more than 30 years, begins the evening at 7 p.m. at Analog at Hutton Hotel; someone has to follow her, and Parker Millsap, who plays at 10, is a fine candidate. The Vinyl Lounge is a great place to post up for the evening as well, with Ashley Ray playing at 8 p.m., erstwhile Nashvillian Cory Branan at 9 and Music City leg-
end Will Kimbrough at 10.
Artists who blend a bit of country (among other things) into their rock are the name of the game at The 5 Spot, where Amelia White and the Blue Souvenirs play at 7 p.m. and Beth Bombara is on at 8. Way out in Madison, songwriter’s songwriter and archetypal Americana artist Mary Gauthier holds court at Eastside Bowl starting at 8:30 p.m.; also on the bill is country badass Emily Nenni, who plays at 10:30.
Coming to Exit/In are a slew of Alabama singer-songwriters, including Duquette Johnston at 7 p.m., Billy Allen and the Pollies at 8 and Single Lock Records co-founder John Paul White at 9. J.P. Harris’ Dreadful Wind and Rain, a project in which honkytonker Harris focuses on the unnerving side of
country and string-band music, takes the 3rd and Lindsley stage at 9 p.m., while great rocking country songsmith Amythyst Kiah plays at 10 and country-soul champ Leon Timbo is on at 11.
At 8 p.m., rising ace Joelton Mayfield plays The Basement, followed at 9 by R&B-schooled trio The Magi. Meanwhile, superb R&B girl-group reimaginers The Shindellas — whose second LP Shindo is due in October — set the stage with their 7 p.m. set at The Basement East; at 9, catch country songsmith Sarah Jarosz, who just announced her seventh LP Polaroid Lovers for January. Multifaceted songsmith (and sometime podcaster) Maggie Rose’s 11 p.m. set at the Beast, rounding out events there for the night, is about the best way we can think of to cap your AmericanaFest. ▼
AS AMERICANAFEST rolls into Music City once again next week, you’ll see lineups at venues all over town populated by artists with names (or nicknames) that bear striking similarities to the folksy nomenclature prevalent in pro baseball. Among the following list of 30 names, 15 belong to artists performing at this year’s AmericanaFest, and the other 15 belong to pro ball players (some living, some not). Can you separate the sluggers from the songsmiths without Googling? Good luck!
Special thanks, as ever, to Nashville cinema and record store staffer Tyler Glaser — a lifelong baseball fan who also runs the appropriately named Instagram account @baseballplayerswithgreatnames — for his help rounding up the primo player handles.
Elles Bailey
Buck Farmer
Lil Stoner
Drayton Farley
General Crowder
Nick Shoulders
Turkey Stearnes
Willi Carlisle
Bullet Joe Bush
Showboat Fisher
Dori Freeman
Skye Bolt
Odie Leigh
Chatham Rabbits
Joelton Mayfield
Ricky Bones
Cookie Rojas
Harlin Pool
Nat Myers
Mitch Trees
Ole Kirkeng
Nathan Mongol Wells
Ginger Beaumont
Parker Millsap
Schoolboy Rowe
Bella White
Heinie Peitz
Cat Clyde
Chance Emerson
Wee Willie Keeler
Rojas, Showboat Fisher, Buck Farmer, Skye Bolt, Mitch Trees, Lil Stoner
Baseball players: Wee Willie Keeler, Heinie Peitz, Turkey Stearnes, Ginger Beaumont, Bullet Joe Bush, General Crowder, Harlin Pool, Ricky Bones, Schoolboy Rowe, Cookie
Americana artists: Bella White, Odie Leigh, Chance Emerson, Nat Myers, Nick Shoulders, Cat Clyde, Dori Freeman, Drayton Farley, Elles Bailey, Chatham Rabbits, Joelton Mayfield, Ole Kirkeng, Willi Carlisle, Nathan Mongol Wells, Parker Millsap
ANSWER KEY:
SEP 14 to 16 | 7:30
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor | Garrick Ohlsson, piano
PROGRAM
Julia Perry: A Short Piece for Orchestra
Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1
Igor Stravinsky: TheRiteofSpring
Lee Mills, conductor
OCT 7 | 7:30 PM
Presentation NICK CARTERWHO I AM TOUR
PresentedwithouttheNashvilleSymphony.
OCT 6 | 7:30 PM
Special Event
Common with the Nashville Symphony
OCT 8 | 7:30 PM
Presentation
RUBEN STUDDARD & CLAY AIKEN: TWENTY YEARS | ONE NIGHT
PresentedwithouttheNashvilleSymphony.
OCT 10 | 7:30 PM
Special Event
Presented
The Black Violin Experience with the Nashville Symphony
OCT 12 | 7:30 PM
HCA Healthcare and Tristar Health Legends of Music
Billy Ocean PresentedwithouttheNashvilleSymphony.
OCT 14 | 7:30 PM
OCT 15 | 2 PM
Amazon Movie Series HOCUS POCUS IN CONCERT with the Nashville Symphony
OCT 17 | 7:30 PM
Special Event
SIMPLY THE BEST: THE MUSIC OF TINA TURNER with the Nashville Symphony
SEPT. 15
When Rhiannon Giddens sings, everyone should listen. A once-in-ageneration folk storyteller with a résumé including a Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Genius Grant, Giddens returns to the socalled Mother Church of Country Music this week to share songs from You’re the One, her third solo studio album and first release of start-to-finish original work. Ace singer-songwriter Adia Victoria — known for standout 2021 album A Southern Gothic, among others — plays main support. Giddens’ new album includes songs penned throughout her career, like soulstirring opener “Too Little, Too Late, Too Bad,” the Jason Isbell-backed folk romp “Yet to Be,” crooning classic pop tune “Who Are You Dreaming Of” and “If You Don’t Know How Sweet It Is,” a sugar-coated roots tale. And no matter whether Giddens is dabbling in jazz, showtunes or rock ’n’ roll, when the stories (and her rich, layered voice) sound this good, everyone needs to stop and soak it in.
MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLER8 P.M. AT THE RYMAN
116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.
More than a century after its premiere, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring remains as potent as ever, moving audiences with its dissonant chords and powerful rhythms.
