The East Nashvillian 8.5 May-June 2018

MAY | JUNE VOL.VIII, ISSUE 5

Margo Price THE WORLD ACCORDING TO

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619 W DUE WEST AVE. MADISON, TN 37115

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GHOST OF PAUL REVERE • SOUTHERN AVENUE • COURTNEY HARTMAN MADISEN WARD AND THE MAMA BEAR • LUKE WINSLOW-KING ISRAEL NASH • SHOOK TWINS • DAWN LANDES • JEFFREY FOUCAULT KIM RICHEY • THE WAR AND TREATY • JILL ANDREWS • LINDSAY LOU DOM FLEMONS • CAITLIN CANTY • THE BLACK LILLIES • ERIN RAE THE MCCRARY SISTERS • SHEMEKIA COPELAND • AMERICAN FOLK JOHN CRAIGIE • H.C. MCENTIRE • RUSTON KELLY • MOUNTAIN HEART

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Plus another

200

artists to be announced

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“With Nashville growing as fast as it is, we really need a renewable energy option.”

We listened.

Thanks to the voice of our customers, what once was a landfill off I-65 is now the site of Nashville’s first solar park. Music City Solar offers clean, efficient, maintenance-free energy and is the first step toward a more sustainable Nashville. Together, we can bring about powerful change.

For information on how to purchase or donate solar panels, please visit our website.

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g o s o l a r m u s i c c i t y. c o m

COVER STORY

38 THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MARGO PRICE

By Brittney McKenna

FEATURES

COVER SHOT

50 BARE, WAYLON, WILLIE, (AND)WINNERS Lullabys, legends, and lies from the days of the Outlaws

By Randy Fox

Margo Price

By Alysse Gafkjen

SIDERS PAY IT FORWARD 60 EAST

BY GIVING BACK

How three nonprofits bring the community together

By Chuck Allen

62 SOUTHERN GIRLS ROCK CAMP

Sarah Bandy is changing lives and empowering youth, three chords at time

By Tim Ghianni

68 FLAME KEEPER

The brightly burning spirit of late musician, artist, and activist Jessi Zazu lives on, through a community-building nonprofit formed in her memory

By Steve Morley

74 SUPPORTING OUR OWN

The Ben Eyestone Fund seeks to provide musicians with much needed diagnostic healthcare services

By Michael Devault

Visit

THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM for updates, news, events, and more!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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COMMENTARY

EAST SIDE BUZZ

14 Editor’s Letter

17 Matters of Development

By Chuck Allen

By Nicole Keiper

28 Astute Observations

By James “Hags” Haggerty

104 East of Normal

IN THE KNOW

30

By Tommy Womack

Artist in Profile: Shannon Wages

By Brittney McKenna

106

81 Ea(s)t Nashville

By Karen-Lee Ryan

PARTING SHOT

85 Bookish

MARGO PRICE

By Joelle Herr

89

April 9, 2018

by Alysse Gafkjen

East Side Calendar

By Emma Alford

Visit

THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM for updates, news, events, and more!

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SEE F O R YO UR S E L F

TRACEHORSE.COM May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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PUBLISHER Lisa McCauley EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chuck Allen COPY EDITOR Nicole Keiper PROOFING EDITOR Randy Fox ONLINE EDITOR Nicole Keiper CALENDAR EDITOR Emma Alford CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael DeVault, Randy Fox, Tim Ghianni, James Haggerty, Joelle Herr, Brittney McKenna, Steve Morley, Karen-Lee Ryan, Tommy Womack CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chuck Allen DESIGN DIRECTOR Benjamin Rumble PHOTO EDITOR Travis Commeau ILLUSTRATIONS Benjamin Rumble, Dean Tomasek CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Travis Commeau, Eric England, Alysse Gafkjen, Stacie Huckeba, Leonard Kamsler, Linwood Regensburg, Abby Whisenant STYLING/MAKEUP Kim Murray Kitchen

Table Media Company Est.2010

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ADVERTISING SALES Lisa McCauley lisa@theeastnashvillian.com 615.582.4187 ADVERTISING DESIGN Benjamin Rumble

©2018 Kitchen Table Media P.O. Box 60157 Nashville, TN 37206 The East Nashvillian is a bimonthly magazine published by Kitchen Table Media. This publication is offered freely, limited to one per reader. The removal of more than one copy by an individual from any of our distribution points constitutes theft and will be subject to prosecution. All editorial and photographic materials contained herein are “works for hire” and are the exclusive property of Kitchen Table Media, LLC unless otherwise noted. Reprints or any other usage without the express written permission of the publisher is a violation of copyright.

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EDITOR’S LETTER And the Winners Are…?

J

ust as it was with previous attempts, the latest “Transit Plan” died on the table. The difference this time around seemed to be the disparate nature of the opposition. From young ultra-progressives to the stereotypical older, white conservatives, across racial lines and income levels, the “Vote No” crowd defied categorization. Well, other than sharing the common goal of shooting down the referendum.

I find it disappointing. But, before you start filling my inbox with talking points provided by Americans for Prosperity or screaming about taxes, please hear me out.

Sure, I’m very disappointed that it didn’t pass, and I have no desire to beat a dead horse. The ship has sailed. Despite what many of the naysayers believe, it could very well be a long time before this opportunity presents itself again.

What disappoints me the most is we never seem to get around to having a conversation about the one thing that makes a great city great: culture. In other words, how do we as Nashvillians view the culture of our fair city? How can we make it better? What sacrifices are we willing to make to achieve this?

I’ve resided in Middle Tennessee for the better part of my life. Since 1977, to be exact, having moved to Franklin with my family. We lived in Oakwood Estates, which is located just south of the downtown area, off the Goose Creek exit on I-65. Back then, the drive into Nashville on the Interstate was miles and miles of farmland. No Cool Springs. No Nissan HQ. Nothing, really. The first sign of organized civilization as you headed north was the WSM tower in Brentwood. The city began at the Old Hickory Boulevard overpass. I’ve witnessed the change over the years as the city seemed to spread out to the surrounding environs like kudzu. Sleepy I-65 South has gone from four lanes to 12 in some areas. Where once one could make the drive into town with only the radio to remind you of the city nearby, now it feels like the 101 in L.A. At least at rush hour.

Humanity has increased its size by billions of people since 1980, and there are times I can’t help but think half of those people decided to move to Nashville. I’m not opposed

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to the influx; it’s a result of our attractive culture. However, I do see problems down the road if we aren’t able to address our shortcomings.

I first noticed how awry the conversation had gone when we were working on the cover story “Where Goes the Neighborhood” (March|April 2014), about the surge of development and the “Tall/Skinnies” that seemed to be popping up everywhere. What struck me was how one-sided the conversations were. It was basically, “Developers suck!”

Granted, there were and remain unsavory developers. We had to deal with a particularly egregious example directly across the street from our house. But what I never heard was the other component of the conversation — the opposing argument if you will, which, if anything, is a progressive one: If Nashville fails to increase density in the urban core, the result will be more outlying subdivisions, which in turn will lead to more traffic congestion.

So, here again, rather than the conversation centering on how these issues address our culture, it devolved into a pissing contest between the communities and the developers and, if the cranes upon the skyline are any indication, the developers won. At best, we missed an opportunity; at worst, well… And, so it goes with mass transit. No one seems to be able to look past their self-interests long enough to engage with the bigger picture. The development will continue. The influx of transplants from other urban areas that are rapidly becoming unaffordable, even to those with means, will continue. Traffic congestion? Its growth will most certainly continue.

All things community arise from the culture of the community. People didn’t decide to start moving to East Nashville in droves because of the Tall/Skinnies; they came here because of the culture. Is affordability part of the culture? Damn straight it is. And one day soon, not being able to cross town without getting in a car will have a negative impact on our culture.

If we prioritize the culture when contemplating the city in which we wish to live, and we are able to have a conversation about it, then maybe the Nashville of the future will be recognized first for its culture. Otherwise, we lose the very thing that makes our city a great place to call home.

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Ingram New Works Festival May 9-19 | FREE Hosted by Nashville State Community College Ingram New Works is a nationally recognized new play development program that cultivates and ampliies new voices for the stage. Since 2009, Ingram New Works has supported the development of over 60 new plays.

Reserve your spot at

IngramNewWorks.com 16

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EAST SIDE B U Z Z FOR UP-TO -DATE INFORMATION ON EVENTS, AS WELL AS LINKS, PLEASE VISIT US AT: THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM

Matters of Development This spring showers us with an abundance of big additions and new beginnings, from freshly sprung restaurants to the eastward move of Grimey’s: NEW AND NOTEWORTHY The much-anticipated Folk restaurant — the latest project from widely heralded Rolf & Daughters chef Philip Krajeck — opened at 823 Meridian St. in late April, serving a mix of familiar and creative pizzas (from basil/parmesan/tomato and clam/agretti/ bonito/lemon/chili), alongside upscale fare like mussels escabeche and lamb meatballs with English peas.

Folk has a healthy bar program too, with a broad wine and liquor list and some cool craft cocktails. (Teetotalers aren’t ignored: Teas from East Nashville neighbors High

Garden Tea are also on the menu.)

The dishes stand apart from Krajeck’s rustic Italian place in Germantown, but, he told Food & Wine, the intent is similar with both Nashville restaurants.

“We work really hard to do things that have the same ethics and values as the fanciest nicest restaurant, but we try to do it in the most democratic way possible and make it available to the most people possible,” he said.

Folk is open 5-10 p.m. daily; check out the menus at goodasfolk.com.

An exciting addition to the East Nashville sushi scene, Maru Sushi & Grill opened in March at 1100 Fatherland St., Ste. 101 (the former AMOT Eatery location).

Their menu includes a mix of familiar sushi options, plus some teriyaki favorites and dishes that hail from owners Rita and Harry Lee’s native Korea,

including Bulgogi and Bibimbap.

The restaurant is family-run all around, with Rita often working front of house, and husband Harry and brother M.K. manning the kitchen. They’re not new to the restaurant scene in Nashville (Harry was a longtime Samurai Sushi fixture), but this is the Brentwood-based family’s first foray into East Nashville.

When we caught up with Rita, things were off to an auspicious start — to the point where the newcomers were rushing to ramp-up staffing to meet demand.

