Did You Know?

Robertson Media Group cordially invites you to discover Distinctively Southern Wedding, a wedding resource no middle Tennessee bride will want to do without!

Look for our next edition on stands throughout middle Tennessee!

For more information on how to advertise in Distinctively Southern Wedding or to showcase your wedding story, contact us at: info@robertsonmediagroup.com

FIGHTING DEVIL’S BACKBONE

Franklin attorney Tony L. Turnbow is writing a new young adult historical fiction series about the Natchez Trace. He calls the series Fighting Devil’s Backbone. In April, he released the first book, The Shadow of E. Z.’s Fear.

The series, set in 1809, follows the adventures of a young eastern city boy, Ezekiel Perkins (“E. Z.”). The boy’s mother brings E. Z. and his younger brother to the Natchez Trace to find their new home in the Mississippi Territory. He learns too late that the road has earned the name “The Devil’s Backbone” from dangers that travelers encounter. As the family nears Nashville, boatmen warn that the Natchez Trace is filled with bandits, angry Indian warriors, and even supernatural creatures.

To survive, the boy is forced to determine which dangers are real and which are imagined. The family’s survival depends upon E. Z. learning the wilderness skills that his father did not live long enough to teach him. Tony has researched the history of the Natchez Trace for more than thirty-five years. His first book, the nonfiction Hardened To Hickory: The Missing Chapter in Andrew Jackson’s Life, is based on unpublished journals and letters he discovered in his research. It details

Andrew Jackson’s first military command on the Natchez Trace when he earned the moniker “Old Hickory.” Tony was raised near the Natchez Trace in Tennessee. His ancestors’ farm is where he says he experienced some of the early Tennessee culture that he uses to bring the old tales to life. “I grew up listening to stories about soldiers and bandits, as well as stories of supernatural events that early settlers told to entertain each other. When I discovered that the family farm was located on the old Natchez Trace Indian trail, I realized that my family’s stories provided a window into the past that I could use to understand the historical documents. My goal in the Fighting Devil’s Backbone Series is to use that knowledge to help spark an interest in history for young readers, especially an interest in history they can find in their own back yard,” Tony said. The second book in the series, E. Z. and the Chickasaw Warrior, will be released later in 2021. In that book, E. Z. goes to live with a Chickasaw warrior to survive and to learn the skills he needs.

Tony’s books are available at Landmark Booksellers in Franklin. More information on Tony’s research about the Natchez Trace is available at tonyturnbow.com.

“I realized that my family’s stories provided a window into the past”

TOWN LAWE

When Bruno Pirecki left his career in strategic alliances and entertainment relations, he knew exactly where his next steps would lead. The former Gibson Guitar Corp. executive started down the mystery, gorgeous scenery, murder, passion and romance and complex family relations.” long and challenging road to “Town Lawe is a beautiful story publishing his first novel, Town with layers of history, intrigue, Lawe. “The idea for the book relationship, lore, and universal had been brewing kinship.” Before devoting himself to writing, Bruno Pirecki specialized in strategic alliances and artist relations in the Nashville entertainment industry. He is a for several years,” Bruno said. “There was no doubt that I would write it. I could not escape the cast of characters until I told their story.” “A beautiful story with layers of history, intrigue, relationship, lore, and universal kinship.” “Our path is straight, yet native of Capitol Hill in Seattle, it is made up of corners. It Wash. and spent his formative was designed this way, so years in the San Juan Islands the splendor unfolds only in and mountains of the Pacific glimpses.” So says Chilok, a Northwest. Bruno is a thirty-year tribal wise woman and mystic resident of Franklin, Tennessee whom Townsend Lawe has and lives in the downtown known all his life. historic district with his wife, Town Lawe is a precocious boy growing up in Pole Pass, Idaho, a sleepy mountain hamlet rich in mining history, native lore, and secrets buried since its foundation. Throughout Jennifer, their three cats and one spoiled Rhodesian ridgeback. Town Lawe is his first novel. To learn more about Bruno Pirecki, follow him on Instagram @bruno.pirecki. his childhood, Town explores Redfern Ink is an independent the mysteries of his deceased publishing house located in mother’s past. His academic historic Franklin. Current titles studies and cross-country include Reckoning with Dust sleuthing lead to a shocking and Anthroprose by Jennifer discovery, which exposes the Pirecki and Town Lawe by Bruno sins of his hometown’s founding Pirecki. Signed copies of Redfern families. In the process, he Ink titles are available locally experiences the wisdom of and online from Landmark Chilok firsthand and opens Booksellers landmarkbooksellers. an ancient truth that reveals a com or Amazon amazon.com for glimpse of what lies beyond… print and e-book formats. Visit “This novel has it ALL – adventure, intrigue, history, @redferninkpublishing on Instagram for more.

Live Music Wednesday - Sunday

HOURS

Closed Monday & Tuesday Open Wednesday - Saturday 11 am - 9 pm Sunday 10 am - 7:30 pm (brunch served)

Visit izzysfranklin.com or call 615.716.2861 to make a reservation (recommended) or place an order.