FESTIVAL PAGE 22
LISA ANN WALTER PAGE 24
RAIN MAN PAGE 28
OCTOBER 25
BRANDY CLARK
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER 7
DECEMBER 30 & 31
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW
JANUARY 20, 2024
AMERICAN AQUARIUM
JANUARY 24, 2024
MR. BIG WITH THE SMITHEREENS ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM
OCTOBER 7
NOVEMBER 8
LUKAS NELSON + POTR
DECEMBER 1 & 2 THE MAVERICKS WITH HOGSLOP STRINGBAND (12/1) AND MAGGIE ROSE (12/2)
FEBRUARY 23, 2024
SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
KEANE ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM
You can experience this extraordinary piece this weekend as the Nashville Symphony opens its 2023-24 classical season at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Balancing this daring work which music director Giancarlo Guerrero has compared to the “heavy metal” of its day is Julia Perry’s dynamic 1952 Short Piece for Orchestra. Audiences also can look forward to seeing pianist Garrick Ohlsson, a longtime collaborator and NSO favorite, as he presents Johannes Brahms’ magnificent Piano Concerto No. 1. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the new classical season while also demonstrating the incredible range and versatility of our symphony’s musicians. For added insight and understanding, be sure to check out NSO’s Classical Conversations, presented one hour before the concert in the Balcony Lobby.
AMY STUMPFL
SEPT. 14-16 AT NASHVILLE’S SCHERMERHORN
1 SYMPHONY PLACE
ART [CALL ME IN THE MORNING]
KELLY S. WILLIAMS:
Kelly S. Williams makes the kinds of paintings you might imagine in dreams — low-key still-lifes and scenes of happy dogs, but also optically vibrant abstract paintings that bring to mind starbursts and mandalas, and trompel’oeil works that are charged with the same kind of shamanistic energy as the objects they represent. Her exhibit at Belmont University’s spacious Leu Gallery makes room for all of this, as Williams presents a wide array of works created over the past two years. The show’s title, Home Remedy, alludes to traditional kitchentable medicine, but also the idea of home as a treatment for whatever hurts you. It’s a rich exhibition of one of Nashville’s most exciting artists, and the opportunity to see so much
of her work — and hear her speak about it all herself — is not to be missed.
LAURA HUTSON HUNTERARTIST’S RECEPTION 4-6 P.M.; THROUGH OCT. 13 AT BELMONT’S LEU GALLERY
1907 BELMONT BLVD.
FILM
There are thousands of bad movies. But there is only one The Room. Tommy Wiseau’s critically maligned, (now) universally beloved tale of love and deception has gone on to leave one of the most unexpected and interesting cultural footprints of any film released in the 21st century. Released in theaters in 2003, The Room attempts to tell the tale of a doomed love triangle among three friends, Johnny (Wiseau), Mark (Greg Sestero) and Lisa (Juliette Danielle). This attempt ultimately fails spectacularly and leaves the audience instead with one of the most unintentionally hilarious movies ever made. Clunky dialogue, a confused script and some of the greatest overacting ever committed to celluloid all come together in a perfect alchemy to create a viewing experience unlike any other. While the film was a critical and financial failure upon release, it soon found a new life with audiences across the globe, who embraced its undeniable awkwardness and unintended hilarity. It has even become the subject of a blockbuster book (authored by Sestero) and a Golden Globe-winning film based on the book. To have the opportunity to see The Room on the big screen at the Belcourt is amazing already, but to be able to watch it with Sestero in attendance at Friday’s screening is a whole other level of awesomeness. Catch it two times this weekend as part of the theater’s
The 18th annual Shades of Black Theatre Festival continues this weekend, running through Sept. 30 at the Darkhorse Theater. Exploring a wide range of topics and issues, Shades of Black provides a welcome outlet “to uplift the voices of Black artists, while at the same time being inclusive to artists of other races and ethnicities.” The 2023 lineup includes
a great mix of familiar faces and fresh talent — including Actin’ Up Media’s presentation of Michael L. Walker’s Girl Dad (Sept. 15 and 17); Austin Dean Ashford’s solo show Black Book (Sept. 16); Shawn Whitsell’s Dashikis and Daiquiris
African-attire-themed party (Sept. 16); Destiny Theatre Experience’s immersive theater journey Destined Beyond (Sept. 22 and 30); and Mary McCallum’s Why Goodbye (Sept. 29). For complete details, visit darkhorsetheater.com or the the Shades of Black Theatre Festival Facebook page at facebook.com/shadestheatrefest. AMY STUMPFL THROUGH SEPT. 30 AT THE DARKHORSE THEATER 4610 CHARLOTTE AVE.
If Charli XCX’s discography is an introduction into hyperpop, 100 gecs’ is a weird, niche graduate-level course. Duo Laura Les and Dylan Brady are the uber-successful versions of that one guy from your junior high who smelled like a bearded dragon enclosure and scrawled over every inch of his binder. They leapt onto the scene with their semi-nonsensical hit “money machine” in 2019 and have collaborated with everyone from Fall Out Boy to Rico Nasty. With a variety of influences from electronic music to ska, 100 gecs’ latest album 10,000 Gecs became a pop-culture phenomenon. The gecs will take up residence at the Caverns in Grundy County this weekend for a twonight stand. Chat Pile and DJ Chaotic Ugly are set to open the 14th, with Machine Girl taking over opening duties on the 15th. Don’t be the “dumbest girl alive” — get your tickets before they sell out. HANNAH CRON
8 P.M. SEPT. 14-15 AT THE CAVERNS 555 CHARLIE ROBERTS ROAD, PELHAM, TENN.
l l g r e a t t h i n g s m u s t c o m e t o a n e n d , a
[LET’S PUT ON A SHOW]
ODESZA: THE LAST GOODBYE TOUR
Odesza’s icon is an icosahedron, kind of like a 20-sided die that you would use in a roleplaying game. That’s an appropriate point of reference since the Seattle electronic production duo of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight is simultaneously somewhat niche and exceptionally popular. Following the theatrical release of a feature-length concert film and a huge run of festival dates that included headlining at Bonnaroo, the pair is bringing their exceptional show to Ascend Amphitheater Friday. They work myriad styles and traditions into their songs, but a frequent refrain is the four-on-the-floor heartbeat and organic soul and blues roots of house music. They use a mesmerizing combination of sophisticated electronic production elements including lights, lasers and projected animation — typical of a contemporary electronic show — as well as old-school practical effects like pyro and confetti. They’re also backed by a mindbogglingly dextrous drumline and horn section, and Mills and Knight themselves appear to do a significant amount of very kinetic real-time performance along with the programmed elements. If that’s not enough, they frequently have singers who’ve appeared on their tracks as guests; no word on whether that will be the case Friday, but they will have lots of support from Bob Moses, Tokimonsta, Olan and QRTR.