“I told my husband, ‘I’m so happy to have this place,’” Rita Lee told us. “… I just want to make (our customers) happy — make them happy, give them good memories.

That’s our goal.”

Maru Sushi & Grill hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, 4:30-9 p.m. for dinner; Fri-

May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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EAST SIDE BUZZ day and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, 4:30-10 p.m. for dinner. More at maru-nashville.com.

Up in Inglewood, nature-inspired bar Walden opened up at 2909B Gallatin Pike (the former Hop Stop space) in March, too, offering nicely priced snacks and drinks, including a bunch of on-tap cocktails under $10 (including classics like Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and Vieux Carres), plus plenty of craft beer, wine and, if you’re feeling especially casual, the good-old PBR Tall Boy. On the food front, they’re serving grilled cheese sandwiches and pita pizzas with a few twists, all in the $10-or-so range as well.

Hours are 3-11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 3 to midnight Thursday, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday, and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday. More at waldenbar.com.

Yet another new addition East Nashville food lovers might be intrigued by: Coutelier, a New Orleans-bred, “chef-driven, professional-grade kitchen cutlery store” opened its doors at 933 Woodland St. The chefs driving this shop, which stocks hand-forged Japanese and American knives and lots of other tools and accessories, are Jacqueline Blanchard and Brandt Cox, who’ve both spent years working in fine-dining restaurants.

Blanchard told us that, with Coutelier, the aim was “to create a one-stop shop for the professional cook and chef, as well as for serious and dedicated home cooks.”

The shop is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and you can learn more/peruse their wares at couteliernola.com.

The supersized Sinkers Wine and Spirits location, at 3308 Gallatin Pike, is now open, after a lengthy renovation and expansion that nearly doubled the shop’s size, to 20,000 square feet of spirits, wine, beer and more.

The Sinkers team announced the overhaul back in the summer of 2016, and as with all things construction, things took longer than the six- to eight-month expectation.

But doors opened on the massive, rehabbed spirits shop in March, and shoppers got to (and get to) take in the expanded selection, new growler station, tasting events and lots more.

Need to restock your bar? They’re open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. More at sinkerswineandspirits.com.

Something fun for crafty East Siders: Well-known and well-loved candle makers Paddywax have opened another Candle Bar “experiential retail store,” this time at

901 Woodland St. (on the alley side).

The first one, opened last year in Berry Hill, introduced the concept: part shop (with lots of candles, home goods, gifts and accessories), part candle makerspace, where shoppers can choose between dozens of vessels and fragrances and learn how to mix and pour their own candles.

Prices on the build-your-own candles range from $25 to $35, depending on which vessel you choose, and although there’s plenty of measuring and piping and other science-y tasks involved, brand experience manager Brady Heyen told us it’s still a pretty low-key experience.

“While we walk attendees through each step of what is essentially a science project, we don’t want it to feel like chemistry lab,” Heyen said. “The Candle Bar is a place to do something fun and new with friends, family, clients or coworkers.”

Added fun: The space is BYOB, and candle makers all get 20 percent off everything in the retail space.

They’re open noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. More at thecandlebar.co.

Also on the science-y front: The former Top Knot Vintage space at 307 N. 16th St. (more on that below) is now home to Music City Hemp Store, which sells all kinds of cannabidiol (or CBD) products, including extracts, oils, creams and gummies. (You won’t, however, find hemp-based textiles and the like.)

The growing buzz on CBD roots back to its purported healing properties — proponents say it can help with anxiety, insomnia and a host of other issues. Owner Dave Duncan went from being a big fan of the stuff to researching it intensely, sourcing a mix of Tennessee-based products, then opening his East Nashville shop.

“I’m really happy to find a little niche to contribute,” he told us as he was getting settled, “and I couldn’t be more pleased with the response.”

The Music City Hemp Store is open noon to 6 p.m. daily, except Sunday. More at facebook.com/musiccityhempstore.

That opening was quickly followed by another CBD-focused brand in East Nashville: At press time, LabCanna, “a licensed hemp processor that provides product development and services to farmers and retail brands,” was getting ready to open its flagship retail spot at 1006 Gallatin Ave. Aim was a soft opening on May 15, with a grand opening near the end of the month.

Learn more at labcanna.com.

More for the plant lovers: Longtime makers of plant-based foodstuffs (seitan, meat-

LOCAL EYECARE. INDEPENDENT EYEWEAR.

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EAST SIDE BUZZ free sausages, vegan cheese and more) The BE-Hive recently opened a deli counter at 2412 Gallatin Ave., offering vegan sandwiches, salads, “wings” and more (including retail packs to take home).

The deli’s open every Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you can learn more at bethehive.com.

New, across from Portland Brew on Eastland Ave.: Annex EAST — a “state-of-theart innovative, creative and dynamic office environment designed to promote energy, networking, and high-production.”

That means a mix of coworking and office space, essentially, and it’s a project that comes courtesy of Brentwood-based Tower Real Estate. Their offerings range from private offices to flex space to coworking memberships, and at press time, they still had some availability.

If you’re in the market for workspace, explore at 2002eastland.com.

CLOSINGS AND MOVES Lynne Lorraine’s, an East Nashville juicery and plant-based cafe, closed its doors at the end of April at 1100 Fatherland St., #102, after four years in business. It was an early entry into the juice-bar scene

in East Nashville, and owner Chad Currie said the experience was “a wonderful and exciting journey.”

“Becoming a part of your routines and the local community has been a blessing beyond measure,” he said in a statement.

Still here to supply your juice fix: the East Side Urban Juicer location (1009 Gallatin Ave.) and the Turnip Truck’s juice and smoothie bar (701 Woodland St.), among others.

Home goods/gifts shop Thrive also closed its doors in April at 1100 Fatherland St., Ste. 107.

Owner Mark Wood said it was a tough call, but that he was moving on to “pursue another opportunity that has presented itself.” He’d been in business here since 2011.

Woodland Thrift, at 943-B Woodland St. since 2016, wrapped up its run this spring too — it was a ministry of Set Free Church, which moved from East Nashville up to Madison, and Pastor Tim Shaner said they wanted to bring their retail store up there with the church.

Shaner said the Woodland location was getting taken over by a friend who’d already been running vintage clothing shop Relik Vintage inside the space.

Another closure: Riverside Village Health and Wellness, at 1406B McGavock Pike in Inglewood. Over the past few years, that location had also been home to 3rd and Church East Nashville and Cole Family Practice. No word yet on a new tenant.

A bummer loss on the local barbecue front: East Nashville BBQ Company, at 829 Lischey Ave., closed its doors after almost three years in the former Cantrell’s BBQ Pit space.

Owner Valorie West told us that she and her family felt like they needed to “start a new chapter” after the tragic loss of her 31-year-old daughter, Ashley Burgess, last year.

The restaurant earned a lot of East Nashville love over its run, for its smoked meats, house-made sauces and laid-back vibes. Still no word on anything cropping up in that Lischey location yet.

We know we were in good company missing East Nashville soul-food staple Bailey & Cato, whose Riverside Village location closed in 2016 after a long and lauded tenure. Thankfully, though, the Bailey family didn’t stay out of the game too long: A new Bailey & Cato location is now open at 1130 Gallatin Pike S. in Madison, serving all

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September 1st & 2nd Gaylord Opryland Convention Center Now Accepting Exhibitors & Creative Class Presenters

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theeastnashvillian.com May|June 2018

EAST SIDE BUZZ kinds of soul-food favorites again, from fried chicken to ox tails.

Eager to reacquaint yourself ? Bailey & Cato’s Madison location is open Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday noon to 10 p.m. Lots more at baileyandcatorestaurant.com.

Same great location, great new name: Papacito Nashville is now known as El Fuego, after former Las Fiestas GM Jose Merchan took over to overhaul the restaurant inside and out, with new menu items, new branding, new outdoor seating in the works and more.

What hasn’t changed: The traditional pupusas that made Papacito a local hit will still be front and center. Merchan’s also bringing in some South American specialties that reflect his Ecuadorian upbringing, blending those in with Mexican menu staples.

Place to be is still 3249 Gallatin Pike, open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

(At press time, you could still find the latest at facebook.com/PapacitoNashville.)

A closure that was a little more of a refocusing: Hair/beauty name Parlour & Juke, which added an Inglewood location last spring, closed one of their shops this spring. Lucky for East Side fans, it was the 8th Avenue South space — they’re now cutting and coloring and such in just one location, here in the neighborhood at 1101 Riverwood Dr. We had a little bit of a leg up, owner and stylist Cali DeVaney told us, since she and most of the staff call East Nashville home.

“I feel like we all identify with and love East Nashville so much that it seemed like the natural choice,” she said. “We are thrilled to be a part of the neighborhood.”

Over at the salon, they do everything from basic trims to balayage, hairpainting and extensions, and they’re open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. More/book your appointments at parlourandjuke.com.

The Bakery by frothy monkey location at 1010 Fatherland St., there since mid-2015, is also closed, but it was merely a victim of success: The ever-growing company needed to expand, and decided to move production, warehouse and office needs into a 7200-square-foot Southeast Nashville home.

Their new space is meant to allow for menu growth too, with lots of new bakery products (from wedding cakes to hoagie rolls). Other Frothy Monkey locations (12

South, downtown, The Nations, Franklin) haven’t changed.

East Nashville vintage retailer Top Knot Vintage shut down its shop at 307 N. 16th St. in early spring, but didn’t close: Their “fun, cool vintage clothes” partly moved online to topknotvintage.com, partly merged with Toro Nashville at 917 Gallatin Ave. So

if you loved what they’ve been slinging, you still have opportunities to shop.

Hours for the Toro/Top Knot combo: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

New digs for East Nashville runners’ gear shop Nashville Running Company, too: They moved out of 1105 Woodland

NASHVILLE

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Convenient care just moved to the neighborhood.

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EAST SIDE BUZZ St. (home since 2012), and as of April, are located just three blocks down, at 820 Woodland St. Still all the sneaks/apparel/nutrition/ etc. local runners have come to love.

They’re open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday; more at nashvillerunning.com.

Her other place won’t be worming its way in, though.

“We will not be bringing Mas Tacos with us,” she said. “We will be starting with nachos and hot dogs. But hopefully, some really delicious nachos y hot dogs — we’ve got some good ideas.”

