The East Nashvillian 8.1 Sept-Oct 2017 by The East Nashvillian

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER VOL.VIII, ISSUE 1

7 1 0 2

Featuring...

N E M WO s music is

BERMUDA TRIANGLE LILLY HIATT | TRISTEN | ANGALEENA PRESLEY Amy Black • Ruby Boots • Ariel Bui • Rorey Carroll • Sally Jaye • Heather Lose • Luella • Tomi Lunsford Anne McCue • Erin Rae McKaskle • mmhmm • Shilah Morrow • Megan Palmer • Queens of Noise India Ramey • Cole Slivka • Cristina Spinei • Kashena Sampson • Thelma and the Sleaze

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

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OCT 18 the devil wears prada OCT 19 young nashville party

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OCT 13 MIKE FLOSS OCT 14 TRICKY OCT 15| October ZEKE September 2017

OCT 17 QUINN XCII OCT 18 TURNOVER OCT 20 AURA NOIR theeastnashvillian.com

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2017 WOMEN IN MUSIC ISSUE

WOMEN WRITING ABOUT WOMEN WHO WALKED THE LINE

TOMI LUNSFORD

BERMUDA TRIANGLE

ANNE MCCUE

LUELLA

INDIA RAMEY

ARIEL BUI

TRISTEN

ANGALEENA PRESLEY

KASHENA SAMPSON

MEGAN PALMER

CRISTINA SPINEI

SHILAH MORROW

RUBY BOOTS

QUEENS OF NOISE

ROREY CARROLL

mmhmm

SALLY JAYE

HEATHER LOSE

ANN POWERS’ BOOTY-LICIOUS TOME

COLE SLIVKA

LILLY HIATT

By Daryl Sanders

By Warren Denney

By Chuck Allen

By Randy Fox

By Holly Gleason

By Steve Morley

By Randy Fox

By Brittney McKenna

By Holly Gleason

By John McBryde

By Randy Fox

By Ron Wynn

By Warren Denney

By Andrew Leahey

By Chuck Allen

By Steve Morley

By Brittney McKenna

By Tommy Womack

By Randy Fox

By Holly Gleason

COVER SHOT

“Girlz II Women”

By Holly Gleason

THELMA AND THE SLEAZE

ERIN RAE McKASKLE

AMY BLACK

Bermuda Triangle

Jesse Lafser, Becca Mancari, Brittany Howard photographed by

By Richard Harper

By Andrew Leahey

By Ron Wynn

Travis Commeau

in East Nashville at Michael Weintrob Photography Studio August 2017

Makeup: Megan Thompson using M•A•C Hair: Alyssa Krauss using R+Co AMAX Talent|Creative

Visit THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM for updates, news, events, and more! CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

EAST SIDE BUZZ

15 Matters of Development By Nicole Keiper

IN THE KNOW

22 Grocer Bill Martin Remembered By Peter Chawaga

Your Neighbor: 27 Know Amy Dee Richardson

Object’s Jeff Pettit Leaves 22 Fond Musical Legacy

By Tommy Womack

By Peter Chawaga

103 East Side Calendar By Emma Alford

of AmericanaFest Highlights East 23 Edge Nashville Venues And Businesses

122

By Peter Chawaga

PARTING SHOT BELINDA CARLISLE Los Angeles c. 1978

COMMENTARY

12 Editor’s Letter

by Theresa Kereakas

By Chuck Allen

24 Astute Observations By James “Hags” Haggerty

120 East of Normal By Tommy Womack

Visit

THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM for updates, news, events, and more!

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

PUBLISHER Lisa McCauley EDITOR Chuck Allen ASSOCIATE EDITOR Daryl Sanders COPY EDITOR John McBryde ONLINE EDITOR Nicole Keiper CALENDAR EDITOR Emma Alford CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Peter Chawaga, Warren Denney, Randy Fox, Holly Gleason, James Haggerty, Richard Harper, Andrew Leahey, Brittany McKenna, Steve Morley, Tommy Womack, Ron Wynn CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chuck Allen DESIGN DIRECTOR Benjamin Rumble PHOTO EDITOR Travis Commeau ADVERTISING DESIGN ILLUSTRATIONS Benjamin Rumble Benjamin Rumble, Dean Tomasek CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Travis Commeau, Eric England, Theresa Kereakas, Michael Weintrob

ADVERTISING SALES Lisa McCauley lisa@theeastnashvillian.com 615.582.4187

The East Nashvillian is a bimonthly magazine

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Table Media Company Est.2010

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jaime Brousse DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Christina Howell

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published by Kitchen Table Media. This publication is offered freely, limited to one per reader. The removal of more than one copy by an individual from any of our distribution points constitutes theft and will be subject to prosecution. All editorial and photographic materials contained herein are “works for hire” and are the exclusive property of Kitchen Table Media, LLC unless otherwise noted. Reprints or any other usage without the express written permission of the publisher is a violation of copyright.

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

EDITOR’S LETTER

Women are rockin’ on the East Side

ur 2017 Music Issue has been a long and arduous undertaking. It’s definitely been “all hands on deck,” as the saying goes, but it’s also been uplifting. The idea of having an edition featuring women from cover to cover sprang from conversations I had months ago with publisher Lisa McCauley. Like millions of women both here and around the globe, Lisa’s appalled and offended by the current political climate, by how we seem to be moving backwards concerning treatment of women and minorities. Our conversations have often revolved around the central theme of, “Now what?” Lisa and I are fortunate — and consider ourselves so — to have a magazine through which we can endeavor to create a sense of unity within our community. We all might have different opinions about what that community should look like, but the coolest thing about the East Side is the vast majority of its denizens realize we’re all in this together and behave with respect towards one another. Maybe that’s why women have played such an integral part in the explosive growth of East Nashville’s music scene. Recognizing this is what led Lisa to suggest the idea of celebrating the women musicians and entrepreneurs that give our little corner of the world the sense of solidarity that seems to be missing from the national fabric at large. Lisa should know, too. As a child, she was discovered by a producer singing at a local restaurant where patrons fed money into the jukebox to accompany her. She later made a record and received local attention through experiences such as performing on The Ralph Emery Show. The “Showcase” section of The Tennessean once featured her in its

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

cover story. Not yet in her teens, she received national exposure via performances at high-profile hotels, including The Fontainebleau in Miami and The Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas. She was even scouted for the popular television series Hee Haw, and Porter Wagner gave her serious consideration as Dolly Parton’s replacement — that is until he found out she was only 12. But by her early teens, Lisa had grown tired of the grueling schedule required to maintain her profile. She’d largely missed out on just being a kid and had realized she didn’t like being — nor did she want to be — a country singer. Nashville was a different world then, of course. For most kids, country just wasn’t cool. Still, the seeds of music were planted, and she hasn’t been far from it ever since. This included her decision to attend Belmont College, where she studied music business. Lisa began to pursue jobs in the music industry while she was still a student. She worked for several music companies, including Oh Boy Records, and through those jobs, she got to know celebrated artists like John Prine, Rodney Crowell, and Tanya Tucker (to whom Lisa had often been compared during her singing career). While at Oh Boy, she made connections at Lightning 100 (WRLT). She accepted an offer to join the staff there and gained experience in media sales, which put her on the path that eventually led to the founding of The East Nashvillian. Lisa, like many of the women featured herein, is a self-made woman. She’s had to overcome obstacles to gain acceptance and advancement in the business world simply because she’s a woman. In recognition of the achievements these women have made, she wished to tell their stories. I’m honored to have helped her do that.

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

EAST SIDE B U Z Z FOR UP-TO -DATE INFORMATION ON EVENTS, AS WELL AS LINKS, PLEASE VISIT US AT: THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM

Matters of Development We lost a big player on the East Nashville dining scene recently, but there’s been a slew of openings, too, and lots more on the way: NEW AND NOTEWORTHY The last few months brought a bunch of long-awaited new drinking and dining spots in East Nashville. Among them: high-minded comfort food restaurant Fort Louise, which opened in July at 1304 McGavock Pike (the little blue house that was most recently home to Perk & Cork). Led by local restaurateur Jessica Bower and chef Greg Biggers, the restaurant has a casual vibe and creative menu, with twists on familiar fare, like monkey bread with a beef-fat candle and fried chicken spiced with curry. Along with a full interior overhaul, the location got a big back porch addition for outdoor eating.

Biggers comes our way from some high-profile fine-dining spots, including Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s namesake restaurant in Philadelphia and chef Sean Brock’s McCrady’s in Charleston, S.C. His kitchen is humming now for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday for lunch, 5-10 p.m. for dinner; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays for lunch, 5-11 for dinner; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch and 5-11 for dinner; Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch, 5-10 for dinner. Check out the menu and more at hungrylikeafort.com. Another July opening, all-day cafe Cafe Roze, is now serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in their bright, pink-accented space at 1115 Porter Road. Julia Jaksic of popular NYC spot Employees Only opened this one, and the menu focuses on approachable, but precise dishes, like

savory oats with a poached egg, spice-kissed avocado and hummus toast, grilled chicken sandwiches with fontina, and lots more. They’re open 8 a.m. to midnight, with the full menu available throughout. Head to caferoze.com for more. Also, sisters/East Nashville natives Kathy Leslie and Sandra Austin opened Shugga Hi Bakery & Cafe in July at 1000 Dickerson Pike, offering a mix of Southern specialties and stuff for sweet teeth. On the savory side: fish and grits and chicken and waffles and similar staples; on the sweet side: liquor-infused cakes and cupcakes, banana pudding, and more. Some of the menu meets in the middle, too, like the Shugga Hi cake waffle burger (with cake-batter buns). The Bakery & Cafe is open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

EAST SIDE BUZZ breakfast and brunch is served all day. More at shuggahibakeryandcafe.com. August brought a new East Nashville haunt for craft beer aficionados and meat-and-three devotees: Noble’s Kitchen & Beer Hall, at 974 Main St. Noble’s taps 60 local/regional craft beers, and offers a food menu that mixes meat-and-three staples and creative twists on comfort food. On the staples side, homemade meatloaf, mac ’n’ cheese, and chicken-fried steak figure in; surprises come in items like their smoked turkey and duck confit sliders. Local beer gets extra love on the food menu, too — try some Yazoo Sly Rye Porter Mustard and/or Tennessee Brew Works Southern Wit Ketchup. Noble’s is open 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily; stop by noblesbeerhall.com for more. Champions of cheese got good news in August, too, as new specialty cheese shop Follow Me Cheese opened at 1006 Fatherland St., Suite 206. This one’s another sister act, with New Yorkers-turnedNashvillians Danielle and Casey Deak handselecting a small, but mighty mix of American cheeses, with particular love for local/regional makers. They’re open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 to 6 on Saturday,

and 11 to 5 on Sunday. Explore more at followmecheese.com. One of the more anticipated new East Nashville bars, New York-bred Attaboy, opened its doors in July at 8 McFerrin Ave. Its craft-cocktail thrust will be familiar enough to East Nashvillians, but its approach is thoroughly different: Attaboy doesn’t work with a menu; the staff leads imbibers to drink choices through a quick series of questions. Like handing your choices over to the pros? They’re open 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. all week. July also brought the opening of pet supply shop Mutts & Meows, which is stocking food, treats, collars, and more at 935 Woodland St., Unit H. Good to know for pet parents who prefer convenience: They deliver, too. Mutts & Meows is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 10 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Learn more at muttsandmeows.com. East Nashville pet parents have another new doggy daycare/boarding/walking option, too: Nashville Tail Blazers, whose 8,000-square-foot facility is open now at 2407 Dickerson Pike. Owner/longtime pet trainer Devin Komline started Tail Blazers as a dog-walking service about two years ago, and it gradually

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

grew into a full-service provider of pet care. Along with boarding/care at the Dickerson facility (which has both indoor and outdoor play areas), Nashville Tail Blazers offers dog park play dates, dog walking visits, cat care, and more. For more, visit ntbdogs.com. The Idea Hatchery at 1108 Woodland St. welcomed a mix of changes in recent months, including the opening of Riveter, an “unconventional fine jewelry” shop that also does custom designs and repairs. It opened its doors in July at Unit H, and hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 1 to 5 on Sunday. More at riveternashville.com. Around Tomato Art Fest time, local fashion designer and musician Maria “Poni” Silver unveiled the first retail storefront for her “women’s contemporary streetwear” line, Black by Maria Silver, in the Idea Hatchery, at 1108 Woodland St., Unit G. The line’s been around a while — the Fond Object cofounder and Ettes drummer launched it in 2011, and since, it’s earned lots of praise in and out of Nashville, including a Nashville Fashion Week “Rising Star Award.” The shop’s open now noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and by appointment other days of the week. Explore Silver’s designs (and shop online) at blackbymariasilver.com. Another new East Nashville fashion stop, The List, held their grand opening in early August at 305 E. Trinity Lane. Helmed by sisters Taniesha and Stephanie Crump, The List focuses on “new and vintage clothing items and accessories that will help spark a feeling of self love to all women,” from jumpsuits and bralettes to jewelry and shoes. Initial posted hours were noon to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 to 6 Saturday and Sunday by appointment. You can also shop The List online at iamthelist.com. The Shoppes on Fatherland also welcomed a fashionable new name in early August: The Shine Project, at 1006 Fatherland St. The collection of clothing, jewelry, and gifts comes with a social-good twist — items are handmade by first-generation college students, as part of founder Ashley LeMieux’s efforts to help inner-city students work toward post-secondary education. The brand began as a nonprofit called the Shine Scholarship Project, and grew into an effort that provides employment, mentoring, and guidance, along with those scholarships. The East Nashville storefront is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and you can learn more about The Shine Project’s story and explore products at theshineproject.com.

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

EAST SIDE BUZZ Up in Inglewood, Nashville tattoo artist Shannon Wages opened Sage & Serpent Tattoo in August at 4120 Gallatin Pike, with fellow artists Lindsy Davis and Patricia Faulkner at her side. Wages’ personal style tends toward neo-traditional/realist designs, she told us, but the studio caters to an array of ink inclinations. “We’re connecting with the individual and

helping to accentuate their imagination in a way that gives their body art meaning,” Wages said. “It’s all about working with clients to create one-of-a-kind pieces of art that represent them and who they are.” The studio’s website, sageandserpent. com, is still pretty bare, but you can get a look at what Wages and Co. are doing on Instagram: @shannonwagestattoos.

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

CLOSINGS AND MOVES Long-loved cocktails and dining destination Holland House Bar & Refuge surprised fans across the city in July, when founder Terrell Raley announced via Facebook that the restaurant would be closing its doors July 22. The restaurant opened at 935 West Eastland Ave. in 2010, and over seven years, it developed a reputation as one of the neighborhood’s best places to grab a classic cocktail and a well-above-par meal. But in his note, titled “A Heartfelt Goodbye To Holland House,” Raley noted that “a year of fruitless lease renewal negotiations” and the growth (and demands) of his Amaranth Hospitality Group led to a decision to close. No word yet on what might be taking over Holland House’s longtime home. Keep an eye on our blog at theeastnashvillian.com; we’ll update you as soon as we know. E-cig/e-liquid space Gizmos Vapor Shoppe closed its doors in late July, too. The business originally opened on Gallatin Pike in 2014, moving to its home at 922 Main St. in 2015. Good Sister Bad Sister Studio and Boutique, at 914A Woodland St., was another July closure. It had been in that location just about a year, sharing beauty services and stocking jewelry, gifts, and more. Owner/image consultant/“Makeup Ninja” Jaiya Rose said in a Facebook goodbye note that she and her team had lost their lease, “but not our spirit.” Friends and clients can keep up with her next moves at makeupninja.biz. Local bookstore Defunct Books had a brief closure too, but quickly bounced back, and stayed here in East Nashville. In June, owner Greg Delzer packed up his first East Nashville location, at 118 S. 11th St. Come mid-July, he’d already secured a new space, reopening in the Idea Hatchery, at 1108 Woodland St., Unit A. The new location is now open noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. More at defunctbooks.com. Another move to one of East Nashville’s small-business incubators: Western/retro clothing shop Ellie Monster opened in mid-July at 1006 Fatherland St., Suite 208, moving to the Shoppes on Fatherland from its former location at 1108 Gallatin. In the Ellie shop, you’ll find lots of custom clothing, like embroidered and fringed shirts, plus pre-loved boots and bolos and more. Shop there Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. The Groove didn’t move, but there were some big changes at the East Nashville record shop: The doors closed for a few days in early

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

EAST SIDE BUZZ August, but it was just so longtime owners John Moore and Louis Charette could pass the baton over to new owners Michael Combs and Jesse Cartwright. They’re back open and slinging records and more at 1103 Calvin Ave., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 on Sunday. Some more hands-changing: 3rd and

Church East Nashville owner Jason Boylan announced in August that his clinic was set to move into the capable hands of nurse practitioner Brenda Simmons after Aug. 31. With the new ownership comes a new name: As of Sept. 1, 1406B McGavock Pike was set to be reborn as Riverside Village Health and Wellness. Boylan said he wanted to refocus his efforts on the original 3rd

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and Church Healthcare location downtown. The Mill, which opened in February at 737 Porter Road, closed its East Nashville doors around the top of August, but it’s certainly not the end for the clothing boutique — their West Nashville location, at 812 51st Ave. N., is still going strong. Their former space quickly got a new resident, too: Shop by Amelia Styles, which also opened in February at 729 Porter, skipped a few Shops at Porter East doors over to 737. Amelia Styles is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 to 4 on Saturday and noon to 4 on Sunday. Explore their offerings online at shopameliastyles.com. COMING SOON Come fall, Inglewood should have another new name in craft cocktails: The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club is in the works at 2905B Gallatin Pike, and last update we got, a September opening was the aim. Bryan Rushton and Andrew Cook head up the club, and they’re looking to build a “locally focused, environmentally conscious operation,” with native Nashvillian Will Benedetto captaining the cocktail program. thefoxnashville.com was still pretty barren at press time, but keep an eye there for updates. Also aiming for early fall: sushi and Japanese spot Sushi Circle, serving lunch and dinner at 914 Woodland St. Another one in the works on the food front: Peninsula, coming to 1035 West Eastland, in new mixed-use development The Eastland. Co-owners/spouses Craig Schoen and Yuriko Say had been cooking up an idea for a restaurant steeped in Spanish/Portuguese flavors for a decade, and found the right chef in Jake Howell, who’s worked in kitchens along the West Coast, and the right place here in Nashville. Schoen told us we should expect a menu with “lots of game, vegetables, simple, and old-world European techniques without the pretense of some other areas of Europe. Lots of wine from the region, a Spanish-style gin and tonic menu, and, of course, an extensive cocktail program since that is the world I come from.” At press time, they were hoping to get the doors open around Labor Day. More at peninsulanashville.com. Another one as we went to press, opening was imminent at the new East Nashville Jerry’s Artarama, at 711 Main St. The art supply chain has locations from New York to Miami, and the Nashville-area location was most recently locked down in Antioch. With the move to East Nashville,

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

EAST SIDE BUZZ local painters, scribblers, and other artists will have easy access to the Jerry’s trademark wide array of supplies, from paints and brushes to easels. Keep up with the latest news about the East Side location at nashville-jerrys.com. CrossFit East Nashville is also looking at a September opening, at 400 Davidson St., Suite 410, near Music City Indoor Karting. The new gym is led by two local couples: Josh and Kiel Hunter and Caleb and Katie Gregory. Their approach: a fitness regimen based on “sustainable, well-intentioned patterns of discipline.” Memberships will range from $155 to $199 a month, and each includes access to open gym time, classes, and more. Keep an eye on crossfiteastnashville.com for opening news. Also on the fitness front, and aiming for a September opening: “float center and alternative therapy spa” Float Horizen, at 1012 Russell St., Suite 204. They’ll be offering flotation therapy, salt therapy, harmonic mediation, massages, and other therapies geared toward helping with pain, anxiety, boosting creativity, and more. The business is the brainchild of Nashville native Zane Ritter, who’s hoping to provide

a “perfect way to de-stress, meditate, and recover from strenuous exercise.” Learn more at floathorizen.com. — Nicole Keiper Have any East Side development news to share? Reach out to: nicole@theeastnashvillian.com

Grocer Bill Martin Remembered The nucleus of a neighborhood can be hard to quantify, but some places are so enduring that the locals are drawn to them. Such has been the case with Bill Martin’s Food. Sadly, the namesake of the store, located at 1105 Fatherland St., recently passed away, leaving behind a legacy that embodies East Nashville’s community spirit. The corner store has provided East Nashvillians with more than just quality groceries at a reasonable price. It provided a neighborhood atmosphere, a meeting point for both likeminded friends and residents who might have nothing more in common than a need for snacks. In addition to his store on Father-

land, Martin operated at least one other store, owned several other pieces of property in the area, and lived in a local home. “Mr. Martin has been a fixture in this neighborhood for decades,” says Patti Sanders, an East Nashville resident whose company, S&S Properties, owns property around the store. “His grocery stores have supplied a reasonably priced and walkable solution for many people in the neighborhood that don’t have cars or a way to get to some of the other supermarkets in the area.” Martin is remembered as humble and unselfish. He was known to stand in his own lines along with customers when he wanted to buy something from the store. “He always had a kind word and a ready smile for everyone,” Sanders recalls. “He was extremely loyal to his employees. Most of them have been with him for decades.” Sanders has heard that Martin’s family hopes to keep running the store, at least for the near future. No matter what happens to the store, Martin will be remembered for the way that he fostered East Nashville’s unique sense of community. “He was a special man and well-liked by many people, as was evident from the turnout at his service,” Sanders says.