STEPHEN TRAGESER
6:30 P.M. AT ASCEND AMPHITHEATER 301 FIRST AVE. S.
Every time you pick up Poe, you discover another one of his kinks. Most recently, I learned he had a thing for teeth. In his short story “Berenice,” a man becomes fixated on his dead cousin/fiancée’s gnashers: “The teeth! — the teeth! — they were here, and there, and everywhere, and visibly and palpably before me; long, narrow, and excessively white, with
the pale lips writhing about them, as in the very moment of their first terrible development.”
Discover other layers of the writer’s weirdness at The Hermitage’s living history event this weekend. The event will feature actor Charles Wissinger regaling the audience with humorous and terrifying dramatics. You should leave with your imagination awakened and your teeth intact. TOBY ROSE
7 P.M. AT THE HERMITAGE
4580 RACHELS LANE
LISA
Everything I learn about Lisa Ann Walter makes me more fascinated with her. Most people probably know her from her SAG Awardwinning performance as Melissa Schemmenti on Abbott Elementary, but I know her as lovable housekeeper Chessy in the classic 1998 Parent Trap remake, starring none other than Lindsay Lohan. She’s performing stand-up comedy at Zanies this weekend, and I honestly cannot tell you whether it will be a good show. However, I can assure you that she is a fascinating person, so I doubt it’ll be boring. Don’t believe me? Enjoy some random fun facts, and see if you don’t change your mind. Walter has identical twins who were born on Annie and Hallie’s birthday in The Parent Trap. She once created a weight-loss workout competition show called Dance Your Ass Off. She published a book of essays called The Best Thing About My Ass Is That It’s Behind Me about women’s fight for self-esteem. Best of all, Walter has been a vocal supporter of the current SAG-AFTRA strike, even speaking about the protest in The Washington Post. I may not be able to promise much, but I have a good feeling that Lisa Ann Walter will make a joke about her ass. And chances are, it’ll be at least a little bit funny.
HANNAH CRON
SEPT. 15-16 AT ZANIES 2025 EIGHTH AVE. S.
Saturday, September 16
CONVERSATION
With Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely, Bud Wendell, and Mark Wills
2:30 pm · FORD THEATER
Saturday, September 16
HATCH SHOW PRINT
Block Party
3:00 pm · HATCH SHOW PRINT SHOP LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Sunday, September 17
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT
Chris Leuzinger
1:00 pm · FORD THEATER
Tuesday, September 19
CONVERSATION AND PERFORMANCE
Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal
Spin the Wheel
3:00 pm · FORD THEATER AS PART OF AMERICANAFEST
WITNESS HISTORY
Museum Membership
Receive free admission, access to weekly programming, concert ticket presale opportunities, and more.
NATASHA BLAINE + ELLISON ROSE with MELANIE MACLAREN
WMOT Roots Radio Finally Fridays featuring LUTHER DICKINSON, KETURAH ALLGOOD & JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR SIXWIRE & FRIENDS
THE TIME JUMPERS
PITCH MEETING
Thursday, September 21 CONCERT
Hank’s 100 th
In Celebration of Hank Williams Presented by Spotify 3:30 pm · CMA THEATER AS PART OF AMERICANAFEST
Saturday, September 23
SONGWRITER SESSION
William Prince NOON · FORD THEATER AS PART OF AMERICANAFEST
Saturday, September 23
CONVERSATION AND PERFORMANCE
Featuring Deke Dickerson, Tommy Emmanuel, Eddie Pennington, Cindy Travis, and Merlene Travis-Maggini 2:30 pm · FORD THEATER AS PART OF AMERICANAFEST
CLUB
3 Year Anniversary featuring ARIEL POSEN, MP GANNON, MAKENA HARTLIN, TABITHA MEETHS, DREW ERWIN & NATALIE LAYNE 7:00
JEFF PLANKENHORN, THE HAWTTHORNS, WEST TEXAS EXILES, JESSI COLTER & JESSE DAYTON
ERIC BOLANDER, RUEN BROTHERS, JONELL MOSSER, NAT MYERS, & A TRIBUTE TO LORETTA LYNN
CODY CANADA & THE DEPARTED WITH ELLIS BULLARD
PAT MCLAUGHLIN BAND
RESURRECTION: A JOURNEY TRIBUTE
UPCOMING EVENTS
PARNASSUSBOOKS.NET/EVENT FOR TICKETS & UPDATES
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
6:30PM
SUSAN LEE
with MAZEY EDDINGS & SASHA PEYTON SMITH at PARNASSUS
The Name Drop
10:30AM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
SATURDAY STORYTIME
with PARNASSUS STAFF
7:00PM
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
RICHARD OSMAN
with JEREMY FINLEY at NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Last Devil to Die
6:30PM
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
MEREDITH R. LYONS
with GEORGINA CROSS at PARNASSUS Ghost Tamer
10:30AM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
SATURDAY STORYTIME
with MARY UHLES
Counting on Naamah
6:30PM
MONA AWAD
SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
with ALY PLASTERER at PARNASSUS Rouge
10:30AM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
SATURDAY STORYTIME with KACI
[DON’T FORGET YOUR EARPLUGS]
MUSIC
JEFF ROSENSTOCK
Sweaty, self-aware and super-emotional rock ’n’ roll music? On a Saturday night? In the Kmart-turned-bowling-and-music-venue in Madison? Shit, count me in. Jeff Rosenstock — a former Bomb the Music Industry! bandleader and tenured post-punk/indie/emo/rock/youname-it musician who can hit too damn close to home with songs caked in sobering realism — plays Music City U.S.A. this weekend in support of freshly released solo LP HELLMODE, the first entry to his solo discography in three years. Rosenstock and longtime producer Jack Shirley cut HELLMODE primarily at EastWest Studios (the same room where The Beach Boys worked on North Star 1960s album Pet Sounds). Inside the historic recording halls, they captured strong-willed power-pop tunes (like “Doubt” and standout number “Life Admin”) and chaotic punk gut-punches (like the self-explanatory “Future Is Dumb” or album opener “Will U Still U”). Rosenstock plays Nashville a few weeks after HELLMODE hit streaming services and record store shelves in late August. Sidney Gish plays main support; Gladie opens the show.
MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLER
8 P.M. AT EASTSIDE BOWL
1508A GALLATIN PIKE S., MADISON
MUSIC [VERSATILE ARTIST]
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
British singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey
Rae is another among many Black artists, particularly women, whose music is so diverse and varied it doesn’t fit easily or neatly into an identifiable idiomatic package. From a creative standpoint that is great, but from a practical standpoint it can sometimes be a problem — in particular when it comes to getting the extremely timid types who control corporate urban contemporary radio to give her songs the exposure they deserve. But that’s never stopped Rae from being prolific and productive. Her 2006 single “Put Your Records On” was a big hit
in the UK, and her debut self-titled LP that same year was only the fourth by a British woman to debut at No. 1. She earned a 2008 Grammy for being part of Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters, and her second and third LPs The Sea and The Heart Speaks in Whispers were both critical sensations. While her previous releases have enjoyed varying degrees of success, there is big anticipation for her upcoming release Black Rainbows. The debut single “Miss New York Transit Queen/Erasure,” which can now be heard online or available as a 7-inch single, is a stunning and powerful tribute to Audrey Smaltz. The overall release covers an intriguing array of subjects, among them Ethiopian churches and Black pioneers journeying to the West, as well as Black femininity and the use of music to overcome troubling personal issues. Rae will present a performance of Black Rainbows Sunday with special guest Jon Muq. RON WYNN
7:30 P.M. AT THE CMA THEATER AT THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM 222 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY S.
Vocalist, instrumentalist and songwriter Chester Jermaine “Lyfe” Jennings represents a throwback type, reflective of the versatile and multitalented performers of past eras. He plays guitar, bass and piano and incorporates accompaniment from each into his tunes. He’s also a producer, and his compositions have frequently explored social issues. He began performing as a teen but ran into serious legal troubles and eventually was incarcerated. Jennings resumed his career after a decade in prison, following up on the positive reception he received after recording a four-song demo two days before his release. His rise was rather meteoric after a residency at the Apollo in the mid-2000s, and his 2004 debut Lyfe 268-192 generated some interest — but the LP really exploded the next year when it was reissued with a new version of the single “Hypothetically” that paired Jennings with American Idol winner Fantasia. His later releases
LEAH KATE w/ Conor Burns, Senses & Alexa Capelli
DOPAPOD W/ STOLEN GIN
JAKE MILLER W/ brooke alexx & HARIZ
MAUDE LATOUR W/ DEVON AGAIN
AMERICANAFEST: Mipso, Della Mae
AMERICANAFEST: Band of Heathens, Kaitlin Butts, The Panhandlers, carter faith, Drayton Flores
AMERICANAFEST: A Tribute to 1973
aMERICANAFEST: A Tribute to lucinda williams (2pm)
AMERICANAFEST: Sarah Jarosz, Maggie Rose, The Wilder Blue, Blue Water Highway, The Shindellas (7pm)
zz ward w/ jaime wyatt
noah gundersen w/ casey dubie
mo lowda & the humble W/ JIVE TALK
SHAWN JAMES W/ RACHAEL DAVIS & EVAN BARTELS
ambar lucid w/ rubio & ethanuno
LANCO w/ Meghan Patrick & Willie Tate
vacations & last dinosaurs
Wilderado w/ Sego and Baseball Game
The National Parks w/ Zach Seabaugh
Doobie w/ Call Me Karizma
DEHD W/ SARAH GRACE WHITE
You
The Astronomers w/ jady (7pm)
Lowertown w/ the sewing club & Melania kol (9pm)
Get happier fridays: Iguanahead, Cabin Boys, Cam Pierce, Janna Marie pierce edens (7pm)
High King Kai, Bella On Bass, Dylan Taylor, Mike Applegate, Amanda Williams, Michael Klooster (9pm)
jon owens w/ jesse black and brooke stein
abby hamilton (7PM]
moose miller w/ trippp (7PM]
heartwreckers (6PM]
tyler halverson (7PM]
ben chapman's peach jam w/ special guests (3PM]
americanafest: joy clark, the pink stones (10PM]
americanafest: Channing Wilson, Mia Borders, Jack Botts, Sons of the East, Jake Kohn
americanafest: Trapper Schoepp, Tyler Ramsey, Mikey Ferrari, Autumn Nicholas, Cruz Contreras
AMERICANAFEST: Brother Elsey, Jake Ybarra, The Magi, Joelton Mayfield, Mike Stinson & Johnny Irion Sean Thompson's Weird Ears, Gracie Horse, Michael James Wheeler
Abby Hamilton (7pm)
Letdown w/ blackpool mecca (9pm)
have nicely blended material done in the classic soul style, plus other songs incorporating hip-hop elements. Jennings once claimed he was done with music, but he returned in 2013 with another Top 10 R&B album, Lucid. His most recent release was 2019’s 777. His biggest hits remain popular, and he remains among contemporary R&B’s finest pure vocalists.
RON WYNN6 AND 9 P.M. AT CITY WINERY
609 LAFAYETTE ST.
After shooting Robin Williams to bankable movie-star status with Good Morning, Vietnam, director (and father of embarrassingly inferior TV auteur Sam) Barry Levinson followed it up with 1988 road movie/buddy dramedy Rain Man, which grossed over $350 million and won a bunch of Oscars, including Best Picture. Dustin Hoffman landed his second Best Actor Oscar by playing an adorable autistic savant who gets to know his younger brother (Tom Cruise), an uber-yuppie who discovers that this sibling he never knew he had is also the recipient of their father’s multimillion-dollar estate. Inspired by co-screenwriter Barry Morrow’s get-togethers with real-life savants (his friendship with a mentally disabled man was the basis for the Emmy-winning TV movie Bill), this film made moviegoers aware of autism and the not-thathelpless people who’ve been diagnosed with it. And thanks to Hoffman’s oft-impersonated performance (I’m quite certain every person has heard somebody incessantly utter “I’m an excellent driver!” at some point in time), the film’s two-word, two-syllable title has also become synonymous shorthand for “brilliant weirdo.”