Mason’s prominence on the Nashville food scene has steadily grown through the

years — Mas Tacos launched in 2008 as a food truck, before becoming a favorite brickand-mortar taco stop, then adding a cantina.

She said broadening beyond Mas Tacos was appealing, particularly when something that kept her here in the neighborhood came about.

“I have always loved Wilburn Street and its beautiful pocket of buildings, including

COMING SOON A big, big coming-soon for the East Nashville music community: Grimey’s New and Preloved Music — the big dog on Nashville’s independent record-store scene — is coming to the East Side. They’re shooting for a fall opening at their new location, the former Point of Mercy church at 1060 E. Trinity Lane.

The big push behind the move: The Eighth Avenue South building that’s long been Grimey’s’ home has been up for sale for a while now, and while extending their lease was possible, owner Doyle Davis said it felt like the time was right to move on.

The new space — a historic church that offers more square footage, better parking and a proper stage — opens up new possibilities, and gives the Grimey’s team a chance to bring their sister business, Grimey’s Too (which opened in 2013), under the same roof.

Grimey’s Too was set to close at the end of May at press time, but the main Grimey’s should be staying open at 1604 Eighth Ave. S. at least until November.

Next year marks 20 years in business for Grimey’s, and Davis said they’re planning to celebrate in their new East Nashville space, with a “slate of anniversary events” to be announced.

“I think it’s the beginning of a whole new era for Grimey’s,” Davis said. “Our locations on Eighth Avenue South have served us well and we love them, but after almost 15 years, it feels like it’s time for a change. I’m very optimistic about our future.”

To keep up with the latest updates: grimeys.com.

As this issue was going to bed, the beloved Wilburn Street Tavern, at 302 Wilburn St., was on its way back, under the new stewardship of longtime Mas Tacos owner/ operator Teresa Mason.

The neighborhood bar’s doors closed in late 2017 — temporarily, we’d heard, for upgrades — but by spring 2018, its future seemed uncertain. News came through that Mason was in the mix in March, and she told us that, hopefully in May, she’ll have the doors open again, with familiar vibes and a simple menu.

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EAST SIDE BUZZ the old post (office) and the Roxy (Theatre),” Mason said. “I’m happy to be able to continue to work in my neighborhood. I wanted to start a new project but wanted to stay close to home. So this works out great.

It’s exciting with the other new neighbors opening up as well. I think it will be a wonderful adventure.”

Keep an eye on our blog at theeastnash-

villian.com; we’ll make sure to update when opening day gets announced.

From records to drinks to ice cream: Frisson Soft Serve, who’ve been delivering creative gelato cones all around Nashville via truck for about a year, are opening their first brick-and-mortar space at 1100 Fatherland St., #102 (the former Lynne Lorraine’s location).

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Owners Caila Singleton and Elise Schempp told us that East Nashville was a shoo-in for the non-mobile Frisson spot.

“East Nashville has always felt like home to us,” they said, via email. “We are an LGBT-owned and -operated business and being on the East Side is where we feel the most support and love. The community is very tight-knit and welcoming.”

At press time, they were hoping to open by mid-May, sharing the same specialty cones we’ve seen on the truck, with toppings that range from cotton candy tufts to crushed pretzels. (They’re not grounding the truck after they open, either; the owners say it’ll still be out and about for events and catering gigs.)

Learn more about Frisson Soft Serve at frissonsoftserve.com.

Also looking at a May opening: the new studio/gallery space for Poverty & the Arts, a “local social enterprise nonprofit that provides art supplies, studio space, training, and a marketplace to people impacted by homelessness.”

The organization is moving from a smaller space downtown to 1207 Dickerson Pike, and the new location allows them to expand programming, with two gallery areas and two studios, all available to Nashvillians in need.

Learn more about their work and the new studio at povertyandthearts.org.

East Nashville tiki bar Chopper — a new project from Barista Parlor’s Andy Mumma, Isle of Printing’s Bryce McCloud and Husk Nashville’s Mike Wolf — is shooting for a May opening at 521 Gallatin Ave. So by the time this issue is in your hands, a tropical cocktail maybe could be too. Follow along for the latest on Instagram: @choppertiki.

Matt Rogers at Eater Nashville dropped a fun scoop a little while back about the future of 700 Main St., the former home of Bagel Face Bakery: East Park Donuts & Coffee is on the way, he reported.

We’ve been trying to dig up more details, and they’re still scarce, but building permits indicate that the space rehab has been humming along, so we should see more soon.

Keep an eye out for the latest on our blog at theeastnashvillian.com.

— Nicole Keiper

For up-to-date information on events, as well as links, please visit us at: theeastnashvillian.com

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Astute OBSERVATIONS by

J ames “Hags� Haggerty

�ᚒᚔᚒ�

The Interloping Interlocutor

Have a hankering for more Hags?

We suggest visiting theeastnashvillian.com for all of his previous observations.

áš?áš’áš?

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Saturday: Il est Record Store Day! — Paris France.

Tonight’s gig is on the Seine River. We are on the scene at the Seine, if you will. C’est Bon! In keeping with the European tradition of no ice or air conditioning, the four-hour ride from Eeklo to Paris was a bit of a shvitz as was the load-in down a quaint and narrow Parisian staircase. C’est la vie. I am a sweaty mess. Rock & roll is glamorous. On the up side, the green room is stocked with refrigerated Heineken.

Inexplicably, the beverages remain just shy of tepid. Oh well.

Salute! Cin cin! SantĂŠ! Cheers!

Sunday: Breakfast at the Grand Tulip hotel on the outskirts of Paris is indeed continental. As you may know, I am a bit of a baker. I must tell you that le pain de Paris c’est magnifique! If you’ve got the time, they’ve got le beurre. On to Amsterdam.

Dank je! My one Dutch phrase. Well, that and cancer whore, which I am told is the vilest insult one can hurl at a Dutchman. Would that be a Flying Dutchman? No, I don’t think so. I can’t be sure. In any case, I’ve got profanity and thank you in my linguistic hip pocket should the need arise.

Monday: Today is deadline day. Fortunately, the sixhour time difference allows me to be punctual in my astute delivery. This morning, I broke from the pack. I got out of the boat. I booked an easyJet flight from Amsterdam to Bristol. One hour in the air versus 10 in the Sprinter. One short taxi ride later, and I was checked in to the hotel in Bristol’s city center. I must say, I was delighted to find a queen-sized bed waiting for me. A big-boy bed! All across Europe, I have encountered twin-sized slumber. A quick walk to the Marks & Spencer over the road and my Euros become Pounds Sterling and a U.K.-to-U.S. power adapter is secured. Oh, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have welcomed a healthy baby son. They are safely home from hospital back at Kensington Palace. BBC News is covering the royal blessed event minute by minute.

The infant is fifth in line to the throne. This Red Coat business has me riveted! See you in a week, East Nashville!

�

Hags is a part-time bon vivant, man-about-town, and resolute goodwill ambassador for The East Nashvillian.

He earns his keep as a full-time bassist extraordinaire.

�

illustration :

B

onjour, mes amis! Greetings from Brussels, Belgium. This month’s column is a field report. I am writing to you from my comfortable seat in a diesel sprinter van. I am currently on tour with my old pal, Josh Rouse.

Marc Pisapia, my rhythm section partner of the last three decades is on drums, and Xema Fuertes is on la guitarra.

This morning (that’s what the clock says, I’m not so certain) we are en route to the little town of Eeklo just outside Brussels for our first gig. Cities we will be visiting over the next two weeks include, Paris, Amsterdam, Bristol, London, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin.

Today is Friday. My previously extended deadline is Monday. On Sunday, I will be drinking coffee in Amsterdam. If I am still astutely observing by then, my observations may take on something of an elevated tone. Let’s just say, legally speaking, I am not afraid of hights. Is that a word? It is today.

Did I say that out loud? Or, was I just thinking it?

Marc and I arrived in Brussels and went straight to rehearsal. I don’t know about you, friends, but 90 minutes of airplane sleep and a six-hour time difference make for interesting music. While nodding off during a breakdown verse, I dreamt I was the star of my very own Hollywood movie. No, I didn’t, that was Eric Burdon’s dream. I dreamt I was on a tropical fishing trip. I caught a shark! It was a baby shark, and I threw it back. Does that mean something? What would Freud say? How about Carl Jung or Herman Melville?

Ahab-esque, perhaps? They might say that sleep deprivation is hallucinogenic, and I would most assuredly agree.

Belgium is a beautiful country, and Brussels is a city filled with old-world European charm. Cobblestone and gilt work, friendly people, sculpture, music, and art fill the wide boulevards and narrow alleyways. The chocolate and bier are also top notch, as is le cafÊ. I recommend these in general and in concert as an aid in staying awake to reset the circadian rhythm. Can you dig that, friends? Ça va?

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Artist in Profile

SHANNON WAGES The Sage and the Serpent by

T

Brittney McKenna

attoo shops are plentiful in Nashville these days. In recent years especially, the city’s tattoo scene, while long beloved by locals, has grown in both size and reputation, with new shops and high-profile artists popping up all over town and wait lists growing ever longer.

Even with the influx of new shops and new artists, there are still plenty of lifers in town — folks who set up shop in Nashville years back,

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amassing dedicated client followings and helping to provide a sturdy foundation for the growing tattoo community. Shannon Wages is one of those lifers.

Wages currently calls Sage and Serpent Tattoo,a shop on Gallatin Pike in the heart of Inglewood, her artistic home. Over a decade into her career as a tattoo artist, Wages laughs when she recalls that, in some senses, she fell into the career by accident. →

Shannon Wages Sage and Serpent Tattoo photographed by

Travis Commeau January|February May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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All photos of tattoos on pages 32-34 courtesy Shannon Wages

Artist in Profile

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“I

started working in a tattoo shop in Murfreesboro when I was in school to be an audio engineer,” she says.

“I’m like everybody else in Nashville, and I didn’t come here for anything but music.”

While Wages first found herself in a tattoo shop because she needed extra cash, she quickly realized she fit right in. Both the tattoo culture she encountered and the customer service that the job demanded appealed to her in ways she hadn’t anticipated and would end up eventually changing the trajectory of her life.

“I had a lot of brothers and worked at my dad’s salvage store as a kid, so it was a very natural place for me, like nobody thought I was being crass there, or was like, ‘Uh, you’re a little too tomboy to be here,’ ” she explains.