— Peter Chawaga

Fond Object’s Jeff Pettit Leaves Musical Legacy F ond O bject R ecords is a haven for a certain type of East Nashvillian. Someone who lives for vinyl punk recordings, expresses themselves through vintage clothes, and lives for the things they loved, unapologetically. The Riverside Village shop, located at 1313 McGavock Pike, and its dedicated following lost their patron recently when the store’s cofounder, Jeff Pettit, passed away at age 46. And the neighborhood lost a staple. “Jeff moved here with the dream of opening his record store after only having been to Nashville once before,” Jem Cohen, who ran the store along with Pettit, says. “He came here from Austin with about 50,000 records … to start a store with me, and basically a community center is what it became. It was a store that was needed on this side of town. Something that specialized in punk and soundtrack and the weirder side. … We have our own little niche because of him.” Fond Object grew to offer vintage clothes and provide an incubator space for local artists to display their work. In this way, Pettit’s store was much more than just a place to buy records. “I think it’s come to be the gathering place of the weirdos of town and the indie 22

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

EAST SIDE BUZZ bands and people who want to listen to cool music,” Cohen says. “[But also] maybe sell their art, sell their clothes. It’s a community-driven business, people come from all over.” Cohen says that Pettit passed away doing what he loved at the store and was in good spirits at the time. He was particularly excited that Fond Object’s new downtown location was on the upswing. Despite the loss, Cohen plans to continue fulfilling Pettit’s vision for the stores. “It’s going to continue on in the way we built it together,” he says. “It’s going to take a little time to get it running at full steam again, but it will.” — Peter Chawaga

has to offer,” Crenshaw says. “Broadway, The Gulch, and 12 South, those areas receive love and publicity all the time, but it’s East Nashville that really connects with the artists, musicians, industry, and fans of Americana. We want them to discover, enjoy, and shop local because there’s so much that East Nashville has to offer. Of course, bringing the festival to East Nashville won’t just be fun for out-of-towners. It gives

local residents the chance to enjoy a unique, artist-driven music celebration as attendees themselves. “We hope that our attendees leave AmericanaFest not only having discovered great music, but also great food, great art, great people, and a great town,” Crenshaw says. “A lot of that will come from their experiences in East Nashville, whether it’s through an official event or not.” — Peter Chawaga

Edge of AmericanaFest Highlights East Nashville Venues And Businesses Sept. 12-17 will mark the 18th annual AmericanaFest, a music festival and industry conference celebrating folk, country, blues, and roots rock. The event will be held all over the city, with local venues playing host to concerts, industry panels, and award shows. And naturally, East Nashville will be heavily featured during Edge of AmericanaFest’s second installment. Shows will be held at The 5 Spot, The Basement East, The Cobra, The East Room, and The Family Wash. Special events are taking place at American Legion, Fond Object Records, Little Harpeth Brewing, and The Groove. In addition, Delgado Guitars, Divine Art Café, Duke’s, Fanny’s House of Music, Goodbuy Girls, High Garden Tea, Kitty, Lucaya, Mister Hats, Pony Show, Rumour’s East, Quantify Fitness, Val Knust, LMT, and Wags and Whiskers are among the participating businesses. “East Nashville has a heart and soul that is full of creativity, passion, and authenticity, all of which can be used to describe the Americana community as well,” says Anna Lee Crenshaw, the manager of marketing and member relations for the Americana Music Association, which organizes the event. “We knew that the people coming to Nashville to attend AmericanaFest would love East Nashville, but we didn’t want to just insert ourselves without staying true to the neighborhood. … We wanted to work with those who really represent the spirit of the community.” The Americana Music Association has decided to focus so much of its festival in East Nashville because it sees the area as one that shares the ideals it wants attendees to experience. “We are aiming to bring like-minded people into [the East Nashville] community who will discover all that the neighborhood

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East NashvillE Family mEdiciNE located in: eastside station • 801 Woodland street, nashville, tn 37206 September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

Astute OBSERVATIONS by

J ames â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hagsâ&#x20AC;? Haggerty

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When the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Message of Loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rang true

he song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Preciousâ&#x20AC;? lives on side one, track one of Pretenders. I first heard those words jump from the speakers of my Panasonic turntable, cassette, and AM/FM combo in the summer of 1982. I was just becoming a teenager. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been playing bass for a year or two by then and was a bona fide rocker. Zeppelin, The Who, Hendrix, Rush â&#x20AC;&#x201D; if it was on WBAB or WNEW, I dug it. I was playing in a band, and my life was pretty simple except for the simmering angst. There was my bicycle, which carried me on my paper route, my pals, the girl next door (who preferred older jocks in Camaros to the company of a bespectacled, bass-playing seeker of truth), MTV, and the radio. So there I was, 12 years old, obsessed with rock & roll, reading my Creem and Hit Parader magazines, making mixtapes off the radio, when something new started to seep its way into my barely pubescent, sponge-like consciousness. I had met and started jamming with an older guy in the neighborhood, who played a Fender Telecaster through a Jazz Chorus amp. He wore skinny ties and an earring. He had spikey hair and a rat tail. He drove a Scirocco. He was cool. He lent me some records: Pretenders, Pretenders II, and the first couple of REM releases were in the stack. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You should listen to WLIR, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cool station,â&#x20AC;? he told me. Back then it seemed everything was either cool or not cool, and I, of course, was cool. At least I thought so. WLIR played new wave, post punk, jangle pop, college rock â&#x20AC;&#x201D; call it what you will, but as far as I was concerned, it was cool, and The Pretenders became my new favorite band that summer. I liked the REM stuff, but The Pretenders pinned my head back. Chrissie Hynde, Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott, and Martin Chambers had me from

Have a hankering for more Hags? We suggest visiting theeastnashvillian.com for all of his previous observations.

á&#x161;?á&#x161;&#x2019;á&#x161;?

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

note one. They were aggressive. The songs were fast and out of control. The lyrics were dangerous and mean and sometimes sweet. The playing was tough. The Pretenders were like a gang and their leader was Chrissie Hynde, who seemed like she might kiss me or stab me with a switchblade. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure which, but I liked it. Come on, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anybody with a name like Honeyman. My friends had names like Dave and Frank and Vinnie. I remember learning â&#x20AC;&#x153;Message of Loveâ&#x20AC;? off the second album and how excited I was that I could play it. That cool, walking bass in the chorus and that slidey bit in the verse, I could do it. I was learning the secrets! I was hooked. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a funny thing trying to write about the innocence and excitement of youth, trying to find words to describe the feeling of mystery and discovery that happens when your mind is opening and expanding and all is brand new. Music is magic and bands are everything. As an adult, I can intellectualize it and say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this or that, but really those years for me were all feelings and emotions. Trying to describe adolescence in words is like â&#x20AC;Ś letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say I was running on testosterone and confusion and leave it at that. Now I find myself at the conclusion of this column. Fancy meeting you here! This is the part where the adult in me wants to describe how Chrissie Hynde is a role model, or how she beat institutionalized sexism and conquered the boys club. But hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the problem with all that adult thinking: I seriously doubt Hynde could have given a shit about being a role model. She didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sell sex, and she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t win the game because she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even play the game! She transcended it. She moved to London, formed a band, wrote great songs, slung a guitar around her neck and showed the world how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done. She threw a middle finger to the Reagan/Thatcher conservatism of the day and did exactly what she wanted to do. Do yourself a favor as you peruse our 2017 Music Issue â&#x20AC;&#x201D; throw â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tattooed Love Boysâ&#x20AC;? on your turntable and turn it up. Louder!

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Hags is a part-time bon vivant, man-about-town, and goodwill ambassador for The East Nashvillian. He earns his keep as a full-time bassist extraordinaire.

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illustration :

Trapped in a world that they never made But not me baby Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m too preciousÂ Fuck off â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chrissie Hynde

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KNOW your NEIGHBOR

“I

PH O TO GR A PH B Y MI C HA E L W EI N TR O B

was paying $1,525 for a bedroom in a loft in Manhattan. I moved here, found a one-bedroom for $825, and everybody’s like, ‘That’s expensive,’ and I’m like, ‘not by my standards!’ To people like me, from New York, people from Los Angeles, Chicago, that’s super affordable. It’s our fault the rents went up! And I absolutely own it. But everybody’s friendlier here, it’s nicer, cleaner, there isn’t just crime and mayhem and garbage on the streets. Things are greener. You can be somewhere far away from downtown in 15 minutes. And I don’t have to smell pee in the streets anymore.” — Amy Dee Richardson

Amy Dee RICHARDSON

compliments. One of my regulars tells me that when he’s out of town, he’s really by Tommy Womack happy that his wife has somewhere to go that he doesn’t have to worry about her while she’s here.” For such a “new” bar, Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge looks and feels like it’s been here unchanged for decades. Dark and woody, like bars in the upper Midwest, framed photos of Waylon, Willie, Johnny, Dolly, and Hank, and others who only need one name, are lined up on the walls. With the bar on the left as you walk in, there’s plenty space to mingle, and to the right on the other side of a waist-high bulwark is the dance floor, bandstand, and a jukebox that bleeds honky-tonk. Amy Dee Richardson is the With more locals catching onto lively major domo of Dee’s Dee’s goings-on, higher-end bands Country Cocktail Lounge in and solo artists are finding their Madison. Yes, Madison. It was way to the place. a brilliant investment for the A Chicagoan by birth and breeding, Richardson bugged out of the future because all the classic East Windy City for the lure of the Big Nashville bohos who’ve made the Apple when she was 20 years old, place what it is are being priced for reasons she is not totally clear out and migrating, and the more on herself all these years later. Fun it happens, the more that happenings and people are going to shift was one part of the motivation, and outward to Madison. Richardson had a great deal of it. “I moved to Nashville October She learned to pour drinks in bars, of 2013, and I opened Dee’s doors she learned to wait tables, and then to the public on Oct. 21 of 2016,” she learned how to manage bars Richardson says. “And it could not and restaurants. have happened if I hadn’t become She loved New York because friends with Andy Gaines, who of the constant excitement, the bright owns Mickey’s Tavern. I would get out lights, and the city that never sleeps. of work at my fancy restaurant job at But as the years went by, she came to Adele’s, I would roll into Mickey’s and hate New York because of the constant pitch a bitch about my night, and I just excitement, the bright lights, and the hung out there, got to know Andy more; city that never sleeps. A friend who was then I met his wife, and then we opened a chef in Nashville invited her to come this spot.” down and check out the scene, so she did, Before it was Dee’s, it was a roughand Richardson knew soon after her visit neck local watering hole, and not the that she would be back. homogenous spot it is now. “There was What does she love about owning a nowhere for anybody to hang out up bar? Why would any sane person ever here, that was nonsmoking, people felt safe, chicks could come in consider it? “I think my favorite part about owning this place is, by themselves and not have to worry about some dudes bothering yesterday I was walking through the bar and I thought, ‘Man, this them,” Richardson says. “But it took a minute, the word had to place is so cool!’ ” she says. “Looking around at biracial couples, spread. And now we have just the most badass collection of people at gay couples hanging out here, straight, everyone’s cool. Some that come in here. Margo Price is in here all the time, and so is people have the whole ’70s country look going on, and everyone’s Elizabeth Cook, she’s so damn funny. Josh Hedley, just so many of in here to have a good time. To be here, I just tell everybody: (a) those, I mean, Margo’s sung here a few times, and Lily Mayes has you have to have money, and (b) you can’t be an asshole. If you can played here twice now, and we get really cool bands in here. I get abide by those two rules, then you can hang out at Dee’s.” ♪

“

To be here, I just tell everybody: (a) you have to have money, and (b) you can’t be an asshole. If you can abide by those two rules, then you can hang out at Dee’s.

Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge celebrates their first anniversary with Elizabeth Cook’s new Yazoo brew release party on Saturday, Oct. 21, followed by their second annual Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 28. deeslounge.com September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

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Women Writing About Women

WHO WALKED THE LINE By Daryl Sanders

n the introduction to the new book she edited, Women Walk The Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives, veteran music journalist/critic Holly Gleason notes, “Whenever you want to know someone, I found all you have to do is ask them what artist they love — really, really love.” With that in mind, Gleason asked a collection of women she admires to write essays about the female country artists who stirred them and forever changed their lives. The result is a significant work that has best-selling novelist Alice Randall writing vividly about her introduction to Lil Hardin, primarily known as a pioneering jazz vocalist, pianist, composer, and arranger, but who also made an early contribution to country music as the piano player on Jimmie Rodgers’ “Blue Yodel #9.” Women Walk The Line also includes celebrated music critic/historian Holly George-Warren telling how rock trailblazer Wanda Jackson lit a fire in her and recording artist Grace Potter relating how she found inspiration as a young girl from the work of Linda Ronstadt. Potter isn’t the only artist who wrote a piece. Rosanne Cash ( June Carter Cash), Taylor Swift (Brenda Lee), and Aubrie Sellers (Alison Krauss) also contributed to the anthology of 27 essays, which includes Gleason’s own discourse on how she discovered Tanya Tucker’s “punk country” at a record store in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Talking about Women Walk The Line recently, Gleason, who is a regular contributor to The East Nashvillian, explained the genesis of the book. “Over my whole career, I’ve been having lots of conversations with people about the artist that was like, their artist,” she says. “And I thought it would be really interesting to combine these truths and see what I can make happen.” The book, which hits the streets on Sept. 20, is being published by University of Texas Press. Originally, Gleason was supposed to write a different book for the publishing house, but that project was postponed when she was accepted into a master’s program at Spalding University. “I was under contract with the University of Texas to do a book about Emmylou Harris, and my editor very graciously let me table it when I got into Spalding to get my master’s,” she recalls. “Part of getting a master’s in writing is a lot of reading. And the more I read, the more I thought about all the fantastic women writers that I have known being a journalist for 30 years.

“David Manconi, who was one of the founding editors of the University of Texas’ American Music Series, is the person who reached out to me about the Emmylou Harris book,” she continues. “I called him and said, ‘I know I promised you this book, but I really have this other thing I’m super passionate about doing.’ And he went, ‘OK.’ And I explained why, and he said, ‘Let me call the top editor in Austin and see.’ They came back with, ‘Well, anthologies don’t do well, and you know, traditionally this isn’t what people buy into, but if you want to write it up, we’ll look at it.’ ” So Gleason pulled together a book proposal that included her list of writers and a number of the artists she thought the writers would want to cover and sent it to Manconi and his colleagues. “I don’t think they had seen it the way I did because once they got the paperwork, they were like, ‘Yeah, we should do this,’ ” she says. Once she got the go-ahead, Gleason began the task of confirming the writers and their subjects. “One of the first people I reached out to was Rosanne Cash because I fell in love with the eulogy she gave at June Carter Cash’s funeral,” she says, recalling the piece by Cash she included in the book. “I thought that really set a nice tenor for what we were trying to do.” Cash and Swift are also featured as subjects of essays penned by a pair of well-known music critics, with Deborah Sprague writing about Cash and Elysa Gardner contributing the piece on Swift. As Gleason went down her list of writers, each phone call or email centered around one central point. “I think every single conversation started with the question: Is there some artist, some woman artist, who had an impact on you, that you wish you could write about, and it’s really about your life and it’s really about their music?” she says. The answer Gleason got to that question from each of the writers she tapped was a loud and resounding, “Yes!” And as the writers share their passion for the 27 iconic artists featured in the anthology, from Mother Maybelle Carter, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton to Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, and Patty Griffin, they remind us of what made these artists inspirational, these women who walked the line. ♪

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

Bermuda STORY BY

WARREN DENNEY

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

RIANGLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY

TRAVIS COMMEAU

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

The triumvirate enjoying a blazing hot, August afternoon on the deck of the General Jackson Showboat as she sits in her berth on the Cumberland River. (L-R) Jesse Lafser, Becca Mancari, Brittany Howard

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

usic often opens the door to a magical reality — an avenue between the seen and unseen worlds. It taps into worlds of emotion, experiences both known and unknown. The aptly named band Bermuda Triangle, formed by Brittany Howard, Becca Mancari, and Jesse Lafser, lives in another world, little more than an idea — primarily due to its current ghostly existence. There has been one true gig, and there is no recorded music ready for release. A few gigs this fall in other cities are being discussed. Bermuda Triangle is the phantom proof of these three women’s creative alliance. And they are clearly the best of friends. When like minds approach music together, the collaboration can lift it into another world. And this particular side project for the Alabama Shakes frontwoman, and the two other singers and songwriters, is full of promise if little more than a beautiful belief at present. Flashes of the three performing at The Basement East in July have given reason to believe. “We’ve known each other for a while, and all of us have our own projects going on, and we never intersect,” Howard says from a table on the back porch at Mickey’s Tavern, where she sits with Lafser and Mancari. “[When we’re working] it’s the most important thing at the time. Like, we have the friendship and we’re all musicians, and I’m not sure why it took so long. It just happened. Like, why aren’t we singing together?” There is a broad definition of folk music in which it may encompass all things from deep country to the seething street. And these three are onto the extension of that story, that conversation around the human condition. They are in the process of making real music that can resonate. Howard, of course, is the undeniable force that leads Alabama Shakes, a band that has turned much of the popular landscape on its head with a distinctive, hard-charging brand of rock and soul. Howard, electric guitar in tow, and the Shakes have been leading a thoughtful Southern revolution within the ranks of popular music. Mancari and Lafser are two artists cut from modern Nashville cloth; with Mancari originally from the East Coast, and Lafser originally from St. Louis, they have rooted themselves in a scene here that reveres the rock club and the honky-tonk. And while that scene, anchored in East Nashville, seems so new and fresh, it emerges from the deep and rich DNA of this town. Drinking in broad daylight seems to affirm some clarity for the three. There’s a communal feel to their discussion. “I came here

about eight years ago for the music,” Howard says. “I came up from Athens, Ala., about an hour-and-a-half south of here. It started happening more frequently, and I made a lot of friends here. I started working with Andrija Tokic at The Bomb Shelter and made our first [Alabama Shakes] record here. “I would get called up here, and do backing vocals and whatever, and it was very exciting to me,” she continues. “I started coming up more and more — like four times a week — and I eventually got tired of sleeping in bathtubs. You know, I used to sleep in Margo Price’s basement — anywhere I could hole up. Then I finally bought a house here about four years ago, and just started hanging out with this bunch [motioning to Lafser and Mancari]. And life’s never been the same.” Lafser and Mancari also felt the pull of Nashville’s gravity. “I came to study psychology at Belmont in 2006,” Lafser says. “I had a music minor, so I did classical guitar, and that’s how I learned all the finger-picking I do today. I made Nashville home after college — and live part-time in Taos, N.M.” Mancari notes her own trip. “I’m from a serious Italian family,” she says. “Nashville is still kind of foreign to them. They think it’s very old-school country. But when I think about it, it’s like I always knew I was going to come here. It kind of haunted me. I moved here after traveling everywhere … and I realized I should come to my haunted place. I just drove in with my guitar and my bags — and I thought it was the worst decision I ever made for the first few months. I’ve been here five years now.” The hastily organized gig at The Basement East was Mancari’s brainchild, after the three had agreed they should be playing together in some fashion. They performed to a packed house in support of She Shreds magazine, the lone publication devoted to female guitarists and bassists. The trio featured Howard on acoustic guitar and stand-up bass, and Mancari and Lafser on banjo and acoustic guitar. A drum machine offered low-key support, as they offered a harmony-laden set with cool and soulful underpinnings. Songs of emotional longing and reflection hung over the club — which happened to lose its air conditioning for the entirety of the night. “Our instruments were going out of tune,” Lafser says. “It was charming, and the crowd was so receptive. It was exotic.” “It was a sweat lodge,” Howard says. “It was crazy.” Crazy or exotic, the set confirmed the group’s magnetism, and it created a shining landscape for each artist to explore new channels. When Howard performed the new and fragile song “Short and Sweet,” with Mancari and Lafser blending and bending to the heart of it, the magic was apparent. The fundamental line squeezed into the world — “There is

something between us” — defines the power of these three. “Things came together so quickly,” Howard says. “For me, it was about songs that I had written that didn’t fit anywhere else at the time. I was really inspired by these two girls. I used to go over and sit on Jesse’s porch, and they would just pass the guitar around. I would never have anything. I want to be able to do that. It’s such a simple thing. I was so busy touring and playing, I had forgotten to write. And so I had these two songs, and I said let’s do these and it happened.” Lafser, whose approach has always →

New album, local performances set for Becca Mancari Bermuda Triangle’s Becca Mancari will be busy the next few months with her own band, making an appearance at the AmericanaFest this month and then releasing her first solo album in October. Mancari’s debut, Good Woman, is set to drop on Friday, Oct. 6, via her own Gold Tooth Records. The album was produced by Kyle Ryan, who is best known for his work with Kacey Musgraves, and features backing from Mancari’s band — steel player Blake Reams, lead guitarist Juan Solorzano, bassist Eric Parker, and drummer Nathan Wahlman. It’s a sparse and rootsy album, one the singer and songwriter describes as “space music for cowboys.” Mancari and her band will headline a record release show at 3rd & Lindsley on Sunday, Nov.12. That performance will include a number of special guests, so don’t be surprised if the other two members of Bermuda Triangle, Brittany Howard and Jesse Lafser, join her onstage. But you don’t have to wait till then to see Mancari perform. She and her band are set to make an appearance during the AmericanaFest at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, at The Cannery Ballroom. — Daryl Sanders For more information on Becca Mancari, visit www.beccamancari.com.

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

Special thanks to JENNIFER McKELL, Marketing/PR at Gaylord Opryland Attractions for facilitating use of the General Jackson Showboat for the Bermuda Triangle photo shoot.

been driven by a devotion to lyrics, cites a rejuvenation with her involvement in Bermuda Triangle. “We each brought two songs to the table,” Lafser says. “I’d written a couple of new songs that people hadn’t heard before, so we just started working on them in preparation. … These ladies have brought me back into doing what I love to do again. I kind of stopped playing music and lived in Taos for seven months — didn’t pick up a guitar. I’m creating again now.” Mancari feels the idea of Bermuda Triangle might flourish through trust and collaborative work ethic. “I can only speak for myself, truly, but I’ve never met two other artists I can trust so completely,” she says. “Their work ethic is like something I’d never seen. We worked real hard [preparing for the gig]. We want the songs to be strong, but at the same time, we’re finding the way to let go. The second you stop caring so much is when the thing takes off.” Howard echoes the sentiment. “It’s a peaceful place to work,” she says. “That’s the beauty of it — to learn the instruments in this amount of time and to learn how to work with each other. With the new instruments; with the drum machine; with the banjo — not being silly, but not caring that much, that was really freeing. It actually relieves a lot of the pressure of being a musician and trying to make it. “In my case, people are looking at me and saying, ‘Where’s the new music?’ Stuff like that — you know, sometimes you just want to make music because you like to. This trio — that’s the situation I got to be in. It’s fun. It’s exciting … but within that framework of being scared of failure, you kind of just say ‘I’m good.’ ” The bond among the three is genuine. You can sense the energy and the desire for community when they are together. “We all kind of inspire each other,” Lafser says. “When we come together there’s this magic. I’m inspired by the community around me, and I’m grateful for the community of friendship around me. I think people have been so receptive because it’s been such a contrast to what we’re doing. It’s refreshing, and that show was amazing. It was an incredible night for all of us.” There is a comfort of place and time that seems to hold them all together. Nashville is a gathering place, after all. It has been for ages, from prehistoric times to present day, a place to gather for sustenance. It has been a special hunting ground for men and animals alike, and today’s harvest is the dream. Look around — this town is full of creatures stalking the dream.