Here’s an extremely dated way to explain the popularity of Boys Like Girls: Their first big hit, “The Great Escape,” was certified gold on the Recording Industry Association of America’s Master Ringtone list alongside other late-Aughts/ early-2010s hits like Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song” or Daughtry’s “Home.” The band — which has several actual platinum and gold records, to be fair — hit the scene in 2008 and rode a resurgent pop-punk wave that started a few years earlier. This timing means they may have arrived a bit late to make as solid an impact as some of the genre’s true titans: You’ll find teens wearing My Chemical Romance shirts at any mall in the U.S., but when’s the last time you saw a piece of Boys Like Girls merchandise? In that sense, maybe songs like “The Great Escape” or “Love Drunk” are like a custom ringtone: You may have obsessed over one back in the day, and while you probably don’t use one now, doesn’t it bring a smile to your face when you hear one
in public? Then again, a lot of 2000s things are coming back into style; Boys Like Girls, for example, is set to release their first new music in a decade in October with Sunday at Foxwoods
Be sure to silence your cellphone and show up early to catch sets from State Champs, Four Year Strong and LØLØ. COLE VILLENA
7 P.M. AT BROOKLYN BOWL
925 THIRD AVE. N.
MUSIC [FOREVER]
WU-TANG CLAN, NAS & DE LA SOUL
2023 has been an exciting year for hip-hop fans as people across the country have celebrated the art form’s 50th anniversary with in-depth reporting, top-10 lists, oral histories, documentaries, special live performances and more. Nashville will get a chance to take part in the festivities when Bridgestone Arena plays host to Wu-Tang Clan and Nas’ joint NY State of Mind Tour on Wednesday. In April, it was reported that fellow New York luminaries De La Soul would be joining the fray for the North American leg of the tour, cementing one of the most legendary hiphop lineups to ever roll through Music City. The timing couldn’t be better for De La Soul, as the landmark alternative hip-hop group is having a renaissance of sorts following the long-awaited arrival of their catalog on streaming services. Sadly, this will be De La Soul’s first tour without founding member Trugoy the Dove, who died in February. LOGAN BUTTS
8 P.M. AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA
501 BROADWAY
L.A. psych rockers Frankie and the Witch Fingers will bring their Data Doom Tour to Nashville Wednesday night with a stop at The Blue Room. Data Doom is the first album featuring the band’s new lineup that teams co-founders and principal songwriters Dylan Sizemore (vocals, guitar) and Josh Menashe (lead guitar, synth) with former Death Valley Girl Nikki “Pickle” Smith (bass) and Nick Aguilar (drums), and it’s their most rhythmically adventurous record to date. Smith and Aguilar both bring African musical flavors to the highoctane band’s sonic stew, and they permeate the album. One of the standout tracks was inspired by a piece from Miles Davis’ early ’70s electric work. “I wrote ‘Mild Davis’ in a moment of feeling pessimistic about what technology is doing to our society, especially as AI is creeping to the forefront more and more,” Sizemore explains. “But then the bridge comes from a more optimistic perspective, where it’s questioning whether we could reboot the whole system and start all over.” As good as their new album is, the band is best known for their explosive performances. Wednesday’s show will be their first in Nashville since 2021. Wine Lips open. DARYL
8 P.M. AT THE BLUE ROOM AT THIRD MAN RECORDS 623 SEVENTH AVE. S.
Firebird
Tony Award-winning choreographer
Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit makes its Nashville debut!
September 22–24, 2023
TPAC'S POLK THEATER
Live music by the Nashville Symphony
SPONSORED BY
A FEW MONTHS AGO, as I drove down I-24 and eventually U.S. Highway 231 on my way from Nashville to Shelbyville, I was filled with both pride and curiosity. I was on my way to visit Nearest Green Distillery on the eve of the debut of the world’s longest bar, Humble Baron.
I grew up in Shelbyville, where “world class” was not often used to describe anything in town. Sure, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration attracted people from all over the country during its heyday, but the event has long been a shadow of its former self. So when I pulled into the parking lot of America’s fastest-growing whiskey brand, located just a few miles down the road from my parents’ house, it felt like I had come upon an alien spacecraft. This part of Middle Tennessee is no stranger
to whiskey distilleries. Jack Daniel’s is located about 30 minutes away in Lynchburg, while George Dickel resides in Tullahoma, a little further to the east. Now Shelbyville finds itself completing the local whiskey triangle.
“Because we’re located where we are, which I love, but we’re not in Nashville, we’re not in Huntsville, and as it pertains to whiskey, we’re not in Kentucky,” Uncle Nearest and Humble Baron co-founder Keith Weaver tells the Scene, “We were imagining, ‘What are the things that would cause people to come from where they are to here?’”
Due to its sprawling campus full of attractions, Nearest Green Distillery was described early on as “Malt Whiskey World.” So Keith and his wife Fawn — CEO of Uncle Nearest and
the first Black woman to head a major spirits brand — decided to fully lean into the nickname with the goal of creating an “accessible upscale” destination.
The menu at Humble Baron, described by Weaver as “if you were trying to get a Michelin star for bar food,” was conceived by James Beard Award-nominated chef Gerry Garvin. The audiovisual setup was designed by the team behind Paisley Park, Prince’s famed home base in Minnessota.
“I wanted this space to feel like everyone has a seat at the table and can feel welcome here,” Weaver says. “It’s why the music’s going to be diverse, it’s why the menu’s diverse. And I want it to all be unpretentious.”
With Barrel House BBQ, distillery tours, tast-
ings and more already in operation at Uncle Nearest, the addition of Humble Baron puts an even brighter spotlight on the facility. And the plans don’t stop there, with concert grounds, a miniature golf course, and even a downscaled version of British tourist attraction the London Eye on the potential wish list. But even with the theme park-esque attractions, the Weavers wanted to make sure the property’s history as a horse breeding and training facility isn’t left behind.
“I also want to incorporate the horse experience, because that’s the foundation of the property,” Weaver says. “And if you can create an experience where people can see the showcase and connect us to what’s happening at the Celebration grounds, I think that that presents some nice opportunities.”
Above all, the Weavers want to continue the legacy of the company’s namesake, Nathan “Nearest” Green, who taught his distilling techniques to Jack Daniel himself. Green was named the first master distiller at Jack Daniel’s, making him the first African American master distiller on record in the United States.
“Part of the reason why we feel like this is purposeful work is Nearest and Jack themselves,” Weaver says. “The reason we know of Nearest now is because Jack told us about him in his biography. I think that’s an important point, because of their connection, that relationship, that friendship, and the intentionality about talking about it.