“Honest to god, I think the environment is what kept me there. I understood customer service from growing up in a store. I know how to make people happy and I know how to listen and ask them what they want, which is one of the biggest challenges in tattooing. It’s not like any other art form. You have to work with a client. You’re not making clothing and then they can pull it off of a rack. It’s something really personal.”

Wages took a short break from working at the shop so she could run sound at local rock venues like the Muse and Springwater, but soon discovered that making a living as a sound engineer was no easy task. She got her old counter job back, at which point she had something of a come-to-Jesus moment. “There was an apprenticeship there that lasted a year where I’d definitely have a job, or there’s an internship in recording that’ll last who knows how long and I may or may not have a job,” she says.

She took the apprenticeship, and she’s been tattooing ever since. And while it wasn’t the career path she’d originally set out for, it also wasn’t totally out of left field for Wages, who says she’s been passionate about art in all its forms for as long as she can remember.

“I was in theater my whole life,” she says.

“I was in music my whole life. I took every kind of art lesson you can imagine. … I almost feel like it wasn’t even a question of, ‘Which art are you going to pick?’ It was, ‘Pick an art.’ I’m a pretty passionate person. I can get into just about anything. But I’m a people pleaser more than anything. I really like to see people happy.”

Making people happy as a tattoo artist takes many forms for Wages. Flipping through her portfolio, you’ll see a wide variety of tattoo styles, from intricate, colorful florals to bold, black line work. While with Wages the customer really is always right, she is quick to note she prefers black tattoos to those with

color. “Sometimes with my clients I call myself a tattoo advocate,” she explains. “My goal is for them to get what they want, not me to get what I want, which has sometimes caused problems for me in tattooing. I’ve had a few struggles where I’ve fought with it. I just want to make everything black and that’s not really what people want. So, you have to cater.”

Another unexpected outcome of that college counter job is Wages’ close relationship to her client base, one that often takes on the role of therapist. “Some of my clients have become some of my best friends because we’ve had such intimate conversations,” she says. “You have to have exceptional customer-service skills, because you’re a nurse. You have →

Patio now open.

Nashville’s Japanese-style pub and social house twotenjack.com

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Artist in Profile to sit there with someone when they’re going through something painful and convince them to continue. It’s not just, ‘You’re a good artist!’

If you can’t talk to people, you’re screwed.”

Wages notes that these inadvertent therapy sessions sometimes go both ways, with clients often teaching her valuable lessons as they work through their own personal difficulties while under the needle. She says that while “some tattooers won’t do memorial tattoos because it’s so heavy,” she invites her clients to be open with their stories, though she’s also careful not to take on too much at any one time.

“It can wear on you if you do it too much,” she says. “I’ve learned that, too. In the past year I’ve worked crazy hard doing a lot of tattooing and there were some weeks where I was just like, ‘I don’t have anything left.’ I put in too many hours and now this person is coming in, and I need to call them and tell them to come another day. My creativity is tapped. I don’t have anything for them. ... Creating is giving of yourself and then letting it go once it’s been created.”

While Wages certainly directs most of her creative and therapeutic energy toward her clients, she also cares deeply about both her community of fellow tattooers and her community in East Nashville. Expressing concern for the city’s rapid growth over the last few years, she cites maintaining strong communal roots as one of her foremost goals for the next phase of her career.

“You know that first year of college, when everybody gets to school and they’re freshmen and they can wear whatever they want and they’re their own person? East Nashville is like that now,” she says with a laugh. “There’s all these people moving here and they’re like, ‘Oh, I get to be a different person now. I’m gonna wear a cowboy hat!’ There’s this danger in that of us losing depth between each other, depth in relationships.

“My goal for the next few years is to help our area — Inglewood is where I am, so that’s what I’m thinking — to have more roots, put down stable roots. This is who’s here. This is who is unchanging. This is who’s foundational. I feel like we’re so in danger of having that shallowness to us, that I’m reaching out to other tattooers and trying to form bonds. Like I’m trying to reach out to Cait, and she’s on the other side of Gallatin. But if we have a bond, then the distance between us does, too.”

“Cait” is Caitlin Bush, an apprenticing artist at Kustom Thrills. She’s one of a handful of local artists Wages mentions in the conversation, saying it’s young artists like her, who Wages considers one of Nashville’s most exciting new talents, to be foundational to what the growing community can become.

While Wages’ talent as an artist is

immediately apparent, it’s that sense of community that makes her such an important figure in the local scene. Anyone “can figure out a tattoo machine,” she says, but it’s the artists who are as passionate about people as they are designs who will ultimately determine how the community grows and evolves.

“We invest,” she says, of both herself and of her fellow artists. “That’s something that’s carried me, interestingly enough. I have tons of clients because I’ve been tattooing here for 12 years. My clients have carried me. Those connections I’ve formed, those bonds I’ve made, they’ve carried me through the hard times. And they always will.”

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THE WORLD ACCORDING TO

Margo Price Story Brittney McKenna Photography Alysse Gafkjen

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A

round this time in 2015, life looked a lot different for Margo Price. She’d yet to sign to Third Man Records, and her debut solo album, Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, wouldn’t come out for close to a year. The thought of performing on Saturday Night Live was more pipe dream than possibility. Even the prospect of paying rent on time was, at times, hard to fathom.

But now, as Price sits in a booth at East Nashville restaurant El Jaliciense, realized dreams are part of her everyday life. In a few hours, Price will head back home to finish packing for a string of dates on her Nowhere Fast headlining tour; at 3 a.m., she’ll hop on a bus headed for Indianapolis. Life has changed dramatically, and Price is doing her best to enjoy the ride.

“I feel like people want to hear a Cinderella story, but in a way it kind of is, just to be able to buy a house,” she says, over guacamole and tacos. “I remember a time when, not too long ago, my husband and I were staying in a duplex over on Parthenon Avenue and we didn’t have money to pay the gas deposit, so we didn’t have heat all winter. We definitely spent plenty of time scrounging for meals. It feels good. I mean, I’m gone all the time and I miss my friends a lot, but my band mates are my friends. We definitely have fun while we’re doing it. It has been a whirlwind.”

While attention snowballed for Price after the release of Midwest Farmer’s Daughter in March of 2016, that success was a long time coming for her and husband/collaborator Jeremy Ivey. Born in Illinois, Price, now 35, moved to Nashville at age 20, hoping, as so many who pack up and head to town do, to make it as a country musician. And like so many, she picked up odd jobs for a while, scraping work and rent money together while spending as much time as possible writing and playing music.

During that time, she met Ivey, and the pair worked on music together, playing in bands and bars while trying to break into Nashville’s notoriously difficult country music industry. In 2010, they welcomed twins, Judah and Ezra, and after Ezra’s death from a rare heart condition, Price’s own physical and emotional condition began to deteriorate rapidly. She found a coping mechanism in alcohol, which eventually culminated in Price spending a weekend in jail, after getting a DUI. She sought help in therapy and began rebuilding, and songs began to pour out.

It wasn’t much later that Price started work on what would ☛ become Midwest Farmer’s Daughter. The album, which she

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completed before shopping it around to labels in Nashville, was Price’s first proper solo effort, preceded by her work in bands including Secret Handshake and Buffalo Clover. It wasn’t until Third Man head Jack White got a hold of the album, though, that Price found a label that truly got what she was trying to do, and would let her do just that, no questions asked.

By Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’s release in early 2016, there was already buzz around Price, at the time the lone country artist on a label known primarily for rock. The album, buoyed by the strength of single “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle),” received wide, rapturous acclaim, from Rolling Stone to The New Yorker. That initial success tumbled into an Emerging Artist of the Year win at the 2016 Americana Music Honors & Awards, a performance on Saturday Night Live, and a seemingly endless run of tour dates and festival appearances.

On October 20, 2017, Price released her sophomore LP, All American Made, right into the thick of Donald Trump’s first year as president. The politically tinged songs on the album — “Pay Gap” and the title track among them — would take on heightened meaning as the political climate grew more contentious, with “Pay Gap,” especially, inspiring dialogue among fans and listeners that mirrors broader conversations about gender equity.

Since that album’s release, Price’s star has only risen.

Though the consistently prolific Price is already sitting on new material, she and her band are still touring behind All American Made. In May, she’ll play a trio of sold-out dates at Ryman Auditorium — no small feat for an artist who, just a few years ago, was hustling for opening slots at The 5 Spot. And while she’s itching to do something with that new, unreleased material (“I’m ready to move on,” she says with a laugh), she’s also enjoying the luxury of giving All American Made’s songs a little breathing room, something she wasn’t in as much of a position to do when touring Midwest Farmer’s Daughter.

“It’s really fun to see how, after you take the songs on the road, how they progress with the band and how they work in the live show as opposed to how we did it on the record,” she says. “We’re always finding new ways to reinvent the songs to keep them interesting. ‘All American Made,’ the title track on the record, is very slow, and sometimes when we do it live I’ll sit down and play it on the keys by myself, or we’ll play a full band up-tempo version, which we ended up doing as our second song on [The Late Show with Stephen] Colbert. So, we try to breathe new life into them. We have two albums worth of songs and the EP [Weakness] and all the covers we know, so we never have to play the same show twice if we don’t want to.”

On stage, Price commands audiences with her pristine, otherworldly vocals as much as she does her dry, between-song humor.

Now a veteran performer, Price is the kind of artist who has fans

So how can things progress when people don’t even believe it themselves?

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“

“

Women never headline the festivals.

It’s bullshit. hanging on every word and every note — there’s not a song in her set that doesn’t elicit a sing-along, including more serious tracks like “All American Made” and “Hands of Time.”

“When I see people singing along to [‘All American Made’ and ‘Hands of Time’], or people really caring about those songs, it always kind of shocks me,” she says. “I didn’t write them to be sing-along kinds of things. But I think it’s always surreal when I see people singing along to either of those songs, enjoying the music and not putting so much of a, ‘This is political’ kind of spin on it. It’s just a song about what’s going on in the world.”

Whether she set out to or not, Price has become one of the more respected (and analyzed) voices in socially conscious country music. “Hands of Time,” which chronicles the real-life experiences of losing her family farm and the death of her son, resonated both for its vulnerability and timeliness, as conversations about the struggles of rural, working-class Americans came to greater prominence in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. The increased focus on women’s issues — sparked, in part, by the Women’s March in early 2017 — focused a brighter light on All American Made track “Pay Gap,” too.