But instead of falling prey to the stress of competition, these three embrace the community of the creative spirit. Writers. Singers. Musicians. Creators of all stripe run to the river for its power and its comfort. In letting go, they are holding on. The spark may be found anywhere. “I went to the American Legion last night,” Mancari says. “I walked out of there with my girlfriend, and we talked about how it’s a special thing in our life to be around — how it is inspiring to be around a lot of people that

care about what they do. It can also be suffocating — when people are desperate or disillusioned. That’s why I love what we’re doing, because we’re such individualists and communal at the same time. It’s something I’ve always wanted.” The others nod in agreement. They are making one another stronger from the ground up, from the fundamentals of their individual songwriting to learning how to play new instruments. Newfound strength is liberating. “It kind of alleviates — it’s kind of like it doesn’t matter what happens,” Howard says. “It doesn’t have to pay the bills. It’s not a serious thing, but in the same respect, I really love it. It’s very important to me as a creative person. Imagine you make music as your job. I don’t think about it that way, but it is. You know, I go on the road and have to perform those songs at a certain level — so to have another outlet on top of it. That’s what it is for me, like a writing gig and I can have real fun with it. I don’t think pressure is the right word, but being inspired is nice. →

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“It’s an avenue for me. There’s still the Shakes, and there’s still that music. It’s just when I write the different types of music, and it doesn’t fit there, then I have someplace for it to go. Leaves the door open, you know.” That doorway has become a place for a building buzz. Rolling Stone magazine referred to them as a “one-off supergroup” following the show at The Basement East. A few drinks in, and you get the impression that Bermuda Triangle is more than a “one-off.” It’s about a way of living, rather than a straight-line drive to the bank. No one is here to alter their own individual identities. Here, within the Triangle, they are focused on making their artistry better. “Words are very important to me,” Lafser says. “So, I feel that what I do is always very lyrically driven. But these ladies have opened my mind to more vibe and sound. I’m constantly trying to strip down what I do to say something profound in the shortest way possible. I’m a word person. I consider myself a writer first, and guitar player second. That’s kind of changing.” Mancari echoes the recognition of change. “I [recently] worked with a song we had written together, and I heard a part that I would never have heard if we hadn’t been working together,” she says. “And if I wasn’t in our group and listening to the music I’m listening to right now. I’ve been inundating myself with sound. I think of myself as a writer first, too — I don’t consider myself a great guitar player or anything like that, but my band has even noticed a difference in my approach. I’ve been trying different things.” Howard enjoys the visceral experience of working out something new and being inspired by it all. “If you’re going to be a creative person, then it feels good to the brain and the body and to your existence to be creative,” she says. “So if you’re working so hard you forget to visit that part of yourself, then you don’t feel good. That’s part of being a creative person. “As writers, we all inspire something out of each other. Jesse is very much a wordsmith, and so that inspired me to be better. Having three harmonies and a voice as beautiful as Becca’s, that allows me to do stuff I never thought of. We’re playing like traditional instruments so there’s a folk element to it — and I’m not very familiar with those things. We’re just storytellers, and I like that. We all know we can do our own thing, but this is welcome, this is changing me.” Beyond the buzz, and beyond Bermuda Triangle’s potential, is a foundation of friendship and camaraderie that inspires them. It is the best part. In fact, it is the true heart of the matter. “I think the beauty of it is the freedom and friendship we have — it’s all helping us individually,” Lafser says. “I’m working on a

record, too, so the timing of it is very nice. “We wrote this song together called ‘Bermuda Triangle’ and there’s a line in there about how we were in a past life together — we were soldiers. That song is us.” Mancari has a new record, Good Woman, due out in October. Lafser’s record, Tomboy, is being mixed, with a release date yet to be determined. And of course, Alabama Shakes are the Alabama Shakes. But as a group, Bermuda Triangle is into discovery and

letting it unfold naturally. Collectively, they are trying to tap into something deeper than themselves, individually. “It feels that way,” Howard says. “The camaraderie. There’s an old understanding between all of us that I can’t really explain. There’s a kinship — a trust that’s kind of beyond … it seems inevitable. So we’re here now. In Nashville now — that’s just where we are now. That’s just where we met this time.” ♬

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ERIC ENGLAND photograph

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Q&A session

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{ Luella }

In a city full of exceptional vocalists, Luella sounds like no one else. She brings expressive, soulful, and sultry stylings to blues-derived original material featuring a variety of flavors from rock to jazz to gospel. The East Nashvillian recently chatted with Luella about her musical mojo. EN: You had a successful residency at The Family Wash with Crackerboots, your collaboration with Bill DeMain. How did Crackerboots come together? I was asked to be a part of a Bossa Nova gig at the old Family Wash location. I did a few Brazilian songs. Bill DeMain was there doing some songs as well. I introduced myself to Bill and asked if he wanted to get together to write sometime. We did, and we clicked so naturally. Since then, we have been on a writing roll. EN: The band has roots that run deep into the vernacular of vocal jazz. When, and how, were you first exposed to these musical idioms? I listened to jazz singers if my dad was playing it around the house, and sometimes in old movies — singers like Eartha Kitt, Doris Day, Billie Holiday, Ella (Fitzgerald), Anita O’ Day. However, I never listened very thoroughly to any of this stuff. It was always just there in the background somewhat, and I think subconsciously, and later consciously, it became another way for me to express myself as a singer and writer. Bill has his influences, too. Between the two of us, I don’t know. We just are what we are. EN: You move easily between a variety of musical styles. What led to you having such a broad musical palette? I like so many things. I just do what moves me in the moment. I love to rock. I love to sing pretty, too. Just doing whatever inspires me is the bottom line. Sometimes I’m inspired to wail with a feeling of wreckless abandon, and sometimes I’m shaping something more precise and in tune. Sometimes I’m being overly simple to give props to the basics. I just want whatever I do to come from an authentic place. If something doesn’t resonate with me, or if I don’t feel I can get a message across musically in a way that’s soulful and unique, I don’t do it. It has to be true or I don’t touch it. ... There’s a base to work from in all genres, but applying my own stamp to it is always my intention. Making it unique. — Chuck Allen

♫

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is the most powerful medicine

n the fall of 2011, Ariel Bui came to a crossroads in her life. After graduating from college, she had foregone her passion for music to spend nearly two years building and educating others about sustainable, green-friendly, self-sufficient homes in Baja, Mexico, and in the desert outside Taos, N.M. An impetuous marriage proposal brought her to Toronto, Canada, where she recognized her mistake immediately. Brokenhearted, frustrated, and busted, she headed south to her father’s house near Dallas to contemplate her next move. On the way, she took a detour. “My friend Dylan Ethier is a sound engineer, and I worked with him in college on my first album,” Bui says. “He was living in Nashville, so I stopped for a visit, and he threw a party for me to teach people about sustainable housing. There were all these musicians here, and I really liked the vibe. I didn’t think I could move to a city after living off the grid, but I really loved Nashville.” Six years after choosing the road to Nashville, Bui is a successful small business owner, a local radio personality, and a wellknown member of Nashville’s indie music scene, with her 2016 self-released album garnering praise from many national media outlets. Her accomplishments might be unexpected based upon first impressions. “For people who don’t know me well, I come off as super bubbly,” Bui says. “I kind of sound like a Valley Girl to some people, which I hate and really don’t understand. Someone from the Lonesome Highway blog asked me recently, ‘Your personality is so upbeat, but your music is so dark. Do you feel like music is your way of expressing things that you can’t express otherwise?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely!’ ” Much of the darkness found in Bui’s music was born from genuine trauma. Her family’s arrival in the U.S. began with the end of the Vietnam War. Her grandmother worked as a nurse in the U.S. Army Dispensary in Saigon, and with assistance from the U.S. Catholic Conference, she and her husband, along with their seven children, were given safe passage from the country just hours before the fall of

Music

Saigon to Communist forces. Bui’s mother experienced an even more harrowing escape in a small boat in the middle of the night. She was eventually rescued from the South China Sea by a U.S warship. Her parents met and married while attending college in Texas, but shortly after Bui’s birth, her mother was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Her mother’s mental health problems and the eventual divorce of her parents led to Bui and her brother being in constant upheaval, as they bounced from one extended family member to another. “It was a very traumatic childhood,” she says. “I went to five schools in one year. I witnessed violence and experienced sexual violence as a child. We ended up in foster care at one point. My brother and I were separated for a few years. By the time I was in seventh grade, I had tried to commit suicide. There were so many hard times; if it wasn’t for music we’d be dead. When there were fights or arguments in the house, my brother and I would just listen to music.” By the time Bui was in high school, her life found some stability. Settling in Brevard County, Florida, with her father, she lived a dual existence throughout her high school years and into college — ambitious honor student by day and indie rock musician by night. “I’d tell my dad I was having a slumber party at a friend’s house, and I’d be in a van with the band, doing my homework on my way to a gig,” she says. “That’s when I learned to write songs, perform live, record an album, book and promote shows, and do everything DIY.” After graduating from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., with a music degree in voice and piano, Bui’s career took a hard left turn into environmental activism — an adventure that eventually led to a chance detour and the rebirth of her music career. Although her move to Nashville put her back on a musical path, she never expected overnight success. Instead, she set her sights on proving the adage that Nashville is a “five-year town.” In 2012, Bui cofounded Melodia Studio as a co-op, teaching piano and other

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instruments, which she operates from her home in Germantown. She also began working with Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!), teaching empowerment and teamwork through music at the Southern Girls Rock Camps and the Tennessee Teens Rock Camps. In June 2016, she debuted on the Nashville airwaves via the community-based, freeform radio station WXNA-FM. Her Monday morning show, Hello Hooray, provides a showcase for local community activists and causes. Bui also quickly plugged herself into the local indie rock and DIY music scene. “It was Jem Cohen and Jeff Pettit from Fond Object that helped me get started in Nashville,” she says. “I started playing shows at Fond Object, and they really heard more than the Americana side of what I was doing. Jem said to me once, ‘You’re weird and dark, Ariel, embrace it.’ Performing at Fond Object really made me feel like I could be myself and be appreciated for all of the experience I had.” The connections Bui made through the local indie scene eventually led to the recording and release of her 2016 self-titled album. Produced, engineered, and mixed by Andrija Tokic at The Bomb Shelter studio in East Nashville, the record is a showcase for her dark and witty slices of impressionistic autobiography, along with her chameleon-like ability to shift between pop genres — transforming effortlessly from forlorn Americana to smoky rock eclecticism at will. “My life feels surreal to me now because everything I came here to do is happening,” Bui says. “My music is my ultimate activism. I’m not singing overtly political songs, but I see creating music as a way of paying it forward. “From the biggest artists to the local bands that only lasted for two weeks before they broke up, they all worked really hard to get their music to my ears, and in my darkest hours, music was the only thing I had,” she continues. “I constantly remind myself the reason why I work so hard is because music is a healing thing. It’s healing for me to create it and hopefully, it’s healing for other people to hear it.”

♬

Photograph by Eric England

L E I R A I BU Y FO D N A R BY

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‘Nothing’s really changed about being fair’

’ve been divorced, broke, and didn’t know what to do,” Angaleena Presley says without pity one not-quite rainy morning at The Post East on Fatherland. “I’ve stared that down, thought, ‘Well, I could just knock that iron over, burn it all down, and catch the house on fire.’ ” She smiles. People are scattered about, drinking coffee, exchanging details of their lives. The raven-haired woman delivers the above with the same intensity as the people talking about dinner, or what they watched on Netflix. “Songs save my life all the time, both hearing them and writing them,” she continues. “So, I wrote ‘Housewife’s Prayer,’ and I just kept going.” “Prayer” was on the Pistol Annie’s 2011 platinum Hell on Heels. The Annies are Presley’s trio with Miranda Lambert and Ashley Monroe, both equally known for their brazen artistic convictions. Presley, who opted to stay DIY for her debut, American Middle Class, and her recent release, Wrangled, believes those convictions come with a strong sense of responsibility. To the fans.

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To the truth. To herself. The Bette Page-evoking woman, raised in Beauty, Ky., has seen enough private jets and all night van hauls to understand the wages of music. It’s not for glamour, fame, or money; you can only do it to find a reason to believe, or hang on. “What I do is open doors and make it OK to start conversations about hard things,” she explains. “You know, ‘My son’s on pills,’ ‘My daughter’s a meth whore.’ Because it happens and ‘it’s a shame.’ But it’s not a shame, it’s life.” Presley shies away from nothing. The child of a coal miner and a schoolteacher, she was raised to be pretty and popular, but found herself gravitating to the punks and outliers when her teenage creative bent hit. Whip smart, Presley paid attention in that tiny town. The characters she saw turned into songs. Be it the seducing preacher of the slinky “Only Blood,” the failed gold digger of “Mama I Tried,” the fed-up white trash on the jack-hammering “Country,” or the pregnant teen barely holding it together in “High School,” Presley

electrocutes the conflict and tears open the shame. “I’m 40; I’ve got nothing to lose,” she concedes of her production decisions. “I’ve been in every nook and cranny of this business, and I want to be in this business the way that I am. You’ve got three minutes to change someone’s mood or life. I try not to pigeonhole myself; I want (Wrangled) to be music someone at Berklee (College of Music) would listen to, or my father sitting on the front porch, eating squirrel gravy.” It’s certainly music outlaws and legends can agree on. Rapper Yelawolf freestyles on “Country,” the late Guy Clark does a recitation at the top of “Cheer Up Little Darling,” and rockabilly siren Wanda Jackson cowrites the rural noir post-hook-up anthem “Good Girl Down.” “It’s interesting to hear her perspective of when she came up,” Presley says of Jackson. “What stands out is nothing’s really changed about being fair. Here’s a woman who changed everything, who dated Elvis, and she’s still going! When we wrote, she was all done up; she apologized for being late, saying ‘I took a little tumble coming off the plane.’ “Up close, you could see, she’d really had a fall. When I suggested maybe we postpone, she said, ‘You can’t keep a good girl down,’ ... and I knew: We had to write that.” Songs are where she finds them, just like work tapes feature drum parts banged out on a skillet or a pill bottle for shaker. From the ground up, she wants something less polished and more organic. “There’s a vision and sounds I have in my head, and that’s what I’m going to get,” she explains. “When we started mixing, I said, ‘I want this mixed like a Tom Petty record.’ When the mixes came in, there was a guitar way over there (on the left), and there was steel over there (the far left of the sonic palette).” Mention the prickly observations, the truculent humor, or the tart twang to many of the guitars, or the female gauntlet she runs through the good girl tropes, Presley nods. Not a crusader, she’s just trying to level the playing field. “This isn’t about girl power, but everyone having a fair chance,” she says. “I want a world where some girl can wake up and still be Loretta Lynn. There are dudes in my hometown, and [what’s on country radio], those are their anthems. I wouldn’t take that away from them for anything. But the girls in those towns need anthems, truths, songs they can live in. Where are they going to get them?”

♬

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Photograph by Eric England

A N E E L A G N Y A E L S E PR GLEA Y L L O H Y B

SON

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

The artistic search for transformation

hen Ohio-born Megan Palmer began writing songs in earnest somewhere around 2004, she was a violinist gigging with Ontario-based Luther Wright & the Wrongs, known for their bluegrass reworking of Pink Floyd’s The Wall. This exercise in genre twisting serves as well as any to hint at the range of stylistic territory spanned in Palmer’s own music, which straddles the Americana and adult alternative radio formats while drawing from an even wider-ranging palette of influences that she blurs into original hues. Her voice, attractively austere and affectation-free, is nonetheless versatile enough to suit the varied styles housing her intelligent lyrics and deft melodies. Her 2006 debut, Forget Me Not, showed signs of a blooming individuality and a knack for expression that belied her fledgling songwriter status; the experiences that have since

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unfolded along her self-confessed “rambling road,” though, have both weathered and honed her as a writer. “It’s sort of like a lifelong process to find out what your own sound is,” Palmer says. “It’s an ongoing self-discovery. You’re going to find things inside of you that you didn’t even know were there.” Musical matters aside, Palmer discovered a mettle she wasn’t aware was there after an X-ray found something unexpected inside her: breast cancer. The diagnosis arrived in doubly disheartening tandem with the June 2016 release of her fifth (and first Nashville-recorded) album, What She’s Got to Give, scuttling plans for a string of summer shows. Palmer filled the advance orders, played two release shows, and pulled the plug on everything for about a year. Now gratefully cancer-free and back in action, Palmer — who’s also a part-time nurse — says that being forced to switch caregiver and patient roles “tweaked something in my writing. Instead of writing about how everybody was annoying

me, I wanted to write about, you know, what it’s like to be vulnerable.” This new development will doubtlessly flavor her next album — the wistful, as-yet-unreleased “Stetson” chronicles the inevitable hair loss of cancer treatment and poetically imagines “a ‘perfect’ hat as a way to keep me in my body, perhaps more metaphysically than physically,” she explains. But even before turning a personal corner and still prone to writing about her aggravations, Palmer was writing therapeutically and, to an extent, vulnerably. Moving to Nashville in 2013 after a soul-sucking five-year stint in Brooklyn, N.Y., she caught a badly needed second wind, rapidly resulting in What She’s Got to Give’s title cut, a declaration of renewed purpose that simultaneously addresses her family members’ struggles to understand her unorthodox path. “The title track I wrote literally the week I moved to Nashville,” Palmer begins. “There was just something about this place. ... I let out a sigh of relief when I got here. It had a lot to do with being near the river, and hearing birds, and just feeling like there’s a little bit more nature around me, even though I’m in a city. “And there’s a lot of like-minded people in Nashville that are working hard to write and they want to share their music, and there’s a place for it,” she continues. “Whereas in New York, you just get lost in the shuffle. So that song to me is the cusp of me reclaiming myself as a writer.” The local music community, she says, provided a feeling of belonging, but also posed the challenge of facing the city’s outrageously high level of talent, stirring up the nagging self-doubt so familiar among artists. It’s a thread loosely woven throughout her current album, particularly on “Jealous Mind,” written “in response to feeling like maybe everyone’s passing me by,” Palmer explains. “You look to the left and your friend gets a record deal, and everyone’s getting their opportunity. Sometimes instead of being happy for them, you’re kind of jealous of them.” While attending a Shovels & Rope show, a kind of epiphany came to her. “I realized they were inspiring me and making me want to be better at what I did,” she recalls. “I’m learning to convert [jealousy] into inspiration, and that’s really healing for me.” For Palmer — a longtime caregiver whose artistic search for transformation offers curative messages for kindred spirits — healing is clearly part of what she’s got to give.

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Photograph by Eric England

N A G E M R E M L PA MOR E V E T S BY

LEY

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Dressed to thrill (L-R) The Mavericksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jerry Dale McFadden, Eddie Perez, Paul Deakin, and Raul Malo with their trusted wrangler and keeper of the vibe, Shilah Morrow. Makeup: Genie Freeman

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RINGMASTER Shilah Morrow keeps The Mavericks whipped into shape Randy Fox by

photograph by

TRAVIS COMMEAU

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‘‘W

hen I was 7 years old, my mom took me to Roger McGuinn’s house for his birthday party,” Shilah Morrow says, sitting in the offices of Mono Mundo Records. The room is scattered with records, merchandise, and memorabilia of the cosmopolitan country band The Mavericks, but Morrow isn’t focused on her present employers as she continues the tale from childhood. “In retrospect, that party was mind-blowing,” she says. “Bob Dylan was there. Kristofferson was there, and everyone was just sitting around playing music. It was just a big party for all these people who were part of the Southern California music scene in the early ’70s, but they were my mom’s friends. I didn’t care about them. Where was I? Roger had a room dedicated to his pet ferrets. All I wanted to do was eat cake and hang out with the ferrets. It wasn’t like that every day, but I guess you could say I had an extraordinary childhood.” Morrow laughs at that bit of understatement. It’s a hearty, vivacious laugh that fills the room, perfectly matching her personality. Throughout her life, Morrow has been at the locus of music scenes. Whether in Los Angeles, Austin, or Nashville, she’s been drawn to and found herself surrounded by musicians, working in almost every aspect of the music business. Now she’s taken up the reins as “chief wrangler” of The Mavericks, comanaging the group’s business affairs and their label, Mono Mundo Records. It’s the perfect job for someone who has survived the slings and arrows of the music biz with a smile on her face and a hearty laugh. Or as Morrow would put it, “It’s all about surviving the dream!” Morrow grew up in the sun and psychedelic scene of Los Angeles in the late ’60s and early ’70s. Her mother, Heather Woodruff, was a Miss California, actress, and singer. As a contract player for Screen Gems, Woodruff appeared in small parts on Petticoat Junction, Bewitched, and The Monkees, along with scores of other TV shows and commercials. A singer and autoharp player, she also was a fixture of the Southern California country rock scene. “My mom met my real father while she was performing in Vietnam with the USO,” Morrow says. “As a single mother she took me along with her everywhere. I grew up hanging out on sets and backstage at

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

concerts. Mom ran with some amazingly talented people. She knew Gram Parsons really well; I grew up with Polly, Gram’s daughter, and I was the flower girl at Dickie Betts’ wedding when I was 7. There’s been a Cosmic American Music thread to my entire life.” Although show business was in Morrow’s blood, it never manifested in a desire to perform. “People would ask me if I wanted to be an actor or singer like my mom,” Morrow says. “I would say, ‘No!’ I was fascinated by the people behind the scenes. I wanted to be the person pulling everything together. By the time I was 12 or 13, I decided I wanted to be a sound engineer.” After graduating from high school, she attended a two-year program at a sound engineering school where she was the youngest student and the only woman. “My teachers advised me to pursue being a producer instead of an engineer because of my social nature,” Morrow says. “I also realized I could hire a much better engineer than I would ever be, but it was a great experience because I learned to speak the language of recording.” While still in school, Morrow began working for Warner Music in the company’s LA warehouse, picking and shipping records, CDs, and cassettes. Working her way up the ladder over the next 15 years, she learned about music retailing, distribution, and marketing, eventually becoming national product development coordinator for the Atlantic group of labels. As a music fan in the 1980s, Morrow had leaned toward the twangier side of punk through such bands as X, Lone Justice, Blood on the Saddle, and The Gun Club. As that style transitioned into “alt-country” in the early ’90s, she worked with bands like the Bottle Rockets, Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, and others, strengthening the bond between the music of her childhood and her teens. “I worked a lot of records that pretty much blew my skirt up, and one of them was Jim Lauderdale’s Pretty Close to the Truth,” Morrow says. “When people ask me how I eventually got to Nashville, I like to say all roads lead back to Lauderdale. He fully brought me back into the music that I grew up hearing.” In 1995, she joined Giant Records as head of sales, a position that led to a short stint in New York City. When she moved back to LA, she discovered that a fixture of the Southern California country and rock scene had met its demise. “While I was living in New York, The Palomino shut down in LA,” Morrow says. “It was heartbreaking. I started promoting a monthly showcase called “Sweethearts of the Rodeo” as a way to promote the

➦ type of music The Palomino had booked and get my creative ya-ya’s out. It was also a way to build musical relationships beyond the record labels. I could see where things were heading with the record business, and at some point I said, ‘I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in the record business, but I’ll always be in the music business.’ ” That prediction proved correct when Giant Records merged with Warner Music in 2000, leaving Morrow out of a regular job, but with plenty of other musical irons in the fire. Over the next seven years, Morrow became a master of the gig economy before the term was invented, working for independent labels, music publishers, and more, while promoting showcases and festivals. She also became a regular traveler to Nashville, promoting the annual “Sin City Social Club” showcase during AmericanaFest week. In 2007, she relocated to Austin. “I didn’t run from LA; I ran to Austin,” Morrow says. “LA had become too expensive on an independent creative salary. I really connected with Austin musically, and Polly Parsons and a few other girlfriends all joined me there within six months of each other. I loved it because it was a music town, but not a music industry town, but it eventually got really difficult to Scotch tape together a living there, too.” A move to Shreveport, La., in 2015 to manage singer-songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s business affairs didn’t turn out as expected. “The musicologist in me was excited, but I ended up hating Shreveport,” Morrow says. “I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to Austin or LA, or I could go to Nashville and start a new adventure. I knew all these people in Nashville — Jim Lauderdale, Todd Ohlhauser, Ken Coomer, Keith Gattis, Mike Grimes. I finally decided to try it, and it was a soft, beautiful landing. People had seen me so many times over the years; they would say, ‘We’re so glad you moved back to Nashville,’ and I had never lived here!” Although she was still working for Shepherd long distance, she soon received an offer she couldn’t refuse from one of those old Nashville friends. “I had been here just a few months when Raul Malo called me up and invited me to lunch. We met at Marché and were catching up as friends do. He told me The Mavericks had cut ties with their management company, and he thought I would be a great fit to help them manage themselves.” After meeting with the other Mavericks, most of whom Morrow knew through her various musical adventures over the years, she became the official chief wrangler working to keep all the various aspects of The Mavericks’ business galloping along — their record label Mono Mundo, live bookings, tour merchandise, music publishing, and more.

“I stand in the middle and get the people we work with the tools they need to do their jobs,” Morrow says. “It’s phenomenal to be able to work with people who are truly your friends and se, lea ble allies and to know that e r a t l tes vai ndo we all have each other’s u s. ’ la is a cks ay, no M ding i r best interests at heart.” ve w D Mo cor com a e e . R on eM N nd The business philosophy Th rand now ba s k B ric of Mono Mundo and Morrow’s ave em h t management style is embodied in the office space for the label and associated business. Housed in the Edwardian office building on Eighth Avenue South, also home to Grimey’s records and indie free-form radio station WXNA, it’s a casual space with comfortable and stylish mid-century modern furniture, her faithful “chug,” Chica (a Chihuahua/pug mix), and no desk — just a simple table with chairs. When you meet with Morrow, whether it’s business or casual, she’s not talking at you, you’re sitting down to chat with a friend. “I love being in Nashville,” Morrow says. “To me Nashville is all the people I’ve met on this adventure. I live in East Nashville and many of the neighbors I’ve met have become my best friends.” Across the hall from Mono Mondo’s office, a young band has been blasting the rawk, on a live appearance in WXNA’s studio. With crunching guitars and pounding drum beats, it’s the type of distraction that would annoy many business people and prompt complaints to the landlord. The band finishes playing and starts loading out their gear. Morrow heads for the hallway. “You guys were great,” Morrow says, as Chica follows her into the hallway, also ready to meet new friends. “What’s your band’s name? Where are you playing?” Making friends and building musical relationships, it’s just standard operating procedure when you’re surviving the dream. ♬ Once again, Sin City and Guitartown present a not-to-be-missed evening of music benefitting the Americana Music Association. This year’s lineup features The Mavericks, Chuck Mead, Cafe Rooster Records, and Whiskey Wolves of the West. Tuesday, Sept.12, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at The Basement East

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

KILLIN’ IT WITH ATTITUDE Queens

of Noise

Queens of Noise are (L-R): Zoë Dominguez, Gwen Holley, Lola Petillo (in front), Kyra Cannon, and Robin August.

