Top 8 Things to Do in Nashville for Music Lovers {+ Travel Tips}

Music lovers, here’s our list of eight iconic, must-see, don’t-even-think-of-skipping sites in Music City, along with a Nashville travel tips that will make your life a little easier along the way.

Mother Maybelle Carter If you don’t know who this woman is, you should study up fast, because she likely had an influence on the music you’re listening to now, no matter what kind it is. [Mural: Carter Vintage Guitars]

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As a lifetime student of music and music making, there was a time when I thought I knew a lot about the history and evolution of music in America. However, our trips to Tennessee have taught me that I have far more to learn than I could ever have imagined.

As we visited these iconic Nashville music destinations, Mr B and I got a crash course in the varied cultural influences that formed American country music as we know it today. One of the things that became crystal clear was the intricate web of influence that has been woven over time to create what we now call “American” music – in all its many forms. If that had been the only thing I took away from Tennessee (it wasn’t!), it still would have been totally worth the trip.

If you love music and are traveling in Nashville, be sure to visit these eight spots!

Eight Iconic, Must-See Nashville Music Sites

1 . Ryman Auditorium

Originally built in 1892 at the Union Gospel Tabernacle, the Ryman Auditorium was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 until 1974. Due in part to its religious roots as a house of worship, and in part to its place in American music history, the Ryman is known even today as “The Mother Church of Country Music.”

From the time its first stage was built, the Ryman has served as a venue for a wide variety of events, including religious revivals, jazz recitals, operas, ballets, political debates and Broadyway musicals. Mr B and I were both awestruck by the musical history the building holds. If you go, take the Backstage Tour. It is more than worth it.

2. Country Music Hall of Fame

This is the place where I finally started to internalize the profound impact and influence Nashville has had on the evolution of American music. The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee is one of the world’s largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American music, and houses the world’s largest collection of country music and artifacts.

🎶 Read More about The Country Music Hall of Fame in our post “What We Learned from Bob & Johnny at The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.”

3. RCA Studio B

The historic RCA Studio B, Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio, is birthplace to more than 35,000 songs, and more than 1,000 hits. This is where the Everly Brothers recorded “All I Have to Do is Dream” (a signature song for Mr B and me), Roy Orbison recorded “Only the Lonely,” and Dolly Parton set the tracks for her classic “Coat of Many Colors.” For anyone with musical roots, standing in this space is moving beyond words.

🎶 Read More about RCA Studio B in our post “Home of 1000 Hits: RCA Studio B {Nashville}.”

4. Hatch Print Show

Hatch Show Print is one of the oldest working letterpress print shops in the U.S. Our tour of the print shop ended up being one of the biggest surprises of our trip, in a very good way. We’ll share more in a more in-depth post, but for now, suffice it now to say that this should not be missed. Such an extraordinary piece of music history.

5. Honky Tonk Highway

Take a walk down Lower Broadway in Nashville and you’re sure to hear music pouring out of honky tonks up and down the street at all hours of the day and night. (Well, almost all hours. Folks have to sleep sometime, you know. They are, however, open from 10am until 3am the next day. Every. Single. Day. 365.) There’s no cover charge (or at least I didn’t see any place that had one), so you can wander in and out of places until you find your heart’s desire.

The coolest part, aside from all the history and local color, is that you just never know who you’ll be listening to. Country music legends like Willie Nelson, Gretchen Wilson, and Deirks Bentley, along with so many others, all began their careers singing in the honky tonks along this famous street.

You know what that means, don’t you? You could wander into The Second Fiddle one night and listen to country’s newest rising star – before anyone even knows they’re on the horizon – all for the price of a beer.

6. Ernest Tubb Record Shop

It may be tucked between the honky tonks on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, but this cool little store gets its own line item. Why? Well, let’s start with the fact that it has a copy of virtually any country music recording ever made, from classic country to bluegrass to post-punk hillbilly.

Founded by Grand Ole Opry star Ernest Tubb in 1947, the staff is amazingly friendly – and boy-howdy, do they know their country music! While Mr B picked up a few Patsy Cline CD’s for his mama, the man we spoke with (who I believe was the current owner) chatted with him about the old-timers, easily moving back and forth between past and present singing greats with the ease of someone who lives for the music.

7. Carter Vintage Guitars

If you are a musician of any skill level, or have ever even held a guitar in your hands long enough to figure out a G-chord, then you need to make time to stop in at Carter Vintage Guitars.

Founded in 2012 by Christie and Walter Carter (I have no idea if they are related to the famous Carter family or not), this guitar shop aims to provide “a comfortable place for fine fretted instruments and the people who appreciate them.”

The place is filled with beautiful instruments at every price point, but even if you aren’t in the market for a new guitar, you’re sure to find something fun to play a few licks on. (Mr B tried out a very nice 12-string while we were there.) If none of that appeals, the mural on the outside wall is worth the trip all by itself.

8. Grand Ole Opry

DO NOT MISS THIS! This ain’t your great-grandma’s Grand Ole Opry (but she’d still feel right at home).

The Grand Ole Opry was founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio “barn dance” on WSM, making it the longest-running radio broadcast in US history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases an eclectic mix of famous singers, old-timers, and contemporary chart-toppers. Live performances include a little bit of everything: country, bluegrass, folk, gospel, and even comedy.

With a seating capacity of 4,400, the Grand Ole Opry House is considered the largest broadcasting studio in the world, but it is nevertheless still surprisingly intimate. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house, but if you plan to attend the Grand Ole Opry, order you tickets in advance for the best seats. Mr B and I went to the Opry on our last night in Tennessee, and it was the perfect way to end our vacation.

Nashville Travel Tips

1. Parking downtown costs a ton. Budget for it.

This was the most shocking traveler issue we ran into on our trip: the parking fees in downtown Nashville are exorbitant, and they can take a significant bite out of your budget. Daily rates run around $20, and in one location, it cost us $16 to park for two hours. There are a couple of less expensive parking options, which were unfortunately filled up at the time of our visit. (It probably didn’t help that we were there during the Stanley Cup finals!)

2. Everyone needs a valid ID to purchase alcohol in Tennessee.

In 2007, Tennessee became the first U.S. state to make universal carding mandatory. Clerks are held responsible and face huge fines and other penalties for not requiring ID, so no matter how many crow’s feet you have, you will need to have a valid driver’s license or other official form of ID to buy a drink. No exceptions.

3. Do NOT plan to stick to your vegan/paleo/vegetarian/points diet.

It’s just not happening. (To clarify, I’m sure that Tennessee residents can and often do eat a very healthy diet: this is strictly from a visitor’s point of view.) Granted, Mr B and I were eating at some rather touristy establishments; nonetheless, every menu we looked at consisted of three big, colorful columns filled with delicious-sounding descriptions of succulent, smokey meats and deep fried proteins (and I don’t mean tofu) and carb heavy sides.

{Actual Conversation}

Do you have any vegetables on the menu?

Why sure, honey. See here? We got green beans and bacon, collard greens and bacon, baked beans and bacon…

How ’bout a salad?

Down there in lower right corner. Under the sides and beverages. See that little box green box? No, lift up your thumb up. There it is! See, we have two salads – a House and a Caesar. Both come with cheese grits on the side. Y’all got all kinda options, honey.

All kidding aside, just embrace and enjoy the local cuisine, because it is so so so good. You can climb back onto your kombucha and kale chip wagon when you get home, if that’s your jam.

Speaking of which, you have got to try the Nashville Hot Chicken – crispy, spicy, and oh-so-addictive! Seriously. Just do it. Best thing we ate in Tennessee, hands down. It’s fabulous, and totally worth the line you’re probably going to have to wait in. (I wrote a whole post about Nashville Hot Chicken just so I could learn to make it at home! Be sure to check it out!)

Disclosure: All opinions and photos (except as noted) are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Original Pub Date: June 28, 2017

How to Buy a Musical Instrument – Tips for New Players {It’s Never too Late to Learn to Play!}

May 22 By Renée ♥ 15 Comments

May 22nd is National Buy a Musical Instrument Day! In the spirit of celebration (and because my birthday is in May) I bought myself a new soprano ukulele!

There are nearly as many reasons for buying a new instrument as there are instruments to be bought, and you don’t need an official holiday to buy one. However, buying a musical instrument for the first time can be a little intimidating, especially if the instrument you are considering is new to you.

Maybe your oldest is starting 5th grade band.
Maybe you’ve decided that you are finally going to learn guitar.
Maybe you played tuba in high school, but in your heart, you were a cellist.
Maybe you dream of starting a ukulele band with your grandkids.

According to Science, you are NEVER too old to learn a new instrument! Playing music provides great mental exercise and can help keep your brain sharp and your brain cells thriving. 🎶
(Take that, age-related memory loss!)

Sure, if you take up the guitar at 50, you may never play like Carlos or Stevie or Eddie, but you don’t need to – neither do 99.9% of the working musicians out there!

I am absolutely fascinated with ukulele and guitar art, and I have big plans for this little guy!

Whatever your motivation, when you decide to buy a new musical instrument, there are a few important things to consider.

🎷How to Buy a New Musical Instrument {Tips for New Players} 🎶 You're never too old to learn how to play a new musical instrument! #music #musicalinstruments 🎸 Click To Tweet
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Before you buy a musical instrument, consider…

Where do you want your music to take you?

When you are choosing a new instrument, especially as an adult, consider how it will fit into your life. Where do you want your music to take you?

My formal musical education began with piano lessons in the first grade, followed by many years of flute lessons. I’m grateful for the experiences, the learning, and the perspective those instruments gave me, but while I genuinely enjoyed playing the flute, and deeply regret never applying myself to the piano enough to become proficient, I’ve never been passionate about playing either one of them.