“I think, just because of our political climate right now, if you say anything, it’s really blown up, like, ‘Oh no, she said something about the pay gap! Oh my god!’” Price says, laughing. “That’s just the history of how it’s been for women in country music. If you say anything that has any sort of opinion, then it’s going to be talked about, because women, for so long, have been almost treated like children, where it’s like, ‘Sit there. Look pretty. Don’t have an opinion. You are to be objectified, and we don’t care about what’s going on inside your head.’ I’m happy that I’m breaking down some of those molds.”

Price is passionate about gender equality, particularly when it comes to women’s treatment and representation in both country music and the broader music industry. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter cut “This Town Gets Around,” which she and her band the Price Tags were performing live in the years following the album’s release, sets her real-life experiences of sexual harassment and discrimination to a Loretta Lynn-worthy arrangement. And “Pay Gap,” which Price performed on Conan in March, pulls no punches about the $0.79 women make for every man’s dollar (as of a 2016 report): “Pay gap, pay gap, why don’t you do the math? Pay gap, pay gap, ripping my dollars in half.”

She also has plenty to say about the lack of women headliners at music festivals.

“When you look at most festival posters, you can just call it before it even happens,” she says. “It’s three men’s names, huge at the top, and then underneath them, very small, it will be just a few women. Women never headline the festivals. It’s bullshit. I’m going to start protesting them next year and not doing them [laughs].”

It feels appropriate, then, to sit down with Price on is Equal Pay Day, April 10, 2018. It’s a topic she’s not just willing to talk about ☛ in song, but in conversation, too.

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Feminine and unfuckwithable: Margo in reflective repose at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge — one of her favorite haunts when she’s not on the road conquering the world.

Styling: Stephanie Thorpe HMU: Brittney Head

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“You look at the Grammys last year and Neil Portnow’s (President of The Recording Academy, the organization responsible for the Grammy Awards) comments about women needing to step it up and do better … I mean, I don’t know,” she says. “It’s mind-blowing that it still goes on. But it’s because so many people don’t even believe that it’s true — men and women alike. They don’t even believe it’s a real thing. They think it’s something that’s just made up. So how can things progress when people don’t even believe it themselves? They say that the pay gap might close in 100 and some years. I’ll be dead.”

Pushback from a certain contingent of fans is inevitable when an artist speaks her mind. That’s perhaps even more pointed when that artist plays country music, a genre often stereotyped (somewhat rightfully) as conservative. Price sees her beliefs as transcending any one political party, though, and her beliefs around gender equality, especially, apply to everyone, Democrat or Republican.

“I’ve said this before, but I would have put out that song if Hillary was president,” she says. “People either love it or people hate it and they’re like, ‘I’m not your fan anymore.’ I posted a picture of a girl holding the words ‘the pay gap’ at the Women’s March, and I had hundreds of comments of people saying, ‘You’re a liar.

You’re a bigot. You’re a man-hater.’ I’m like, ‘I employ all men in my band. I’m married. I have a son. I love men!’ My band is being paid less because I’m being paid less. We’re all being paid less as a whole because I’m the front of it.”

Third Man Records co-founder Ben Swank credits Price’s razor-sharp takes on America’s social ills as integral to, though still only one part of, her significance in a genre that’s reluctant to champion artists who do anything that differs from a carefully focus-grouped norm.

“These classic country ideals and progressive politics/lifestyle can live side by side, and, what’s more, when you throw it all together on stage with a front person as engaging and fierce as she is, you forget which side of the fence you’re on and just love the show happening up there,” Swank says. “That’s the power of real music and real artists in an increasingly distracted and divisive world: connectivity.”

It’s probably (and sadly) no surprise that Price — whose brand of country takes its cues from Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson, with hallmarks of roots, rock, and soul seamlessly blended in — isn’t played on country radio, a format currently dominated by male, pop-leaning acts. That hasn’t stopped her from attracting legions of country fans, though — particularly those who feel alienated by what they hear when they tune in to their local station.

“I think that Margo has shown within the local independent country scene that this thing can be done on an international scale and be done by your own rules and set of expectations,” Swank adds. “I think there can be a disconnect from ‘big’ country to this independent scene, and Margo has made clear you can make your own path.”

The path she travels is getting better worn lately. In recent years, the fringe country and Americana made popular by Price and other acclaimed artists, like Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson, has, in some ways, gone mainstream, as hordes of young hopefuls have flooded the genre — and Nashville — vying to be Americana’s next big thing. As a result, words like “outlaw” and ☛

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“troubadour” are in the air again, particularly with music-industry marketing departments, eager to commodify real-life stories and struggles of working-class Americans and capitalize on the kind of success Price and her contemporaries struggled for years to attain. “[Outlaw] was something that was fabricated by the press to begin with,” Price says. “Most people are using that term when they actually grew up in suburbia and they’re ‘trustafarians’ whose parents probably gave them everything, and they never had to work a day in their life, and now they wanna play ‘outlaw’ music. So, everybody puts on the Nudie suit and puts on the hat and writes a drinkin’ song. ... People are gonna hate me [laughs].

“The cause and effect of some people emerging that are more rooted and talking about day-to-day life in their songs, then everybody wants the story, too, of, ‘Look at what I’ve been through, and look at this.’ Obviously, I’ve had a story that a lot of people connected to, but it’s been frustrating at times, because I feel like people have focused on that. Sometimes it’s just like, ‘Well, is the music good? Do you like the singing? Do you like the playing?’ I’m glad that I’ve said everything that I did and that I got all the skeletons out of my closet, but now it seems like this whole epidemic of singer-songwriter-Americana everybody wants to be the next big thing.”

In some ways, Price still is that next big

thing, though she’d be the first to tell you that what may seem like “overnight” success to some is actually the result of a decade and a half of struggle, hard work, and more than a few doubts about whether it was all really worthwhile. “We’ve been looking for the unlocked door for 13 years, and when I found it, I fell down a vortex,” she says, laughing.

For now, Price has new music on her mind.

One album’s already finished, recorded in Austin while she and her band were in town for Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion. She hopes to get into the studio this year to record another, which she says will not be a country record, but will “still be roots music.” She wants to take her time on that one, eyeing spring of 2019 as a potential release target. She plans to re-release some of Buffalo Clover’s catalog too, perhaps in the form of a “best of ” compilation, as current Price fans have driven a renewed interest in the band’s catalog.

“I remember back in the day having a big box of Buffalo Clover records down in my basement, and we took them all to Goodwill because I couldn’t stand to look at them anymore,” she says. “Now I’m like, ‘Wow, people are selling them online for like $200. What was I thinking?’”

Price’s personal and professional juggle — writing, recording, touring, even promoting earlier albums, while maintaining her family life — flies in the face of another stereotype

Price detests: that women must choose between a family life and a career.

Her own mother, who worked as a teacher while Price was growing up, modeled that for her. That doesn’t mean it isn’t difficult at times, something she admits readily, getting a little choked up as she speaks about missing Judah while she’s on the road.

“I get really stressed out,” she says. “I totally do. My mom, I couldn’t do anything without my mother. She helps take care of the house when we’re gone. She helps with my son. Sometimes they travel with us, which is awesome. They went to Texas with us when we did our recording. They got to meet Willie Nelson. I think the last run I was on, before Texas and before the last couple of short things I’ve done, my husband was out with me and I broke down and started bawling. I miss my kid so much and sometimes I’m like, ‘What am I doing? I should be home all the time.’ But when I am home, we get really quality time. He was on spring break for nine days, and we spent every waking moment together. ... I don’t know how I do it sometimes.”

Tonight, she’ll head home to enjoy a little more time with her family, including her visiting grandmother, careful not to waste a moment of togetherness before it’s time to hop on the bus. She and her family recently moved from East Nashville to what she calls “the country,” and she counts the slow pace of her new home life is a nice counter to the flurry of activity that comprises her career. Hers isn’t a “the grass is always greener” kind of philosophy, even when she does hear the siren song of the stage while spending time at home; she’s fortunate enough that, right now, the grass is green pretty much wherever she is, and, after years of hardship, she isn’t taking a bit of it for granted.

“I really try to enjoy my downtime when I’m home,” she says. “We just moved to the country, and we have a little creek in the front yard, so I’ll put on my rubber boots and walk through the creek. We’ve got some chickens, and the dog. I just sit out on my back porch by the fire pit and hang out. I just try to soak it all in.”

AVA I L A B L E N O W O N Third Man Records

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BARE, WAYLON, WILLIE, WINNERS (and)

Lullabys, legends, and lies from the days of the Outlaws

by Randy Fox

I 50

n the fall of 1972 Bobby Bare was searching for something different and rare in the single-focused country music world of Nashville — a concept album.

“I had approached every songwriter in town about writing an album that had a thread going through it that meant something,” Bare recalls. “All of the songwriters were still thinking in terms of singles. They all had a song or two songs they thought could be hits, but nobody had an album, and nobody was → willing to sit down and write one.”

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Bobby Bare April, 2018

photographed by

Eric England

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A

lthough concept albums were a fixture of the rock world by 1972, country music was still hanging on to the view of albums as secondary product — a way to repackage a few hit singles and clear out the tape vault of scraps. There had been notable exceptions of course, mostly collections of songs built around a central theme like Marty Robbins’ hit album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs or Johnny Cash’s Ride This Train, but the idea of a focused, concept album that was more than the sum of its parts was still viewed as a risky indulgence. Then Bare ran into songwriter, cartoonist, and humorist Shel Silverstein while attending a party at songwriter Harlan Howard’s house during the Country Music Association’s annual convention.

“I told Shel what my dilemma was, and he said, ‘Let me think about that,’ ” Bare says. “On Monday morning he called from Chicago and said, ‘I got you an album. It’s called Lullabys, Legends and Lies.’ I asked when I could hear it, and he said how about this afternoon? So, he hopped on a plane and flew back down to Nashville. He got to my office, and he started singing those songs. They were so great. The one that really got my attention was ‘The Winner.’

It just kept going on and on and I was down in the floor laughing. I finally had to make him stop, and I said let me go in the studio and take a crack at it.”

