Down To The Nitty Gritty

…aka…the show goes on forever

USA Music Tour 2015 Day 25

Nashville Tennessee 14 September

Our house is just south of The Gulch and a thirty minute walk away from downtown Broadway – today we needed it made ‘livable’.  It’s good to have Sandra and Jason with us.  Breakfast at Bond Coffee Company, followed by a motor to Opry Mills, the shopping centre that I like to frequent on every trip to Nashville.

After our two-hour spree, we then assembled in the car for a stop to the adjacent Grand Ole Opry.  This time, it was just a visit to the gift shop for the group.

Driving back to Nashville, we stopped for beer, wine and food provisions for the week.

Arriving back at the house with all chores completed, we had a thirty-minute respite before walking back to The Station Inn where Borealis Records was hosting Ontario singer/songwriter Linda McRae who has just released a new album Shadow Trails.  The songwriting was truly captivating, the event the first time that Linda has played at this iconic Nashville venue and the band remarkable – Steve Dawson (lead and pedal guitar and producer of the record), Fats Kaplin (fiddle and mandolin), Kris Ballinger (vocals) and William Moore (bass).

Linda’s insights and artistic honesty were fascinating.  With the harmonies and the quality of the band it made for a special occasion.  The song “Long Shadow Trail” produced for me the first goosebumps of the Americana week.  “Flowers of Appalachia” and “Singing River” were remarkable.

Linda McRae

Fats Kaplin

At the end of the set, we ventured to The Ryman Auditorium for tonight’s event, a fifty-year commemoration of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with guests.

The show was to start at 7.30.  We arrived at 7.10 and, whoa, what’s happened!?  The facade of this 1892-built beauty has been replaced by a cafe, a new front wall and neon lights.  Also, there’s a line stretching a block and a half with security scanning and bag searching – I’d never seen this before. It’s clear now there’s no time for any food, or water.

The show starts late, probably because it’s taken so long to get the majority of people seated.

By 7.50, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band come on, with original members Jeff Hanna, John McEuen, Jimmie Fadden and Bob Carpenter, with guest band members Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush and Byron House.

Well, folks, between the Band and its guests, I have never witnessed such an error-prone night.  Wrong lyrics being sung, incorrect capo positioning, fluffed lines, three or four songs being re-done due to the event being filmed and the need to remove the errors.  Hell, even the cameras and his cord-carrying assistant were doing this crazy circular routine to untangle the chords. And the show ran over and over.

There were, however, some positives to be drawn from the evening!

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were obviously enjoying themselves and painting a wonderful picture of their history and legacy. The band was augmented by music heavyweights Byron House (bass), Jerry Douglas (dobro) and Sam Bush (mandolin and violin).  It was a full house at The Ryman, the Auditorium looking a treat as always and the crowd could best be described as adoring.  Standing ovations throughout the night.  The first song started at 7.50 with an introduction by Vince Gill and the finale closed the show at around 10.50.  Three hours of song and joy and a guest bill to die for, a procession of wonderful artists, two of whom I have been trying to see for many years.

This was the beginning of Americana week.

Within a space of five hours, I had seen Linda McRae, Fats Kaplin, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, John Prine, Vince Gill, Jackson Browne, Alison Krauss, Jerry Jeff Walker and Rodney Crowell.

That’s why I love this festival and this city.

NGDB members Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden and John McEuen

John Prine

Vince Gill

Jackson Browne

Alison Krauss

Alison Krauss and Rodney Crowell

Jerry Jeff Walker

The finale (left to right) – Jackson Browne, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Jeff Hanna, Alison Krauss, Jerry Jeff Walker, Vince Gill, John McEuen, Jimmy Ibbotson. Bob Carpenter on keyboards