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We got to Nashville and set up in a nice KOA but it was cold and rainy. This KOA is only 5 minutes from the Grand Ole Opry and Opryland Hotel. It is also
next door to a Camping World; more convenience. We had dinner at the Caney Fork Restaurant (Delicious ribs) about a mile from the KOA.
Just before we got to the KOA, a rock about the size of a fist, dropped from a dump truck about a hundred yards ahead of us and bounced into the middle of our windshield.
We had a nice 10 inch diameter crack, dead center. So for our second morning we spent several hours at Safelite getting it replaced. Then we were off exploring Nashville.
Nashville is a large beautiful city; very easy to navigate. Broadway was the happening area with lots of bars and country music. Every other store on Broadway sells cowboy
boots and hats. We had, "cheeseburgers in paradise" at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Restaurant; always good, especially with a margarita! Then later we were back to the
camper for wings on the barbeque for dinner.
3/1 Our second full day in Nashville we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and
took a side tour to Studio B. Both are a must when visiting Nashville. The Hall of Fame was fantastic!
The tour started with Bloody Marys in the huge lobby and then we caught the shuttle to
Studio B. Studio B is very historic. Elvis recorded about 265 songs there, half of all the songs he
recorded. He would rent the studio for a set, starting about 6:00 PM. All his musicians and back up singers would be there on time, but he might not show up until 10:00 PM.
Then he would sit at the piano and sing gospel music with the Jordanaires for a couple of hours to get his voice ready for recording. In the studio he had different colored
lights installed so he could change the mood to suit the songs he was singing. Interesting to note that for one song he couldn't get the lighting just right so he had all the lights
extinguished as he recorded "Are You Lonesome Tonight" in the dark.
Other famous artists who recorded in Studio B are, Jim Reeves, Eddie Arnold, Charlie Pride, and Dolly
Pardon. The studio closed by coincidence the day after Elvis died. At the
Hall of Fame - WOW! So much history and memorabilia from all the great country stars. I have to admit that more than once tears were brought to my eyes there. These people
were my heroes and they were larger than life for me growing up in the 50's and 60's and still today. We had a late lunch at Honkey Tonk Central, a bar on Broadway, where a really good
band was playing that reminded us of Toby Keith. Dawn had wings and I had catfish (yuk!). Tasted just like catfish.
We got back to the camper and soon the rain and snow started falling. Looking forward to spring - it's been really COLD here. Saturday we got up to cold snow, rain and sleet, so we
tackled repairing a couple of the day/night shades in our rig. We had to tear them down and restring them from scratch. What a frustrating mess. But, after redoing each of them
2 or 3 times we got them done !
Then to the Grand Ole Opry - WOW! We were both overwhelmed. The auditorium is beautiful - completely restored after the flood a few years back. The show was
presented live on Nashville's historic WSM radio station. The format was just as it was when I was a kid. A different host for each of the four, 30 minute segments with
commercials in between. Jeannie Seeley, Connie Smith, Jim Ed Brown and Whispering Bill Anderson were hosts. They had a little age on them but their voices were still rich
and full. Then came BJ Thomas, Scotty McCreery (19 year old American Idol winner from 2 years ago) and Blake Shelton. A fantastic show, that could not have been better.
Side note: there was a circle of aged flooring in the middle of the stage floor. Later
I learned it came from the historic Ryman Auditorium where the Grand Ole Opry began.