Ever since my childhood days at Camp Namanu, singing with others – whether in choir or around a campfire – has been my Happy Place. But you can’t play the flute and sing at the same time. You just can’t. (OK, maybe you can, but it isn’t pretty.) And lugging a piano into the woods is just silly. In short, neither the flute nor the piano was taking me in the direction I wanted to go.

So a decade or so ago, I decided to start learning stringed instruments. Now I pick a nice little autoharp, and have taken up the ukulele. The mandolin and guitar are on my to-do list for the next decade, and after that, who knows!?!

The point is, those instruments take me to the places I want to be: sitting around a campfire with my friends and family, singing and playing music into the night; accompanying my sweet husband when he sings with that amazing voice of his; teaching my grandkids how to play.

Where do you want your music to take you?

How to Buy a Musical Instrument {Tips for 1st-Timers}

#lifegoals ✔️

Is the musical instrument you are considering a good fit for you?

When it comes to instruments, there are a number of size-related issues to consider.

Does it fit your body?
Many instruments, including most string instruments, come in a variety of sizes. If you are buying an instrument for a child, be sure to consult their music teacher or the music shop owner to be sure that the instrument is appropriately sized to them.
Does it fit your living space?
This might not be an issue if you want to play the the flute or ukulele, but if you live in a studio apartment and you’re looking at trying out an upright bass, you’re going to need to consider where you will keep your instrument when not in use.
Does it fit your budget?
As you probably know, musical instruments vary dramatically in price; based on age, quality of materials, workmanship, brand, and a half-dozen other factors. Even the base price point on some beginner instruments can be staggering. Consider too the cost of upkeep, because musical instruments do require maintenance, new parts, and repairs.

FUN FACT: Eric Clapton’s custom Fender Stratocaster, known to the world as Blackie, sold at Christie’s in 2004 for $959,500, to raise funds for his Crossroads rehab center. (And no, you probably won’t ever play like Eric either, but that’s OK.)

When you are ready to purchase a musical instrument,
it’s helpful to…

Buy in Person

I asked my local music shop owner, Jack, what he thought was the biggest mistake people make when buying instruments. Without hesitation, he replied, “Buying online.”

Buying a new musical instrument is a little like buying a horse: there are good ones and not-so-good ones, and it’s tough to tell the difference simply by viewing pretty pictures. Moreover, many people who sell them (both horses and instruments) on places like Craigslist will tell you all kinds of crazy stories to get you to buy what they’re selling.

If you know a lot about the type of instrument you are buying, purchasing online may not be as big of an issue; but for the novice, making a purchase this way can be disastrous.

Start at your local music shop

If you are lucky enough to have a locally-owned music shop in your town, my best advice is to get to know the people who own it. Make it your first stop when you are considering buying an instrument. Make a point of getting to know the person behind the counter.

From personal experience, I can affirm that if music is a part of your life in any way – even if it’s just because your kid has decided she wants to play clarinet in 5th grade band – a knowledgeable music shop owner is going to be a real helpful person to know.

Because you know what? Your kid is going to drop that clarinet, or pop that guitar bridge, or drive over that trombone case the day of the spring band concert, and Jack (or whoever is behind that music store counter) is going to be the guy who bails you out. So be a pal – get to know Jack.

Get a Feel for the Instrument

Like buying a horse (or a car, if that’s more your speed), buying a musical instrument is a tactile experience. You need to see it in person. Feel the weight and balance. Allow your senses to inform you about the quality of materials and workmanship. Test the action of the strings and/or keys. Listen to the tone, and feel how the highs and lows resonate with you. Experience the instrument with your whole self.

I must have tried out at least ten different ukuleles before I bought my new uke. I chose it because the sound was just a little “sweeter” than any of the others, and it just felt right. Once you’ve played for awhile, you’ll find that when you are considering a new instrument, it’s a little like getting a magic wand at Ollivander’s – the instrument chooses you.

Take a {Musical} Friend

If you are a novice to the instrument, or new to playing music in general, it is helpful to take a friend with some experience with you if possible. A seasoned player can discern quality differences in an instrument that you might not even know to look for.

Can you tell which one of these trumpets is the better instrument just by looking at them? Which one plays more smoothly? Which one sounds sweeter? [Answer: No. No you cannot.]

Consider Buying an Old and/or Used Instrument

Many music stores, and especially locally-owned ones, carry used instruments for sale or on consignment.

Quality can vary wildly depending on when and by whom the instrument was made, and a high price and shiny exterior are not not always indicative of quality. As an example, my original hand-me-dowm Armstrong student flute (which is older than I am) is a far better instrument than many of the intermediate level flutes being manufactured today.

If You’re Not Sure, Take a Test Drive

Most stores that sell musical instruments also rent them, and renting is a great way to find out if you (or your kiddo) really love the musical instrument you’ve chosen. If you don’t love it, you can always take it back and try something else.

Local Folks: Are you looking for a great music store? If you live in on the west side of Portland, I highly recommend Mir Music in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon. Ask for Jack, and be sure to tell him Renée sent you! 🌻

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to PIN this post!

^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

Tupelo, Mississippi {Day Trip from Memphis: Part 1}

August 20 By Renée ♥ 16 Comments

Looking for a great day trip from Memphis? Check out our real-life itinerary for our day trip from Memphis, Tennessee to Tupelo, Mississippi and back again (including our ridiculously Hobbit-like meal schedule).

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While on a recent trip to the Memphis area, Mr B and I found ourselves with an extra day on our hands, so we decided to broaden our horizons by taking a day trip to Tupelo, Mississippi, best known as the “Birthplace of Elvis.” And yes indeedee, we saw a heckuva lot of Elvis on this trip, but there’s more to Tupelo than just the history of its favorite son.

Tupelo, as it turns out, has a lot to offer. For example, did you know that the 444-mile historic Natchez Trace Parkway is headquartered in Tupelo? Or that one local man amassed a private collection of automobiles so extensive that Tupelo now boasts the official automobile museum of Mississippi? Or that, in Tupelo, you can legitimately have fried chicken, biscuits, and gravy for breakfast!?!

What follows is the real-life itinerary from our day trip; traveling from Memphis, Tennessee to Tupelo, Mississippi and back again via the Natchez Trace Parkway. I’ve also included our ridiculously Hobbit-like meal schedule in the itinerary (breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, etc.); however, if you are using this as a roadmap for your own day trip, don’t let our eating times or choices hold you back. There are plenty of wonderful places to eat in Tupelo that we didn’t get to. In fact, if you find a great spot to eat in Tupelo, we’d love it if you’d take a minute to share your discoveries in the comments below!

[Travelers: A condensed version of this itinerary can be found at the bottom of this post.]

DAY TRIP: Memphis to Tupelo {Roundtrip}

📌 We wanted to arrive in Tupelo by 9am, so we had a light breakfast and then hit the road in Memphis about 7:15 am. It took about and hour and forty minutes to drive the 108 miles from Memphis to Tupelo [via I-22].

📌 First stop: Connie’s Chicken.

Connie’s Fried Chicken

821 S Gloster St
Tupelo, MS 38801-4933
662.842.7260

Ready to get your carbs on? If you crave pillow-soft, buttery biscuits, crispy fried chicken, and lots of smooth, savory white gravy like your grandma used to make, Connie’s is your kind of place. This uber-casual comfort food hub serves it all up counter-style with bright smiles, friendly service, and reasonable prices. I had the tenderloin biscuit with gravy, and Mr B had chicken, and we shared a couple of warm blueberry donuts, fresh from the fryer.

📌 From Connie’s, go directly to the Tupelo Visitors Center.

Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau

399 E Main Street
Tupelo, Mississippi 38103-1623
662.841.6521

Tupelo has an excellent Visitors Center! Newly opened in 2018, the Tupelo Visitors Center is the perfect starting point for your day. Stop in and get the low down on the best attractions, arts, culture, outdoor recreation, shopping, and Elvis locations in the area.

At the visitors’ center, you can play with the interactive kids’ map, plan your itinerary, or pick up relevant informational brochures; including Elvis Driving Tour and Elvis Guitar Tour maps. There is also a display that allows you to hear the African American gospel, country, and blues music and musicians that influenced Elvis as a boy, and understand better how he integrated them into his unique musical style.

Elvis Driving Tour

Even if you don’t plan to follow this tour, the brochure provides a good overview of the town and will likely help you plan your day.

Elvis Guitar Trail

These 6-foot tall Elvis-themed guitars are ALL OVER town! More than 25 guitars have become permanent part of downtown Tupelo’s cityscape, and provide visitors with some great photo-ops. {Tip: If you post a photo with one of the guitars, be sure to tag it using #MyTupelo!}

📌 Drive to the “Elvis’ Birthplace.”

Elvis’ Birthplace

306 Elvis Presley Drive
Tupelo, MS 38804-2812
662.841.1245

Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935, in a 450 square foot, two-room house built by his father, grandfather and uncle. The house is now one of the main attractions of the Elvis’ Birthplace and Museum.

The moment we opened the door to Elvis’ childhood home, an unexpected wave of familiarity swept over me – it smells exactly like my Grandma Lucy’s house!

As we stepped inside, a delightful docent greeted us, and enthusiastically shared both her knowledge of Elvis’ early life and details about the home, as well as her philosophy on a community’s responsibility in raising its children. She was abundantly entertaining.

The actual building where the Presley family attended church services has been moved to the Elvis Birthplace location. It was inside the walls of this small community chapel that Elvis was first introduced to the Southern gospel music that wove its way into his music throughout his life.

Through a multimedia presentation, visitors to the chapel experience a condensed church service, and are introduced to Elvis’ early musical influences; including Brother Frank, who taught Elvis his first guitar chords, and the gospel quartets that inspired his music.