The resulting album, Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies, broke every established rule of country music in the early 1970s: Bare produced the record himself (in partnership with fellow non-producer Bill Rice), Bare mostly eschewed established session players to record with musicians of his own choosing, it was a double-LP — an almost unheard of extravagance in country music, it was a collection of oddball songs by a solitary writer with no obvious choice for a single, and many of the songs broke the unwritten rule of country radio play — keep it under three minutes (with one offender clocking in at a gargantuan 8 minutes and 14 seconds). The final flouting of norms came with the overdubbing of audience applause, turning a studio album into a simulated live set at a time when the common wisdom viewed country music live albums as D.O.A., unless your name was Johnny Cash.

Despite the long list of offenses, Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies spent 30 weeks on the Billboard country album chart, topping out at No. 5. It also produced three hit singles: the No. 2 hit “Daddy What If,” a duet with Bare’s 6-year-old son Bobby Bare, Jr.; the No. 1 smash “Marie Laveau;” and the sprawling, comic epic, “The Winner,” that first cinched the deal with Bare.

Beyond the album’s success and what it meant for Bare’s career personally, it was also the inflection point in a country music revolution that had been quietly simmering in Nashville’s beer joints, recording studios, and publishing offices for several years. Revolutionaries were also gathering in Austin, Texas where a new country music scene with a distinctly countercultural flavor sprang up, nurtured by Nashville refugee and repatriated Texan Willie Nelson.

The combined forces of these two musical liberation fronts would wrest creative control from record companies and usher in a brief era of unbridled creativity in country music.

Artists like Bobby Bare, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Tompall Glaser, Kris Kristofferson, and more, created exciting, uncompromised music, expanding country music’s → fan base and revitalizing the music industry.

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Bobby Bare, 1976 Photo by Leonard Kamsler, courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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Photos by Leonard Kamsler, courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Performing at Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic, 1978: (Clockwise from top left) Jessi Colter, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson

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Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Present at the revolution ...

Left to right: Shel Silverstein, Bob Beckham, Kris Kristofferson, and Chris Gantry, c. 1970

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the group of songwriters and musicians that went back and forth between the two locales. A group that Hillbilly Central secretary Hazel Smith eventually dubbed “The Outlaws.”

The rotating roster of rogue hillbillies included Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver, Kris Kristofferson, John Hartford, Kinky Friedman, Shel Silverstein, Jimmy Buffet, Vince Matthews, Roger Murrah and many others. It was a scene where like-minded creative types could talk, joke, drink, and drug, with frequent trips to the Burger Boy drive-in across the street from Return Music for greasy food and marathon gambling sessions on the quasi-legal flipperless pinball games occupying the back room of the greasy spoon. More importantly, it was a place where ground-breaking songs were conceived, and great music was made.

“Everyone knew we were doing something different,” Bare says. “Everybody was hangin’ out, making music, and playing pinball. I wound up with three pinball machines in my office. You were surrounded by smart, bright people. They might not be educated, but they were sharp, and aware of everything around them. And you loved being around people like that.”

As the wife of Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter was a frequent visitor to Hillbilly Central. And as a singer and songwriter, she was just as enchanted by the creativity and good times.

“There was a cloistered feeling at Hillbilly Central,” Colter says.

“It was hide-out place, a kind of a solace from the rest of the town.

On the first floor there was one little office that (ex-radio DJ and unofficial scene “guru”) Captain Midnight lived in. He was a walking encyclopedia of the business. Hazel Smith had an office, and Marie Fielder, who later married John Hartford, was the go-to front woman. The studio was on the second floor and Tompall and Waylon would hang out there for hours. They were like brothers. They would insult each other and laugh and carry on. You’d be there in the middle of the night and Kris Kristofferson, Shel Silverstein, Bobby Bare, or Tony Joe White might be there. You’d never knew who’d you’d run into. They were like kids having fun, and Waylon’s mind was always on music.”

By 1970, Waylon’s thoughts about his music were more and more in opposition to standard Nashville operating procedure. The Nashville Sound had developed in the 1950s as a looser alternative to the tightly-controlled major studio system in New York. In Nashville, producers and seasoned session men often had more say on the sound of a record than the artist, and the system was geared toward efficiently producing hits in short, three-hour sessions.

As the 1960s progressed, rock artists gained greater freedom and autonomy in studios, often leading to marathon recording sessions allowing for greater experimentation. Jennings didn’t view himself as a rebel, he simply wanted to select his own material and record with the musicians he wanted in a studio of his own choosing.

Rock artists that came to Nashville were granted this freedom, so why not country artists?

Willie Nelson was asking that same question. After arriving in Nashville in 1960, he built a reputation as a gifted and prolific songwriter, mixing honky-tonk and Western swing with pop sophistication. Signing with RCA in 1964, the record company promoted Nelson as a hillbilly Sinatra, but Nelson’s musical idiosyncrasies ran deep. He might record an LP of classic honky-tonk

Photos this and facing page by Leonard Kamsler, courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

T

he story of this musical revolution is chronicled in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s new exhibition, Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ’70s, opening on May 25 for a nearly three year run. In collaboration with Austin-based filmmaker and exhibit co-curator Eric Geadelmann, the comprehensive exhibit includes interview clips, performance footage, and never-before-seen artifacts, recounting how Nashville and Austin-based musicians who were viewed as oddballs and outlaws by the music establishment shook the status quo of Music Row. The roots of the revolution took hold in the mid-60s as a new breed of singers, songwriters, and musicians descended upon Nashville, slowly altering the creative landscape. Songwriters like Kris Kristofferson, Tom T. Hall, and Mickey Newbury crafted songs on a country foundation, exploring new horizons of lyrical and emotional complexity. At the same time, the success of Bob Dylan’s 1966 album “Blonde on Blonde,” recorded in Nashville, drew many rock and folk musicians to Nashville in search of the same Music City mojo. The influx of counter-culture musicians brought new ideas and creativity into Nashville as transplanted hippie musicians discovered the beauty of country music soul, and Nashville musicians tuned in and turned on to the counter culture.

Bobby Bare was one of the first established Nashville country stars to fully embrace the new generation of progressive songwriters Tompall Glaser, 1976 and musicians. He welcomed Texas-transplant and former rocker Waylon Jennings to town in 1965 and recorded the Jennings composition “Just to Satisfy You” at a time when the struggling singer and songwriter desperately needed a break in Nashville. Bare also championed the complex, introspective songs of Kris Kristofferson and the poetic narrative mini-dramas of Tom T. Hall.

In 1970, Bare moved to Mercury Records after eight successful years at RCA. While his records were produced by Mercury staff producer Jerry Kennedy, Bare enjoyed a much greater degree of artistic freedom than he experienced at RCA, and he racked up an impressive run of hits with songs by Hall, Kristofferson, and Silverstein.

That same year, Bare opened an office at 1819 Broadway for his music publishing company, Return Music. It quickly became a hang-out for songwriters and musicians who were personas non-grata in the more conservative offices on Music Row. Bare tapped many of these young talents for new songs, such as roughand-tumble Texan, Billy Joe Shaver.

“Billy Joe was just wandering around town,” Bare says. “He came to my office one day. I was looking for a new writer, but Billy Joe was so different and strange. He kind of spooked me at first.

Then I heard him play a few songs and I thought, ‘This guy’s got it.’ His songs were not like everybody else’s, and I signed him up as a writer.”

That same year, the Glaser Brothers — Tompall, Chuck, and Jim — opened a recording studio in a two-story Spanish style house at 916 19th Ave. S., just three blocks away from Bare’s office. Although the studio was officially christened Glaser Sound Studio, it became known as “Hillbilly Central.” Over the next two years, Return Music and Hillbilly Central became ground zero for

Nashville’s Lower Broadway circa 1975

songs and then write a complex, philosophical concept album on the meaning of life. After eight years of feuding with RCA and failing to produce a major hit, he left Nashville for Austin, Texas where he began building a new following with the local country-fried counterculture, but his recording career was in limbo as RCA refused to release him from his contract.

In the meantime, Bobby Bare’s contract with Mercury ran out in the summer of 1972. When Chet Atkins approached him about returning to the label, Bare found RCA to be far more agreeable than they were with Jennings or Nelson.

“I told Chet you got too many producers,” Bare says.

“Chet said, ‘Why don’t you produce your own records? I don’t think you’d go crazy in the studio.’ Chet knew me and knew what I was capable of, so I said, ‘Great, I’ll do it.’ ” It was an example of Music Row’s two guiding principles in action — money and the “Old Boy” network. Bare had a proven track record as a hitmaker and a publishing company that was unearthing hit songs from soil Music Row wouldn’t touch. In addition, Atkins personally endorsed Bare’s ability to stay on budget and “behave.” The executives at RCA were hesitant to grant rock star freedoms to country artists, simply because they viewed country incapable of producing profits that justified the risk, but Atkins’ personal guarantee made all the difference — it was a surety he wouldn’t grant for Jennings and Nelson.

Jennings found the solution to his dilemma with Neil Reshen, a major league New York talent agent and attorney whose clients included Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, and →

Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings, 1976

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the Velvet Underground. In November 1972, he negotiated a new contract with RCA for Jennings guaranteeing artistic freedom in the studio. Hot on the heels of that deal, Reshen negotiated Willie Nelson’s release from his RCA contract and secured Nelson a new deal with the non-Nashville based Atlantic Records, promising him the same artistic freedom.

Although Bare had a new level of freedom in the studio, he knew it would last only as long as he delivered hits and kept RCA in the dark about what he had in mind. With Shel Silverstein’s proposed concept album in mind, he devised a plan.

“One of the first things I did was Billy Joe Shaver’s ‘Ride Me Down Easy,’ and it was a big hit,” Bare says. When it was going up the charts, I immediately started on the Shel Silverstein project. RCA didn’t even know I was doing it. I cut it really fast. Later, (RCA chief ) Jerry Bradley told me if he’d known what I was doing he would have stopped it because it was way too left field.”

In a case that could only be explained by a cosmic convergence of forces, at the same time Bare was rapidly recording Lullabys, Legends and Lies in RCA Studio B, Waylon Jennings was cutting Honky Tonk Heroes — a freewheeling rock-infused collection of Billy Joe Shaver compositions — next door at RCA Studio A, and Willie Nelson was at Atlantic Studios in New

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York City laying down tracks for his collection of downhome Texas country funk and swing, Shotgun Willie. Those three albums became the cornerstones of Outlaw country, but recording an unconventional album was one thing.