RANDY FOX

n a Wednesday night in the cramped basement of an East Nashville home, Queens of Noise are enthusiastically rehearsing for their biggest gig yet — the 2017 Tomato Art Fest. Running through a cover of the Runaways’ “You Drive Me Wild,” guitarist Gwen Holley struggles a bit with the solo. Holley runs through it again while fellow guitarist Robin-August Fritsch, vocalist Zoë Dominguez, bass player Kyra Cannon, and drummer Lola Petillo

photograph by

offer encouragement. After several tries, Holley clearly grows frustrated. Following a time-honored rock & roll tradition, the drummer is the first to grow impatient with the guitar player’s quest for perfection. “Let’s just play ‘Queens of Noise,’ ” Petillo says from behind her drum kit, emphasizing her impatience with a few quick, light taps on the snare drum. Meanwhile, Fritsch isn’t ready to give up on the song. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it,” she says to →

CHUCK ALLEN September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

September 30th 2017 at Nossi College of Art $15 pre-order or $20 at the door. Lunch included with ticket price. artcampnashville.com @artcampsocial @artcampnash Artists teaching Artists. More than 20 breakout sessions including presentations from visual and performance artists, makers, appreciators and educators.

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

Holley. “Even the Runaways kinda sucked sometimes. But they always killed it because they had attitude.” Queens of Noise have an ample supply of attitude. Formed less than a year ago, the glam-punk quintet of four 14-year-olds and one 12-year-old (Petillo) are still accumulating experience, but have already demonstrated their charm, enthusiasm, and DIY punk ethic across a handful of gigs. As with the story of many rock bands, the path for Queens of Noise began with their exposure to RAWK followed by a declaration of, “I gotta do that!” In Fritsch’s case, her “I Love Rock ’n Roll” gene was activated by a Joan Jett concert. “I went to see Joan live, and it was like, ‘Why did I not know who she was!’ ” Fritsch says. “So I stayed up ’til four in the morning looking up stuff about her on the internet. Then I found out she was in a band called the Runaways. I watched the documentary and the movie about the Runaways all in one night.” Formed in 1975, the Runaways were the first all-female teenage rock band to combine the sounds of heavy metal and punk. They were dismissed at the time as “manufactured rock & roll” thanks to a combination of the overly hyped bad-girl image promoted by their notorious manager, Kim Foley, and hoary cries of “girls can’t play rock & roll!” Despite the musical misogyny, they inspired generations of young women who rejected prim and proper to run with the loud crowd. Although Fritsch’s initial idea was to recruit a group of friends to dress as the Runaways for Halloween, the jump to a full-fledged band didn’t take long once she introduced some of her musically inclined friends to the group’s music. As a veteran actor, singer, and performer — including roles in plays, independent films, and episodes of the Nashville TV series — Fritsch was used to the spotlight. The same was true for Dominguez, who had appeared in local theatrical productions, and Cannon, who had performed with her parents, Nashville musicians Chuck Cannon and Lari White. Holley, a longtime friend of Fritsch, lacked stage experience, but had been playing guitar for years. A Facebook search led them to Petillo, who, like Fritsch, Holley, and Cannon, was an alumnus of the Southern Girls Rock Camp. A pair of gigs near the first of the year led to high-profile bookings at Fond Object, Grimey’s, and The Family Wash. Along the way they expanded their repertoire to include songs from Bikini Kill, Fleming & John, and Those Darlins, specifically the song “Ain’t Afraid,” a special tribute to Those Darlins member and cancer fighter Jesse Zazzu, founder of the Ain’t Afraid Scholarship for Southern Girls Rock Camp. On a muggy Saturday afternoon three days

later, Queens of Noise take the main stage at Tomato Art Fest. As their set nears its conclusion, the band launches into their original song “2016.” Written by Dominguez and Fritsch, it’s proof that the new generation of riot grrrls has reported for duty. But the thing that takes the cake, The thing that makes us all break, Is the demagogue, racist, Islamophobe, misogynist. The tiny handed Twitter user

Pumpkin colored wife abuser. I won’t dare speak his name, But you know who I’m talking ’bout all the same. There are a few moments of missed notes, but technical perfections don’t matter to the mass of teenage girls crowded close to the stage in rock & roll adoration, nor to the adults further back, soaking up the regal noise thrown down by five girls busy killin’ it with attitude to burn. ♪

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

THERE ARE NO ‘NO’S’ in

~mmhmm~ by

BRITTNEY MCKENNA

photograph by

CHUCK ALLEN

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

Special thanks to Karen Whitford for providing the horses and Christy Walls for providing the location.

“W

e decided to start a band together because we look alike,” Raelyn Nelson says and laughs, calling from band rehearsal in Nashville. Nelson, a Nashville-based artist and the granddaughter of Willie, is talking about her latest project, mmhmm, a duo she started with lookalike and fellow local musician Hannah Fairlight. Playing together since just December 2016, the duo is already poised to be one of the breakout stories of the year — they may not have music out yet, but their spirited live shows have earned them a local following and the support of tastemakers like roots radio station WMOT. Nelson and Fairlight are musical yin and yang, but mmhmm started with a mix-up. “We had mutual friends, and that’s how we met,” Nelson explains. “We were hanging out in the same circles, and people started confusing us for each other a lot. I would go to the bathroom even, and Hannah would come back and someone would be like, ‘So-and-so says to tell your grandpa hi.’ ” While mmhmm has played venues like The Basement and City Winery and events like WMOT’s solar eclipse viewing party, they don’t yet have recorded material out in the world. As they explain, though, that’ll change soon enough, as the pair hopes to get an already in progress debut album released — ideally with a record label partner — by December of this year. “We are recording a full album with Brad Jones,” Fairlight says. “We have two songs finished, and we just did four more. We’ll probably be finished by October. We plan to release it by Christmas.” “Yeah, our goal is to get all of that done within a year of us starting the band,” Nelson adds. “We started in mid-December last year so we thought it would be really cool if we got it out in a year, if we could do an album a year.” Though Nelson and Fairlight have different musical backgrounds — Nelson plays left-of-center country rock with Raelyn Nelson Band, while Fairlight cut her teeth on rock & roll and reality television — they quickly found more to bond over than their similar appearances. “We meet in the middle over bands like the Runaways and Joan Jett,” Fairlight explains. “And some outlaw country. I like a little of that, too. But I’d say Raelyn has more of a country background and I have more of a rock/alternative background. We come together there, and the songs just happen really naturally.” The two artists also share similar ideologies and aren’t afraid to get political in their songwriting. In early August, they headlined an educational benefit at City Winery for the Tennessee Cannabis Coalition, a statewide cannabis advocacy organization for which Nelson sits on the board. Both she and Fairlight hinted that politics — “girl power, feminism, animal rights, environmental rights, cannabis rights,” as they put it — would play a role on mmhmm’s debut LP. “We went to the Women’s March in D.C. and marched and wore our chaps,” Fairlight says. “Raelyn brought a ukulele, and I brought an accordion, and we sang ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun(demental Rights).’ That’s been a special part of our band. I feel like we are politically charged.” Nelson and Fairlight are serious musicians tackling serious subjects, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a good time, too, as anyone who’s caught one of their banter-filled live sets can attest. (“We’ve been called a modern-day Hee Haw,” Nelson says with a laugh.) Their debut album, then, is sure to mix thoughtful observations and playful levity in good measure. So what’s mmhmm all about? Nelson sums up the band’s philosophy pretty well: “There are no ‘no’s’ in mmhmm.” ♫

Hannah Fairlight (L) rides Charlie, while her dopplegĂ¤nger Raelyn Nelson rides alongside atop Smokey.

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

ON AIR with

Heather Lose

hank of wavy bronze hair falls across Heather Lose’s face, but even in the falling darkness of her living room at dusk, you can’t miss the blaze in her eyes. The photographer (an award-winning series capturing fireworks stands), instigator (trying to save WRVU), art director (most recently Nashville Scene), radio originator (WXNA, after losing the battle for WRVU), and rock & roll girl is talking “the scene,” when Elliston’s Rock Block and Cantrell’s were raging, The Metro covered all the local bands, and Lose was clawing her way through Hillwood High after stops at St. Cecelia and Franklin Road Academy. 56

photograph by

HOLLY GLEASON

“They’d say, ‘You’re such an artist’,” she musters, all these years later. “It was not a compliment. My mom made our clothes. My dad was starting a business, but they felt it was so important for us to get that early education.” Lose got one, all right. Maybe not in the conventional 3 R’s and four-wall sense, but between sneaking into clubs, being where the bands were, and excelling at “commercial art” classes, the young woman emerging was able to insinuate herself into a Nashville scene that was bubbling with the White Animals, The Royal Court of China, Walk the West, In Pursuit, Bill Lloyd, and the Questionnaires. “There isn’t that much difference between

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

ERIC ENGLAND

a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old girl,” she says with a shrugs and laughs. “And if you were a high school girl, and you couldn’t get into Cantrell’s, there was always a frat party at Vanderbilt to go to.” Invoking a pair of trinities — the record store, the how pop shop, and se’s s from o L r he rs the game zone, Heat ipster ai on H and Rock iday r g F n i y r g e A v 106, WKDF, .m. e 5 FM 5-7 p NA 101. and 91 Rock WX (WRVU) — the good-spirited girl who couldn’t

speak in class found a cartography for her life. “91 Rock was a cry in the dark,” she explains. “It wasn’t in your face the way the more mainstream stations were. You heard Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, Replacements. It was all, ‘REALLY?! What was that?’ ” If she lived on a diet of Circus, CREEM, TigerBeat “when I was young,” and Rolling Stone, it wasn’t long until she went pro. Working for Gus Palas at The Metro, where “all kinds of Bohemian people were passing through,” Lose found her calling. She also found her first adult foothold. “I was living there, because there was a shower upstairs,” she recalls. “I was writing for them, laying it out, occasionally taking pictures. It gave this quiet kid who’d cry when the teacher called on her a place in the scene. I loved it.” In 1986, Lose got a paste-up job at the Nashville Scene, as well as hosting the Local Show on Rebel 100. Within three years, she’d worked her way up to art director. On fire with the music, she wanted more. It wasn’t long until the 20-something took off for LA with a buddy who’d sold ads. Arriving in the City of Angels like so many dreamers, they got an apartment at the corner of Fountain and Orange where the Hollywood shadows tentacled toward new kids from the flyover. Within days, armed with her Scene portfolio, she had a job. “I didn’t have a bed; I was sleeping on a camping pad — and driving over Laurel Canyon to work and back every day,” she says, beaming. “Waking up in the morning, you’d smell pavement. They were always paving. But HITS was music, musicmusicmusic. They were bringing in X, bands I’d never heard of, Tina Turner. You just never knew. “And the art room was filled with everything: Raheem the Vigilante, Fine Young Cannibals, hard industrial music. We even had a Deadhead from Virginia. The music all mixed and flowed.” HITS — with its marketing function and Global Satellite Radio partnership — was the insiders’ trade magazine. “Like taking the back off a clock and seeing how the gears worked, the bells chimed, I learned how promotion worked, why publicity’s different,” she says. “It was intense, and there was music.” A rough-and-tumble place, founder Dennis Laventhal learned Lose’ name when she forged credentials — for the entire staff — to the Radio & Records convention in Universal City. Laughing, she remembers, “When he saw them, he wanted to know who was responsible. And when they brought me to him, turns out I wasn’t in trouble, he wanted to compliment my work.” That irrepressibility was contagious. When her roommate got a job at Chameleon Records doing promotion, it wasn’t long until

Lose was interviewing to be noted producer/ engineer Chuck Plotkin’s assistant. With her hair in corn rows — “I’d gotten a bonus, and that’s’ what I did” — she talked Camper Van Beethoven, X, and Red Hot Chili Peppers with the A&R chief, and was hired. “It wasn’t an assistant’s job,” she explains. “But that was all that was in the budget.” Suddenly the girl who loved music was sitting at the Roxy, talking to songwriters and finding artists like Dan Bern, Rage Against

the Machine, Ethyl Meatplow, Kyuss. “I was filing session reports, keeping things together as a project manager, the not sexy part of it.” In her heart, though, Lose remained a Nashville girl. Successful and poised to ascend, things turned dark. “Magic Johnson got sick, the riots happened, and three people we know and loved from HITS dropped dead, 1, 2, 3,” she recalls. Lose came home for Thanksgiving in ’93, went to the Gold Rush and realized, →

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

“What the hell am I doing in LA?” The path is well-trod. Many go West, they always come home. Lose’s home, with the giant back window looking out on a sprawling woods filled with foxes, deer, and other fauna, is filled with art. Found art, folk art, her husband John Reed’s art, and her own photos and paintings. With a BFA degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a master’s in professional media practices from the Journalism

Department at Southern Illinois University, Lose is skilled at evoking emotions, narrowing focus, and creating visual content that defines her subject. It’s everywhere you look. Since arriving back in Nashville — and moving from Lightning 100 to Thunder 94 as music director — she has been a relentless member of the creative and music communities. She has taught classes at Watkins, The Art Institute of Tennessee, learned Illustrator, Quark, and Photoshop, “moving

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

from the X-Acto knife and waxer to modern technology.” During her time abroad getting her master’s, she worked for high-profile photographer Sandro Miller in Chicago and community radio in Cairo, Ill. Located in a corn field in a small college town, WDBX was the home of Lose’s Honky Tonk Jukebox, a mix of classic country, new stuff from Todd Snider and Tommy Womack, along with X, Social Distortion, and other punk bands for a true mix up. “That’s where my passion for community radio really comes from,” she offers. “I’d come down to Grimeys, get some delights for the ears of Cairo — and one day, I realized I’m turning a community on. The college kids come and go, but people in Carbondale have been on the air there for years. It’s all about their passion.” That passion carried Lose, who realized a civic vision through the Community Darkroom, to getting active in filling the RVU gap. “My understanding is (the school) thought radio was a tired media and teaching kids radio wasn’t a good career path,” she says. “But I think you learn so much more when you host and create your own show, things that aren’t soft skills: poise, time management, taste, the reason you’re making decisions.” Upon learning the FCC was creating a window for low power FM frequencies, she was among the core group who spearheaded the drive. “I have learned so much about paperwork, about construction permits, having a board within 10 miles of the location,” she says. “We raised the money, found the place, got the gear, hired an engineer. “We were called the Magnificent 7,” she continues. “Once we were on the air, it went from seven people with a dream to all these people who were on the air, volunteering, listening. All of them were part of the dream, too. And I think community radio really stands at the crossroads of people actually talking and connecting.” It is dark now. The woods are still. Like a cat, Lose stretches, takes a glass and stands. To her, it’s not heroic work, but continuing to grow from the young girl sneaking into shows and mimeographing fanzines. “Growing up in Nashville, I saw so many shows at Memorial Gym: the Pretenders, Iggy (Pop), the B52s. That’s part of the tradition, part of what RVU gave us. Laura Powers, one of (WXNA’s) cofounders, said it best, ‘Music is how you find your tribes.’ “We live in a musically astute town. It’s more than the business — and radio’s highest purpose is to serve a community. When you’re talking to everybody, you’re talking to nobody; when you’re talking your passion about artists, you’re creating a bond. That’s how I grew up here, and it’s why Nashville is in my bones.”♫

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

photograph by

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

CHUCK ALLEN

SHORT SETS

Cole Slivka

⎨by JOHN MCBRYDE⎬

ole Slivka has never posted anything in her life. Not a photo, not a meme, not a word of advice. If the gasps and shudders have subsided, let her explain. “I keep my life pretty simple, [and] I’m not on social media,” Slivka says on a recent evening from the green room at The Family Wash, where Slivka is scheduled to play with a hardworking bunch called the Carpetbaggers L615. “I kinda think someone has to balance out the narcissism — is it narcissistic to say that?” she asks with a laugh. “I feel like I’m from another era, and I don’t understand [the obsessions with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and such]. “I don’t think I’m that interesting, first of all, to be posting photos of myself nonstop and talking about my life. I also don’t understand having a conversation [on Facebook] with so many people at once, because if you were to take every one of those people who were on your page and have a conversation with them individually, you’d have all these very unique conversations.” As old-fashioned and quaint as Slivka’s take on social media may be, it can probably serve as a reflection of how she created and built an East Nashville listening vibe that is still reverberating after 15 years. Known as Short Sets, it’s a weekly songwriters night that got its start not long after Slivka met The Family Wash owner, Jamie Rubin. She had hosted similar nights at previous locations, but the name and consistent structure of the gig didn’t come along until it moved to The Wash in 2002. And though tweets and posts and shares are what feed today’s pipeline for upcoming shows throughout Nashville and beyond, Slivka likes to keep things organic. She’s all about word of mouth and spreading the message across the front porches and backyards of nearby neighbors. “I enjoy encouraging others to keep playing even though they may get discouraged [in the music business],” Slivka says. “Everybody shows up here wanting to be successful; they want to get things happening, make their living playing music, and it just doesn’t play out that way. I enjoy giving people a place to play to keep their spirits up. We have all different levels of notoriety and it’s a great place to come out and try new songs. No matter how your life plays out, music is so important and rewarding — for music’s sake, it’s good to keep playing. You don’t have to be making a living and reach fame.” As it happens, Slivka will be taking Shorts Sets to Vinyl Tap beginning Sept. 20. It will start on a schedule of every two weeks on Wednesdays “just to see how it goes and see if people are still interested,” Slivka says, but the format will otherwise remain the same. That means that Slivka will keep playing guitar and singing as a duet with her husband of 18 years, bass player Paul Slivka, while others will also take the stage for a few short sets on a bimonthly basis. And both Slivkas will continue performing at The Family Wash with the Carpetbaggers L615 lineup of Rubin, Pete Pulkrabel, Reeves Gabrels, Tyson Rogers, Goffrey Moore, and others from time to time. Though The Family Wash decided to part ways with Short Sets for another Tuesday night showcase, Rubin says the longtime arrangement with Slivka was just what the East Nashville music scene needed. “Cole is my sister, my spiritual other, and one of the most talented, beautiful singers and songwriters I know,” Rubin says as he joins others who have made it to the green room, where a sense of friends and neighbors fills the space. “Cole helped to orchestrate

what was going on in her own neighborhood. They’re all singers and songwriters and guitar players and fiddle players and drummers and bass players — everybody. There were also other people that lived in our neighborhood for some time.” Slivka’s creation of Short Sets can be traced, in a sense, to four years of realizing she isn’t all that compatible with today’s music industry. Slivka grew up in the Badlands of North Dakota, where music didn’t radiate much save for her father, a multitalented musician whose passion filtered down to only one of his seven children: Cole. “I’d play rhythm guitar, and Dad would be playing accordion one day, electric guitar another day, pedal steel — it was something different every day,” she says. “He’s a true lover of music. It’s all-consuming. So I got the bug from my father.” The bug was potent enough for her to move to Nashville when she was 18, attending Belmont University to get a degree in music business. While still in school, Slivka had the opportunity to travel with Kathy Mattea and sell T-shirts wherever the country artist was touring. She stresses how nice Mattea was, but the experience made Slivka understand the road wasn’t for her. “That was a pretty good education,” Slivka says, chuckling at the irony in the fact she never graduated. “I saw how the business really was and what it was really like to be the artist, and decided, ‘Mmm, no thank you.’ The road is so hard, even when you’re staying in nice hotels and you’re on a nice (tour bus). I’m essentially a homebody. I think since I had to deal with fans selling the T-shirts, I just saw what that was like and it wasn’t really my thing. The idolatry part of it really kind of bothered me a little bit.” Though Slivka’s road experience turned her away from the business of music, it only strengthened her passion for the soul of music. In fact, the seeds for Short Sets were planted when Slivka became “either the first or the second person to play Radio Cafe in 1993 or ’94,” she says, referring to the small club that more or less jumpstarted East Nashville’s live music scene. She later introduced a writers night of sorts at Jack’s Guitar Bar on Nolensville Road, and that lasted about a year until the joint’s closing night. “That was a fun night,” Slivka says. “I helped close it down with Keith Urban and Patty Griffin. They were friends of Jack (Sawyer).” Cole and Paul Slivka continued playing here and there, encouraging other East Nashville musicians to join in and help build the district’s reputation as an eclectic music scene. Cole recorded her one and only album, Neurotica, in 2000, though she is currently putting finishing touches on another one. When she isn’t playing music and rubbing elbows with others doing the same, Slivka enjoys her me time, evidenced by her desire to study different religions and to pause regularly to meditate. And then there’s her knitting, a hobby for the inward-leaning if ever there was one. “I started knitting when I was 8, I taught myself,” she says. “My parents thought it was so strange — they’d say, ‘Go outside and play, you can knit when you’re a grandmother.’ I’d say, ‘No, thank you, I like knitting now.’ I really enjoy it, I think, because it’s binary code, ones and zeroes. Everything you create is two stitches, and there are endless combinations.” Not unlike Short Sets — a stitch here, a stitch there, and a stage filled with endless combinations. ♪ September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

BRING it on

HOME Lilly Hiatt bares her soul on Trinity Lane

by Holly Gleason

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

Hiatt photographed by Chuck Allen in the backyard of Fond Object Records, August 2017. Vintage Ramones T-shirt courtesy Black Shag Vintage.

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

t’s breakfast time at The Nashville Biscuit House, and there isn’t a parking spot to be found. The scarred Formica tables inside the Gallatin Avenue tradition are filled with old school locals, the kind of people most might call “real” — moms with kids, working people getting a late start or an early coffee break. The energy bristles, and the conversation is its own buzz. Tucked at a two-top near the back, Lilly Hiatt’s boasting a 400-watt smile, black T-shirt floating over a whip-thin frame, a tumble of black mermaid mane that falls across her shoulders. With eyes that drink everything in, she lights up in greeting and offers thanks for meeting. It’s 8:30 a.m. on an early August morning. Anything but rock star hours, and Hiatt is effusive, waving the waitress over — and making suggestions. In some ways, the child of rock songwriter royalty; in another, just another East Nashville girl who’s part of the texture in the most creative part of 6-1-5. Trinity Lane, Hiatt’s latest from New West, is about to be released. After the critical response to Royal Blue, the media chores could feel like so much burdensome ponder, but the 33-year old songwriter/rocker seems to be a champagne cork on the water. Ebullient, seeking, funny; you’d never know talking to her that this is a breakup album. “There are no negative feelings,” she begins. “You move in with someone. You try to be a grown up. It doesn’t work out.” Not that it’s ever that simple. For Hiatt, Trinity Lane paints a buzzy guitar lashed and lacerated roots take on how breakups really go. “I get bored so I wanna get drunk,” she sings as the title track churns, “but I know how that goes/ So I ain’t gonna touch it/ I think my neighbors are sellin’ drugs, I know how that goes/I ain’t judging nothin.’…” It’s the little details that give these sketches their real. Suddenly, we can see the breakup apartment, the container for the post-fairytale fallout. With dignity, white knuckles, and fierce determination, Hiatt dug in. Writing, ruing, sorting. A survivor, as much pain as she might’ve been in, the spider monkey in her wasn’t giving in. “I knew I had a bunch of shit I had to deal with,” she says, shaking her head. “I left feeling really heartbroken. You get older, and your capacity for love gets deeper. So when it doesn’t work out, it leaves a bit of a scar. … Love can take a lot of forms, but it doesn’t mean a happy ending. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s not real. “But any form of rejection is painful. As humans, we’re not wired for it.” Aaron Lee Tasjan, fellow East Nashville musical force, toured — to excruciatingly small crowds — with Hiatt during “the inspiration”

for what became Trinity Lane. “It was a funny time,” Tasjan says. “She came to pick me up, and as I was putting my guitar in the car, my roommate came out with this letter that said we had two weeks to move — and she was dating this guy who played guitar in her band, and they were clearly having trouble. “So, I was losing my home, she was breaking up with this guy in her band, and we have these five-, 10-minute moments where we’d tell each other everything. In those limited amounts of time, the quality of information you exchange you’re really aware of.” Whether it’s the wide-open country tug of “So Much You Don’t Know,” the dreamy pop of “Sucker,” the walking invective ’n’ tortured noir blues “Everything I Had,” or the minor keyed Joy Division-evoking “The Night David Bowie Died” that recedes into a minimal drums and guitar confession, the musical colors swirl around this rumination on loss, but also a soul-examining and life-affirming consideration of a personal crossroads. Not one to blame, but also never shying from the truth, 20 songs emerged. “Two very strong-willed minds, fiery minds,” Hiatt admits. “I don’t take very well to being told what to do, even though the intention was benevolent — and came from a good place. You have to let me do my own thing. Plus, I was trying to be this perfect person, very put together, very organized. Probably put pressure on myself, I definitely lost sight of myself. “I’m a strong woman, with a strong mind,” she continues. “I’m not a vanilla ice cream cone; I’m a rainbow sherbet kind of girl. I’ll cook bacon at midnight; I’ll leave my books all over the house. I’m rough around the edges, and I’ll always be that way.” There’s no apology, but there’s also no challenge. She confesses, “There was a moment when I knew, ‘This isn’t gonna work, and I’ll write my best songs.’ ” There’s a definite tension to “The Night David Bowie Died”; beyond the way the music is so taut, there’s the desire to pick up the phone — which unravels everything about the person you’re refusing to call. Wide open vocals, she runs through so many other moments, regrets, wants, and veers between conversational and a gulping chorus that sweeps all the confessions over layers of synthesizers into the realization, “what we had wasn’t good enough.” “I hadn’t heard that (kind of arrangement) from her, then she surprises and delights,” Tasjan marvels. “From the first eight bars, you’re just trapped in the song. There’s a real clarity, where sonically, you get the clear sense of what’s going on — the instruments, but also the emotions. “So, you listen and you’re surrounded by all these little pieces dancing around each other. You can hear every part. But then when you listen to the whole, it kicks in. You’re transported.” Hiatt, who’s worked with Doug Lancio (Patty Griffin, Matthew Ryan, Todd Snider) and →

September 29

BOZ SCAGGS with Jeff LeBlanc

October 3

MUTEMATH with Colony House

100.1 fm

October 4 A NIGHT OF TEXAS AT THE RYMAN

AARON WATSON with Jon Wolfe, Mickey Guyton, Jim Collins and Leslie Satcher

October 6

ANDERSON COOPER & ANDY COHEN October 22

PJ MASKS LIVE! October 27 & 28

MOON TAXI

with Too Many Zooz .