If you want to tour the house or the chapel, you’ll need to purchase tickets, but you can walk the grounds and see the exterior of Elvis’ birthplace (still in its original location) free of charge. Tickets to tour the house, chapel, and museum are available for purchase inside the lobby. The earlier you arrive here, the better: this is the Big tourist attraction in town and it gets busy quickly.

📌 After completing your tour of Elvis’ Birthplace, head over to Johnnie’s Drive-In.

Johnnie’s Drive-In

908 E Main Street
Tupelo, MS 38804-2828
662.842.6748

Mr B and I stopped in at Johnnie’s mostly because we are both hopeless romantics and it sounded like a good idea. We were thrilled when we walked in just as the “Elvis Booth” was being vacated, and took our seats before any other crazy Elvis tourists could steal the honor. Mr B and I decided to skip the food and share a root beer float, which turned out to be a great deal because the friendly waitresses at Johnnie’s kept refilling our glass with root beer every time it got low until we finally finished off the ice cream.

The Elvis Booth at Johnnie's Drive-In - Day Trip from Memphis {Part 1: Tupelo, Mississippi} | The Good Hearted Woman

I’d share a root beer float with this guy anytime!

Posted at the Elvis Booth, just below a picture of Elvis sitting the aforementioned booth:

My name is Paul Cramer, and this is the story of my Elvis picture.

I was a traveling salesman in 1956, selling costume jewelry, for the Gerson Company out of Kansas City, MO. My territory was the South. I visited jewelry stores in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee.

While I was showing my wares to a jeweler in Tupelo, Mississippi, a teenage girl came into the store. She was out of breath and very excited screaming “Elvis is next-door – Elvis is next door!” I didn’t know who Elvis was, but she told me he was very popular in the South.

I happen to have my camera in my car, so I went next door to the café. Elvis was sitting in a booth with another man and there were a few girls around. I asked him if I could take his picture. He said, “OK,” so I took it!

When I came home, I had the picture developed and put away, not thinking much about it. I forgot about it until I came across it in 1997, 41 years later, as I was looking through old photo albums. This is how I took Elvis’s picture.

We are abysmally bad at taking selfies, but at least we have fun while we try!

📌 Next stop: Downtown Tupelo.

Downtown Tupelo

Visit the Tupelo Hardware Store, where Gladys Presley purchased Elvis his first guitar for $7.

Tupelo Hardware Company
114 W Main Street
Main & Front Streets
Tupelo, MS 38804-3916

Tupelo Hardware is one of twelve sites in Tupelo that are marked with bronze plaques on the Elvis Presley Driving Tour, signifying it as having played an important role in Elvis’ formative years. It was at this store that Gladys Presley, Elvis’ mother, purchased his first for his 11th birthday in 1946, for $6.95.

Tupelo Hardware is a fully functioning hardware store (with excellent cast iron offerings!), and visitors are welcome during the store’s regular hours.

Beyond the hardware store, Downtown Tupelo is lined with locally owned specialty shops that carry everything from home décor and artwork by local artists to clothes to cigars and wine. You’ll probably see a few Elvis murals, too. 😉

📌 Drive (or walk) to the Tupelo FairPark, where you can enjoy the wide open-space, the Elvis Homecoming statue, city hall, a small children’s park, and a small but refreshing splash pad.

FairPark

71 Troy Street
Tupelo, MS
662.841.6513

In 1956, Elvis returned to Tupelo and performed a Homecoming Concert at the Mississippi/Alabama Fair and Dairy Show Fairgrounds.

Now known as FairPark, it is home to Tupelo’s annual Elvis Festival, held the first week in June each year. The festival features live music, with past past performers including such artists as Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry, and B.B. King.

Homecoming Statue

📌 Head over to the Tupelo Automobile Museum and spend an hour or so motoring through the past.

Tupelo Automobile Museum

1 Otis Dr (Corner Franklin & Otis Across from BancorpSouth Arena)
Tupelo, MS 38804-4015

I have to admit that the Tupelo Automobile Museum came as a bit of a surprise. You just don’t expect a town the size of Tupelo to be home to one of the most extensive car collections in the United States. It was pretty amazing, and well worth the entrance fee.

The Tupelo Automobile Museum houses over 100 antique, classic, and collectible cars, all chronologically displayed to illustrate the progress of auto design and engineering over the 100 years. The oldest car in the collection is a 1886 Benz; the newest is a 1994 Dodge Viper.

This collection of kid cars brought back some fond memories.

There were plenty of “famous” cars in the collection as well, including BB King’s 1984 Chevy El Camino, Tony Curtis car (the “Leslie Special”) from the movie The Great Race, and of course, one of Elvis’ cars. (Most of Elvis’ cars can be found in Elvis Presley Motors exhibit at the Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex in Memphis.)

📌 Grab a late lunch at the Neon Pig.

Neon Pig

1203 N Gloster Street
Tupelo, MS 38804-1222
662.269.2533

Before heading back to Memphis via the Natchez Trace Parkway, we stopped to grab a world-class burger at the Neon Pig. The Neon Pig Café is the only all-in-one butcher shop and restaurant in Mississippi, and lays claim to one of the best burgers in America.

The Neon Pig’s Smash Burger was officially named “Best Burger in America” by thrillist.com in 2015. The Smash Burger is a combination of aged filet, ribeye, sirloin, New York steak, and Benton’s bacon, all ground together to give it a strong, smoky flavor. It is served on a ciabatta bun with bacon bits, cheddar cheese, onion, and a housemade comeback sauce. Mr B and I decided to split one burger, which was more than enough, and ordered coleslaw and potato salad on the side.

I don’t eat enough burgers to know if this is The Best burger in the US, but it was definitely delicious. (In my mind, the distinction of “world’s best burger” will always and forever go to the T-burger from the Twilight Room [i.e., T-Room] on Lombard in Portland, Oregon.) The ciabatto bun held up well to the imposing mass of meats and sauce, and the flavors all played very nicely together. My best advice for eating at the Neon Pig is – DO NOT SKIP the potato salad! It is amazing! I’m certain that it has more bacon products in it than any ten average potato salads, and that’s probably why it’s so crazy-good.

📌 Stop by the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitors Center just outside of Tupelo.

Natchez Park Visitor’s Center

2680 Natchez Trace Pkwy
Tupelo, MS 38804-9715
800.305.7417

The Natchez Trace is a primitive trail once traveled by Native Americans over 8,000 years ago, spanning 444 miles and reaching from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. The Natchez Trace Parkway, headquartered in Tupelo, is one of America’s Top 10 National Parks. Guests can explore the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center and discover the parkway’s rich history and inhabitants.

If you stop in, be sure to pick up the “Natchez Trace Parkway” map/brochure issued by the US Park Service. We found it to be invaluable as we took our tour of the Trace.

📌 Drive the Natchez Trace north from Tupelo to where it intersects with Highway 72; roughly 11 miles into Alabama from the Tennessee-Alabama state line.

Natchez Trace Parkway

It took us about three hours to drive the 50-some miles the Natchez Trace Parkway from Tupelo to where it intersects with Highway 72, which included plenty of time to take in most of the roadside interpretive sites along the way. There is so much history along this route, spanning cultures across millenia, and it simply wouldn’t do it justice to bury it here at the end of an already lengthy post, so we ‘ll be covering it next week instead. Tune in next week to read all about our adventures in Day Trip from Memphis: Part 2 – Natchez Trace Parkway.

Day Trip from Memphis: Tupelo, Mississippi | The Good Hearted Woman

Coming up next week: 50 Miles of history along the Natchez Trace Parkway {Day Trip from Memphis: Part 2}

📌Return to Memphis: Fill up your gas tank and grab a snack in one of the towns along Highway 72. (We stopped in Corinth, Mississippi.) Travel time back to Memphis from the Natchez Trace / Hwy 72 interchange is about 2 hours [128 Miles]. [Route: Hwy 72 to Hwy 385 to I-240 to I-69.]

DAY TRIP ITINERARY: Memphis to Tupelo {Roundtrip}

Short Version

To arrive in Tupelo by 9am, plan to hit the road in Memphis about 7:15 am. Eat a little something for breakfast before you leave to tide you over.
Drive from Memphis, Tennessee to Tupelo, Mississipppi via I-22 [Travel time: 1 hour, 40 min. – 108 mi.]
Stop in at Connie’s Chicken for a carb-intensive second breakfast of fried chicken, warm biscuits, gravy, and fresh blueberry donuts.
From Connie’s, go directly to the Tupelo Visitors Center. Take a quick look around, play with the interactive kids’ map, and pick up relevant informational brochures; including Elvis Driving Tour and Elvis Guitar Tour maps.
Drive to the “Birthplace of Elvis.” You can purchase tickets inside the lobby. The earlier you arrive here, the better: this is the Big tourist attraction in town and it gets busy quickly.
After completing your tour of Elvis’ Birthplace, head over to Johnnie’s Drive-In and have a little snack or a root beer float in the “Elvis Booth.”
Next stop: Downtown Tupelo.
Visit the Tupelo Hardware Store, where Elvis purchased his first guitar for $7.
Stroll Downtown Tupelo and check out the cool local shops and murals.
Drive (or walk) to the Tupelo FairPark, where you can enjoy the wide open-space, the Elvis Homecoming statue, city hall, a small children’s park, and a small but refreshing splash pad.
Head over to the Tupelo Automobile Museum and spend an hour or so motoring through the past.
Grab a late lunch at the Neon Pig before heading back to Memphis via the Natchez Trace Parkway. (Be sure to try the potato salad!)
Stop by the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitors Center just outside of Tupelo. Be sure to pick up the “Natchez Trace Parkway” map/brochure issued by the US Park Service.
Drive the Natchez Trace north from Tupelo to where it intersects with Highway 72; roughly 11 miles into Alabama from the Tennessee-Alabama state line.
Fill up your gas tank and grab a snack in one of the towns along Highway 72. (We stopped in Corinth, Mississippi.)
Travel time back to Memphis from the Natchez Trace / Hwy 72 interchange is about 2 hours [128 Miles]. [Route: Hwy 72 to Hwy 385 to I-240 to I-69.]