Getting a conservative label like RCA to release it was another.

“The only thing that saved it was after I’d mixed it, I ran into Vito Blando in Nashville,” Bare says. “He was the RCA promotion guy out of Atlanta. I gave him a copy and told him to take it home, listen to it, and let me know what he thought. When he heard me and Bare Jr. singing ‘Daddy What if ?’ he just flipped out.

The next day he took it over to WSB in Atlanta.

At the time they were the biggest country radio station in the South. They played ‘Daddy What If?’ and the phones lit up and the whole world started swirling. RCA rushed it out as a single and everybody was going crazy. RCA was stuck.

They had to put out the album.”

Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies proved to be much bigger than one hit single.

Across the four sides of the album, Bare’s loose, offhand performances of Silverstein’s clever, sentimental, and slyly whimsical tall tales, legends, and slightly off-color jokes created a warm and welcoming musical experience. After more than four decades it’s one of the most irresistibly charming country albums ever produced, one that defies every common sense commercial

principle of the time while entrancing the most cynical listener. The ultimate joke, and perhaps the purest expression of the Outlaw spirit, is that such an honest and focused artistic vision actually began with a simple deception.

“What I didn’t know until later was that when Shel had gone back to Chicago, he wrote one song, ‘Lullabys, Legends and Lies,’” Bare says. “Then he reached down in his sack and pulled out songs he had already written that fit those categories.”

The artistic and financial success of Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies not only revitalized Bare’s career but proved it was possible for country artists to follow their muse and produce hits. Although Jennings’ Honky Tonk Heroes and Nelson’s Shotgun Willie were equally significant in artistic terms, they both fell short on sales at the time. But all three artists had their eye on the long game, and in just a few years they would push country music to new heights with multi-million sellers.

“I knew it was time,” Bare says. “It was time to do albums that made sense (as a whole). The record companies back then had no idea where the audience was. They had no idea that Willie was down there in Texas building up this huge following. The same with Waylon, he’d been touring around the country building up a huge following. Willie and Waylon both knew better than anybody what that audience wanted to hear, and they gave it to them in spite of the record companies.”

As with all special moments in history, the rowdy times and creative juices flowing between Bare’s office, Hillbilly Central, and late-night rounds of pinball at the Burger Boy eventually faded. Ironically the album that fully commemorated the breakthrough of the Outlaw movement — the 1976 hit compilation Wanted! The Outlaws — was also the beginning of the end.

The brief period of “throw it at the wall and see if it sticks” in Nashville’s studios came to an end once the Million-Selling-Units genie escaped from its bottle. Rather than taking a chance on an oddball singer/songwriter who might get lucky and sell 200,000 units, the major labels refocused on marketing designed to propel manufactured outlaws and urban cowboys into millions in sales.

As with its musical near-contemporary, punk rock, the Outlaws rebellion left behind a creative roadmap — a legacy inspiring subsequent generations. In the decades that followed, new traditionalists, alt-country rockers, and Americana troubadours each found their own way to rebel against the established order and revitalize country music, often by following the tracks laid down by the Outlaws.

“It was a real thrill,” Jessi Colter says. “I wouldn’t trade my memories of it for anything.

It was the beginning of a revolution that really helped country music and brought the changes it needed at the time. There was no boredom in those days.”

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E A S T

S I D E R S

PAY IT

FORWARD

BY GIVING BACK How three nonprofits bring the community together Giving back. It’s what makes our community special. The ties that bind. Taking care of one another. The three nonprofits featured in this edition — Southern Girls Rock Camp, Jessi Zazu, Inc., and the Ben Eyestone Fund — all do just that, facilitate helping one another. From music education and instruction in the arts to providing much needed health services, they step up with an unwaivering attitude of service to others. Putting the needs of others before our own cultivates our humanity and brings purpose to our lives in a way fame, fortune, or status can’t replicate. Our hats are off to you. And to the countless people who support the causes you champion, whether it’s through donations, volunteering time, and putting together fundraisers or performing at them, without you their efforts wouldn’t be possible.

Peace and love to you all.

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C H U C K

A L L E N

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Aaron Lee Tasjan Band Aaron Lee Tas-JAM & Guests, Benefitting the Ben Eyestone Fund April 20, 2018, The Basement East photographed by

Stacie Huckeba May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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S O U T H E R N

GIRLS ROCK C A M P

Sarah Bandy is changing lives and empowering youth, three chords at time ⪢

B Y

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T I M

G H I A N N I

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sing a multi-colored ribbon in an attempt to occupy Sausage, her 1-year-old Himalayan cat, Sarah Bandy looks through her purple glasses frames and shakes her head. “He’s half Siamese and half Persian,” Bandy says.

Sausage seems mildly amused as his “mother” continues to try, unsuccessfully, to stop him from attempts to participate in the morning’s conversation in her tidy home in the Brick Church Pike area.

“We adopted Sausage,” Bandy says, noting that her partner/boyfriend Tommy Stangroom is the “dad” of the frisky feline. “He’s a great drummer,” she says, meaning Stangroom rather than the cat.

“He plays in a band, Supermelt. He sells cymbals,” she says. “He’s on a business trip to Texas today.” →

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Hailey Rowe & Sarah Bandy April 26, 2018, North Inglewood photographed by

Stacie Huckeba May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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Bandy, 31, continues doing her best to keep Sausage from interfering in the conversation.

The room around her is filled with vinyl albums, cassette tapes, and images of her musical heroines captured in what could be easiest termed as folk art. It’s the perfect setting for someone who has given her life over to helping young women — and a few guys, too — learn how to live by playing rock & roll.

The comfortable one-story perched on an acre is a perfect fit, Bandy says, noting that this was the first and last house she looked at when she was ready to sink roots three years ago. “I saw it, and it looked just like the old Polaroid square picture of the home in Baltimore where my mother grew up.”

So, naturally, she stopped her real estate search and bought it, knowing she’d found home. She is obviously not shy about making emotional attachments. Oh, of course, now the home’s interior decoration is similar to that found in the bungalows and ranchers and glorified sheds of most East Side musicians. At least except for the valved gizmo she had installed on the one toilet. “That’s a bidet,” she says. “You’ve got to have some luxury.”

Sausage, the cat, simply keeps his bright, blue eyes focused on the ribbon as his mother talks about Southern Girls Rock Camp and how she was introduced to the cause that now occupies her professional days and populates her personal dreams.

“I was visiting a friend in Murfreesboro,” says Bandy. “That was back in 2007 and a friend of mine from the College of Charleston was living in Murfreesboro, and she was volunteering at the [Southern Girls Rock Camp]. She said I should go over to MTSU and teach the girls.”

A harp player who bends the angelic tones by using guitar pedals (she is finishing up a tape of her tunes, she says), Bandy’s first love is Brazilian jazz and the music of North Africa, like that of late Nigerian Afrobeat king and societal saddle burr Fela Kuti. But her world really spins around rock music.

In fact, a mural painted on her office wall in the back part of her tidy house shows Nina Simone, Patti Smith, and Joni Mitchell. She points out the mural was painted by Sandy Gonzalez, a volunteer teacher and more or less the camp’s art director.

“They are the godmothers,” Bandy says of the three women in the mural. She uses them as examples when teaching her young charges at Southern Girls Rock Camp and its coed offspring, Tennessee Teens Rock Camp about what she calls “the herstory” of popular music.

While there are basically identical offerings in 85 locations worldwide, Murfreesboro’s Rock Camp, founded in 2003, was the second of the week long programs that is open to girls 10 to 17.

The Murfreesboro program was directly fashioned after the original camp. A dream birthed in 2001 in Portland, Oregon, by Sleater-Kinney indie musician and TV’s Portlandia actress Car-

rie Brownstein. The goal was to empower girls through music — and that remains the mission as additional rock camps continue to sprout up.

It must be noted that while Bandy is the highlighted heroine of this story, the seed for this flourishing series of camps in Middle Tennessee was planted in 2003 by student Kelley Anderson. She organized that first year’s camp as a joint project by Women for Women, a female empowerment group on the MTSU campus that would become the current June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students.

After Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in recording industry production from MTSU in 2005, she along with fellow Rock Campers Jessi Zazu and Nikki Kvarnes, formed Those Darlins, a Nashville band that mixed country, rock and punk to international acclaim.

But we should go back to the summer of 2007, when an punk-powered epiphany struck Bandy during her first day at the Southern Girls Rock Camp.

“I walked into the camp at Murfreesboro in 2007. I was super-duper nervous,” Bandy remembers of the day that led her to throw her life full-speed into using musical learning and camaraderie to help young people learn to grow, to mature and to understand our differences by realizing we all are the same.

“I peeked into this classroom at MTSU. [The girls in that room] were were playing ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ by Iggy Pop,” she recalls of the song originally recorded by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Stooges, aka Iggy and The Stooges.

As those girls were pounding out the three guitar chords of that distortion-heavy, classic heavy-metal, punk tale, “I looked in there and it was there that I realized these girls are in charge of themselves in a way that I was not,” she says.

While it’s difficult to define any Stooges song as an anthem, “Dog” could be called an ode to in-the-moment, blindly unfettered-by-gender-typecasting, immediate sexual gratification.

It pretty much fit the scene Bandy encountered.

“Being a woman, there are a lot of issues you inherently have with your body,” Bandy says.

“They weren’t thinking about any of that. That would just slow them down.”

The girls banging away on The Stooges’ metal-sex-punk masterwork “weren’t worried about, ‘This boy thinks I’m fat.’ Or, ‘I should look like this magazine.’ Or, ‘What would my dad think of me doing this?’” Bandy recalls.

Instead, the guitars, drums, and vocals spoke more of both independence and camaraderie and their effects on female empowerment and diversity, be it sexual identity, race, economic background, or whatever. And, of course, it came all wrapped up in a playful shroud of rock & roll music, that, of course, “has a backbeat you can’t lose it. …”

So, enamored of the experience, Bandy volunteered. Then, as an apostle of the concept, she

went home to Charleston, her family hometown, and began a camp there.

“I went home, and I copied it,” Bandy says. “I did it with six other people.”

