In Love with Music City
Nashville, by Eric Dowdle
Grand Ole Oprey
Eric’s painting of Nashville tells the story of country music beautifully! Here is where the up-n-comin’ country stars migrate in hope of being discovered and making it big. And whether you’re a honkey tonk fan or not, the whole Nashville experience can be such a kick.
I remember years ago walking down Music Row with friends and ducking into one music filled establishment after another. I saw more cowboy boots, belt buckles, geeetars, and hungry musicians than I had ever seen in my life. The energy was electrifying. I loved it and couldn’t keep myself from dancing!
Eric took his experience in Nashville to a whole new level by ducking his hide into one of the most popular music filled establishments you can imagine — the CMA awards. He just happened to be doing his research in Nashville during the event, so bought himself a real life embroidered cowboy shirt, scalped a ticked, and watched the awards two rows from the back. He told us, “I met two old ladies at the Loveless Cafe who made it very clear to me that rock-n-roll had hijacked country music. You have your loyals to old country and your lovers of new country. Old or new, it was a blast and I’d go again!”
According to Eric, the food of Nashville is comfort at its finest. He recommends the dessert all the locals are talking about, banana pudding. Or “nanner puddin’” as he has labelled it so endearingly. In fact Nashville has a national banana pudding festival and cook-off every October. Now that’s a city that loves their nanner puddin’!
What’s your favorite Nashville comfort food?
If you’re not into the country music scene, there are other great things to do. One of Nashville’s many nicknames is Athens of the South. You can visit an exact reproduction of the the Parthenon (originally built as a centerpiece for the 1897 fair). Cumberland Park is another favorite. This play space for children and families incorporating unique play structures and water features created as an exciting new attraction along Nashville’s riverfront. For the football enthusiast, you can always catch a Tennessee Titans game at LP Field. Go Titans! Some of the best views of Nashville can be found in their stands.
Special Guest: Rob Regg, Gaylord Opreyland Resort
Gaylord Hotel, Nashville Tennessee
If you want to the ultimate experience in southern hospitality, the place to find it is at the Gaylord Opryland Resort located an 8-minute walk from The Grand Ole Oprey. According to Rob Regg, Marketing and PR rep for the hotel, you could spend an entire weekend at the resort and never leave the grounds. Underneath their signature glass atrium lies an extraordinary selection of dining and shopping. There are nine acres of indoor gardens, cascading waterfalls and an indoor river.
Christmas carriage ride at Gaylord Hotel
Rob told us that they originally filled the river with bottles of water from all 50 states and other parts of the world. Boating on an indoor river sounds amazing. He told us one of the most popular times to visit the resort is at Christmas where millions of lights and miles of garland bring the landscape to life.
Rob also announced that the resort has partnered with Dreamworks in order to give families interactive adventures with characters from movies such as Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar.
A Family Focus
Dowdle Family
Try to find the FHE in Eric’s Nashville painting. There’s a great story there. If you look at a calendar in Tennessee you’ll likely find FHE posted on Monday nights. This started back when Ezra Taft Benson, Secretary of State, demonstrated a Family Home Evening for President and Mrs. Eisenhower. It was televised throughout the nation and the people of the south were particularly impressed. Read more
Eric told a story of how the legislators, ministers and the general population in Tennessee were so inspired by the program and its focus on family that they instituted it in their state, closing businesses and making efforts to refrain from scheduling activities on Mondays. They declared Monday a day for family with their own family home evening (FHE) program.
“The home evening program of Secretary Ezra Taft Benson and his family brought more fan mail than any program I ever conducted.”
Ed Murrow, Life Magazine