Total Round-trip Mileage (not including driving all over Tupelo) = 300 miles.

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Beautiful Music: NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit

May 14 By Renée ♥ 28 Comments

Every spring, you can find some of the most beautiful and unique instruments being made in the Pacific Northwest at the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit.

Music and music-making is a huge part of life in our home, and Mr B and I both have a great appreciation for fine instruments and the people who create them. Last week, we took the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful instruments currently being made in our little corner of the world – at the 43rd annual NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit, held on the campus of Marylhurst University in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

NW Handmade Instrument Exhibit, Marylhurst University 2018 | The Good Hearted Woman

John Carrigan of Curly Creek Guitars [Port Orchard, WA] shows off some of his handiwork.

At this year’s annual event, more than 80 artisans from across the Pacific Northwest gathered to showcase handmade guitars (everything from steel string to cigar box), violins, archtop instruments, bouzoukis, octave mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, Hardanger fiddles, alternately shaped violins, classical and steel string guitars, flamenco guitars, and even historical and ancient instruments. There were also dozens of performances by local professional musicians (playing on instruments provided by the exhibitors!), as well as craftsman demonstrations, luthier information and supplies, and displays of instruments under construction.

The “sailing under the moon” guitar below – by Jay Dickinson [Portland Guitar Co.] – was one of my absolute favorites from the whole exhibit, and considering all of the amazing instruments on display, that’s say a lot. The workmanship on this piece was outstanding.

Note the inlaid Mother-of-Pearl moons progressing down the neck. (If you’d like to see how this guitar was made, check out these process photos on Jay’s website that walk you through the entire painstaking process.)

It seemed that everywhere we looked, we saw beautiful examples of fine inlay and carving work, like that on these flutes from Kyle Jeremy Neidig.

I have always been intrigued with inlay work of any kind, and really appreciated this display about how the meticulous, painstaking process of inlaying Mother-of-Pearl comes together.

The intricacy some of the carved pieces on display was amazing, as is illustrated in the sound hole below by Portland luthier Eric Shull of Harmonia Lutherie.

There were a number of unique and historical instruments on display as well. Need an historically accurate double reeded renaissance instrument? Phil & Gayle Nueman can hook you up. They can even teach you how to play it!

Phil and Gayle Neuman build renaissance double reed instruments like these to order.

“The Venerables” display of historical instruments included a left-handed viola dating to 1859, a 1937 8-string, a hurdy-gurdy, double-necked steel guitar, and a couple of historic Gibsons from the 60’s.

I loved the reclaimed, hands-across-time vibe of these electric cigar-box guitars by Del Puckett. (How perfect a name is that for a cigar-box guitar maker!)

After talking with a number of the luthiers (from the French word luth, meaning lute) at the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit, I noted a couple of common threads. First, the crowd was decidedly male. Many, if not most, began making stringed instruments after first making their living in another field: woodworkers, cabinet makers, teachers, and jewelers seem to dominate my small sample group. All had a life-long passion for creating music and beautiful things. Most also appeared to have both an affinity for facial hair and an AARP card.

While the crowd at the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit was decidedly heavy on Seeger followers, Zepplin contemporaries, and Boomer wisdom, there were enough representatives of younger generations to give us all hope for the future.

One such youthful example is Adam Mendal, founder of Joyner Instruments [previously Riverbend Instruments]. Relatively new to instrument building, Adam’s was inspired to follow his long-time dream of making stringed instruments after guiding 70-some of his high school students in the building of cajons and cookie tin banjos. He completed his first electric uke in the fall of 2016, just in time to pull on his chuztpah pants and let Jake Shimabokuro take a look at it after a concert. (Seriously – how gutsy is that!) After getting some encouraging words from the reigning uke-king, Adam was ready to make the leap.

Our flagship instrument, the solid body electric ukulele was created not only as a way to push the instrument into new territory, but as a way to bring a new tool to singer songwriters and musicians. (Adam Mendel, Joyner Instruments)

Some of the most bold, innovative instruments we saw at the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit were made by Thomas Oliver Simensen of Fat Cat Fiddles, out of Kalispell, Montana. Many of Thomas’s instruments transcend the form and take it into the realm of high-art.

Open-Concept Cello, Fat Cat Fiddles

“I have veered off the path of the strict and formal classical violin making traditions… [and] enjoy the freedom to experiment with different woods, body shapes and embellishments, that make each and every instrument that I make totally unique. I do, however, follow most of the time tested construction methods, such as the graduation of the plates, certain proven dimensions, and a proper final set up.” (Thomas Oliver Simensen, Fat Cat Fiddles)

To fully appreciate this “Freedom Fiddle,” take a moment to watch it make a full rotation. (Also, note the stand, made to match)

If you get a chance to attend future gatherings of the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit, be sure to take some time to enjoy some of the many performances and demonstrations next door in the Wiegand Performance Hall, located in the BP John building at Marylhurst University. The music itself is mesmerizing, and the acoustics in the space are extraordinary. Mr Ba and I were sitting near the back of the hall, and could easily hear the clean, delicately nuanced tones of the performances, without any kind of external amplification.

If you are a Pacific NW resident and love beautiful music and fine craftsmanship as much as Mr B and I do, I highly recommend that you mark your calendar for the last weekend in April next year to attend. For more information about future events, visit the NW Handmade Instrument Show website.

This huge dogwood on the Marylhurst campus was so beautiful; I had to share it with you!

The Gift They Will Remember, Treasure & Love Forever: Songfinch Personalized Song {Review}

April 24 By Renée ♥ 24 Comments

This year, give them a gift that they will remember, treasure, and love forever – a Songfinch personalized song, written just for them.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

When Songfinch reached out to me last year and asked if I’d like to try out their personalized song writing services, I thought, “Cool. Sounds like a it could be something that my readers would LOVE. Plus, what a great way to give all those young, hungry singer-songwriters a solid side-hustle!” (Really, it’s all side-hustle when you’re a young, hungry songwriter, right? 😉) So I put a pin in it and waited for the right time to come around.

That “right time” happened last month as Mr B and I were preparing to leave on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I wanted to do something really special for him, and at first thought of writing a song myself. But then I remembered Songfinch, and I thought, if there was ever a great time to try their personalized songwriting service out, this is it.

Songfinch promises that, in a week or less, one of their professional songwriters will craft a one-of-a-kind song, based on your story, that you can give to the one you love. And boy-o-boy, do they deliver!

**Giving a Songfinch Personalized Song is Easy!**

When I began ordering my song from Songfinch, one of the first things I noted was how smooth and streamlined they had made the entire process. It was far easier than I had imagined; especially when we’re talking about asking a complete stranger to craft something so personal. The whole Songfinch ordering process took me just 30 minutes.

Once you pay for your song, a series of clean, easy-to complete screens will walk you through the process. The first one is literally a MadLib:

After I filled it out, mine read: I want to give my husband a song for our anniversary that makes us remember how much of a miracle our relationship is.

The next screen, on which you share your story, is the most time-consuming. Completing it took up about 25 of the aforementioned 30 minutes.

I’m including our personal story below in case you’d like to see how much of what I gave them is woven into the lyrics of our completed song.

Our story reads like a Hallmark movie. My husband and I met in choir during our sophomore year of high school. He was a gifted guitar-playing baritone who loved Elvis and old-timey country music, and I was a passable soprano with an affinity for ’70s singer-songwriters and classic arena rock. By the end of our junior year, we were engage to be married and had become one of those couples that everyone just knew was going to make it. However, after our senior year, when he went in the Navy and I went off to college, fate stepped in, and we broke up. Thirty years of life went by, and then by some miracle, we got a second chance. We were married on the same date we had chosen way back when, and the little diamond that he gave me back in high school is now in my wedding ring, flanked by two emeralds as a nod to our May birthdays. So now instead of celebrating our 35th anniversary, we are celebrating our 6th year of marriage. Some things don’t change though: music is still one of the cornerstones of our life. We play and write songs together, enjoy making music with our extended family, and can’t imagine our lives without music in it.

After writing up the story paragraph, there are just a few quick screens that allow you to specify a mood or two, genre (everything from country to hip-hop to acoustic pop), and whether you would prefer a female or male vocalist.

For mood, I chose Romantic & Reflective. For genre, I wrote that I would like “something singer-songwritery with maybe a bit of a country vibe.” (If you listen to our song, you’ll hear that our singer-songwriter, Will Duvall, absolutely nailed this one, despite my ridiculously specific description.) Conversely, I didn’t specify what kind of vocalist: I just wanted the best person for the job, regardless of gender.

After I submitted my song application, I received a series of emails from Songfinch letting me know that my song was on its way, and then I sat back and waited.

No. That’s not true. I ran around the house trying to pull everything together for our trip while I worried that the song might not arrive in time because I had accidentally forgotten to order it until exactly a week before we set sail, when I would likely have no wifi access. As I mentioned earlier, Songfinch promises to deliver your song within a week, but I cut it way too close for comfort, and that was on me.

Five and a half days later, however, on the evening before we were to take off on our flight to Florida from where our ship was to embark, I received an email letting me know that our song was ready. I could listen to it, download it, read the lyrics, and learn about our singer-songwriter on our personal Songfinch page.

