Have an exclusive peek into the jamming sensation that is "SPBGMA" - Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America - quite the mouthful - I know!
If you like jamming and seeing/hearing and hanging out with your heroes - you would LOVE the SPBGMA conference every year in Nashville Tennessee. Check out this video to see what I mean...
I had an amazing time this weekend - Check out the photos and descriptions on this post:
I'm also staying in Nashville for about a month, so I figured that a good inspirational/helpful post this week would be of me sharing the things a bluegrass/old time lover should not miss on a visit to Nashville.
The World Famous Station Inn hosts some of the best bluegrass in the world almost every night of the week! There is also a fantastic open bluegrass jam on Sundays at 7PM
American Legion Post 82 hosts an open bluegrass jam every Wednesday Night and a honky tonk dance night every Tuesday night.
East Nash Grass had a residency at Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge each Monday Night (Now Dee's hosts different bluegrass bands each Monday) - It's some of the best bluegrass music in town and makes for a great hang / meeting place for bluegrass and old time lovers. There are usually a couple of bands that play afterwards and each show is live streamed on YouTube.
Frans East Side has a weekly old time jam on Sunday Nights- sometimes this moves location but it's usually run by Amy Alvey.
3rd and Lindsley hosts the the Time Jumpers, an amazing western and swing group with triple fiddle big band style harmonies every monday night at 8PM.
The Country Music Hall of Fame - will take you on a journey from black and white photos and videos of the earliest records of roots music all the way through modern country- you'll find amazing relics like Bill Monroe's Mandolin, Earl Scruggs Banjo, Lester Flatt's Guitar etc.
The Ryman Auditorium was the original Grand Ole Opry and is an amazing venue to hear live music- I'd also encourage you to check out the new Grand Ole Opry as well.
Carter's Vintage Guitars - is an excellent place to try all sorts of instruments- from guitars to mandolas, banjos to pedal steel guitar. There are also some great rooms to hideaway in and jam with another person for fun. Check out the Nashville Violin Shop for Fiddles and also Gruhn's Guitars for a similar experience
Robert's Western World is Nashville's home for Classic Country music on Broadway. You'll find it right by the Ryman. It's an absolute gem, hosting some of the greatest music on Broadway. There is often some great honky tonk and country dancing here as well!
The Nashville Old Time String Band Association (NOTSBA) hosts two or more old-time jams a month in Nashville at the Buchanan Log House. If you are there in the winter be sure to check out their annual old time festival, Breakin' up Winter. Love Old Time Music? Just 25 minutes out of Nashville, you'll find the Musical Heritage Center of Middle Tennessee, which hosts events, classes, concerts, and more. Read about it at fiddleandpick.com