100.1 fm

November 1

BEN FOLDS with Tall Heights

November 9

COURTNEY BARNETT & KURT VILE (AND THE SEA LICE) .

100.1 fm

December 3

THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA

14th Annual Christmas Rocks! Tour

January 24 & 25

JOHN MULANEY: KID GORGEOUS

September 28

PEPPA PIG LIVE! Peppa Pig’s Surprise

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

Adam Landry (Deer Tick, Rayland Baxter, Middle Brother), sought to — as she did with the writing — get out of her comfort zone. Enlisting Shovels & Rope’s Mike Trent, she went to Johns Island, S.C., to make Trinity Lane. If it seemed extreme — Hiatt is after all a true Nashville creative — the circumstances dictated a deeper kind of seeking. As she does when it really matters, Hiatt asked an expert: her father. “She was worried about going and getting something that didn’t work,” John Hiatt remembers. “Going all that way, and being stuck. I thought it’d be interesting at the very least, and she’d learn. Lilly’s never been precious, and she does rock, so what did she have to lose?” By jumping into the void, the young woman who’s decidedly band-driven came up with her most diverse and ambitious album yet. Fluid, she marks her bruised feelings with the roiling pop of “Records,” a true bromide of transformation and freedom that comes with listening to the music that saves you. Even when the ex drives by and the gut punches land, “desire doesn’t know it’s wrong.” Salvation is close. With a few acoustic chords, the song continues, “So I came home and put the record on/I heard the backbeat, I sank into the groove — and suddenly, I wasn’t worried about you/ I turned it up so loud, it buzzed my ears, but that’s alright ’cause I’m the only one here.” Like her father, she understands wringing out great truths against pop modalities. Just like that, Hiatt’s — and so many other people’s — bottom line emerges: “I’ll take lonely if it means free/It’s never how you thought it’d be.” Hiatt, in spite of her sunny disposition, is deep. She may be friendly, engaging, and understanding, but don’t write the guitarist with the delicate fingers off as an effervescent kewpie doll. A fan of Bob Dylan, Lightning Hopkins, Pearl Jam (“always”), Lucinda Williams, Howlin Wolf, Drive-By Truckers, it shows in her musical eclecticism. But there’s more to it. Always a seeker, the psychology major works to create deeper understandings of the events that shape her and the people around her, sometimes reckoning with the deepest stuff in her songs where the recordings whip listeners into a foam of delicious happiness.

wenty-seven years ago, during a visit to the Hiatt house, the gorgeous darkhaired child climbed up on a couch in a room filled with natural light, locked eyes with me and introduced herself. “My name’s Lilly.” Before I could offer my own, she took my hand and said, “My Mommy killed herself.” It was so guileless, so startling, I wanted to pick her up. She was living with wildly creative people who truly adored her, encouraged to think and learn. And yet. We had a conversation about pain and sorrow, letting go of precious things.

“It must’ve really hurt for her to leave you, because I know she had to really, really love you,” I offered. The serious 5- or 6-year-old listened, took it all in like she was 30 years older. Then she locked eyes again, smiled a little, said, “Do you wanna be friends?” That resilience is deceptive. Her talent makes her someone you know is special. Her wide-open heart pulls you in, makes you cherish her in ways few people in our lives ever resonate. Hiatt feels — much like Mary Chapin Carpenter — like the woman friend who understands everything, feels your pain, and knows just what to say. But Hiatt works complicated corners, comes from a life few of us understand. As Tasjan says, “I’ve been in bands with Sean Lennon, hung out with Lizzie Jagger, Theodora Richards, and Lilly is so unpretentious and down to earth. You’d never know. When I heard Royal Blue, I loved a bunch of the songs — and it never dawned on me she might be John Hiatt’s daughter, she’s so her own thing.” But she is. “Imposter,” a spaghetti Western of a song, explores the complicated truth of a rock-soul songwriter with his own complicated life. Weighing her father’s own doubts against how the mother she lost during her infancy influences who she is; it is the kind of talk so many parents and children never have. It is a song of questioning who we are as people, the weight of family dynamics, and how ultimately they square to fate. Unflinchingly intimate and wildly honest, “I wonder if we’d like each other, I wonder how I get so mad/Is that the same red temper that she had? There’s shame and there’s hard luck/ She gave me some tougher stuff.” It is mesmerizing. With a chorus that muses, “I can try to make it better, I can pray it don’t get worse/I can wish you will forget her, I can hope you break this curse … after what we both went through, I count on you,” the listener might think this is recriminatory or beseeching. But really it’s a prayer to the life that becomes a blessing and a benediction. “You are not an imposter, you’re the real thing/It’s the guiding light when I heard you sing/She’s never coming back/I think we both know that.” Hiatt doesn’t exploit the emotions, doesn’t wring this out for good measure. Shrugging her shoulder, she offers, “It’s hard to keep your head above water when you’re a sensitive little person. This (record) definitely did some deep digging: Why is this so hard to let go of ? Why am I so afraid of someone leaving me? The idea that everyone leaves, I mean, my mom left — so feeling deeper pains.” She pauses, for a moment. The questions raised in “Imposter” probably needed asking. We’ve all had those moments of doubt, but her details are literal. “It made me sad that she couldn’t find that strength for herself,” she explains of the mother she lost as a baby. → September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

“You wish you could turn it off sometimes. She couldn’t — and I don’t know that she believed it would. She was strong and sensitive and very artistic, intelligent, and sweet, but troubled.” In burrowing into her breakup songs, Lilly dug deeper. What emerged has an immediacy of emotions, a courage to face what’s there. Though she had no masterplan, she was determined to write her way through the pain that brought her to the ramshackle apartment fellow writer/artist Sara Potenza turned her onto. “She really isolated herself when she was writing these songs,” Tasjan remembers. “Seeing Lilly out was like seeing a white owl walking a unicorn. You just didn’t, then she emerged with this album.” “Writing isn’t always a comfortable process, but it’s invigorating, especially when I’m locked into something with my guitar,” Hiatt explains. “Sometimes I’m surprised by the words that come out; surprised like ‘Oh my God! That’s how I feel about that?’ “And the feeling that comes after is peaceful. That sense of ‘You got it out.’ ” Neither relief nor satisfaction, Hiatt finds grace. She recognizes the delivery in the process, and it fires her art. As her father says, “It’s more than a career. She’s a lifer. Lilly came out of her bedroom at 16, and we didn’t even know she sang. She did ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘Angel from Montgomery’ at her school talent show, blew us away. She’s been at it ever since. She has to write songs, and she’s had to have part-time jobs to keep herself going, but she keeps going.” Grit and tenacity underscore her utter cheerfulness. When the going gets rough, Lilly keeps going. During that tour with Tasjan, the singer remembers a night playing to 30 people in Covington, Ky., “clearly a retirement party with no interest in us,” and finding himself doubting his decisions. “I remember calling my mom, saying, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this?’ ” Tasjan says. “Maybe I should be doing something else: teaching, playing guitar for somebody else. I got off the phone, and watched Lilly sing her set with that same fearlessness she always has — to that same set of retirement people — and this Pippi Longstocking adventurer thing where she goes with the music is just fearless. She has this vibe onstage, how she stands, moves her one leg around. It’s very comforting.” Tasjan obviously stayed. But taking the long view of Hiatt, he sees her singularity. “The thing about Lilly: She’s creating her own place as an artist in a genre where those comparisons are so heavy and quickly made. Even Jason Isbell is being teed up to be the next John Prine. Her records and songs allow her to stand on her own, to just be Lilly. That’s a real trick!” Hiatt finds her father’s example valuable. “There’s this disbelief, because he’s my father,” she says. “He’s an icon of our generation, too, and he’s still here. Beyond the music, there’s

this reaffirming place when there’s no one to talk to about these things, but he can because he’s been there.” John Hiatt is a fan. “I admire her work,” he says. “She’s a great writer, and a really great guitar player. Her groove is very much a part of her work. ... You know, I might be opening for her one day.” ♬

}

Trinity Lane

Lilly Hiatt’s latest release on New West Records is available now on 12-inch vinyl at your local record shop and at:

lillyhiatt.com

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

➥

{Thelma and the Sleaze}

brief Harper

photograph by

CHUCK ALLEN

By Richard

ON AN AFTERNOON IN LATE JULY, Lauren “LG” Gilbert, lead singer and guitarist for the hard-rock outfit Thelma and the Sleaze, settles down on one of the sundry chairs in the backyard of Fond Object Records in Riverside Village to talk about her band.

LG’s eyes are alert, her tongue sharp, and her demeanor decidedly confident. “I hate it when people call us an ‘all-girl’ rock & roll band,” she says, “because first off, we as women invented that shit, and two, it’s demeaning. We rock harder than every little boy’s rock band out there now. I wish I got half as much attention as bands that work half as hard as me and sound half as good.” Decidedly confident, indeed. Growing up, music was a family affair for LG. Born in Kentucky, her family relocated to Iowa, where she got a serious rearing by her grandfather. “He bought me my first guitar and taught me how to play it and encouraged me to do so,” she explains. “He would play me music every day and showed me how you can capture an audience. And he taught me reverence, which I think is really important. I don’t have a very long attention span, but I had reverence when he was around, so I would sit and try to absorb and try to emulate instead of just throwing shit out. He had a lot of respect for people like Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, all those people really early on.” From there, LG got into a wide variety of music. “The early stuff I listened to was Sabbath and whatever my mom brought back from the auction house,” she recalls. “She’d buy like 12 boxes of records for a dollar and then let us go through them. My sister had Sticky Fingers on vinyl, Axis Bold As Love. A lot of my first sexual experiences were to Axis Bold As Love. I’m post-grunge, a child of the ’90s.”

Thelma and the Sleaze have been going strong for almost a decade now, and while the band has undergone some lineup changes during that time and has mostly been a power trio, it’s currently a tight four-piece — LG on guitar and vocals, Amaia Aguirre on keys, Chloe Katerndahl on bass, and Snowflake on drums — that has honed its sound through relentless touring. LG has described the group as “a bunch of badass, hard-workin’ women,” and legend has it, she once defended herself from a male assailant at a show by whacking him three times with her custom Gibson SG guitar she calls “Fancy.”

Earlier this year, TATS were the subject of an award-winning documentary by Seth Graves called Kandyland: The Movie that covered an intracity tour in February 2016 where they performed 31 shows in Nashville in 29 days. Then, after releasing a number of EPs and a full-length live album over the years, the band dropped its first full-length studio album, Somebody’s Doin’ Something, in June on Last Hurrah Records (vinyl) and Burger Records (cassette). As the interview winds down, LG doesn’t mince words in summing up the band’s raison d’être: “We exist to rock!” 70

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

♬

CMY

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

FROM MEMPHIS MINNIE TO SLEATER-KINNEY.

IT ALL SOUNDS GOOD TO US. 72

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

♪ Erin Rae McKaskle ♪ by

ANDREW LEAHEY

ucked into the plains between Milwaukee and Green Bay, Appleton, Wis., is the sort of Midwestern college town that’s easily overlooked. What a shame. The place is a hidden gem, stocked with a liberal arts college, a music conservatory, and a scenic stretch of the Fox River. Every summer, hundreds of bands head to the city’s downtown for the Mile of Music Festival, Wisconsin’s own version of South by Southwest. It was there, in an 80-year-old monastery once inhabited by Franciscan monks, that Erin Rae McKaskle recorded her newest album, Putting on Airs. “If we’d decided to do it in Nashville, we would’ve worked for a few hours a day, then gone out to see our friends play,” she says, “It wouldn’t have been as immersive. This way, it was almost like camp. We slept there. We’d wake up, eat breakfast together around 9, then work from 10 a.m. until 11 at night.” The result is an album that’s both geographically and musically distanced from Nashville’s old-school country influence. Born and raised in Tennessee — first in Jackson, where she grew up watching her parents perform folk songs at coffee shops and country fairs, and later in Nashville, where she began playing gigs of her own as a teenager — McKaskle has long since secured her country credentials. Soon Enough, her breakout release, blended fiddle, pedal steel, and Telecaster twang into a sound that doubled down on her Southern roots. Her voice, though, always seemed to hint at something broader, evoking the cascading melodies of Joni Mitchell one minute and the dreamy swoon of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval the next. McKaskle’s band was top-notch, but her vocals stole the show. That voice takes center stage on Putting on Airs, whose songs reshape the lush, lilting influence of 1970s singer-songwriters into something modern. It’s music for Sunday afternoons, for the first days of fall, for rainy mornings spent inside. Although McKaskle began writing the album in her East Nashville home, she also credits the band’s touring schedule — both in America and abroad — for widening her tastes. “We were all in the car together, listening to the same music,” she says of her scaled-back lineup, which currently revolves around guitarist Jerry photograph by

Bernhardt and drummer Dom Billett. Driving from show to show, the friends made use of the car stereo, where they played deep cuts by Wilco and albums by indie songwriter Michael Nau. Along the way, they developed a shared appreciation for left-of-center song arrangements. “We were keen to take the first idea that came to mind and put it aside for a second, and explore other territory,” says local producer and ace guitarist Dan Knobler, who coproduced the album with Bernhardt. “If that other territory felt weird just for the sake of being weird, then we’d come back to the first idea. We normally found something weird that worked, though, or something in between.” Playing a big role in the recording process was the building itself. The Refuge Foundation for the Arts is located in a 3,500-square-foot abbey whose former inhabitants include the monk whose work inspired The Exorcist. The organization’s purpose is philanthropic: to provide a space for artists to live and create. Rae, Knobler, Billett, and Bernhardt spent days there, sleeping in the dormitories and tracking songs in various corners of the property. Billett recorded his drums in The Refuge’s wood-paneled conference room, while Knobler and Bernhardt placed their guitar amps inside the chapel. They recorded each amplifier’s sound with two microphones — one placed inches away from the equipment itself for a drier signal, and the other hanging dozens of feet away, to capture the ringing natural reverb of the sanctuary — and adjusted the volume levels accordingly, heightening or decreasing the sense of sonic space. The effect is stunning on songs like “Mississippi Queen,” a knockout ballad layered with harmonies, Mellotron, and a voice that sweeps and swoons. McKaskle is eyeing a February 2018 release for Putting on Airs, although two songs, “Wild Blue Wind” and “Like the First Time,” have already been released. Still an independent songwriter in U.S., she’s taking her time, looking for the right label. In the meantime, she’s juggling a handful of side projects, including an album of cover songs and spoken-word stories with her father, as well as a harmony duo with tour mate Coco Reilly. She is also writing new songs, being careful not to rest on her laurels. Because that would be nearly as bad as putting on airs. ♬

CHUCK ALLEN

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

♪ Amy Black ♪ by

RON WYNN

inger-songwriter Amy Black’s fourth album, Memphis, released in June, is a heartfelt, exuberant exploration of that city’s magnificent soul, blues, and R&B legacy. But on it, Black also met a personal challenge, as she explains during a recent interview. “I spent a lot of time growing up in Sheffield, Ala.,” Black says. “I had always wanted to make a record at Muscle Shoals, and in preparation, I dived into the Muscle Shoals catalog. Memphis represents the logical extension of the journey we began with The Muscle Shoals (Sessions) album, but it was also reaffirmation I could explore and flesh out the soulful, bluesy side of my vocal personality.” Memphis is often reminiscent of the famed Dusty In Memphis LP, and the late British songstress Dusty Springfield is an influence Black cites. It frames the powerful voice of a dynamic white female singer with cream of the crop black and white musicians possessing deep soul and blues ties. Three members of the legendary Hi Rhythm section (Rev. Charles Hodges on organ/piano, his brother Leroy “Flick” Hodges on bass, and Howard Grimes on drums) and onetime Stax guitarist Bobby Manuel joined Black during this stirring session produced and engineered by Grammy nominee and Emmy winner Scott Bomar, who also recruited guitarist Joe Restivo, as well as horn/string arranger Marc Franklin from his band The Bo-Keys. “This album is gritty, it’s funky, it goes deeper inside in the vocals,” Black continues. “I mean, when you listen to people like Ann Peebles, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Ruby Johnson, Otis Clay, and O.V. Wright, and those incredible Staples tunes with Mavis, it truly inspires you. I added “City In The Sky” to my live set to pay tribute to her.” But aside from its marvelous covers, Memphis also contains some original jewels, notably the emphatic number “What Makes A Man,” photograph by

cowritten with Nashville’s Karen Leipziger. It explodes with intensity via Black’s treatment. “Karen came to me with an idea where we were just talking about the fact that she had had such a good man in her life (the late saxophonist Dennis Taylor), and my husband was and is such a wonderful man,” Black explains. “The song flowed out of this conversation about what makes a good man. Of course, you could turn that around. It is really more about the whole question of commitment and love, and what makes someone special in your life.” Black recently completed an exhaustive 26date summer tour with a six-piece band, and is resting up in preparation for some upcoming Nashville dates. They include the Americana Honors & Awards show in September and a Music City Roots appearance in November. When asked about her musical future, she’s quite philosophical. “I started my career Amy Black’s la test release, very late,” Black says. “I didn’t get out on the Memphis, is available at road until I was 36. I had a corporate job, a highamyblack.com ly paid one as a vice president of sales. But that wasn’t what I wanted to do, so I really decided to make that transition. “Then I switched from folk/singer-songwriter material to soul and blues,” she continues. “That’s really the music I love now, though I enjoy the other songs as well. I told my husband when I started singing he needed to learn an instrument so we could save some money. He learned the drums well enough to be playing on tour next to the Hodges brothers. So I guess you really can’t track me by any traditional yardstick, but things have worked out pretty well.” ♬

CHUCK ALLEN

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

♪ Tomi Lunsford ♪ by

RANDY FOX

“I

guess I’m a late bloomer,” Tomi Lunsford says. “I feel like I need to do five records at once because I’m behind and need to catch up. I had a lot of outlets for expression over the years — singing with other people, writing with other people, and my life is very full with family and friends. It just took me some time to focus.” Lunsford is discussing her recent album, Come on Blue. It’s tempting to refer to the record as an impressive debut, even though Lunsford has been singing in Nashville studios for over four decades, and it isn’t her first album. Despite those details, Come on Blue is a riveting example of an artist coming into her own, combining years of experience with deep and sturdy musical roots. A native of Asheville, N.C., Lunsford was born into a family with deep musical traditions. Her great-uncle Bascom Lamar Lunsford was a musician, singer, and folklorist who first recorded traditional mountain music in 1922. Her father, Jim Lunsford, was a singer, songwriter, and fiddle player who backed Roy Acuff and Reno & Smiley on the road, before relocating to Nashville with his wife and children in the mid1960s to focus on songwriting. “We moved to Nashville when I was in the sixth grade,” Lunsford says. “My parents never had the normal concept of making a living, and they didn’t hand that down to their children. I got paid a dollar for singing when I was in the second grade, and I never considered being anything other than a singer.” Lunsford’s career as a singer found an outlet before she finished high school, singing on demo recordings of her father’s songs, and as a member of the folk/country/vocal harmony group The Lunsfords, comprised of her father and sisters Nancy and Teresa. “We were ahead of our time,” Lunsford says. “We were what peoCome On Blue w at ple now call Americana. We really didn’t fit into is available no m tomilunsford.co one category.” photograph by

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

After her father’s death in 1978, Lunsford continued singing, frequently as a backup singer, appearing on countless recordings. In 1997, she made her belated solo debut with the album High Ground, released on the German Veracity label. Although the album’s 10 songs were all originals written with her sister Nancy or her husband, Warren Denney, the music hewed closely to her Appalachian roots. When she finally returned to the studio as a solo artist after almost two decades, she was determined to emphasize the musical vines and brambles sprinting from those roots. “I’ve been around folk music all my life,” Lunsford says. “Even though that’s my heritage, I had never recorded anything really representative of my bigger musical picture. I felt like Robin Eaton was a good choice to help me go beyond what I’d done in the past. He gave me a pitch on how he thought I needed to be recorded, and it sounded just like what I had pictured in my mind.” That bigger picture is evident across the 12 tracks of Come On Blue. Working with Eaton and a group of top Nashville session players, Lunsford fuses jazz and blues vocal stylings to eclectic musical arrangements that sometimes border on Tom Waits-ian oddity. This musical high strangeness is perhaps best represented by her cover of a traditional folk tune first recorded by her great-uncle Bascom in 1928. “I Wish I was a Mole in the Ground” cross-pollinates the song’s “Old Weird America” lyrical sensibilities with modern musical eclecticism, producing a strangely sweet fruit. This charming and off-kilter musical vision is also evident on the album’s 11 originals such as the heartache lament “Rain,” the infectious modern folk ballad “Jesus Was a Union Man,” and the honkytonk shuffle “Go To People.” As for the future, Lunsford is at work on her next album. “I’m looking to do more of the same, but different,” Lunsford says. “I just love getting into the studio and singing. It’s amazing how many more songs there are to be written and sung. I’m here now, finally, and I’m ready to keep rolling.” ♬