Songfinch Personalized Song Review {Sound of a Miracle} | The Good Hearted Woman

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO LISTEN TO OUR SONG: This is our personal song page on Songfinch, where we can download our song, read the lyrics, share it on social media, and learn about our singer-songwriter.

How cool is that!?!?

Still, I pressed play on the website with some trepidation. I mean, a week is a pretty small window in which to write, record, and mix a song (unless you’re Jackson Browne or one of the Nashville Cats), and I was a little concerned about how well everything would turn out.

I shouldn’t have wasted my time worrying. To capture the spirit of the moment, here’s the exact email that I sent to my contact at Songfinch right after I downloaded our song:

Hey Rob –

One more quick note before I go dark for a week: I just listen to the song four times and I couldn’t wait to let you know how much I LOVE IT! Everything is perfect, and I couldn’t be more pleased.

I’ll check in when I get back, but in the meantime, please pass on to everyone involved my pure delight and deep appreciation! Thank you so much!

Peace,
Renée B.

So how did my gift go over? Well, after a wonderful day strolling the streets of Old San Juan, as we spent the evening sitting on our balcony and watching the lights of Puerto Rico drift off into the distance, I told Mr B that I wanted to play a song for him. That’s when things got a little funny (haha, not weird), mostly because I didn’t tell him anything else ahead of time. As he listened to the lyrics, at first he thought it was a song by someone with a story that mirrored ours to a remarkable degree. Then he thought maybe I had written it and had someone else record it. Then, when he finally figured it all out, he LOVED it!

Songfinch Personalized Song Review | The Good Hearted Woman

One night, we sailed into the moon. (Taken from our cruise ship balcony.)

One of the things we both love about our song, Sound of a Miracle, is that it has so many personal messages wrapped up in the layers of its seemingly simple lyrics. Will did such an expert job of telling our story, and we love it more every time we listen to it. We’ve already worked out the chords so we can sing it ourselves, and we see it as being a song we will be singing to our grandkids as they years go by. That, my friends, is a gift that keeps on giving. ♥

* * *

This year, give Mom a gift she will remember, treasure & love forever! 🎶 A personalized song from @Songfinch 🎶 #ad #mothersday #perfectgift #giftofmusic Click thru for $20 #DiscountCode Click To Tweet

Who in your life would love the gift of a song? (Your mother. I know that your mother would love a song. Trust me about this.) I can think of dozens of people and occasions for which a Songfinch personalized song would make the perfect gift, including:

Mother’s Day
Father’s Day
Grandparent’s Day
Birthdays
Best Friends
Sibling Day
Weddings
Wedding Anniversaries
New Babies (Personalized lullabye, anyone!?!)
Family Reunions
Class Reunions
Graduations
Valentine’s Day
Retirements
Memorials

SONGFINCH DISCOUNT CODE

If you would like to order a song for someone you love, use this discount code – GOODHEART – when you check out for $20 off a Song From Scratch.

Who would you like to gift with a song? Let us know in the comments! {And If you use Songfinch, please be sure come back and leave us a link in the comments so that we can have a listen!}

Disclosure: Our thanks to Will Duvall and everyone at SONGFINCH for creating and recording our song, free of charge. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images (except as noted) are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

A New Era at Graceland: Elvis Presley’s Memphis

August 15 By Renée ♥ 17 Comments

The newly opened Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex is vast, eye-opening, humbling, and a must for music lovers of all kinds.

When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted to be was Elvis Presley. ~ #PaulMcCartney #Beatles Click To Tweet

Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and in Memphis this is Elvis Week. The celebration is expected to draw the largest number of visitors ever to Graceland – Presley’s Memphis mansion.

I have to admit, until recently I just didn’t get it. I could not understand why this man – an exceptionally talented entertainer to be sure, but still, just a man – caused so much hype and celebration. I mean, it’s not like he’s the only singer who’s ever touched hearts and made young girls cry, right?

But I learned a few things in Tennessee. First, we visited Studio B and Sun Studios where we experienced Elvis’ beginnings, and the first glimmers began to spark as I understood more about the critical, pivotal role he played in breaking the color barrier in the music world – no small feat in the mid-1950’s. Still, others have broken down social barriers, and they don’t have millions of adoring fans embarking on pilgrimages forty years after they die just to visit their graves. (Jim Morrison notwithstanding.)

It wasn’t until we visited the newly opened Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex that things finally fully click. All the hype. All the glorification. All the adoration and idolization. I get it now.

Because it isn’t just about Elvis the Man, or Elvis the Entertainer, or even Elvis the Icon. It’s about something far bigger than that. It’s about how he changed the Music.

"I always felt that someday, somehow, something would happen to change everything for me, and I'd daydream about how it would be. - Elvis Presley | Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum at Elvis Presley's Memphis Entertainment Complex | The Good Hearted Woman

{Elvis is the boy in overalls standing in the top right.}

Many thanks to Graceland and Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex for hosting our visit. This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex opened to the public in March of this year: a 200,000-square-foot, $45 million project across from Presley’s Graceland Mansion. The new Entertainment Complex features fifteen exhibits highlighting the many facets of Elvis’ life (including his early life, his career, his army stint, his cars, his airplanes, and countless items from the family’s personal archives), plus two restaurants, retail stores, and a soundstage. It is an amazing facility, and visitors can easily spend at more than a day exploring.

It was at one of the exhibits – ICONS: The Influence of Elvis Presley – that I gained a completely new perspective on why Elvis is known as The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. However, before I go on more about the ICONS exhibit and what we took away from it, let me share a few other highlights from Elvis Presley’s Memphis.

Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum

Elvis is King. Period. - #GeneSimmons #Kiss Click To Tweet

The Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum at the Memphis Entertainment Complex gives visitors the opportunity to become completely immersed in Elvis’ career, through hundreds of artifacts, memorabilia, and of course, jumpsuits. {You knew there would be jumpsuits, right?}

Once again – this museum is Vast: I can barely scrap the surface here.

Fun facts

Elvis received his first guitar on his 11th birthday, on on January 8, 1946. It was purchased from Tupelo Hardware Company in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Elvis cut his first recording, “That’s All Right,” at Sun Studio in Memphis on July 5, 1954.
Between 1954 to 1978, Elvis released 108 singles, 30 extended-play singles, 70 albums on RCA Records, four albums on the Pickwick budget label, and five singles on the Sun Records label.

Of his recordings, 150 different albums and singles have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. (Look closely at the image below and you can see some of them hanging on the wall behind the line of white jumpsuits.) He had fourteen Grammy nominations, with three wins – all for gospel recordings.

In addition to recording, Elvis also made thirty-one movies, arguably the most successful of which were Blue Hawaii, Clambake, King Creole, Jail House Rock, and Viva Las Vegas.

Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum at Elvis Presley's Memphis Entertainment Complex | The Good Hearted Woman

In reflection: “Talent is being able to sell something you are feeling.”

Ever wonder where Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons [of KISS] got their inspiration for all that glam? Hmmm…

Presley Motors Automobile Exhibit

Elvis had an extensive, impressive car and motorcycle collection, many of which are on display at the EPM Entertainment Complex. This pink Caddy is my favorite 😉

Pink Cadillac. Do you really need anything else?

There’s nowhere else in the world where you can go from driving a truck to a Cadillac overnight.

– Elvis Presley

1956 Cadillac Eldorado – Originally white. When he bought it, Elvis had the car painted purple and customized the interior.

1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II – came with a price tag of $10,000 when it was introduced in 1955, much more than the average $4000 luxury car of the time.

The first car I bought was the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen. It was second hand, but I parked it outside of my hotel the day I got it. I sat up all night, just looking at it.

– Elvis Presley

1960 MG – Used by Elvis in Blue Hawaii and was part of his personal collection.

VIP Exhibit & Lounge

As part of our Elvis Presley’s Memphis Celebration Package, we received two Elvis Entourage VIP Passes, which gave Mr B and I access to the VIP Exhibit and Lounge. (It also gave us front-of-the-line at access at Graceland Mansion {kind of like a Disney FastPass}, access to a special VIP Only exhibit at Graceland Mansion, an extra day pass, and a Keepsake Backstage Pass.)

The VIP area displays some interesting personal items, including Elvis’ sheriff’s badge and ID, his gold Social Security card, and his wallet with a picture of baby Lisa Marie.

Yeah, that’s me, hanging out on a purple velvet chaise lounge with Elvis. No biggie.

In addition to the exhibits we’ve touched on here, there are displays highlighting Elvis’ early years (Elvis’ Tupelo), military service (Private Elvis), how country music influenced rock ‘n roll, and much more.

If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been the Beatles. #JohnLennon #Beatles Click To Tweet

ICONS: The Influence of Elvis Presley

{This was, for so many reasons, my absolute favorite part of the EPM Entertainment Complex exhibits.}

I guess until recently, I’ve tended to look at the development of music in a relatively linear way; one genre evolving and expanding, with new styles emerging from old and moving forward to form some unique sound that eventually comes into its own. However, our trip to Tennessee gave me a much different mental picture; instead of a timeline marching forward with tangents breaking off at particular intersections in time, I now see the progression of music as more of a web of influence; and like a spiders web, in which one fine silk thread, placed just so, can shake the entire system to its core. Elvis was, and continues to be, a single gossamer thread to which so many others are anchored. The ICONS exhibit clarified this idea beautifully.

Some of the performers who paid tribute to Elvis in the ICONS exhibit were obvious (Bruce Springsteen immediately comes to mind) , but both Mr B and I were genuinely surprised by others.

The first Elvis song I heard was ‘Hound Dog.’ I just heard this voice and it was absolutely, totally in its own place. The voice was confident, insinuating and taking no prisoners. He had those great whoop and diving moments, those sustains that swoop down to the note like a bird of prey. I took all that in. You can hear that all over Led Zeppelin.