“Nearest wasn’t the highest-paid Black employee [at Jack Daniel’s] — he was the highest-paid employee,” he continues. “I think we as Tennesseans should be really proud of that. I think that the divides that we have societally are bridged by knowledge and experience, and we
hope more people can have experiences here.”
A day before a standing-room-only opening bash headlined by American Idol runner-up HunterGirl, we sipped on Old Fashioneds — made by the bar’s master mixologist DeAndre Jackson with Uncle Nearest 1856, of course. I still couldn’t get over the uncanny feeling of seeing all this take place in my rustic hometown. Yes, the amount of space plays a factor. There is room for the grounds to grow in a way that would not be possible in Nashville, or even Murfreesboro. Shelbyville is also less than an hour from Jack Daniel’s — there’s even a sign out front that shows how close to Lynchburg you are. But the community is an important part of the location, too.
“How cool is it that all these different people from all over the world are sitting around the same bar together, in Shelbyville?” Weaver asks.
I think Jack and Nearest would have been proud. ▼
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BY CHRIS CROFTONIn 2014, comedian, musician, podcaster and Nashvillian Chris Crofton asked the Scene for an advice column, so we gave him one. Crowning himself the “Advice King,” Crofton shares his hard-won wisdom with whoever seeks it. Follow Crofton on Twitter and Instagram (@thecroftonshow), and check out his The Advice King Anthology and Cold Brew Got Me Like podcast. To submit a question for the Advice King, email bestofbread@gmail.com.
Dear Advice King, Why should I vote in local elections? What’s the point?
—Disheartened in Nashville
First of all, it’s great to be back! I haven’t written an Advice King column for Nashville Scene since May 3. Where have I been, you ask? RUNNING FOR LOCAL OFFICE! That’s where.
The column I wrote on May 3 was about whether a political system as awash in corporate money as ours can still be called a democracy. I argued that it cannot. Here’s the last paragraph: “In whatever shitty system we are in, casting a vote is the BAREST MINIMUM. It’s not enough. It’s time to show up to the hearings. It’s time to make people uncomfortable while they do their dirty business. It’s time to run for office — even if we don’t win, our very presence will make political life harder for the grifters. All I’m really trying to say is, IT’S AN EMERGENCY.”
After I wrote that paragraph, I read it. And then I took my own advice.
I ran for a seat on Nashville’s Metro Council
It was a great experience. I lost. Do you know why I lost, “Disheartened in Nashville”? BECAUSE I DIDN’T GET ENOUGH VOTES. That’s why. And that’s the reason you should vote in local elections: because they are decided by — wait for it — votes. They count the damn votes.
And before you say, “OK, but all politicians are the same” — ’cause I know you’re about to — allow me to interject. They most definitely ARE NOT. Not at all. How do I know this, you ask? BECAUSE I WAS ONE. And I am not the same as anyone. And neither are you, “Disheartened in Nashville.” We are all unique.
And if I was a politician — which I was — it means anyone can be one.
Now, when I say, “We are all unique,” I don’t mean to imply that we are all “quirky” and “fun.” There are plenty of grifters out there. And while they may make up only a small percentage of the overall population, it can seem as if nearly all of them run for office. I think nearly all of them do. Why wouldn’t they? They don’t have any friends. Who wants to be friends with a grifter? Nobody. They’ll steal your lawnmower. Or they’ll call a special legislative session to address gun violence, and then not show up. No one wants to hang out with people like that, except for other grifters and people who have no choice, aka lobbyists. Lobbyists are the lonely grifter’s only friends. Statehouses across the country have become toxic clubhouses for amoral misfits, as well as the lobbyists who are forced to play golf with them.
ing, lawmaking facilities that convert people’s taxes into health care, housing and road repair — instead of subsidizing the NFL, seizing the medical records of transgender people and having state troopers tell the mothers of children who were killed in a school shooting that they can’t hold little homemade signs. If only there were a way to make sure the candidate in the mayor’s race who had a Proud Boy-affiliated consultant running her campaign doesn’t win.
Oh wait! There is! It’s called VOTING. It takes about five minutes to register, and about five minutes to do it. Local elections have such low turnout that you can basically walk right in and vote without a wait. I’ll put in Nashville terms: Recovering from a single hangover takes about seven hours longer than the entire voting process.
Election Day in the Metro runoffs is Thursday, Sept. 14
And there’s another way to make a difference: Run for office. Don’t worry about being underqualified, either. You are qualified. I repeat: YOU ARE QUALIFIED. If you are a nice person, you are EXTRA SPECIALLY qualified. Do it. It’s not even very hard. It’s the equivalent of maybe eight hangovers.
By the way, I got 13,000 votes! I am so grateful.
Fun fact: If I had gotten a bunch more, I would have won.
Fun fact 2: I am not a friendless grifter. Other folks I met during my campaign who are not friendless grifters: Freddie O’Connell, Delishia Porterfield, Quin Evans-Segall, Aftyn Behn and many others.
If only there were a way to reclaim these statehouses and turn them back into function-
All politicians are not the same. Thanks, Nashville! ▼
BY SUSANNAH FELTS
At one point, the girl encounters a “matted beast-man” — once a colonizer, now gone feral, mad. He barely recognizes her as human or woman; she is a thing to be destroyed. He very nearly succeeds. When, at one point, the girl loses a piece of driftwood that she has clung to as a walking stick and companion of sorts, we mourn with her. In her blazing desire to be free, she finds the limits of human solitude.
On one level, the book is a fable. At the terrible mercy of the natural world — the surrounding resources upon which her life depends — the girl becomes every girl. “For what woman has not, walking in the dark of the street or along a path deep in the countryside, sensed the brutal imaginings of a man watching her from his hidden place, and felt the same chills chasing over her skin, and quickened her steps to get away,” Groff writes. At times I was reminded of the girl in her story “Above and Below” from the collection Florida, who in a desperate moment chooses to leave society: “She would be empty now, having chosen to lose.”
IN HER breathtaking seventh book The Vaster Wilds, Lauren Groff tells the story of a young servant girl, “slight, both bony and childish small,” on the run. Famine has “stripped her down yet starker, to root and string and fiber and sinew.” It is the early 17th century, and the girl has fled from colonial Jamestown, a place stinking of death and disease and starvation:
For all the souls who had come over to this country were now at the end of this winter of horror starved, and many of the very stoutest had hungered and shat and coughed themselves into the final kingdom of death, and even the most vicious of the men who had come across the ocean had weakened and become strangely indolent, lying on their cots all day and staring blankly at the gray and ice-pissing, ice-shitting skies.