901 Columbia Avenue | Franklin, TN

ARTS

& CULTURE

MUSIC CITY JULY 4TH

July 4 | Downtown Nashville visitmusiccity.com

4th of July 2021 with headliner Brad Paisley during the FREE Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th event in Downtown Nashville. This Independence Day will feature the largest fireworks show in Nashville history with the pyrotechnics synchronized to a live performance by the GRAMMYwinning Nashville Symphony.

CABARET ON STAGE: AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH BRANDEN & JAMES

July 17 | James K. Polk Theater tpac.org

Cabaret on Stage presented by Studio Tenn and TPAC. BRANDEN & JAMES, described by NPR Music as a duo with “dazzling cello and soaring tenor vocals” brings the soulful timbre of James on his cello combined with Branden’s emotional and powerful vocals, creating a sound that leaves audiences feeling moved and inspired.

BLUEGRASS ALONG THE HARPETH

July 23 - 24 Franklin Square bluegrassalongtheharpeth.com

Always held the 4th weekend in July, Bluegrass Along the Harpeth was started in 1991 and has had several homes in Franklin over the years. Most recently it has made its home on the town square. The historic backdrop is the perfect place for a weekend of music in honor of Franklin’s own Grand Ole Opry stars Sam and Kirk McGee. This festival is put on and operated by old-time musicians and dancers. It’s their love for the music and its preservation that make this festival special and a not-to-be-missed event every year.

ROMADRAMA LIVE

July 30 – August 1 Factory at Franklin romadrama.com

Ticket holders will have the opportunity to participate in celebrity one-on-one meet and greets, take selfies and get autographs from their favorite stars, attend celebrity panels, win prizes offered by celebrity guests, collect swag and meet other fans, all while making priceless memories. Additionally, all-inclusive VIP packages are available, which allow guests to attend exclusive VIP brunch, special celebrity events, extended meet-and-greets, parties with the stars, and so much more.

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Be a part of Williamson County’s COMMUNITY—SOCIAL—BUSINESS—LIFESTYLE publication and online resource.

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Gibson Garage Opens in Nashville

Gibson, the iconic, American instrument brand presents the Gibson Garage, the ultimate guitar experience. Come to the Gibson Garage to explore Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, Mesa Boogie and KRK, try your favorite electric and acoustic guitars, and shop for your favorite guitar, accessories and surprises. The historic 8,000 square foot shop will officially open to the public in June, at the historic Cummins Station located on 209 10th Avenue South, in the heart of downtown Nashville. Whether you are a seasoned professional musician, a casual guitar player, a beginner, or simply a music fan, the Gibson Garage is a must-see destination in Nashville. For 127 years, Gibson has shaped sound across generations and genres and has emerged as the most relevant, played, and loved guitar brand around the world. Step inside the new Gibson Garage to explore and shop the collections, experience exclusive, live music performances, catch a taping of the award-winning Gibson TV series, and explore generations of music history including the stories behind the music with captivating, interactive installations and programming. “The Gibson Garage is the ultimate guitar experience where our past, present and future comes to life for fans and artists right here in Music City,” says James “JC” Curleigh, CEO of Gibson Brands. “This is also our opportunity to contribute to the amazing music and guitar culture that we’ve been a part of for over a century. We can’t wait to share the Gibson Garage with our fans and future fans.” “The Gibson Garage is the epitome of when the legendary creativity of the original brand perfectly coincides with the vision of the future of the modern electric and acoustic guitar,” adds Joe Bonamassa. “Congratulations on a job well done.” “You can’t have a guitar town like Nashville without Gibson representing, and they do it with the Garage in an incredibly thoughtful way,” says singer-songwriter-musician Maggie Rose. “The space is great for performances and jamming with other Nashville artists or artists passing through town, but the storefront also draws in music lovers from all over the world who come to see the space that delivers the history and a plethora of guitars.” “The Gibson Garage is a magical place and elicits the same feeling a deep Disney fan feels walking into Disneyland for the first time,” says singer-songwriter-producer, Celisse. “To see all those guitars on the belt and you can reach out and play any guitar of your choice, it is truly unlike anything I have ever experienced. The Gibson Garage is amazing.” The Gibson Garage is the ultimate guitar and music experience, including its state-of-the-art stage for live and virtual lives streaming concert performances. The Gibson Garage combines a modern guitar environment with interactive brand storytelling, a Custom Shop to build your own guitar, historical and celebrity memorabilia displays, a Repair and Restoration Center, and a public retail shopping experience across Gibson, Gibson Acoustic, Gibson Custom Shop, Epiphone, Kramer, MESA/Boogie, and KRK. At the Gibson Garage, fans can try all our guitars across brands and collections as well as take a piece of history home with one-of-a-kind, in-store offers on limited-edition guitars, instruments, gear, accessories and exclusive Gibson apparel. Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 127 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone and KRK, behind great music for over thirty years. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at Gibson.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Gibson TV and Instagram.