CHUCK ALLEN

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

♪ Anne McCue ♪ by

RON WYNN

hough Anne McCue is certainly an outstanding guitarist and expressive, engaging vocalist, not many people would associate her with pre-World War II jazz or blues. Yet that’s exactly the idiomatic territory she explores with flair on her sixth release, Blue Sky Thinkin’. It was mostly recorded in Los Angeles and given a sonic boost via Ray Kennedy’s expert mastering in Nashville. But it is also quite different from the album McCue initially planned that would reunite her with past musical comrades from the critically acclaimed LP Roll. “Strangely enough, the reason I asked Dusty (Wakeman), Carl (Byron) and Dave (Raven) to record the album with me was because I thought I was going to make a swampy blues rock record, and they would be perfect for that,” McCue says during a recent interview. “Somehow, the record ended up being a swing, gypsy jazz, country blues album, totally different to the original plan,” she continues. “But I think that’s why it worked so well. Dave and Dusty are not jazz musicians, and the jazz before World War II was actually rock music. It was party music — people danced to it. So I had the right rhythm section as it turned out! We have played live together off and on for 14 years — they are like musical brothers to me. We hadn’t recorded together since 2008, so it was time!” Ably coproduced by Wakeman (lauded for past efforts with Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam), Blue Sky Thinkin’ reflects the complete spectrum of influences and genres McCue enjoys. “Long Tall Sky” is a slide showcase, while “Dig Two Graves,” cowritten with Bob Saporiti, aka Reckless Johnny Wales, and Brent Moyer, features Raven’s percussive nod to Gene Krupa (complete with tom-toms), plus spicy clarinet from Jim Hoke (who also wrote the horn chart), taut fiddle from Deanie Richardson, and excellent guitar from McCue. Dave Alvin adds demonstrative swing-era vocals to “Devil in the Middle.” Though born in Sydney, Australia, McCue got an early and complete immersion into American music from multiple eras. “The guitar was my cure for suburban ennui, teenage angst, loneliness, and, yes, despair,” she explains. “I learned guitar chords from the great American songbook — Gershwin, Bacharach, Carmichael. I started on the ‘expensive’ chords photograph by

— major sevenths, diminished, augmented. That’s probably why I don’t write your common 1-4-5 type songs. When my brother started playing electric guitar, I was really hooked. But I was still too shy to sing or play in public. I finally had to leave Sydney and join a band in Melbourne, so I didn’t know anyone in the audience.” “When I joined a band with Sherry Rich, I was introduced to the more disciplined side of songwriting,” McCue continues. “Structure and hooks. She was more Beatlesy in her approach. I liked that, too. I love to improvise on guitar, as well as write structured songs. I didn’t really sing till I was in my 20s. Someone had to sing the songs I was writing! I found that a lot harder than playing the guitar. It can be a lot more personal and scary.” Ry Cooder is another artist who has had a profound impact on McCue’s artistic evolution leading up to Blue Sky Thinkin’. “Think of Ry Cooder’s guitar shifts,” she says. “The instrument is taking him on a journey. It’s the same with me. My favorite guitarists are Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Segovia, Pacos Pena and Delucia, Chet Atkins — who also played many different styles. I just don’t know how cCue’s Anne M hinking people can write using the same chords T y k Blue S ble now at and rhythms all the time — it’s beyond me. I a il a v a m is ccue.co suppose I get bored. The new album also makes annem the show fun, too, as there is an element of cabaret to it. I like that!” Besides songwriting and vocals, McCue’s lately gotten into another musical arena. “I have been producing other artists — Emma Swift, Scott Miller, Ellen Starski — and I’d like do more of that,” she says. McCue has found a home in Nashville’s bustling, competitive music scene. “I love it here,” she concludes. “The level of musicianship in this town is incredible. People come to live here from all over the world because they are serious about their craft. That is inspiring! Either practice, get better, or quit.”♬

ERIC ENGLAND September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

♪ India Ramey ♪ by

WARREN DENNEY

ndia Ramey is unafraid. Putting herself on the line is a matter of course, which her new record, Snake Handler, confirms as it delves into a hard-earned literature often reserved for characters in Southern fiction. She writes what she knows. “I was an attorney,” Ramey says. “That’s why I didn’t have time to get serious about my music for a while. I had to work and go to school.” Ramey, originally from Rome, Ga., by way of Birmingham, Ala., earned her law degree at the University of Alabama, against all odds really, due to financial hardships and a past she couldn’t shake. Her mother was the victim of violent domestic abuse. In a powerful bit of irony, Ramey earned scholarship money by competing in Miss Alabama pageants. The competition gave her a platform and she spoke out against domestic violence, a subject that struck close to home. “All through college, I did domestic violence advocacy counseling,” she says. “My first job out of college was as a prosecutor for the Montgomery County [Alabama] DA’s office. I ran a special prosecution unit for violence against women for the county. “My mother was a battered woman,” she continues. “It was so personal to me. I would be in a perpetrator’s face all day, you know, trying to get him to show me who he was. And sometimes you lose, and I had to walk out that same door. I would take different routes home every day because you don’t know if they’re going to get after you. You’re the one that stands between him and his victim. “It made me stronger … you know, it did. I wasn’t as afraid of my father after having been through that because it was like I was facing him every day.” Ramey brings her passion for survival, and a certain defiance to bear, with her music. The self-released Snake Handler is her third record, following Junkyard Angel (2010) and Blood Crescent Moon (2013), and represents a shouting into the storm of blood and family. She is coming into her own as a powerful artist and lyricist, and coming to terms with herself. With new songs like the loping title track, and “Devil’s Blood,” Ramey is exploring and exorcising. She walks an edgy line between hard country photograph by

and rock & roll, with a vocal presence that is out front and undeniable. Her voice wears a raucous country mantle, and she knows how to get real. “I can’t write anything that I don’t feel passionate about,” she says. “That’s why a lot of my songs are really dark and angry. I’ve been there, and that’s why the Southern Gothic label has been hung on me — dark and all that. “I was always into music, and I was always singing,” she continues. “My family are a bunch of singers, and my grandfather was a bluegrass and gospel musician from Sand Mountain. He was in the naval choir during World War II. So I grew up in a musical family. The writing really started, I guess, around 2008 — I really hated my job, and I wanted to sing more, and wanted to make a go of it while I could. I started writing about my family and writing what I know.” Ramey has taken the road less traveled to find herself, her musical career, and to find a home in Nashville, forging a straight-up expression with maturity and courage. Her father is deceased, and she has certainly faced down her demons on that front. Her mother escaped the violence and remarried when Ramey was still young, giving her a sense of stability — but the lingering resentment and anger were always there. “I’ve come to it [the music] this way because I was trying to live down my white trash,” she says, laughing. “You know, I had to go make something of my own. It’s just the reality of my life … things were dark and weird. So, so am I. And I embrace that.” Snake Handler is further evidence of that em brace, but with a homemade, rough optimism. “I guess in some ways, I had a perfectly normal upbringing like everyone,” Ramey says, noting a better life after her mother remarried. “And, The late while I wish that my family hadn’t suffered the called st release by Snak India way we did, it made us who we are. So, go out found e Handler, a Ramey is at india n ♬ there in the world as a survivor and tell them.” ramey.cd can be

CHUCK ALLEN

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

TRIS 82

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

TEN I

t’s been a hot summer, but inside Dose Cafe & Dram Bar at Riverside Village, the AC is working overtime. All morning long, customers have been sitting at their tables in jeans and hoodies, sucking down espresso like it’s early January. Tristen came prepared, ignoring the 90-degree heat outside and showing up in a long-sleeved shirt. After pulling up her chair to one of the cafe’s four-tops, though, she still crosses her arms for warmth. “It’s cold,” she says. “If you’d like, we can go to a secret spot outside in the back, which used to be a community garden.” A Nashville resident for more than a decade, Tristen knows her way around the city’s forgotten places. She moved here from the suburbs of Chicago, hitting town several years before the gold rush of $12 cocktail menus and rocketing → rent prices. by

Andrew Leahey

photography

Travis Commeau

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

stateside shows, and although she was hired to play keyboards and rhythm guitar, her biggest contribution proved to be background harmonies, which she shared with bandmate (and fellow Nashvillian) Megan McCormick. Together, the two women slotted their voices alongside Lewis’ alto during songs like “She’s Not Me” and “The Voyager.” The results were lovely. When the band swung through Tristen’s hometown for a show at the Vic Theatre in May 2015, the Chicago Tribune praised their “harmony-enriched melody.” “It was one of the most amazing, natural, magical things,” she says of the trio’s vocal blend. “When you connect that closely with someone’s voice, it’s like a physical relationship. The closest thing to it, I think, is having sex. When you’re recording harmonies in the studio, and it’s all the same voice, a lot of treatment goes into making backing vocals sound different from a lead vocal. So when Jenny was in town, she just came over and sang her part. I loved that. I always appreciate bringing in other people to spice it up.” Other guests lend their own spice to Sneaker Waves. Linwood Regensburg, a longtime member of Those Darlins, plays bass on “Partyin’ is Such Sweet Sorrow,” while Emmylou Harris’ drummer, Jerry Roe, keeps time during the gorgeous “NYC.” On an album filled with local star power, though, Tristen shines the brightest,

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

juggling the roles of frontwoman, songwriter, producer, string arranger, keyboardist, and occasional guitarist along the way. She recorded Sneaker Waves at home, teaming up with husband and main collaborator Buddy Hughen. The pair had previously worked together on her 2013 release, Caves, whose synth-pop sound bore a stamp of approval from one of the genre’s original architects, Stephen Hague. “He’s an innovator in synth-pop,” Tristen says of Hague, who mixed Caves’ 11 songs. “I looked through my records and approached all these huge mixers whose work I liked, and he took a liking to me, too. He worked with New Order and Pet Shop Boys. Once we had him on board, we were on cloud nine.” This time, though, Tristen and Hughes kept things largely in-house. They began tracking Sneaker Waves in 2014, then took a year-long break once Tristen landed the Jenny Lewis gig, with progress resuming in 2016. Able to record without the constraints of a budget or a producer’s busy schedule, they worked whenever they pleased. Hughen bounced between multiple roles, too, serving as head mixer and engineer while handling most of the guitar duties — from the Reagan-era shimmer of “Alone Tonight,” which could double as a Cyndi Lauper tune, to the Quentin Tarantinoesque haze of “Frozen.” “If you wanna get really particular about your sound and your aesthetic, it can be hard to explain that vision to somebody else,” Tristen explains. “That’s why a lot of people get into a creative relationship with a certain producer and stay with that producer for several records. You want to find someone who pulls from the same fabric as you. You don’t want to work with someone who only makes pop records for pop radio, because they’re not going to understand why this Television record is so amazing. Really great creators have great teams, and I think it’s all about finding people who inspire you, and building a good team so you can collaborate. Buddy and I have that.” Decades before she met Buddy, Tristen found her team amongst the stage actors of suburban Chicago, where she kicked off her career as a child performer. Her years in Illinois were musical ones, filled with musical theater gigs and the sounds of her parents’ favorite radio station. “I can sing you any song that was on 104.3FM in Chicago,” she says, name-checking the town’s oldies station. “That’s all we listened to, and my favorite songwriters are still a lot of those guys from the ’50s and ’60s — The Beatles, Everly Brothers, Burt Bacharach. I’m really into great melodies and sweeping orchestrations.” Tristen would eventually roll those influences into songs like “Baby Drugs,” her most widely heard tune from Charlatans at the Gate. A love letter from a good woman →

Tristen’s Hair/Makeup: Megan Thompson using M•A•C

In 2011, Tristen released her debut, Charlatans at the Gate. Mixing indie-folk guitars with the stacked harmonies and swooning hooks of 1960s pop, it sounded like a vintage album for the iPhone generation, cooly current one minute and old-school the next. People listened, including those far beyond the Davidson County limits. When Tristen hit the road in support of the record’s release, she did so as the opening act for Justin Townes Earle, who was still in the midst of his promo cycle for Harlem River Blues. Shows were played, fans were made, and Tristen became one of East Nashville’s first musical exports of the 2010s. A half-dozen or so years later, she’s hitting the road again, this time to whip up buzz for Sneaker Waves. It’s her third album, filled with wry observations about the modern world — a place warped by technology and digital voyeurism, where enemies like the titular character in “Psychic Vampire” wage war with their “cryptic emojis” — and recorded on either side of a year-long stint as a member of Jenny Lewis’ touring band. Lewis even lends her vocals to “Glass Jar,” a bubblegummy blast of chiming guitars and pop melody that brings to mind The Byrds and The Magnetic Fields. “Jenny and I sang together for a year,” she says. Tristen’s time with Lewis’ band included gigs in Australia, Japan, Canada, and a blur of

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

to a rabble-rousing man, the song reads like a Shirelles tune, with a harmony-drenched chorus straight out of The Ronettes’ catalog. Once an oldies lover, always an oldies lover. In Chicago, Tristen’s tastes broadened as she grew older. Beginning in sixth grade, she landed roles in community theater productions of Bye Bye Birdie, Carousel, and Crazy for You. These were professional, paying gigs that lasted for months, and they gave her the chance to rub shoulders with those making their living in the arts. She gradually shifted her focus to songwriting, and stopped auditioning for shows Trist en’s by the time she hit Snea latest re ker W lease high school. Even , is av aves ai , so, the theater’s intriste lable at n.co fluence can still be seen m in her behavior onstage. She’ll twist, turn, wave her arms, and crack mischievous smiles, using her whole body — not just her throat — to deliver songs that balance halfway between the dramatic and the driving. In high school, she dropped her last name, Gaspaderek, and began performing simply as Tristen, booking gigs at any coffee shop that

➦

would accept a 14-year-old songwriter. She padded those shows with covers by Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, and Tori Amos. “I picked that name because I loved Jewel and I loved Madonna, and I thought, ‘I’m just going to be Tristen, because my name is pretty fucking cool,’ ” she recalls. “It means ‘depressed one.’ I was named after a medieval love story, Tristan and Iseult, where Tristan is actually the male character.” There wasn’t much time to perform during her undergraduate years at DePaul University, where she balanced a job with her studies in communication theory and Italian. She hit the books hard and made her marks, landing straight A’s. After graduation, though, she flung herself back into the music world, and within a couple of years, had moved to Nashville. There, she fell into a community of young songwriters like Caitlin Rose, Cortney Tidwell, and Jordan Caress. It was a collaborative time for all, full of cowrites, song swaps, and communal trips to venues like Mercy Lounge and The 5 Spot. “Local bands would play four times a week,” she remembers of those early years in town. “You’d play every show you were offered, opening for anybody. We’d all travel in a big crew, and we’d go to everybody’s shows, every night of the week. If we stayed home one night, we’d be like, ‘Wait, what are we doing?’ I see new bands doing that same thing now, and I think

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

that’s so important. Everyone needs to go through the period where they hustle, explore the local scene, and play every show. Eventually, some bands break out and start touring, and once you do, you kind of look at Nashville like every other town on the map. I love playing here, because you can have a really awesome show with a bunch of guests, but at this stage, I don’t see a point in playing Nashville any more than I play any other city.” She’s been making her hometown gigs count, though. In July, she celebrated the summertime release of Sneaker Waves with an all-star show at the American Legion. Dubbed “Tristen the Night Away,” the night included an extended set by Tristen and company, as well as shorter performances by guests like Vanessa Carlton, Birdcloud (“the most outlaw country band in the world right now,” she gushes), Jessica Lee Mayfield, and Tristen’s own father, Charlie Gaspaderek. She decked out the place in streamers and oversized balloons, hired an audio team from St. Louis to run the soundboard, and donated the evening’s bar sales to local veterans. By the end of the evening, both the dance floor and stage were packed. More than a mere salute to Sneaker Waves’ release, the night felt like a celebration of the community that’s flourished around left-of-center songwriters like Tristen for the past decade. “You can’t copy what someone else is doing,” she says. “Copying is not the point. The point is to experience music, enjoy it, eat it up, and be part of the scene that surrounds it; then take time to reflect and create something new based upon what you think is important. That final part of it has to be unique to you.” Being unique, however, hasn’t always served in her favor. When Caves arrived in 2013, it was met with equal parts adoration and befuddlement. Some outlets praised the album’s ’80s sheen; others wondered what had happened to the folk-rocker who’d cut Charlatans at the Gate. “That record was beyond anything I could have imagined,” she says, “but the response was, ‘We don’t know how to avatar this woman. She cut her hair. We’re confused.’ It just shows how vapid the music industry can be. I knew what they wanted, but I just wasn’t interested in recreating the first record. I’m not interested in recreating anything over again.” That means Sneaker Waves, whose mix of pop punch and rock & roll grit Tristen calls “my best work yet,” will eventually give way to something different. She welcomes the change. “I’ve always followed my own light,” she says. “Almost every one of my friends who’s artistically successful has been the same way. They all have a light within them, and they might be bat-shit crazy, but they know who they are, and they have a purity to what they’re trying to do.” ♫

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WITH SUPPORT FROM

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Q&A Kashena ⎨Sampson⎬

➦

photograph by

ERIC ENGLAND

session

Instruments: Guitar and vocals. Hometown: Born in South Korea, then lived in Hong Kong until I was 9. Moved to Connecticut and then on to Las Vegas. Vegas was where the culture shock took place! In Nashville: 3 years First musical experience: Singing three-part harmony a capella with my sisters. First performance Playing Your own Material: I was trying to figure out how to travel and sing, and this guy [the talent agent of a cruise line] calls and asks if I’d be interested in playing on a cruise ship. He’d seen a YouTube video of mine, and I got the job without even auditioning! I had one finished song when I boarded, but that was when I really started focusing on writing. I would perform cover tunes, but started sneaking in a song I’d written, and the response was really positive. That was the experience that really got things going. How did you arrive at the arrangements for the songs on Wild Heart? The structure was already there when I went into the studio. What was the approach to acheiving the sound you were looking for on the record? I kinda let go. I just really trusted John (Estes, producer). I sent him songs with references to the sounds I liked — Dusty Springfield, Joan Baez, Bobby Gentry. In the studio, he’d give the band some guidance about what he wanted, and we’d usually get something in the first couple of takes. ♬ —Chuck Allen

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The East Nashvillian will be hosting Kashena Sampson at The Basement, 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 23. Patrick Sweany opens with a solo acoustic performance.

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Y TRAV

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EAU «««

link to minimalism’s repetitive, hypnotic structures. But for Spinei, the goal is more to evoke dance than trance. “I think I’m always conscious of movement,” she explains, “like, ‘Does this piece of music move people in some way?’ The worst concert experience for me is when I’m sitting in the audience and everybody is still, like it’s an audience of mannequins. I always want there to be some kind of ... movement through the music, whether you’re tapping your foot, or nodding your head, or swaying — something. “When I’m composing, I get away from the piano and dance around [to an idea in progress] and go back to the piano. I can’t sit still,” Spinei says with a winning laugh. It was in fact her work writing for choreographers that led her to explore minimalist music, a style favored by contemporary dance companies. The nutshell version of Spinei’s artistic journey also includes an adolescence obsessed with opera and, later, exposure to nonclassical influences as an undergrad researching early American folk and fiddle tunes for mentor Wynton Marsalis. The experience led her to recognize connections between fiddle music and jazz rhythms, and to begin the experimentation that continues to characterize her work. Recently, her inventive bent led her to find inspiration on an unfamiliar instrument. Encountering an obstacle while composing Superstitions, which the Nashville Ballet premiered this past June, she walked to the portion of her music room occupied by her boyfriend’s guitars. Picking up the bass, she “stumbled onto some ideas” that provided a breakthrough. “You’re just finding your way, and everything is brand new,” she says. “So I see myself doing a lot more of that.” An expanded version of Superstitions, which couples a classical-styled ensemble with electric guitar and bass, is being prepared as the centerpiece for Spinei’s as-yet-unscheduled second album. Meanwhile, her first “Sonatagram,” a miniature sonata in three individual, minute-long movements, recently went up on her Instagram page, with more to follow. She also seeks to collaborate with a singer-songwriter from outside her classically informed home base. Her love of pulsing, recurring rhythmic figures may continue to evoke a “minimalish” effect, but given Spinei’s adventuresome imagination, her unfolding body of work isn’t likely to repeat itself. ♫ A PH B

all my music ‘minimalish,’ ” quips Nashville-based composer Cristina Spinei, good-humoredly discouraging a too-simplistic association with the minimalist movement that influences her compositions. The Connecticut-born Spinei, a Juilliard School graduate with a master’s degree in composition, creates naturally category-resistant music with an eye toward breaking down preconceptions about contemporary concert music. It’s a tough row to hoe. “If one is embraced by the nonclassical music world, there’s a tendency for the classical music world to look skeptically upon that,” Spinei explains. “Conversely, people in the nonclassical world can view new concert music as inaccessible. It’s tricky.” Nonetheless, Spinei is making strides. Her boundary-bending works have been commissioned by numerous American dance companies, performed and recorded internationally, and staged locally by adventurous new-music ensembles such as Intersection, conceived and directed by former Nashville Symphony conductor Kelly Corcoran. “Cristina is a great example of the awesome talent that exists amongst composers today,” Corcoran says. “Her music is colorful and full of vibrancy, an extension of her warm personality.” Corcoran’s affirmations typify the supportive responses Spinei has received from Nashville’s classical community since moving here from New York City three years ago. In addition to an accepting and open-minded climate quite unlike the one Spinei experienced back east, she says she’s found a refreshing freedom in Nashville. “It’s just a lot easier to create art here, and find space for it.” Spinei’s commissioned piece for Corcoran’s ensemble, titled Forma, curiously blends classically derived ideas with Mariachi folk elements. Such novel fusions are the norm for Spinei; her similarly conceived If Beethoven Danced Merengue draws from its famed namesake while adding subtle syncopation that, along with the piece’s title, hints at her longtime passion for Latin and Brazilian music. This in turn points to the integral role of rhythmic content in nearly all her work. Her short, looping rhythmic figures, which are nearly always the first to emerge when she composes a new piece, are her music’s closest

By Steve Morley

»»» PHO TOG R

“C

WELL COMPOSED CRISTINA SPINEI

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styling:

Chilcott had a lot to share about the making of her sophomore album, which is already finished. After a fortuitous meeting at American Legion Post 82, Chilcott linked up with producer Beau Bedford and beloved session band The Texas Gentlemen. “I was living out here for a year at the time,” she recalls. “One of the guys I was playing with is heavily involved with a group called The Texas Gentlemen. We were doing a warm-up gig, running through the songs at the Legion. I got up and did ‘Me and Bobby McGee,’ and I got talking to Beau, the producer, and I told him I was writing a record. We cut a song after that.” The group headed to Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Recorders, where they spent three weeks playing and recording, whittling down 40 of her songs to an album-length collection. As Chilcott explains, while she and the group began chipping away at her body of work, a common theme began to emerge: “the strength and vulnerability that women often carry.” That common thread was less the product of planning than it was her creative process, which sees the songwriter following her artistic intuition until it “unveils what [I’m] trying to say.” “I really wanted to capture a moment in time, so we did it over three weeks,” Chilcott explains. “It was very different. I was signed this time so I had the luxury of being able to map out how I wanted to do it. There were no roadblocks or anything. It happened really organically.” While Chilcott, who has amassed a handful of awards in her native Australia, is no stranger to success, she credits her relocation to Nashville — and her subsequent immersion in the local music scene — as an integral piece of this next leg of her musical journey. “There’s such a high standard of musicianship here in Nashville that there was a point where I was feeling like I might stink, you know?” she says and laughs. “But it’s such a pleasure to have that many people around you to choose from to work with. I feel like I’ve learned a lot and gained a lot from being in my favorite music community in the world.” ♫ »»» P HOTO GRAPH BY MICHAE L WEINTROB «««

ashville may be going through growing pains, but it’s a small town at heart, especially within the city’s music community — just ask Australian-born singer and songwriter Bex Chilcott. “Can you hold on just a second?” Chilcott asks, laughing over the phone. A dog howls in the background. “I’m babysitting Nikki Lane’s dogs.” Known by her nom d’artiste Ruby Boots, Chilcott first caught the ears of fans and critics in Nashville and beyond with her debut album, 2016’s Solitude. That collection, which introduced Chilcott as one of the more dynamic artists operating at the very fringes of the country constellation, earned her a burgeoning following, as well as opening slots in Europe for Lane (not to mention a side hustle as a dog sitter). “Nikki and I are very close,” Chilcott says. “The first four days [of the tour] we were up until 5 a.m. every morning. It felt like we were at summer camp, we were up all night talking and laughing. We’re very like-minded, and we both work very hard. I love being around someone who’s as hardworking as myself. It’s comforting, as well, like I’m not in it alone. It’s inspiring for me to see where she’s at in America and Europe.” The fruits of Chilcott’s own hard work have never been more evident. In early August, it was announced that she’d signed to renowned Chicago indie label Bloodshot Records, through which she’ll release a yet-to-be-announced sophomore album in North America and western Europe (she’ll stick with current label Island Records/Universal in Australia, Asia, and eastern Europe). The label’s DIY ethos and close-knit team were major factors in her decision to entrust the label with her music. “We sent the record out to a couple of key labels and they really responded to it in the way that really reassures me they’re the kind of people that I want to work with,” she says of the Bloodshot team. “They really loved the record. It’s a family unit, which I really respond to.” While details (namely an album title and a release date) are scant at press time,