– Robert Plant

It was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it.

– Bruce Springsteen

I wasn’t just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good. We Never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. I love him and hope to see him again. There’ll never be another like him that soul brother.

– James Brown

If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you have accomplished something. Elvis did that and more for me and so many others.

– Dolly Parton

Before Elvis, everything was in black and white. Then came Elvis.... Zoom, glorious technicolor. ~ #KeithRichards Click To Tweet

And yes, even adorable Memphis native JT chimed in…

When you come from Memphis, music is in your blood. From the blues artist to Elvis Presley, they have had a major influence on my music. I admire Elvis, always have. He combined all of these different types of music and made it one.

– Justin Timberlake

No one name says more than his... Elvis. It roars while others whisper. ~ #PaulStanley #Kiss Click To Tweet

Whether you are a fan or just a music lover, a day at the Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex is so worth your time. Even if you are a lifelong fan like Mr B, you will come away with a new appreciation for Elvis’ life and contributions; and if you are simply a music lover like me, it will likely change your perspective on The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and his place in music history forever.

Click here for ticketing Information

Did any of the tributes in the ICONS exhibit surprise you?

Disclosure: Many thanks to Graceland and Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex for hosting our visit. All images here are mine, taken and used with permission from Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. for use on this website only. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Top 7 Things to Do in Memphis {Music Lovers Edition}

July 26 By Renée ♥ 26 Comments

Memphis is a town that lives and breathes music. Check out our picks for Top 5 Must-dos for Music Lovers, plus two great bonus destinations.

♫ ♪ Put on my blue suede shoes | and I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues | In the middle of the pouring rain ♫

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I still remember the first time I heard “Walking in Memphis” – on KINK in Portland, a year or so before my second daughter was born. At that time, I’d never so much as touched a toe south of West Virginia, but something about that song spoke to a deep-roots place in my belly, and I couldn’t wait until I could get my hands on the whole album. {This, children, was in the days before iTunes or Amazon (or even Napster 😉 ) } – back when you had to wait for a CD to arrive at Music Millenium, and then rush down to grab a copy before they were all gone.

We must have played that CD a thousand times. Dig Down Deep. Walk on Water. Silver Thunderbird (which always makes me think of my dad and his pocket comb). Perfect Love. True Companion. And always, Walking in Memphis; a song which over time became lullaby for my girls about a magical, musical land: like Puff’s Honalee, it almost wasn’t real.

But Memphis is real. And walking down Beale Street – with music pouring out of every brick and around every corner – is a sublime experience. Especially if music feeds your soul.

**5 Memphis Must-Dos for Music Lovers**

1. Take an evening stroll down Beale Street

♫ ♪ …I’m walking in Memphis | Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale ♫

Formally declared the Home of the Blues in 1977 by an act of Congress, Beale Street is where the cool kids hang out. (Or at least they used to.) Kids like Louis Armstrong, Memphis Minnie, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King. Once of the most iconic streets in America, Beale Street is the heart of downtown Memphis.

Walk down Beale Street any given evening and you’ll hear a musical stew pouring out of open doors all along the three-block stretch – delta blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and gospel. Walk through a door, and the music will grab you and pull you in.

♫ ♪ W.C. Handy, won’t you look down over me…

WC Handy Statue - Top 7 Things to Do in Memphis {Music Lovers Edition} | The Good Hearted Woman

WC Handy, Father of the Blues, stands in a WC Handy Park on Beale Street.

Fun Fact: Just a block away from Beale Street, Gibson Guitar’s famous factory produces B.B. King’s signature ES-355 Semi-Hollow body. (See the “bonus” destinations at the bottom of this post.)

2. Visit Graceland

Of course you’re going to Graceland. Of course you are.

♫ ♪ Saw the ghost of Elvis | On Union Avenue
Followed him up to the gates of Graceland | Then I watched him walk right through ♫

Top 7 Things to Do in Memphis {Music Lovers Edition} | The Good Hearted Woman

The actual “Gates of Graceland.”

Sadly, we did not see Elvis (or even his ghost) at Graceland. Nevertheless, it was a surprisingly captivating tour. Not only did I learn a ton about the man, his family, and his music (not to mention the impact he had on American culture), but I found that seeing Graceland in real life brought a measure of earnest humanity to the Elvis mythology. Even if you aren’t a big Elvis fan, a visit to Graceland needs to be on your list. (More on Graceland coming soon.)

The living room at Graceland Mansion.

♫ …there’s a pretty little thing | Waiting for the King | Down in the Jungle Room ♫ ♪

The “Jungle Room” was not nearly as sultry or exotic as I had imagined. :/

Speaking of Graceland…

3. Sign the Wall

It seems like every adventure has at least one defining, unforgettable moment. For Mr B, signing the fieldstone wall at Graceland was one of those moments. It was for me too, but for somewhat different reasons. (We’ll be sharing more about this in a later post.)

All you need to sign the wall is a Sharpie and a few minutes.

PRO TIP #1: If you go at night, the experience will feel more risky and exhilarating!

PRO TIP #2: It’s not risky at all. In fact, it’s totally legal (and even encouraged). Two police cars drove by us while we were signing.

4. Tour Sun Studios

The Birthplace of Rock & Roll.

Founded in 1952 by Sam Phillips, Sun Studios is where it all began.

Our tour of Sun Studios was an entirely different experience than our tour of RCA Studio B. Sun is smaller, grittier… more raw. Ghosts are still singing in the walls.

In the beginning, Sun was home to an impressively wide variety of talent, as Sam Phillips was willing to give anyone who came off the street to record a chance. It didn’t matter what they played, Sam recorded it all: gospel, blues, hillbilly, country, boogie, or western swing. The label had no limits.

Then, in 1954, Elvis Presley walked through the doors of Sun Studios, and Sam found himself with the artist he had been looking for: someone who could perform the blues with passion and energy, and still reach across both musical and racial barriers. Sam and Elvis opened a door that would never again close.

Our tour of Sun Studios started with a climb upstairs to a small but impressive museum filled with some amazing music history artifacts. After learning about Sam Phillips and the artists who recorded there, we went downstairs into the studio itself. Like I mentioned earlier, there are ghosts in those walls, let me tell you. It is an amazing feeling to know you are standing where sounds that changed American music were first recorded.

If I had space and time, I could go on forever about the artists who recorded at Sun Studios over the years. These names are synonymous with the 1950’s music revolution – the artists who gave us that “good ol’ fashioned Rock n’ Roll.”

Sun Studios - Top 7 Things to Do in Memphis {Music Lovers Edition} | The Good Hearted Woman

Not gonna lie: Mr B was thrilled to sing into the Shure 55 microphone at Sun Studios that was once used by Elvis Presley. (He was trying to play it cool. He failed.)

Sun Studios is still an active recording studio, and continues to reflect the diversity and vision that was first embraced over sixty years ago. If we ever have a chance to visit Memphis again, we will take this tour again. It’s that good.

Tours of Sun Studios are given every day at the bottom half of every hour from 10:30 AM through 5:30 PM.

5. Listen to Live Blues

♫ ♪ Now Muriel plays piano | Every Friday at the Hollywood…

As luck would have it, just before leaving for Tennessee, Mr B and I saw Marc Cohn perform nearly every cut from his Walking in Memphis album live at the Aladdin in Portland, on the album’s 25th anniversary tour. The Aladdin is an intimate venue, and we had fourth row seats. Almost as entertaining as the songs Marc sang were the stories he told about writing them. It was fascinating to learn more about Walking in Memphis’ Muriel; the very real, remarkable woman who inspired this piece of the song. {Song Stories: Walking in Memphis}

We didn’t get to see Muriel (sadly, she passed away many years ago) but we did spend an evening listening to the amazing BB King All-Star Band at BB King’s Blues Club on the corner of Beale and 2nd. (We ate some pretty decent barbecue there too!)

The food at BB Kings Blues Club was good. Not great, but definitely a solid Good. (I highly recommend the Shrimp & Cheese Grits.) The music was Awesome.

Have some extra time?

Here are two more great destinations just half a block from Beale Street to add to your itinerary.

6. Tour the Gibson Guitar Factory

The Gibson Factory tour didn’t make our short list because it isn’t what I would categorize as a must-do, can’t-miss thing, but it is definitely worth your time if you find yourself with an extra hour on your hands.

I wish I could show you pictures from the tour, but they don’t let you take them, and my stealth photography skills (as my daughters will tell you) ~~suck~~ are nonexistent.

What I can show you are some beautiful guitars from the Gibson showroom. For example, the guitar above and on the left below – a custom guitar created by a single master luthier over the course of an entire year – is the single most expensive guitar I’ve ever touched. It comes with 14 kt gold hardware, mother-of-pearl inlay, and a $26,669 price tag.

The Gibson Factory tour costs just $10 a person and takes about 45 minutes, start to finish. You get to walk through the entire guitar-making process, from raw wood materials through the intricate process of binding, neck-fitting, painting, buffing, and tuning that creates these iconic musical instruments.

7. Visit the Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum

If you want a solid, interactive, informative education about the history of Southern music and the Memphis sound, the Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum is the place to visit. Personally, I think one of my biggest takeaways from this experience was a far clearer understanding of the vital role of the musical pioneers who persisted, for the love of music, through racial, regional, and socio-economic barriers to create music that transformed our country.

According to its creators at the Smithsonian Institution, “Rock ‘n’ Soul: Social Crossroads” is the story of the body of music that had the most influence on the culture and lifestyles of the world during the middle 20th Century unto this day. It affected the way we walked, the way we talked, the way we combed our hair and the way we dressed – not only in Memphis or the nation, but the entire world.