Hunter Metts

Williamson County’s American Idol

By Anna Robertson Ham

American Idol had an incredible lineup of talent this year. Idol fans, that have been keeping up with this past season, are very familiar with Hunter Metts. Hunter made it to the singing competition’s top seven contestants…and many were left with jaws on the floor after he was voted off. However, that did not dampen or diminish his passion for music and drive to create, nor did it falter his devoted fans. After leaving American Idol, Hunter released his single “20,000 Kisses” which can be downloaded on digital music platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. We had the opportunity to learn a bit more about the talented local, who has lived in Williamson County his entire life, with a little Q&A.

How long have you had a passion for music and how did it begin?

Before I was born, my Dad moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University and my mom moved here to become an artist herself…so it’s kind of a part of who I am. Some of my earliest memories are tied to music and I guess that passion had always been there, I just had never fully pursued it until now.

Did you take lessons in music, or just come about it naturally?

I took a few guitar lessons when I was in the seventh grade but I discovered that I could learn whatever I wanted through YouTube, so YouTube became my greatest teacher. As far as any other instruments or my voice, I’ve just been singing or playing every day and being patient with myself until I get it.

How did you decide to audition for American Idol?

I graduated from Centennial High School in Franklin, in 2017 and right after I had attended a coding school in Nashville. I had been working full time as a software developer and was working during the days and using every second not working to write and produce music. It had gotten to the point where I was more consumed with the music and began to take away from work (whether it was using my lunch break to write or listening to my demos the entire workday). I figured the best way to put myself out there was to take a shot at American Idol and I had nothing to lose by doing so.

Did you anticipate the whirlwind of a journey American Idol would be? What was your favorite part about being on the show?

Absolutely not. I wanted to go on the show and figure out if the judges or anyone believed in my artistry and my sound. I had no idea that it would turn out the way it did… I couldn’t be more thankful for how it turned out. My favorite part has definitely been the incredible starting point it’s given my career. My favorite performance had to be my last. Getting to sing an original song on the show for my biggest fan (my mom) was a dream and something I’ll take with me forever… The duet with Katy is a close second though.

Did any particular advice from the judges stick with you?

There was one moment where I forgot my lyrics and Katy (Perry) told me that perfection is an illusion. At the time I didn’t believe her, but after that performance I received the most support of the whole season. I was forced to be super vulnerable and wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Tell us about your music journey now after Idol.

Since being back, I’ve written and produced songs every single day. During the show, I actually booked a cabin and my closest musical friends will be there this summer to create an album. I’ve been charting the parts and working through the arrangements while working on an amazing live show as well. I guess, for me, this is where it really begins and I couldn’t be more excited.

If you could perform with anyone (dead or alive) who would it be?

I think I’d choose Freddie Mercury from Queen. He was absolutely never afraid to step outside of the box and completely own his sound. He seemed to have an ability to never “think small” and the impact those songs have to this day are remarkable.

What advice would you give aspiring singers?

Do it…go all in 100%. I have days already where I regret not giving myself to music earlier and every second you don’t spend working and getting better someone else is. I’m nowhere close to where I want to be and it’s going to take years before I get there, but you have to be okay with that… Be yourself, give it your all, and never look back.

Modern American Grill

Upbeat Vibe

Seafood • Steaks • Sushi

Award winning wine list

Happy Hour 4-6

Monday thru Friday

Private room available for parties

DID YOU KNOW?

TENNESSEE EQUINE TRIVIA

Did you know these interesting facts about the history of the horse in middle Tennessee?

In the mid-1940s, Harlinsdale Farm(Franklin, TN) gained notoriety for being the home of Midnight Sun, a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won two World Grand Championships in 1945 and 1946.

In 1823, Virginian, John Harding, owner of Belle Meade Plantation, registered his racing silks with the Nashville Jockey Club (an association of thoroughbred owners). In the 1800s, horses were boarded at Belle Meade Plantation for neighbors such as Andrew Jackson.

In 1881, Iroquois was the first American-bred thoroughbred to win the Epsom Derby in England. 90% of Tennessee Walking Horses can be traced back to Midnight Sun. He has been called “The Horse of the Century,” earning Harlinsdale the title of “Mother Church of the Walking Horse World.”

Tradition says that the first thoroughbred stallion brought into Middle Tennessee, to Belle Meade Plantation, was Grey Medley. Harlinsdale Farm has been called the most significant historic farm associated with the modern Tennessee Walking Horse industry.

Harlinsdale Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Monthly Mixers Return!

Join Your Williamson for a celebration of the Summer 2021 Gentleman’s Edition and special recognition of our Gentlemen of Distinction. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more information youwilliamson.com.

Date

July 2021 (Date TBD) Location

Leiper’s Fork Distillery 3381 South Hall Rd, Franklin, TN 37064