At first the girl, though weakened, feels strong — she is warm and sturdy in her boots and cloak, sure in her solitude. A soldier, sent to capture her, meets his death; she evades him and lives on. She carries with her, tied around her waist, only a small sackful of objects: two coverlets and a pewter cup, a hatchet, a knife and flint. Having lost everything but her own fierce determination to live, and mourning deeply a small child who
had been in her care, she now imagines herself a nothing, “a thing with no past.” But as she reflects, “It was also true that with no past … a nothing could be free.”
Groff illustrates the girl’s journey — away from “the horrors of the fort and toward the different horrors of the forest” — in crackling, visceral prose that borrows the cadence and syntax of Elizabethan language. (In a letter to early readers, she notes that this book finds her reveling in “sheer crunchy iambic delight.”) While Groff has always displayed deep mastery of the musicality of language, her aesthetic project here boldly distinguishes this book from her previous works. It is impossible to overstate how spellbindingly she renders the grim reality of wilderness survival. Infestation of lice, diarrhea, vomiting, a terrible head wound, fever and the slow anguish of hunger: This list does scant justice to Groff’s portrayal of bodily suffering as her girl fights to stay alive. Nature is both friend and foe, and in its clutches she is desperately alone and growing wilder by the day. “She ate the fish’s sweet cheeks; she ate its brain. The eyes that stared at her, appalled, she ate last.”
And there are other ways the novel pulses with Groff’s abiding concerns. It reminds us that the relationship our European forebears forged with this land was bent on dominance and destruction and, in being so bent, destined to end in ruin. It grapples with patriarchy and faith. These concerns are, of course, as intertwined as any mycelial networks that teem beneath our earth’s surface. In a 2020 essay for Greenpeace, Groff wrote:
The Vaster Wilds By Lauren Gro Riverhead Books 272 pages, $28
Our disintegrating climate, our rising seas choked with plastic, our dying trees, our extinct animals, can all be directly traced to a profound and devastating misreading of [the Bible]. For dominion, men these past few thousand years have not read good custodianship, caregiving, a maternal nursing of the gifts we have been given: they have read domination. The whelp of domination is that nasty biting creature, supremacy. Where supremacy exists, there is always suppression. Where suppression exists, there is destruction.
Gro will discuss The Vaster Wilds 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Parnassus
The Vaster Wilds whittles Groff’s objections and passions to the sharpest spear of story. It is not a story for the faint of heart, but it is also not without its softness, its triumphs, its aching moments of benediction and sheer beauty.
To read an uncut version of this review — and more local book coverage — please visit Chapter16.org, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee. ▼
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BY CRAIG D. LINDSEY
YOU COULD SAY A Haunting in Venice is a dim, dizzy do-over for director-star Kenneth Branagh. After proving that today’s audiences will go see all-star murder mysteries with his hit 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, Branagh followed it up with another Agatha Christie title — Death on the Nile, with Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer and Russell Brand among the cast. Plagued by production issues and a little thing known as the COVID-19 pandemic, Death went from a planned December 2019 release date to finally seeing the light of day two Februarys ago, when it performed underwhelmingly at the box office. Plus, by the time the movie came out, Hammer had been kicked outta Hollywood for sexual misconduct, Brand had become the British Alex Jones, and Gadot was still living down the embarrassment of leading a COVID-inspired celebrity sing-along of “Imagine” on social media.
Branagh lowers the star wattage considerably — along with the lights — for his latest whodunit. He and trusty screenwriter Michael Green mostly pick up bits and pieces from Christie’s 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party (critically reviled upon release) and composed their own oldschool, supernatural yarn.
Branagh takes the story from England to Italy, where a cynical, retired detective Hercule Poirot is still being hit up to solve cases in Venice, circa 1947. (Riccardo Scamarcio’s police-
man-turned-bodyguard usually cuts off these pests by clotheslining them or elbowing them off a bridge.) But one of them is old pal and mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), who wants him to debunk an “unholy” medium (played all too briefly by Michelle Yeoh) who’s been called on to contact the dead daughter of a grieving opera singer (Yellowstone’s Kelly Reilly). When people start getting offed, Poirot begins interrogating suspects, including a disturbed doctor (Jamie Dornan), his supportive son (Jude Hill, who played the lead in Branagh’s Oscar-winning Belfast), a distraught nanny (Camille Cottin), and the daughter’s ex-fiancé (Kyle Allen).
Branagh and Green really lay on the spooky stuff. After all, the movie mostly takes place on Halloween, in a haunted palazzo that once housed orphaned kids who died tragically. As he’s shown in the previous installments, Branagh creates images that are more impeccable than suspenseful. While Poirot quietly starts freaking out as he sees and hears things that aren’t there, this primarily nocturnal ghost story is still light on darkness.
and there as Poirot’s de facto girl Friday, aiding him in rounding up suspects and clues. Branagh and Fey do have a fun rapport, so it’s kinda unfortunate that their relationship consists of Poirot solving the mystery and Oliver making witty remarks.
A Haunting in Venice PG-13, 103 minutes Opening wide Friday, Sept. 15
As flawed as Haunting is story-wise, Branagh does go about making some well-crafted, moody shit you can watch with either your date or your dad. (I wonder if Branagh is gonna strike up some 70 mm engagements on this one like he did Murder and Death.) It almost seems like the director went through the filmographies of Stanley Kubrick and Ken Russell for ideas on how to make Gothic horror that’s just as claustrophobic for the audience as it is for the characters.
(There are some fisheye-lens shots that, as always, make you feel like you’re tripping on bad edibles.)
With the inclusion of Fey’s sarcastic Oliver, it seems that Branagh paid attention to those who criticized him for taking all the fun out of Poirot. Fey adds a bit of sassy comic relief here
Even though Rian Johnson has become the new master of mystery popcorn flicks with the Knives Out franchise, there is something a bit comforting — even adorable – about Branagh continually getting money so he can slap on a wild-ass mustache, talk in a Belgian accent and make/star in movies based on Agatha Christie page-turners. Since this is officially a cinematic universe, I guess we’ll be getting some Miss Marple movies next. ▼
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Indie Horror Films! 85 4 Days & Nights Food Trucks Vendors Seminars Red Carpet & Awards!