The museum is divided into seven galleries that trace Southern music and the Memphis sound over time. Beginning with Rural Culture, which illustrates the musical traditions of the rural South historically, you move through the roots of Southern music, the social challenges it responded to, and the social changes for which it is responsible. The tour begins with short, informative movie; then you are given an audio headset so you can walk through the rest of the museum at your own pace. (It took us just under an hour to do the whole tour.) Always there is music, from short clips to full-length songs, highlighting each point along the way.

The Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (The Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum is literally right across the street from the Gibson Factory, so it’s almost like a two-fer.)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Blue Guitar - Top 7 Things to Do in Memphis {Music Lovers Edition} | The Good Hearted Woman

Ruby Wilson, known as “The Queen of Beale Street,” was a blues and gospel singer, and an actress. She sang in clubs on Beale Street for over 40 years.

If you could visit Memphis, where is the first place you would go? {Let me know in the comments!}

What We Learned from Bob & Johnny at The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum

July 19 By Renée ♥ 20 Comments

A visit to The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum may change how you think about American music – in all its forms – forever.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I’ll be honest: initially, Mr B was way more excited about visiting The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville than I was. It makes sense; his country musical roots run deep, even back to the old-timey music of a bygone era; while mine lean more toward folk, rock, and blues. What I didn’t understand before our Tennessee trip was how profoundly his music has influenced my music (and vice versa) over time.

The Country Music Museum

Chartered in 1964, the museum portion of The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum has compiled one of the world’s most extensive musical collections, including images and photographs, oral histories, digital archives, and a priceless collection of musical instruments.

Porter - Country Music Hall of Fame | The Good Hearted Woman

I was just a little kid when Porter Wagoner was big on television, but I still remember that jacket. (Seriously. How could anyone forget it?)

The heart of the museum is Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, a permanent exhibition that immerses visitors in the story of country music, as revealed through artifacts, photographs, vintage video and recordings, and interactive touchscreens.

The first thing that hit me as we wandered through the Sing Me Back Home exhibit was how closely our music history is tied to our cultural history in this country. Mr B and I were both particularly moved by some of the instruments on display from the early pioneers of country music. It is awe-inspiring to consider the hands that played these instruments, and their contributions to music, and how those contributions continue to influence the music we listen to today.

Autoharp - Country Music Hall of Fame | The Good Hearted Woman

Sara Carter’s autoharp, Minnie Pearl’s hat, and Bill Monroe’s mandolin.

All those iconic instruments got me thinking… Over the years, how many people listened to Sara Carter play her autoharp as part of America’s first commercial rural country music group? How many skirts swirled across a wooden floor to the sound of Bill Monroe’s mandolin?

Maybelle - Country Music Hall of Fame | The Good Hearted Woman

Maybelle Carter, known as “mother Maybelle,” bought this Gibson L-5 in 1928 for $275. Today it is priceless.

In addition to Sing Me Back Home and its other permanent exhibits, the museum hosts a number of temporary featured exhibits. At the time of our visit, one of these exhibits in particular made a lasting impact on me – Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats.

Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats

Musically, I’ve always been captivated by unlikely collaborations. (Led Zepplin’s Robert Plant and bluegrass queen Allison Krauss’ amazing collab on Raising Sand immediately comes to mind.) But our visit to the museum made it clear that the impact of these cross-genre partnerships can be deep and long-lasting, impacting long-term music culture in a myriad of ways.

Take, for example, the collaboration of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. (Surprised? I was!) Dylan, as you ~~hopefully~~ may know, is a musician associated far more closely with 60’s counter-culture, flower children, folk music, and the singer-songwriter enclave than traditional Country Music. And yet, there he was on the second floor of the The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, standing right next to Johnny Cash (or rather one of Johnny’s black suits).

Johnny on Dylan - Country Music Hall of Fame | The Good Hearted Woman

Bob Dylan is unquestionably a profoundly talented, poetic songwriter, writer, and Nobel prize laureate {yep!}, but singer? Well anyway, I love the sentiment of Johnny’s quote.

It turns out that, in 1966, against the advice and wishes of his record label executives, Bob Dylan came to Nashville to record his classic album Blonde on Blonde. In doing so, he inspired a string of folk and rock musicians to follow his lead, and this following became known as the Nashville Cats.

Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City, currently a featured exhibit at the museum, highlights this iconic musical pairing. Recalling the Nashville music scene in the late ’60s and early ’70s, it illustrates clearly how this unlikely association continues to influence the music, and energize fans and musicians alike.

Other exhibits in The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum showcase contemporary artists, including those who have made a significant impact on country music in recent years. At the time of our visit, these included Jason Aldean, Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, and many others.

The Country Music Hall of Fame

In addition to providing a home for its amazing musical museum, this building is also home to The Country Music Hall of Fame. Membership in the Hall of Fame is the highest honor a country music professional can receive. Performers, songwriters, broadcasters, musicians, and executives in the industry are inducted in recognition of their contributions to the development of country music.

Spiral - Country Music Hall of Fame | The Good Hearted Woman

Wall of gold records at The Country Music Hall of Fame.

The building itself is filled with musical images and symbolism. For example, from the air, the building forms a massive bass clef, and the building’s front windows are built to resemble piano keys.

Stairway - Country Music Hall of Fame | The Good Hearted Woman

Stone bars on the Rotunda’s outside wall symbolize the notes of the Carter Family’s classic song “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

If you are visiting Nashville, be sure to plan a visit to The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Whether you are a lifelong country music fan or simply curious, it may very well change how you think about country music forever.

Click here for more information about visiting The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Disclosure: We were compensated for this post. Thanks to the Country Music Hall of Fame for giving us complementary tour tickets. As always, all opinions and photos (except as noted) are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Home of 1000 Hits: RCA Studio B {Nashville}

July 11 By Renée ♥ 22 Comments

RCA Studio B is the oldest surviving recording studio in Nashville. Here, 1000 hits were brought to life and American music history was made.

^{This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}
It’s just a small blue X taped out at the intersection of four old-school linoleum tiles. All by itself, it doesn’t look like much at all. Right?

Sometimes, appearances are deceiving: that blue X is the Sweet Spot at the historic RCA Studio B – a distinct point in the universe where countless artists have stood to create musical history.

Here, 1000 hits were brought to life. Stand on this spot, close your eyes, and you can’t help but feel a little chill of excitement in the connection.

Built in 1957, this unassuming little building on Nashville’s famous Music Row became a cradle for what became known as the Nashville Sound. A distinct departure from the “honky-tonk” country music of the time, the Nashville Sound was characterized by smooth strings, sophisticated background vocals, and crooning lead vocals.

Tours of RCA Studio B are arranged through The Country Music Hall of Fame. When our tour group arrived, we were ushered into an anteroom lined on three sides with pictures of musicians past and present. The fourth wall was devoted to Elvis’ recordings. We had plenty of time to scan the walls as our guide played recordings of a wide variety of artists and told us some interesting stories about them.

Mr B should be a Nashville tour guide. (Seriously, Mr B should be a Nashville star, but that’s another story for another day.) Anyway, he grew up on the old-timey country music, and as we looked around the room, he excitedly pointed out singers to me that I’d never even heard of and told me stories about them like they were second cousins.

More than 35,000 songs were recorded at Studio B during the golden age of the Nashville Sound (1957 to 1977) including more than 1,000 American hits, 40 millions-selling singles, and over 200 Elvis Presley recordings. But this place is so much more than numbers, or hit records, or even Elvis. (OK, that last one is probably debatable.)

Elvis is, of course, a big draw for many to Studio B. He recorded over 200 songs here, including Are You Lonesome Tonight, and How Great Thou Art for which he won a Grammy. (Fun fact: All three of Elvis’ Grammys were awarded for Gospel recordings.)

This Steinway, the centerpiece of RCA Studio B’s instrument collection, is known as the “Elvis Steinway Piano.” It is generally considered to be Elvis’ favorite piano, and was the one he used to rehearse before recording some of his greatest hits.

RCA Studio B: Home of 1000 Hits | The Good Hearted Woman

Photo Credit: Prayltno via Flickr [CC BY 2.0]

So many famous fingers have flown across those keys, and you can hear it being played in countless songs recorded at Studio B. (This piano is so famous that it has its very own Facebook page!) It made Mr B and I both wonder at the stories behind all those scratches and dings above the black keys.

Photo Credit: Geoff White via Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

Mr B is a diehard Elvis fan, but The Everly Brothers were my personal favorite in the amazing Studio B lineup. (Those harmonies!) One of their signature recordings, All I Have to Do is Dream, is the song Mr B and I always use to warm up when we sing together, and standing in the space where they first recorded it was deeply moving to both of us.

It was during our tour of Studio B that I first became fascinated with the intricate web of musical influence that reaches up from the South to weave its way into American musical history. (I’ll be sharing more about this in future posts.)

Learning about the scope and caliber of the music created in this space took my breath away. (I have to admit, that happened a lot on our Tennessee adventure.) Here’s just a sampling musicians who recorded here:

Roy Orbision recorded two of his biggest hits, Only the Lonely and Crying.
Dolly Parton wrote her mega-hits Jolene and I Will Always Love You on the same day and recorded both here, as she did Coat of Many Colors, her beautiful tribute to her life in Appalachia.
Waylon Jennings recorded, among others, Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line, That’s The Chance I’ll Have To Take, and Stop The World (And Let Me Off) – years before Outlaw Country was even a flicker.
Charlie Pride recorded Kiss an Angel Good Morning and Is Anybody Going To San Antone here. (My Dad used to sing Charlie Pride while he mowed the lawn. Mr B sings his songs to me now.