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theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

FOLK AS F*CK ROREY CARROLL By Tommy Womack

styling:

KIMBERLY MURRAY

H BY MICH

AEL WEINTROB «««

food, avoiding the railroad dicks, busking on street corners, and taking part-time jobs in whatever town she would wind up in, earn a little money, pack in the job, and hit the rails again bound for another vista. She survived like smart people do, and today she’s a comely, intelligent 34-year-old with ginger hair, a bright smile, and a healthy face, betraying only hints of her travels. She landed in East Nashville and stayed put. Her songs caught on in the clubs, and drew the attention of Todd Snider, the bulldog mayor of the East Side. “I kept hearing about this girl who was a troubadour, a songwriter with a life story, and she opened for me a couple of times,” Snider says. “I saw her get a standing ovation, and then all of a sudden, I decided I was going to make a label. I thought, ‘I gotta get in on this action,’ ” he adds and laughs. “But actually, I talked to Chad, who is the piano player in the Hard Working Americans, and I’m like, dude, let’s help this girl put out a record, so we went out and got a financier guy, she built a team, we went out, and she toured with me.” “Being on the road with Todd has taught me so much about the art of performing,” Carroll says, still working on her Rice Krispies Treat. “He’s shown me a lot of different ways of delivery and how to be on stage. It was kind of strange how natural he was to be my mentor. But it fit.” She wound up on Snider’s LoHi record label, and began to catch on with a wide swath of people. Ironically, her nomad life has returned, only this time she sees it from a tour van. “I only want it if it’s good, and not just good enough,” she sings on Love is an Outlaw, and it’s a maxim for her. Todd Snider as a mentor isn’t just good enough. Her songs aren’t just good enough. They’re really good. ♫

»»» P HOTO GRAP

“T

he whole concept of just being able to take your guitar wherever and make money and play and sing and tell your stories for people, that’s the basis of my musical existence that always drew me in,” Rorey Carroll says while sitting in Bongo East in a pretty wrap-around dress munching on a Rice Krispies Treat. “But I’m more inspired playing with a band, because it’s fun and it’s communal, and I just like rocking out. It’s more fun. But the troubadour thing is definitely very ingrained in me.” Carroll’s most recent album, Love is an Outlaw, is as strong as any record from our scene in the past year, a seamlessly put together mélange of guitars, keys, pedal steel, strings, a drummer gifted with subtlety — and right where it should be in the mix sits Carroll’s matter-of-fact voice, betraying a tough intimacy with a dash of “don’t fuck with me.” The voice of a friend who has to take you aside and privately tell you something. With no dull spots and only a couple of overtly country songs buried in the back, it’s a lush and rootsy indie record. There are a lot of train songs here, even when trains are not mentioned. People populating Carroll’s lyrics are often in motion, looking for love, drugs, the blues, and better people to hang their hearts on. Plenty of stars write and play plenty of songs about riding the rails in boxcars, drifting from town to town like Woody Guthrie, doing the hobo thang, and the only thing all these artists have in common is they’ve never ridden any dang rails in any dang boxcars, ever. Well, Carroll really did it. Seriously. For a bloody long time, too! In her early 20s she forsook a comfortable middle class life in Chicago, hopped a boxcar and lived the life of a nomad with a guitar for years, cadging

September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

The Rooster roster in the recording studio of Cafe Rooster Records International Headquarters & Playground (clockwise from far right): Sally Jaye, Darrin Bradbury, Gabe Masterson, Jon Latham, Brian Wright

theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

Cafe Rooster Recordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Sally Jaye applies her parenting skills to running an indie label by Randy Fox photograph by Chuck Allen September | October 2017 theeastnashvillian.com

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theeastnashvillian.com September | October 2017

ally Jaye is hardly your standard-issue record label executive. “When I was a Belmont student, I had an internship at Giant Records and got fired for mouthing off about how all their music was crappy,” she says, laughing at the memory. “I was a little bit of a firecracker. I knew very early on that working for a label didn’t appeal to me.” That sentiment is not surprising coming from a singer-songwriter. Music history is littered with artists who took a dim view of the business side of making music — grinning and bearing the economic evils that allow them to pursue their muse. That was the case for Sally Jaye, who until a year ago had placed herself firmly on the creative side of the line of demarcation between making music and marketing. Everything changed with the launching of Cafe Rooster Records, the coop, independent record label that she founded with her husband, Brian Wright. A native of Lawrenceville, Ga., Sally Jaye discovered a passion for music at a very early age. She was first drawn to musical theater in high school, but after attending the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for two years, she realized that bar lights held more appeal than Broadway. “I started playing guitar and I wanted to write songs,” she says. “I dropped out of school and told my dad I was moving to Nashville, but he didn’t like that very much. He found out about Belmont’s music industry program which didn’t impress me, but when I found out they had recording studios that students could use, I was sold.”

After graduating she headed for Los Angeles. Over the course of the next 13 years, she played in bands, recorded her first solo album, got married, and started a family. As Sally Jaye and Wright pursued music careers, the road eventually led back to Nashville in the early months of 2013. “Brian was traveling back and forth from LA to Nashville, and

a sampling of

the Rooster roster Latham ┨Jon Lifers

┨

Ladies Gun Club Take My Love Away Wright ┨Brian The Sneak Ups

┨

Darrin Bradbury Elmwood Park

for more music, as well as swag, tour info, etc., check out

caferoosterrecords.com

Nashville just seemed like a better place for our family,” Sally Jaye explains. Eventually settling in Donelson, the couple followed a grand Nashville tradition, turning a garden shed in their backyard into a recording studio that soon gained a distinctive name. “Brian had a song, ‘Red Rooster Social Club,’ ” she recalls. “People were always giving him roosters for the studio. I was at a Deal$ store in Donelson and found this doormat that said ‘Cafe Rooster.’ I bought it for the shed and that became its name.” The name stuck when the couple bought

their neighbor’s house, and the studio expanded into a larger backyard building. “Friends would come by and write and record things with us,” Sally Jaye says. “One night Darrin Bradbury said, not very seriously, ‘Why don’t you guys put my record out?’ So we started a label.” Debuting at the 2016 Americanafest, Cafe Rooster Records has stirred up the barnyard with releases from Bradbury, Wright, Jon Latham, Ladies Gun Club (a collaborative effort of Sally Jaye and singer-songwriter Sarah Roberts), as well as the various artists collection Strange Freedom: Songs of Love and Protest — a benefit album for Planned Parenthood. “Because we’re not a conventional label, we’ve taken on a lot of projects that we find personally satisfying, including benefit projects like Strange Freedom,” Sally Jaye says. “Our primary focus is still the main four artists. We’re all co-owners along with Gabe Masterson, our resident sound engineer, who runs the studio. We’re eager to add new artists, but they’ll need to share the spirit of the label. Everyone is rooting for each other. We’re all so different there is no reason to feel you’re in competition with the others. We write together, we collaborate in the studio — it’s a real family.” Sally Jaye’s management style is a large part of that familial feeling. “Being a businessperson is something that doesn’t come naturally to me,” she says. “I barely got through my business classes at Belmont. What I’ve drawn from instead is my experience as a mother. Every baby is a unique personality and you figure out very quickly that your parenting strategy has to adapt to each child’s unique personality. I felt the same way with our artists. They all have very different things to offer their fans, and it’s been fun tailoring marketing strategies around who they are. I never thought I’d be running a label, but when it comes to Cafe Rooster, nothing about it is a drag.”♬

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Ann Powers’ BOOTY-LICIOUS TOME “M By Holly Gleason

y daughter really hates it when I read this part,” Ann Powers half-apologizes at Parnassus Books. Well over 60 people have crowded in — fellow writers, radio producers, NPR music lovers, and the Indigo Girls — to hear the acclaimed music critic read from Good Booty, her latest. Considering the preamble to the book subtitled Love and Sex, Black & White in American Music divines Powers’ own attraction to eroticism in contemporary music, the notion of young girls who can’t name “lust,” “libido,” or “erotic thrust” dancing around as a means of expression is pretty tame. And yet, even in the capturing of her pubescent self, the post-waif Powers in her sexy secretary glasses and perfect post-flapper bob manages to electrify the moment. Powers, probably the age her daughter is now, writes of coming into puberty without the words for quite what it was about the music, but knowing there was something. So did her friends. Deep dove, the power of this pop music, these rock songs revealed. Just not through intellectualism or the rock press, but dancing. Making the notion “but the little girls understand” literal, Powers’ curiosity about what the surge of desire means and how pop/soul/rock works turned into one of the 21st century’s most respected careers in music criticism. An editor or primary critic at The Village Voice, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times, and a stint at the Experience Music

Project, the woman who was a favorite of Prince currently serves as NPR’s lead contemporary music critic. Importantly, she knows how to unpack a notion. Rather than jumping on rock music from the days of Little Richard (whose “Tutti Frutti” provides the title from its original, unrecorded lyrics) and Elvis, she opens the book 200 years earlier with a chapter called “The Taboo Baby.” As she says, “If you want to understand, you have to start there.” To Powers it is black and white, Creole, Cajun, otherness imbuing the backbeat its erotic bent. Gospel music, dirty blues, songs for sale, and the code of each era provide the skeleton for her writing. With 11 years of research, in New Orleans and Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it was Fisk’s archives that provided one of the most surprising resources. “The personal effects of (cabaret performer) Florence Mills and (gospel songwriter) Thomas Dorsey were so valuable,” Powers explains. “Just reading their letters and correspondence.” More than the Playboy/porn and raw hedonism tilt — though that’s here, too — Powers focuses on sex’s myriad realities. Empowerment, social force, fashion driver, alternative culture enabler are as present in Good Booty as the gauntlet of musicians, songs, and genres tumbling through her writing. As always, Powers churns truths beneath the surface while invoking music and moments that bring her arguments to life. ♪

BAND TOGETHER

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Museum members enjoy unlimited access to rotating exhibitions, as well as exclusive performances and programs, discounted tours of Hatch Show Print and Historic RCA Studio B, shopping and dining deals, and more.

#PressPlayRecord • #CMHOF50 • @CountryMusicHOF CountryMusicHallofFame.org/Membership • Downtown Nashville

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR EMMA ALFORD CALENDAR EDITOR

S E P T E M B E R | O C T O B E R 2017

FOR UP-TO -DATE INFORMATION ON EVENTS, AS WELL AS LINKS, PLEASE VISIT US AT: THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM

UPCOMING “EDUTAINING” THE EAST SIDE

Mr. Bond and the Science Guys “Tomorrow’s World” Summer Reading Programs Locations and times vary

Mr. Bond and his crew are back with their summer reading program to remind kids that science IS fun. Mr. Bond is back again, pushing his own scientific agenda in a fun, new way. He calls it “Edutaining,” educating and entertaining. He and his Science Guys host shows across the area. This year’s program, “Tomorrow’s World,” will show audiences how science is working to build a better world through new technologies and energy forms. Young Einsteins can check out the schedule of performances below.

Tennessee State Fair, Green Collar Stage Performances daily: Friday, Sept. 8-Sunday, Sept. 17 Monday-Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m mrbondscienceguy.com

GONE BLUEGRASS

12th Annual Madison Bluegrass Festival 4–10 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, Amqui Station and Visitors Center

If you looking for another occasion to listen to bluegrass, Madison has you covered. Their 12th annual bluegrass soiree will be held this September, so scoot on down Gallatin with you geetar, or just a set of open ears. It’s $10 for entry and free for the kiddos. Larry’s Grand Ole Garage will be serving up burgers for the hungry pickers and grinners. Don’t forget your lawn chair! amquistation.org 303 Madison St., Madison, 615.891.1154

TAKE ME TO THE (BEER) RACES Pinewood Beer Derby 5-10 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 10

This ain’t the same father-son Pinewood Derby from your Boy Scout days, but it might do you one better. Smith & Lentz Brewery is hosting their own grown-up version of the classic derby with a competition between local brew masters around the city. Every brewery in town, as well as craft beer-oriented and supportive businesses, will be building their own cars for a race inside

the taproom. Judging criteria? Speed and style. The why? Alive Hospice. All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organization that assists families utilizing end-of-life services. Take yourself to the races. 903 Main St.

DONE GONE TO MADISON Y’ALL

Madison Guild Sept. 11 and 18, Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge We all need a vacation every now and then, but there’s not always time for a trip to the islands. But never fear, for just a wee bit north of Inglewood, on the southern outskirts of Madison, sits Dee’s. There you’ll find all the comforts of a resort bar straight out of the ’70s without the pesky airports or time travel. Well, maybe resort bar is going a bit too far, but who cares? Besides, experiencing the bonafide authenticity of Darrin Bradbury as he hosts the Sept. 11 installment of the Madison Guild beats baking in the sun. The following week, relax to the smooth sounds of Adrian+Meredith as they take the helm. It’ll be as transformative as meditating to the warm glow of thermionic valves. deeslounge.com 102 E. Palestine Ave, Madison, Tn 37115

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICANA

Americana Music Association Festival & Conference Sept. 12-17, citywide

Americana Music Festival and Conference makes its return again. The festival spans five

days toggling educational sessions during the daytime and music across the city through the night. The conference portion features seminars, lectures, and panels with top music biz professionals. Tons of musicians will perform throughout the weeklong event, including several big name acts (we were excited to hear John Prine will make an appearance). Grab a wristband for entry to all shows or

pay per showcase. If you want to attend the conference, register online to attend. Shows will be held at The 5 Spot, The Basement East, The Cobra, The East Room, and The Family Wash. Special events are taking place at American Legion, Fond Object Records, Little Harpeth Brewing, and The Groove. americanamusic.org

WE WILL HOLLY STREET ROCK YOU

Holly Street Rocks! 6-10 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, The Pavilion East

Parents know childcare services don’t come cheap. Holly Street Daycare knows it, too. The annual Holly Street Rocks event benefits local families with kiddos at Holly Street that have fallen down on their luck and need a helping hand. The proceeds enable these kids to remain in a safe and supportive environment. Now, that is something we can all drink to. A $50 ticket will include four hours of wine and beer tastings from Midtown Wine & Spirits, eats from Alexander’s Catering, and a silent auction featuring donations from over 100 local businesses. There will also be a live auction for artwork, trips, concert tickets, and more goodies. Get your tickets and get your bidding hand ready. hollystreetrocks.org 1006 Fatherland St. #105

ARGH, MATEYS!

Talk Like a Pirate Day 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, The Family Wash

Patio now open.

Ahoy there. It is time to batten down the hatches ye swashbucklers, Talk Like A Pirate Day is sailing this way. Our resident pirates Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers will be honoring their favorite holiday with a performance at The Family Wash. Captain Tom Mason will sing about his life on the high seas. Walk the plank to The Wash. familywash.com 626 Main St. A, 615.645.9930

FRESH-CUT BLUEGRASS

Nashville’s Japanese-style pub and social house twotenjack.com

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The Amqui Station Pickin’ Party 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 22, Amqui Station and Visitors Center

Bluegrass is back in full swing for summertime in Madison. Fans of all sounds Americana,

EAST SIDE CALENDAR

“new grass,” and good ole traditional bluegrass are invited to the Station’s front porch and lawn for summer strumming. This pickin’ party will have headlining acts for each night, but they invite musicians to bring out their axes to jam along. If you’re participating in a “jam circle,” you’ll get a half-priced ticket. Historic Amqui’s website has the deets. amquistation.org 303 Madison St., Madison, 615.891.1154

PICKIN’ AT THE AIRPARK

Cornelia Fort Pickin’ Party 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, Cornelia Fort Airpark

Brazilbilly rounds out this season at the historic airpark. Bring a banjo, fiddle, or any

axe of choice, you’ll even get an extra drink ticket if you do. Starting at 6 p.m. there will be food trucks and beer on the tarmac, with music kicking off at 7:30 p.m. All ticket purchases come with a drink ticket. Bring a folding chair and let the pickin’ ensue. friendsofshelby.org 1199 Shadow Lane

RUN IF YOU NASHVILLE CARES

26th Annual Nashville AIDS Walk 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, Public Square Park

If you know how hard Nashville CARES works to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Middle Tennessee, then it might be time for you to strap on those sneaks and get a move on. This 5k walk and run has a lofty goal: to raise $200,000 for Nashville Cares. On top of the jaunt, there will be a community fair, expo, and raffle. The funds raised will help Nashville Cares continue their advocacy, education, and preventative services to Middle Tennesseans. Register online or on race day. nashvillecares.org 3rd Avenue N. and Union Street

ON PAR FOR THE WORDS

Southern Word Golf Classic Scramble 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, Shelby Golf Course

Grab the 9 iron for this, folks. This all-ages, all-skill-levels golf scramble supports the folks of Southern Word, an organization that helps youth build literacy skills through workshops, school residencies, open mics, and shows. Whether it’s birdies or bogies you’re shooting, the morning will kick off with breakfast from Alexander’s Catering at 7:30 a.m. Sign up for the scramble for $50, which includes breakfast, greens fees, and a cart. Proceeds benefit the work of Southern Word. See you on the green. southernword.org 2021 Fatherland St.

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

SHOPPIN’ FOR SPOT

East C.A.N. Annual Yard Sale 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, Eastwood Christian Church

The dog-lovin’ folks at East C.A.N. are having their annual yard sale to raise money for the furry friends they work to foster and rehome across our fair community. Hand-me-down

lovers and bargain hunters, take heed. If you aren’t looking to buy, but looking to purge, the organization is accepting donated items to resell now through September. Donations accepted now through September. All proceeds go to support animal welfare and fostering for local dogs. eastcan.org 1601 Eastland Ave.

NASHVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE

EVERYONE HAS A STORY 2017-2018 SEASON MEMBERSHIPS ON SALE NOW

THE HUNDRED DRESSES On Stage: Sept 14 - Oct 3

LOVE THY NEIGHBORHOOD

Nashville Neighborhoods Celebration 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, Elizabeth Park

East Nashville may be our chosen kingdom, but the annual Nashville Neighborhoods Celebration gives us all a reason to explore another neck of Nashville’s woods. This year’s hoorah is headed to Elizabeth Park in North Nashville. The Neighborhoods Resource Center’s yearly event is a way to see the many neighborhoods nestled in our fair city. They will have live local music and spoken word acts from across the city, and not one, but THREE parades throughout the day. You can check out the neighborhood showcase, and participate in the fest’s many games and activities. They’ll even have a chili cook-off and “The Neighbor Games,” as a way to show your turf ’s chops. See what makes all of Nashville great. nashvilleneighborhoodscelebration.com 1701 Arthur Ave.

WE’RE GONNA PARTY LIKE IT’S 1979 By William Kent Williams Based on the Newberry Honor book by Eleanor Estes The new girl, Wanda Petronski, speaks with an accent, has a funny last name, and wears the same faded blue dress to school every day. Who would believe she has a hundred bright, shiny new ones at home?

NEXT at NCT

LEARN ABOUT NCT’S POPULAR DRAMA CLASSES ONLINE! NOW ENROLLING MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS OCT 26 - Dec 3, 2017

Book by Robert Kauzlaric Music & Lyrics by George Howe Based on the novel by Richard & Florence Atwater

TICKETS: 615-252-4675 or NASHVILLECT.org FREE PARKING ON SITE

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Dee’s One Year Anniversary Celebration 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., Oct. 20-21 Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge

If the new beer garden, replete with a fire pit, isn’t reason enough to stop by this celebratory shindig, then maybe being serenaded by country chanteuse Elizabeth Cook is. Bonus ... it’s just in time for leather weather. deeslounge.com 102 E Palestine Ave, Madison, Tn 37115

LIGHT IT UP

Light the Nations 4-10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, The Nations (West Nashville)

Not everyone can be East Nashville, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love them just the same. Our up-and-coming sister neighborhood The Nations is celebrating their stake in this city by throwing a party. Light the Nations will highlight the area’s local businesses, plus have all the makings of a proper neighborhood festival — music, vendors, and food trucks. Stay tuned to their webpage for deets as the event nears. lightthenations615.com

EAST SIDE CALENDAR

DINNER IS ON THE BOOKS

East Nashville Hope Exchange’s Booked for Dinner 6-9:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 28, Baker Donelson Special Events Center

“Booked For Dinner” is a fall fundraiser which supports our year round intensive literacy programming. This event will feature a silent auction, live auction, cocktail hour, elegant dinner, and entertainment. Open your pocketbooks for the love of books, folks. enhopeexchange.org 419 Woodland St.

TRICK OR TREAT

Trick or Treat at the Booseum! 4-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 31, Amqui Station and Visitors Center

No thrills for this one, but don’t forget your sweet tooth. Amqui is hosting a safe (not scary) Halloween party for children 10 and under. They’ll have creepy treats and tricky crafts. Sport your best costumes and bring the little ones out for this fright-free family event. amquistation.org 303 Madison St.

RESIDENCIES AND SHOWCASES =

Happy Hour

w/Crackerboots

Saturdays, 5-6:30 p.m. =

THE 5 SPOT

DRIFTERS

the5spot.club

BAR·B·QUE JOINT driftersnashville.com

Dino Bradley Sundays, Sept. 17, Oct. 1 & 22, 7-10 p.m. Tim Carroll & Luella Thursdays, 7-10 p.m. =

Sunday Night Soul

Jackie Wilson & Jason Eskridge

2nd & 4th Sundays, 6-8:30 p.m. Stolen Faces 3rd Sundays, 8:30 p.m. $2 Tuesdays

THE FAMILY WASH

Hosted by Derek Hoke

Lightning 100

The East Nashvillian

familywash.com

Writers’ Night

Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Finally Fridays

presents

A Damn Fine Happy Hour

Live Broadcast: WMOT 89.5 FM Roots Radio

Fridays, noon-2 p.m.

Tuesdays, 9 p.m.

Hosted by Mark Fredson

Thursdays in October, 6-8:30 p.m.

☞

QUESTIONS FOR CAROLERS

Caroling for Kids Open House 4-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 1, Fannie Battle Day Home

Thinking of warming up those vocal chords for this year’s season of caroling at Fannie Battle Day Home? Now is your chance to get your feet a little wet before diving in. Every year the center organizes families, churches, companies, and schools to carol around the city to collect money for the center’s efforts throughout the year. If you want to learn more about what it means to be a caroler, RSVP by calling 615.228.6745 or emailing mmcwilliams@fanniebattle.org. Fa la la on to Fannie Battle. fanniebattle.org 108 Chapel Ave.

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Tim Carroll’s

Rock & Roll Happy Hour

Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m.

ART EXHIBITS

DON’T FORGET TO STUMBLE ON

East Side Art Stumble 6-10 p.m., second Saturday of every month, multiple East Nashville galleries

We don’t art crawl on the East Side, we art

stumble. Every month, local galleries and studios will open their doors after hours to showcase some of the fabulous work they have gracing their walls. You can expect to see a diverse, eclectic mix of art, affording the opportunity to meet local artists and support their work. Local retail stores are stumbling in as well, with some businesses participating in a “happy hour” from 5-7 p.m., offering discounted prices on their merchandise to fellow stumblers. Be sure to check out the happy hour deals in The Idea Hatchery.