Sept 28 - Oct 1 | Capitol Theatre | Lebanon, TN GET TICKETS macabrefairefilmfest.com
SCAN
THIS
ACROSS
1 Race that winds down in the winter?
7 Weigh (down)
10 Cup holder
13 Long line of travelers
15 Long line on a face
17 1998 film featuring N.B.A. star Ray Allen
18 Someone who sees the big picture
19 Nintendo Switch forerunner
20 Strike ... or something that can be batted
22 Dead lines?
23 All over
25 Singers
28 Excellent credit rating
30 Familiar with
31 “Miracle Workers” airer
34 Dish near a water cooler?
38 Face of a two-year-old, perhaps
39 Durango dirección
40 Anyone born in early August
41 Yoga pose that stretches the abdominals
42 Islands atop coral reefs
43 Only person whose first and last name together is listed as an adjective in Merriam-Webster
45 Who’s “Comin’,” in a Laura Nyro tune
46 Sport in a ring
47 Equal: Prefix
48 Steno supplies
51 Caterwaul
55 ___ Carta
57 Piece of work
59 Expert
60 With 63-Across, Freudian concept of resisting temptation ... or a hint to four squares in this puzzle
63 See 60-Across
65 Certain gastropod
66 “The meeting hasn’t started yet, has it?”
67 MSNBC competitor
68 Phi ___ (college group, familiarly)
69 Used acid, say DOWN
1 Most common vowel sound in English
2 Stored, as supplies
3 ___ Abrams, role on “Glee”
4 Trail
5 Ellipse
6 Title lyric that precedes “There’ll be days like this” in a Shirelles classic
7 Hindquarters
8 Yoko from Tokyo
9 Yield
10 Ones who’ve answered “Yes!”
11 Nicolas who directed “The Man Who Fell to Earth”
12 Somewhat off
14 Smart thermostat brand
16 Digestive fluid
21 Accommodations that a bank might float a loan for?
24 Stands by
26 Codeine or methadone
27 Hack (off)
29 Flying ___
32 Vice president after Jefferson
33 Animal whose skull is the subject of Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Summer Days”
34 Back then
35 Farm suckling
36 Its home is on the range
37 Downturn
38 N’awlins lunch, maybe
41 Some investments
43 Lament
44 Agile and flexible
46 Stable arrangement
49 Responsibility
50 Immigration policy established in 2012, for short
52 Media mogul whose production company is her name in reverse
53 Took down
54 Was amused, in textspeak
55 Catchall category: Abbr.
56 “Couldn’t agree more!”
58 Move the needle?
61 ___ generis
62 What’s added atop a croquemonsieur to make it a croquemadame
64 Dr. Mom’s specialty, for short
Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/ crosswords ($39.95 a year).
Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.
Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/studentcrosswords.
Order”), the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department will offer to sale to the highest bidder,
for cash, the interest of Sharon M. Hayes, in the following real property consisting of 509 Pima Road, Madison, TN, 37115, Map/Parcel 042-12-035.00
(the “Property”) and described as follows:
Legal Description: The real property is described in the Warranty Deed dated March 26, 1999, of record at Book 11404, Page 424, Register’s Office for Davidson County, Tennessee.
Being Lot No. 29 and the northerly part of Lot No. 26, on the Plan of W.W. Gray Subdivision, of record in Book 974, Page 22, Register’s Office for Davidson County, Tennessee.
Said Lot No. 29 and part of Lot No. 26 front 100 feet on the southerly margin of Pima Road, formerly Walnut Avenue, and extends back between parallel lines 150 feet, to a line in the rear on which it measures 100 feet.
Being the same property conveyed to Sharon M. Hayes by Warranty Deed dated March 26, 1999, of record at Book 11404, Page 424, Register’s Office for Davidson County, Tennessee.
Map/Parcel Number: Map/ Parcel 042-12-0-35.00
Street Address: The street address of the property is believed to be 509 Pima Road, Madison, TN, 37115, but such address is not part of the legal description of the property. In the event of any discrepancy, the legal description herein shall control.
This sale is made pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 69.07(4) and Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-5-101, et. seq. and is in satisfaction (whole or in part depending on amount
of sale) of the judgment in favor of Plaintiffs contained in the Memorandum and Order entered by the Chancery Court on November 17, 2020, as supplemented by the Memorandum and Order entered by the Chancery Court on June 9, 2021.
All property is sold “as is”. No warranties or guarantees are made, expressed or implied.
Other interested parties receiving notice: None.
At 10:00 o’clock A.M., on October 18, 2023, at the south front entrance of the Metro Historic Davidson County Courthouse, Public Square, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, the Sheriff will sell the above property for payment toward said judgment together with all expenses and legal costs accruing.
TERMS OF SALE: Cash, Certified Check, or Receipt on Judgment from Plaintiff. Bidding will start at $89,550.00, pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 26-5-115. High bidder will be required to execute a written sale agreement at conclusion of bidding. Plaintiff is allowed to credit bid. Redemption rights and equity of redemption are waived, pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-8-101(2).
The sale and ultimate sale terms shall be approved and confirmed by the Davidson County Chancery Court, the Court which issued the process directing this Sale, and that approval Order shall direct the Sheriff to provide the deed described at Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-8111 after entry of the order of confirmation of the sale and after confirmation of payment to Plaintiff.
As to all or any part of the Property, the right is reserved to (i) delay, continue or adjourn the sale to another time certain or
to another day and time certain, without further publication and in accordance with law, upon announcement of said delay, continuance or adjournment on the day and time and place of sale set forth above or any subsequent delayed, continued or adjourned day and time and place of sale; and/or (ii) to sell to the next highest bidder in the event any high bidder does not comply with the terms of the sale. In the event of a Bankruptcy Case filing, the Sheriff shall continue the Sale to a new date.
Questions related to the sale or the underlying debt can be addressed to: David Anthony, attorney for judgment creditor, at Exo Legal PLLC, 615-869-0634; david@exolegal.com.
THIS 7th day of September, 2023. BY: Davidson County Sheriff NSC: 9/7, 9/14, 9/21/23
Cumming Management Group Inc seeks Project Manager in Nashville, TN. Responsible for the overall coordination of the project team, appropriate communications with the client, management and control of the scope, cost, and schedule objectives for the project as a whole. Telecommuting permitted. Salary range: $99,999.90$119,999.90 per year. To apply, submit resume to: tami.hoyt@cumminggroup.com w/ ref. no. ATPMTN.
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