Studio B is still a working recording studio, and modern-day artists like Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Wynonna, and many others have followed their legendary predecessors into this amazing space. In terms of the evolution of American music, the impact of RCA Studio B and the artists who recorded there cannot be overemphasized; moreover, regardless of your musical tastes, they have unquestionably influenced the music you listen to today.

Next up: The Country Music Hall of Fame

Chairs - RCA Studio B: Home of 1000 Hits | The Good Hearted Woman

If those walls could talk.

**Take the RCA Studio B Tour!**

If you are planning to visit Nashville, RCA Studio B needs to be on your itinerary. Tours are available for a relatively small additional fee (currently about $11) to anyone who purchases admission to The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Start to finish, the tour lasts about one hour, and transportation is included.

^{Disclosure: Many thanks to the Country Music Hall of Fame for providing us with complementary tour tickets. As always, all opinions and photos (except as noted) are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

The Sound Nashville Music Tour ♫ ♪ Songwriters Welcome

June 20 By Renée ♥ 43 Comments

On The Sound Nashville Music Tour, you’ll see the sights and hear the sounds of Nashville – and write a song while you do it!

^{We teamed up with The Sound Music Tour to bring you this sponsored post. This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}

There is so much to see and do in Nashville, and one of the best ways to get an introduction to it all is to take a bus tour around town. However, I’ve been on enough tour buses to know that sometimes the “tour talk” can be a little dry. That’s why I was so excited when I stumbled onto The Sound Nashville Music Tour, one of the many Nashville music-centered bus tour companies.

Mr B and I chose The Sound Nashville Music Tour because it uniquely embraces and utilizes the soul of Music City – its singer-songwriter community. On this family-friendly 90-minute tour, the guides are real Nashville songwriters who sing and entertain the group while presenting an engaging overview of the city and its history. And here’s the best part: as the bus putters through the city, the tour guides help the whole group write a song! Then, at the end of the tour, everyone piles off the bus and gets a chance to see it performed live on stage! And don’t worry if you aren’t a songwriter (or can’t even carry a tune): as long as you can clap and smile, you’ll be fine.

Our tour departed promptly from our gathering place in front of the George Jones Museum. When we all had settle ourselves into our seats on the bus, our tour guides, singer-songwriters Glenn Michael and Maddy Rodriguez, introduced themselves and handed out rhythm instruments to everyone.

Glenn and Maddy were engaging and full of fun stories about Nashville, both past and present, and they made sure to include everyone on the tour in the song writing efforts. Glenn gave us a lot by way of Nashville history, and gave us a feel for what songwriters and musicians go through to make their mark in the city. He was full of suggestions about the best places to listen to music or grab a bite to eat, and gave everyone coupons for fried pickles (yes, that is a thing) if we could answer his music trivia questions.

Maddy - Sound Nashville Music Tour 2017 | The Good Hearted Woman

At just 23, Maddy has already won a number of awards for her music, including the Grand Prize in the country category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest [2014, Session II] for her song Fascinated. (Listen on her website.)

The tour passes by most of the famous music venues in town, including Ryman Auditorium, Music Row, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Legend’s Corner, and The Listening Room Cafe; as well as a number of city landmarks like the famous Musica statue, The Gulch, and The Parthenon.

(Did you know that Nashville has a FULL SIZE replica of The Parthenon?!? Me neither!)

Nashville Parthenon | The Good Hearted Woman

The Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. It was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.

I should probably also mention that this tour is BYOB, and tourists are encouraged to bring whatever beverage tickles their fancy. There are a couple of places just steps away from the tour meeting point where you can grab growler or a pitcher of mimosas for the road. (For the record, Mr B and I brought water, because we are boring that way sometimes.)

"Sacrifice Something for what means the most" [tattoo] Sound Nashville Music Tour 2017 | The Good Hearted Woman

“Sacrifice Something for what means the most.” I was intrigued with Glenn’s tattoo: there’s a lot in those seven little words, especially for creatives. Glenn started playing music when he was 12, and has played some prestigious clubs across the country. Raised in Connecticut, he now calls Nashville home. Glenn has recorded three records (available on iTunes), and is currently writing songs for his fourth.

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

Over the course of the tour, between stretches of Glenn’s informative “tour guide” monologue, he and Maddy suggested lyrics and solicited relevant rhyming words to fill out the “Sound of Nashville” song-frame that they use. For example, someone on our tour suggested “Cheryl Crowe” and “garden hoe.” If you watch the video at the beginning of this post, you’ll hear that line toward the end in the “alternate chorus.”

Legends - Sound Nashville Music Tour 2017 | The Good Hearted Woman

Legends Corner – Mr B took some ribbing from his little brother for this shot. Despite appearances, he is not carrying a purse: it’s a bag full of Patsy Cline CD’s that he bought for his Mama… and my parasol.

Wait. What? Back up… They don’t make up a brand new song every time they pull the bus away from the curb?!?

Nope. Sorry if I’m bursting your bubble or giving away trade secrets, but seriously; think about it. Mr B and I write the occasional song ourselves, so I can tell you from experience that there is no way Glenn and Maddy, or any other songwriter I’ve ever known – no matter how talented they are (yes, even Dan Fogelberg) – could create a catchy, original song twice a day at the drop of a hat, especially with a bus full of tourists. I mean, can you imagine how stressful that would be – for everyone? Nope – using a prefab song with flexible lyrics is the only way to go.

The only problem with the song they use – – ♫♪ Oh I hear the sound of Nashville | everywhere I go…♪♫ – – is that it’s so catchy that it gets into your head and won’t leave. Like the theme from Gilligan’s Island. You’ll be listening to it on constant loop for days on end while you replay all those images from your tour in your head. Which, come to think of it, might not be such a bad thing after all.

TRAVEL TIP

If you take the 11 am tour, we highly recommend stopping in at Another Broken Egg Cafe for brunch. Located just half a block from the George Jones Museum where The Sound tour departs, you’ll find the place bustling, the food and drinks delicious, and the staff friendly and welcoming. (Kudos to our server, Becca, for her bubbly personality, easy conversation, and ability to mix a mimosa in eight seconds flat!)

^{Disclosure: Our thanks to the The Sound Nashville Music Tour for giving us complementary tour tickets. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

Music lovers, here’s our list of eight iconic, must-see, don’t-even-think-of-skipping sites in Music City, along with a Nashville travel tips that will make your life a little easier along the way.

Eight Iconic, Must-See Nashville Music Sites

1 . Ryman Auditorium

2. Country Music Hall of Fame

3. RCA Studio B

4. Hatch Print Show

5. Honky Tonk Highway

6. Ernest Tubb Record Shop

7. Carter Vintage Guitars

8. Grand Ole Opry

Nashville Travel Tips

May 22nd is National Buy a Musical Instrument Day! In the spirit of celebration (and because my birthday is in May) I bought myself a new soprano ukulele!

According to Science, you are NEVER too old to learn a new instrument! Playing music provides great mental exercise and can help keep your brain sharp and your brain cells thriving. 🎶 (Take that, age-related memory loss!)

Before you buy a musical instrument, consider…

Where do you want your music to take you?

Is the musical instrument you are considering a good fit for you?

When you are ready to purchase a musical instrument, it’s helpful to…

Buy in Person

Start at your local music shop

Get a Feel for the Instrument

Take a {Musical} Friend

Consider Buying an Old and/or Used Instrument

If You’re Not Sure, Take a Test Drive

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to PIN this post!

Looking for a great day trip from Memphis? Check out our real-life itinerary for our day trip from Memphis, Tennessee to Tupelo, Mississippi and back again (including our ridiculously Hobbit-like meal schedule).

DAY TRIP: Memphis to Tupelo {Roundtrip}

Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau

Downtown Tupelo

FairPark

Natchez Trace Parkway

DAY TRIP ITINERARY: Memphis to Tupelo {Roundtrip}

Short Version

Please Pin this Post!

Every spring, you can find some of the most beautiful and unique instruments being made in the Pacific Northwest at the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit.

This year, give them a gift that they will remember, treasure, and love forever – a Songfinch personalized song, written just for them.

Giving a Songfinch Personalized Song is Easy!

How cool is that!?!?

SONGFINCH DISCOUNT CODE

Who would you like to gift with a song? Let us know in the comments! {And If you use Songfinch, please be sure come back and leave us a link in the comments so that we can have a listen!}

The newly opened Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex is vast, eye-opening, humbling, and a must for music lovers of all kinds.

Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum

Presley Motors Automobile Exhibit

VIP Exhibit & Lounge

ICONS: The Influence of Elvis Presley

Memphis is a town that lives and breathes music. Check out our picks for Top 5 Must-dos for Music Lovers, plus two great bonus destinations.

5 Memphis Must-Dos for Music Lovers

1. Take an evening stroll down Beale Street

2. Visit Graceland

3. Sign the Wall

4. Tour Sun Studios

5. Listen to Live Blues

Have some extra time?

6. Tour the Gibson Guitar Factory

7. Visit the Memphis Rock n’ Soul Museum

If you could visit Memphis, where is the first place you would go? {Let me know in the comments!}

A visit to The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum may change how you think about American music – in all its forms – forever.

The Country Music Museum

Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats

The Country Music Hall of Fame

Click here for more information about visiting The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

RCA Studio B is the oldest surviving recording studio in Nashville. Here, 1000 hits were brought to life and American music history was made.

On The Sound Nashville Music Tour, you’ll see the sights and hear the sounds of Nashville – and write a song while you do it!

According to Science, you are NEVER too old to learn a new instrument! Playing music provides great mental exercise and can help keep your brain sharp and your brain cells thriving. 🎶
(Take that, age-related memory loss!)

When you are ready to purchase a musical instrument,
it’s helpful to…

**Giving a Songfinch Personalized Song is Easy!**

**5 Memphis Must-Dos for Music Lovers**