RED ARROW GALLERY McKay Otto | ever wide open ever Opening reception Sept. 9, 6 p.m. Through October Tara Walters and Michael Porten Opening Reception Oct. 14, 6 p.m. Through November Jodi Hays Opening Reception Nov. 11, 6 p.m. Through December

theredarrowgallery.com 919 Gallatin Ave. #4, 615.236.6575

ART & INVENTION GALLERY

Tomato Art Fest Show On display through Sept. 10; Gallery hours: Thursday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. artandinvention.com 1106 Woodland St., 615.226.2070

RAVEN AND WHALE GALLERY

Works by Kate Harrold and Jason Brueck Thursday- Sunday from 12-5 p.m. Extended hours during East Side Art Stumble, second Saturdays 6-10 p.m. ravenandwhalegallery.com 1108 Woodland St. Unit G, 629.777.6965

FLORA

Carolyn Fauteux Art Show 4-6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, Flora Plant Shop floraplantshop.com 305 E. Trinity Lane Suite 103, 615.739.5607

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

THEATER|OPERA

Nashville Repertory Theatre presents

Sense and Sensibility Sept. 9-23 James K. Polk Theater at TPAC nashvillerep.org 505 Deaderick St. ∏

Saturday Noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Friday Closed, Sunday and Monday

The Nature Center offers a wide range of nature and environmental education programs and has a Nashville B-Cycle station where residents and visitors can rent a bike to explore Nashville’s greenways. For more information, as well as the online program registration portal, visit: nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/ Nature-Centers-and-Natural-Areas/ Shelby-Bottoms-Nature-Center 1900 Davidson St., 615.862.8539

“Shello!” crafting with collected shells workshop 2-3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30 All ages, registration required Harvest Moon Mosey 8-9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5 All ages, registration required “Misunderstood” art collection by Adam Hale 6-8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7 (exhibit runs through end of October) All ages

Nashville Children’s Theatre

EVENTS & CLASSES

The Hundred Dresses Sept. 14-Oct. 1

Magical Monarchs! 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9 All ages, registration required

National Arts and Humanities Month 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14 All ages

Celebrating the Autumn Sunrise! 6-7 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 23 All ages, registration required

Pumpkins and Pickin’ 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21 All ages, registration required

presents

nashvillechildrenstheatre.org 25 Middleton St. ∏

The Theater Bug presents

Still Life with Iris Sept. 28-Oct. 1 Thursday-Saturday performances at 7 p.m. Sunday performance at 6 p.m.

Autumn is Art

The Theater Bug Fall Break Auditions Workshop

Oct. 9-13 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (ages 6-10) 12:30-3:30 p.m. (ages 11-17) Register online thetheaterbug.org 4809 Gallatin Pike ∏

Nashville Opera presents

Tosca Oct. 5 & 7 Jackson Hall at Tennessee Performing Arts Center nashvilleopera.org 505 Deaderick St.

SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE CENTER 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, and

MOST COMFORTABLE MUSIC STORE 1101 HOLLY STREET EAST NASHVILLE 615-750-5746 FANNYSHOUSEOFMUSIC.COM

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2-3:15 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 28 All ages, registration required

12-2 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 1 All ages, registration required

International Observe the Moon Night Saturday, Oct. 28. Details TBA

Fall is in the Air Full Moon Meander 7-8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 3 All ages, registration required

Día de los muertos

Harpeth Hall 2017-18 Performing Arts Calendar P ERFORmANCES AT TH E F R A N C ES B O N D D AV I S T H E AT RE

DECEmBER 7 WINTER CHORAL CONCERT

An evening of music ranging from classical to rock, this concert features grades 5-12 choirs and includes the Rolling Tones, Harpeth Hall’s a cappella group, and Lads & Plaid, a combined choral group with singers from Harpeth Hall and Montgomery Bell Academy. Admission is free and open to the public.

Harpeth Hall’s Middle School Musical is a delightfully offbeat adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl adventure that will resonate with audiences of all ages. Learn more and purchase tickets online.

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D AY

mARCH 1 – 3 SPRING SHOW

ADMISS

FEBRUARY 2 – 3 JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

mBE

AUgUST 30 – SEPTEmBER 2 FOOTLOOSE

Return to the rockin’ rhythms of the 80s in our 20th collaborative musical with Montgomery Bell Academy. This anticipated performance is based on the celebrated film musical Footloose. Learn more and purchase tickets online. OCTOBER 26 – 28 THE WINTER’S TALE

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale follows the story of childhood friends and deals with all-consuming jealousy, broken relationships, and a touch of magic. Learn more and purchase tickets online. NOVEmBER 16 – 18 CHIAROSCURO COLLECTIONS

The Harpeth Hall Dance Company presents Chiaroscuro Collections in which depth of color is explored in various genres of dance. Learn more and purchase tickets online. DECEmBER 4 WINTER ORCHESTRA CONCERT

Harpeth Hall String players from grades 5-12 unite to perform works of the season. Admission is free and open to the public.

Upper school theatre students collaborate on the content and design of the annual Spring Show. Admission is free and open to the public. mARCH 13 DRAMA CLUB SHOW

5th and 6th graders are featured in the alwayscharming spring Drama Club Show. Admission is free and open to the public. APRIL 26 – 28 SPATIAL LANDSCAPES

Harpeth Hall’s spring dance concert highlights a variety of physical and emotional configurations through multiple genres of dance and student choreography. Learn more and purchase tickets online. mAY 1 SPRING CHORAL CONCERT

The Spring Choral Concert features Grade 5-12 choirs, performance by the Rolling Tones, and a musical farewell to our senior singers. Admission is free and open to the public. mAY 3 SPRING ORCHESTRA CONCERT

The Spring Orchestra Concert features selections inspired by the instrumental musicians in grades 5-12 and senior farewells. Admission is free and open to the public.

THE HARPETH HALL SCHOOL • 3801 HOBBS ROAD • NASHVILLE, TN 37215

For more information contact: 615.297.9543 • Purchase tickets on the website: www.harpethhall.org

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Daffodils are Dandy 12-2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 4 All ages, registration required

RECURRING FARM FRESH

East Nashville Farmers Market 3:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays through October, Shelby Park

Get fresh at the East Nashville Farmers Market near the baseball diamond before this year’s season runs out. Take a detour from your usual trek to Kroger and stop by these markets. They offer the “cream of the crop” in locally grown organic and fresh foods. Peruse the local cheeses, milk, breads, herbs, fruits, vegetables, jams and jellies. A few merchants even sell handmade goods, such as soaps, candles, pottery, and jewelry. Go out and meet the farmers who make your food. They also accept SNAP (food stamp) benefits. Grocery shopping has never been this fun — or homegrown. The East Nashville Farmers Markets will run through the end of October. eastnashvillemarket.com

SHOP AROUND SUNDAY

Sundays at Porter East Noon to 4 p.m., First Sunday of every month, Shops at Porter East

The Shops at Porter East open their doors the first Sunday of every month for a special little parking lot party. You can expect to enjoy a selection of rotating food trucks (and a flower truck), fixups from Ranger Stich, and occasionally catch some good tunes. Amelia’s Flower Truck will let you build your own bouquet while Ranger Stich weaves some amazing chain stich on your favorite denim. You can also grab a bite to eat from some of the on-site food trucks. 700 Porter Road

TEA TIME

Sweet Tea Dance 4-7 p.m., last Sunday of every month, The Beast Pub

Looking to enjoy a dance party outside of the nightlife? I think we can all agree that

EAST SIDE CALENDAR

the late-night, all-night club parties can sometimes be a little intense. For a more laid-back Sunday afternoon soiree, head to The Beast Pub. This dance party is set in the early evening and will have you home before dinnertime (if you so please). No cover and 2-4-1 drinks! Time for tea. thebasementnashville.com 917 Woodland St., 615.645.9176

enough. The Beast Pub turns bingo hall every Monday night, but it ain’t yer grandma’s game. Show up, eat, drink, and spell out the magic word. Drinks specials from local breweries, prizes, and show tix all at your fingertips … need we say more? Just G-O. thebasementnashville.com 917 Woodland St. 615.645.9176

SHAKE A LEG

Keep On Movin’ 10 p.m. until close, Mondays, The 5 Spot

For those looking to hit the dance floor on Monday nights, The 5 Spot’s “Keep on Movin’ ” dance party is the place to be. This shindig keeps it real with old-school soul, funk, and R&B. Don’t worry, you won’t hear Ke$ha —

RINC, Y’ALL

Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance Sundays at DancEast: 2-3 p.m., 7-12 years; 3-4 p.m., teen/adult Mondays at Eastwood Christian Church: 5-6 p.m., all ages

You’re never too young — or too old — to kick out the Gaelic jams with some Irish Step dancing. No experience, or partner, required. Just you, some enthusiasm, and a heart of gold will have you dancing in the clover before you can say “leprechaun.”

DancEast

danceast.org 805 Woodland St. Suite 314, 615.601.1897

Eastwood Christian Church, Fellowship Hall 1601 Eastland Ave. 615.300.4388

BRING IT TO THE TABLE

Community Hour at Lockeland Table 4-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, Lockeland Table

Lockeland Table is cooking up family-friendly afternoons to help you break out of the house or away from that desk for a couple of hours. Throughout the week, they host a community happy hour that includes a special snack and drink menu, as well as a menu just for the kiddies. A portion of all proceeds benefits Lockeland Design Center PTO, so you can feel good about giving back to your neighborhood while schmoozing with your fellow East Nashvillians. lockelandtable.com 1520 Woodland St., 615.228.4864

CAN’T SPELL BINGO WITHOUT BEAST Beast Bingo 7 p.m., Mondays, The Beast Pub

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CONCERTS | RESTAURANT | PRIVATE EVENTS | WINERY

although you might see her and you can leave your Apple Bottom jeans at home. If you have two left feet, then snag a seat at the bar. They have two-for-one drink specials, so you can use the money you save on a cover to fill your cup. the5spot.club 1006 Forrest Ave., 615.650.9333

sustainability. They will provide you with info on these trends and a way to make them an affordable and a convenient part of your own life. You can expect an hour-long presentation or demonstration with a fun, hands-on component. Green looks good on you! urbangreenlab.org

TELL ME A STORY

TRANSFORMING AT THE POST

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East Side Storytellin’ 7 p.m., the first and third Tuesdays, The Post East

end of rosé party get your tickets at citywinery.com/nashville

Looking for something to get your creative juices flowing? East Side Story has partnered with WAMB radio to present an all-out affair with book readings, musical performances, and author/musician interviews in just one evening. Look for this event twice each month. If you want some adult beverages, feel free to BYOB. Check the website to see who the guests of honor will be for each performance. The event is free, but you may want to reserve a spot by calling East Side Story ahead of time.

The Post East

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theposteast.com 1701 Fatherland St. Suite A, 615.457.2920

East Side Story

an evening with

eastsidestorytn.com 615.915.1808

leftover salmon 9/9 Nashville Wine Fest 9/9 An Evening with Matt Wertz 9/10 Lee Brice & Friends Benefiting Folds of Honor 9/11 an Intimate Evening with Parachute and Opener Johnny Balik americana fest: --------------------------------------9/12 Colin Hay, Joan Osborne, Marc Broussard, Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm 9/13 Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge, Haas Kowert Tice, A.J. Croce 9/14 The Stray Birds, Robyn Hitchcock, Tony Joe White, Dave Alvin, Grant-Lee Phillips

9/15 Erin Rae, Dori Freeman, Courtney Marie Andrews, Brandy Clark, Kasey Chambers 9/16 Rachel Baiman, Darling West, Mark O’Connor featuring the O’Connor Band, Humming House, Caitlyn Smith 9/17 The 7th Annual Gospel Brunch Presented by Thirty Tigers featuring Paul Thorn, Bonnie Bishop, The McCrary Sisters, Rev. Sekou, Priscilla Renea ---------------------------------------9/17 Avery Sunshine 9/18 Ben Ottewell of Gomez 9/20 The Porch Wine Series: A Sommelier’s Favorite Value Wines

We Sell Wine

JOIN THE LEGION

Honky Tonk Tuesdays 8 p.m., Tuesdays, American Legion Post 82

Every Tuesday, the usually members-only American Legion Post 82 opens its doors for a hipster hoedown. They play the oldies and goldies of country music, a night filled with Merle Haggard, Ray Price, and maybe a little Hank Williams. What else makes this one-off, open-door policy night stand out? FREE parking, NO cover, and CHEAP drinks all of which are getting harder to come by here in East Nashville. facebook.com/thelegion82 3204 Gallatin Pike, 615.228.3598

GET YOUR GREEN ON

Engage Green First Wednesday of each month, locations vary

Wine delivered right to your doorstep.

join vinofile reserve

ON SUNDAYS!

609 LAFAYETTE STREET, NASHVILLE, TN 37203 615.324.1010 | CITYWINERY.COM 112

Tap into your eco-consciousness every month when Urban Green Lab and Lightning 100’s Team Green Adventures join forces for Engage Green. Join these enviro-crusaders for a discussion that highlights government agencies, businesses, and organizations that practice

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Free Conscious Transformation Groups 7-8:30 p.m., Second Wednesday of every month, The Post East

Looking for a supportive environment to focus on your professional and personal development? These monthly meetings foster a place to focus on conscious transformation teaching, tools, and meditation practices to promote and hone in on a plan of action to support your transformation. The meetings are led by Energy Healer Ben Dulaney. Think of it as conscious coupling with other likeminded folks. theposteast.com 1701 Fatherland St., Suite A, 615.457.2920

ART IS FOR EVERYONE John Cannon Fine Art Classes 6-8 p.m., Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m., Saturdays, The Idea Hatchery

If you’ve been filling in coloring-book pages for years, but you’re too intimidated to put actual paint to canvas, it might be time to give it a try. Local artist John Cannon teaches intimate art classes at The Idea Hatchery, and the small class size keeps the sessions low-pressure and allows for some one-on-one instruction. If you’re feeling like you could be the next Matisse with a little guidance, sign yourself up. johncannonart.com 1108-C Woodland St., 615.496.1259

WALK, EAT, REPEAT

Walk Eat Nashville 1:30 p.m., Thursdays; 11 a.m., Fridays, 5 Points

What better way to indulge in the plethora of East Nashville eateries than a walking tour through the tastiest stops? Walk Eat Nashville tours stroll through East Nashville, kicking off in 5 Points, with six tasting stops over three hours. You will walk about 1.5 miles, so you’ll burn some of those calories you’re consuming in the process.

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This tour offers the chance to interact with the people and places crafting Nashville’s culinary scene. You even get a little history lesson along the way, learning about landmarks and lore on the East Side. Sign up for your tour online. walkeatnashville.com Corner of 11th and Woodland Streets 615.587.6138

If you are new to the East Side, get up to speed on criminal activity in the area. If you are a recent victim of crime, they want to hear your story.

East Precinct

615.862.7600

Turnip Truck

701 Woodland St., 615.650.3600

END THE WEEK ON A HIGH NOTE Family Wash Fridays Noon to 2 p.m., every Friday, The Family Wash | Garage Coffee

Friday lunch never tasted so good with these weekly lineups of music featuring a “Secret Special Guest” at The Family Wash/Garage

CINEMATIC HOP-STERPIECES

Brew & View Movie Nights at Smith & Lentz Brewery 6:30-11 p.m., first Thursday of every month

They’ve got some good things brewing for viewing over at Smith & Lentz these days. The hop-masters are throwing their own movie night each month with two backto-back pictures. Flick picks chosen from the suggestion box at the brewery. They’ll show the films on their 120-inch projector screen, serve up their delicious beer and free popcorn. Shotgun Willie’s will be dishing out their BBQ , too. Even better — it’s free. smithandlentz.com 903 Main St.

FIND YOUR STATION

Songwriters Night at The Station 7 p.m., third Thursday of every month, The Engine Bay of The Station

They’re not fighting fires anymore, but the folks at The Station are on to something hot. Every third Thursday, they host a writer’s round of local musicians. Jason Eskridge typically hosts the evening and several songsters join in. You can check the monthly lineup on The Station’s Facebook page. Tip: There is limited parking behind the building, but overflow parking is available across the street at Eastland Baptist Church. thestationnashville.com 1220 Gallatin Ave.

HONESTLY, OFFICER...

East Nashville Crime Prevention Meeting 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursdays, Turnip Truck Join your neighbors to talk about crime stats, trends, and various other issues with East Precinct’s Commander David Imhof and head of investigation Lt. Greg Blair.

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR Coffee. This end-of-the-week event is presented by WMOT/Roots Radio 89.5 and hosted by Roots Radio DJ, Whit “Witness” Hubner. familywash.com 626A Main St., 615.645.9930

ROCKIN’ AT THE SPOT Tim Carroll’s Friday Night Happy Hour 6-8:30 p.m., Fridays, The 5 Spot

Your local watering hole has rocker Tim Carroll continuing his long tenure as the musical host for happy hour every Friday evening. Sometimes you can catch The Cure’s Reeves Gabrels sitting in with some otherwordly guitar riffing when he’s in town. If you’re looking for a local musical institution, the search is over. And speaking of local institutions, did we mention it’s at The 5 Spot? the5spot.club 1006 Forrest Ave., 615.650.9333

CAN’T FORCE A DANCE PARTY Queer Dance Party

9 p.m. to 3 a.m., third Friday of every month, The Basement East

On any given month, the QDP is a mixed bag of fashionably clad attendees (some in the occasional costume) dancing till they can’t dance no mo’. The dance party has migrated over to The Beast, which gives shakers and movers even more space to cut up. Shake a leg, slurp down some of the drink specials, and let your true rainbow colors show. thebasementnashville.com 917 Woodland St., 615.645.9174

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS & EVENTS HISTORIC EDGEFIELD NEIGHBORS 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26 East Park Community Center historicedgefieldneighbors.com 700 Woodland St.

LOCKELAND SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Date & Time TBA, The Post East lockelandsprings.org 1701 Fatherland St.

SHELBY HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 6:30 p.m., third Monday of every month, Shelby Community Center shelbyhills.org 401 S. 20th St.

MAXWELL HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 6 p.m., second Monday of every month Metro Police East Precinct 936 E. Trinity Lane

ROLLING ACRES NEIGHBORS MEETING Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m. Eastwood Christian Church (Sanctuary)

RAN currently meets at least every other month on the second Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. 1601 Eastland Ave. t

EASTWOOD NEIGHBORS Date & Time TBA Eastwood Christian Church eastwoodneighbors.org 1601 Eastland Ave.

GREENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 6 p.m., second Tuesday of every month House on the Hill greenwoodneighbors.org 909 Manilla St.

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIAITON 6 p.m., third Thursday of every month Kipp Academy

INGLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 7 p.m., first Thursday of every month Isaac Litton Alumni Center

123 Douglas Ave.

inglewoodrna.org 4500 Gallatin Pike

EAST NASHVILLE CAUCUS Metro Police East Precinct, 936 E. Trinity Lane

The East Nashville Caucus provides a public forum for East Nashville community leaders, council members, and neighbors. Contact East Precinct for meeting times, or check their Facebook page. facebook.com/East-PrecinctMetropolitan-Nashville-PoliceDepartment 615.862-7600

EAST HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 6:30 p.m., second Wednesday of every month Metro Police Precinct East

MCFERRIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 6:30 p.m., first Thursday of every month McFerrin Park Community Center 301 Berry St.

ROSEBANK NEIGHBORS 6:30 p.m., third Thursday of every month Memorial Lutheran Church 1211 Riverside Drive

936 E. Trinity Lane

CLEVELAND PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 6:30 p.m., second Thursday of every month Cleveland Park Community Center facebook.com/groups/Cleveland Park 610 N. Sixth St.

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HENMA Dates and locations vary

HENMA is a cooperative formed among East Nashville business owners to promote collaboration with neighborhood associations and city government. Check the association’s website to learn about the organization and where meetings will be held each quarter. eastnashville.org

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MOMS Club of East Nashville 10 a.m., first Friday of every month, location varies by group

MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club is an international organization of mothers with four branches in the East Nashville area. It provides a support network for mothers to connect with other EN mothers. The meetings are open to all mothers in the designated area. Meetings host speakers, cover regular business items of the organization including upcoming service initiatives and activities, and also allow women to discuss the ins and outs, ups and downs of being a mother. Check their website for the MOMS group in your area. momsclubeast.blogspot.com

ﬁn. Would you like to have something included in our East Side Calendar? Please let us know — we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us at:

calendar@theeastnashvillian.com For club listings and other events visit our Do615-powered calender online at theastnashvillian.com

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East of NORMAL ⟿ by Tommy Womack ⟿

Shades of Gray

was sitting in a fan’s truck in St. Augustine, Fla., maybe seven or eight years ago, indulging in some after-show merriment. He was a strapping, bearded fellow whose name escapes me. He had my There, I Said It! record on. People do that sometimes; they put my own record on thinking I’m going to enjoy listening to it. “What song’s the one with Emmylou on it?” he asked. And I told him there wasn’t one. “Like hell, there isn’t!” he exclaimed, and began skipping through the tracks in search of the elusive Emmylou Harris/Tommy Womack duet. At last he found it, my song “25 Years Ago,” which features the masterful gilt harmonies of Lisa Oliver Gray. Not Emmylou. But that’s a fair indicator of Lisa’s talent. She’s a born and bred Kentuckian, just like me, and we met at college in Bowling Green. It was 1983, and one night we flirted at an off-campus disco called the Alibi. God stepped in and put the kibosh on that, because we were destined to be brother and sister, and sing together at hundreds of gigs later in our lives, and that’s what’s happened. For a while in Bowling Green, she would always be singing in one band and I’d be in another, with varying degrees of rivalry, and then one night at a Government Cheese gig, she sat in with me as I did “Like A Rolling Stone” solo to kick off the second set. It was a sweet thing to hear our voices together. It worked. Not long after, she moved to Chicago with her new husband, Michael, and she sang there, too, eventually moving back down south again to Nashville, singing whenever there was a chance to. She listened, too. She listened to Linda Ronstadt and Chrissie Hynde and Albertina Walker, and Jonell Mosser and Etta Britt. She formed a band that played the music of her youth, hard rock, and it didn’t quite work. Sure, we were both KISS fans as kids, but that doesn’t mean you should be singing “I Stole Your Love” in your 30s. She had a cover band gig in Bowling Green every Sunday night for years, and I would come see her sometimes, becoming much more amazed at the voice that was broadening in scope and improving all the time.

One night in Nashville at 12th & Porter, she was recruited out of the crowd to sit in with Wayne Kramer (of all people) to riff and sing with him on a song called “Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me?” There was a lot of call-and-response, and comedy. Lisa was hilarious. Any smart comment Wayne made, she batted it right back like a tennis ball. She had it going on. It made me think I could use somebody like that. I’d moved to Nashville, too, by this point, and in the summer of ’97, I invited her to join my band. We had sung together on enough occasions that I knew it was time to make a move. She made me sound much better. It’s much easier to stay on key if you’ve got somebody with you who knows what the note is and knows how to sing it, which is not my strongest suit. Twenty years it’s been, and I like to think that to a degree I helped bring her in front of enough people that things eventually took off for her. She sings backup in several acts now, and does studio work. She’s made her own record, the excellent Dedicated to Love, and people have learned who she is. On top of her singing skills, she’s a wonderful person, one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. She doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t do drugs, and only cusses in appropriate private moments. Her higher profile nowadays has occasionally made me afraid she’d leave me for a more handsome guy. So far, I’ve been lucky. She’s clairvoyant, too. When she’s singing backup, she watches my mouth and has actually sung right along with me at times when I sang the wrong verse. She already knew I was going to screw up and sang along with my mistake like it was planned in advance. I don’t know how she does it, but she does. We’ve made a record with a group of ours we call Another Mother (as in, she’s my sister from another mother) and it’s good, but it’s stalled out so far as finishing it because of that old “who’s going to pay for it?” gag. Nevertheless, we’ll keep singing together, I hope, another 20 years. I hope she makes another record, I hope she keeps getting more and more noticed. I hope she sings until the day she dies — and then sings even more. ☕

Tommy Womack is a Nashville singer-songwriter, musician, and freelance writer. Keep up with his antics on Facebook and at tommywomack.com.

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BELINDA CARLISLE of THE GO-GO’S Los Angeles, c.1978 Photographed 122

Theresa Kereakas

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PARTING SHOT

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B Y K AT E H A M I L L BA SED ON THE NOVEL BY JANE AUS TEN

T I C K E T S S TA R T AT $ 4 5

SEPTEMBER 9-23, 2017

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