Similar pods began to spring up elsewhere to the point where “there is a Girls Camp Alliance now. … It kind of exploded all over the world,” Bandy says. “I helped run the Charleston program for a few years. Eventually, it was more self-sustaining. It was more successful. More volunteers were accepting it.”

When the young apostle of the Girls Rock Camp movement was ready to leave her home town there was really just one place she wanted to relocate and enlist in the spreading of the good word of rock empowerment.

“I moved to Nashville where I kind of crashed on [college friend Jodie Rosenblum’s] couch for about three months or so until I found my own place.”

With a goal of working at Rock Camp she was aided in her dream by Olivia Scibelli, the volunteer co-director of Nashville camps.

Their goal of bolstering the Rock Camp beyond Murfreesboro and into Music City was boosted thanks to YEAH! (Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities), a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

“There was an opening at YEAH! for a Rock Camp program director,” Bandy says. “I did that for a year or so and eventually the YEAH! executive director left, and I took that position.”

For a while, Bandy was running YEAH!, working with Scibelli for Rock Camp, and writing as many grant proposals as possible. Through that grant writing, she pulled in enough funding to hire program director Hailey Rowe, now in her third year on the team, and office manager Jess Hawthorne, who over eight years, has been part of Rock Camp as a volunteer, then staffer.

Rowe and Hawthorne both fit the often-followed-pattern of former Rock Campers working as volunteers: “One in five volunteers used to be a camper,” says Bandy.

As noted, the Murfreesboro camp has been going on 16 years, and the Nashville camp has been around for four years. And then there’s the offshoot coed Tennessee Teens Rock Camp, now in its eighth year.

Of course, the Murfreesboro camp remains at MTSU. The other two are held at Vanderbilt University’s Sarratt Student Center with Southern Girls (Nashville), July 9-14; Tennessee Teens (Nashville), July 16-20; and Southern Girls (Murfreesboro), July 23-29. The camp fee is $320 per pupil, but through grant-writing and donations, funds are available so that no one has been turned down for inability to pay, according to Bandy. Scholarships are given based on need, with some students receiving full scholarships.

“We have 50 [students] per camp, and we have never turned away a kid due to lack of funds,” she says. →

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Bandy professes pride in the fact the camps are so welcoming, since she spends so much of her time raising funds and asking for donations so all can be involved, no matter their wealth and taste or social status.

In addition, the camps are a safe and welcoming place where young people who still are sorting out their gender identities are just another part of the unusual quilt of personality holding the camp concept together. As Bandy says, one of the goals of the camp is to put students together with students who “they normally wouldn’t be around” in their daily lives.

The highlight of the camps is young people learning to gel through rock music, with a sort of playground pick-’em format used to bring five students together for each group. Drums, guitars, bass and microphones are provided, and the campers, regardless of skill level, learn to play together. It all culminates in a band showcase at community-minded rock star Jack White’s Third Man Records Blue Room performance venue.

Bandy points out her three-person team does work year-round, with programs in the schools and other YEAH!-sponsored learning and performance opportunities. Dedicated volunteers from the music community, in particular, throw in their time, talent and space for all the programs. That giving spirit hits its peak in the summer, when about 35 people volunteer to

help facilitate the camps.

Though some of the Rock Camp bands have gone on to perform as professional units, Bandy stresses the talent-level is not as important as willingness to participate, fully, in the proceedings, from the strumming, to the sharing, to the philosophizing.

“They learn to interact with other kids they may not interact with at school. They learn problem-solving. They write a great song. … It puts kids in a place where they can make mistakes. It gets rid of the idea that you have to be an expert,” she says. “Making mistakes means you are learning. It is by making mistakes that people grow.”

She adds that, because the campers are minors, they have not for the most part seen live bands in performance before. Every lunch hour during camp, that is remedied by local musicians putting on showcases for the young people.

But, really, when it comes right down to it, while the camps are about music, they also have as a goal teaching the young people about social justice, giving them a non-conforming place to share their concerns and learn of differences, similarities, and equality.

Bandy uses the recent slaughter of young people out at an Antioch Waffle House as an example of things that could or would be addressed in this idealistic community the camps help create.

“Kids know about it. They all have feelings about it,” she says of the massacre of young adults who were basically the Rock Camp musicians’ and volunteers’ peers. The kids may feel uncomfortable discussing their fears around the family dinner table, but “we are giving them a place to talk about that and to share,” Bandy says. “Making a safe place where they can make music together is very important, but the music is just the starting-off point.

“The point of Rock Camp is to connect them and have them make music together and use their voices. It is collaboration over competition. You can play in a warehouse or play in the biggest rock venues, but what matters are you are being yourself.”

Sausage’s blue eyes continue to shine as he plays with the multi-colored ribbon, basically entertaining his mom while she does this interview and shares her hopes and dreams. Bandy smiles as she notes that the next day she and some of her volunteers — again, mostly members of the music community — are going to be moving drum kits and other camp gear from one storage location to another that is more accessible, right in the middle of East Nashville.

“Maybe I’m naïve,” she says, looking through her purple spectacles frames. “Music is just a tool. Kids, using their voices, are better equipped to save the world.”

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F L A M E

KEEPER The brightly burning spirit of late musician, artist, and activist Jessi Zazu lives on, through a community-building nonprofit formed in her memory ⪢

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hen cancer ended Jesse Zazu’s 28-year life in September of 2017, the beloved musician, artist, and activist’s absence did more than initiate the expected wave of grief; because of all that Zazu had created and contributed, her death left a void palpable to many who had received value from her music, her art, her courageous fight against cancer, her mentorship to young (usually female) musicians, and her work in social and racial justice.

Growing up in rural parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana, Jessi Zazu — born Jessi Zazu Wariner to artistically inclined parents — was raised to be a free thinker, unbound by the limitations of meager finances and small-town mentalities. This is evident to anyone who has viewed her artwork or heard the original music she performed and recorded in the internationally acclaimed band she co-founded, Those Darlins — a band that Cuisinarted deep country, punk-informed performance art, and classic girl-group pop in a manner as bold as Zazu’s non-musical declarations against things she believed were askew. →

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Jessi Zazu

Aug 31, 2014, Modern Sky Festival, Beijing, China photographed by

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Program participants showing their zines at the Oasis Center Art Show on April 26. (left to right) front row: Abraham Marx, Mackenzie Bransford, and Marlos E’van; back row: Carolina Escobar, Jossany Serrano, Angie Sanchez, Nehbu Thompson, Raven Bonds, Jane Delworth, and Courtney Adair Johnson.

Photo: Abby Whisenant

Clockwise from Top Left: → Discussions about the finer points of creating a zine at the workshop. (left to right clockwise) Abraham Marx, Grace Scott, Angie Sanchez, Marlos E’van, Nehbu Thompson, Raven Bonds, and Addie Dodson.

Photo: Abby Whisenant Jane Delworth creating images for her zine on a tablet.

Photo: Chuck Allen Marlos E’van listens as Abraham Marx works through his thoughts.

Photo: Chuck Allen Learning to organize one’s creative ideas. (left to right) Mackenzie Bransford, Marlos E’van, Courtney Adair Johnson, and Abraham Marx.

Photo: Abby Whisenant

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Zazu’s unfettered, creative approach to life was, one would presume, greatly influenced by her mother, Kathy Wariner, a visual artist and a single parent to Jessi for much of her childhood. But Wariner, a self-confessed introvert, didn’t consciously set out to raise a front-line feminist and social activist.

“Jessi was always intense about it, going and getting involved with everything,” Wariner says, “and being my age and everything, I just didn’t really feel the passion that she did, and I didn’t really totally understand it. What difference can we make?” But that was then, long before there was any reason to carry on the work that mattered most to Zazu — the kind of work now beginning to take shape under the banner of a new nonprofit, Jessi Zazu, Inc. After Zazu was diagnosed with cervical cancer caused by exposure to the human papillomavirus (HPV ), Wariner moved from Kentucky to Nashville, along with her adult sons Emmett and Oakley, to lend support and spend precious time together. Here, she began to meet and get better acquainted with her daughter’s friends, who soon made a profound impact on her. “I’m just so impressed with Jessi’s friends ... [they] knew what she wanted and had the same kind of goals and interests,” Wariner says. “They have a passion for what’s right. They’re not going to let it slide. I know exactly what they’re talking about, but I don’t have the nerve they do.

Jessi didn’t care what — I mean, she was such a good person, but she wasn’t afraid of what people thought.”

As Zazu underwent treatment, her position as a widely recognized musician and performer provided a platform to extend her own very public cancer battle into a far-reaching gesture of support for others.

Those who benefited, along with members of Zazu’s sizeable fan base, began sending well wishes in quantities that required a post office box. “We would carry bags of letters every day,” Wariner recalls. “I mean, packages, everything, from people saying that they had had cancer, and they had no one, or they had loved ones who had cancer. What she did was open up to people, and that meant so much to them.”

In turn, their gratitude meant a great deal to the Wariner family, exposing them to community support at a level they’d never imagined possible. It was particularly significant to Zazu, who had poured herself out for fans on countless stages over a decade’s time but had little inkling how much it had mattered to so many of them. Within a very short time after her daughter’s passing, conversation about a nonprofit had begun between Wariner and her sons. “I was like, we have to do something, ’cause she just stood for so much.”

Soon, she was serendipitously put in

contact with retired Murfreesboro attorney Pat Blankenship, now a nonprofit consultant.

Blankenship’s adult children traveled in the same circles as Zazu, whom Blankenship knew and admired. She promptly signed on with the Wariners’ plan and got the paperwork under way. In fairly short order, Jessi Zazu, Inc. had become an official entity; in early January of this year, a well-attended multi-artist tribute to Zazu and Those Darlins at Mercy Lounge became its kickoff

fundraiser. Wariner, who sits on the board of directors along with her two sons, says that the nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status is expected to be in place by June.

An advisory group has also been assembled, Wariner says, comprising friends of Jessi who are assuming various roles according to their areas of expertise. “They loved Jessi and respected her tremendously, and they are all very excited to be able to carry on Jessi’s work,” Blankenship offers. “And that is all in

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large part, I think, because it’s just a way of filling the vacuum, the hole that’s left in the community without Jessi.”

The organization’s website, jessizazu.org, clearly outlines its three areas of focus, all of which were issues of importance in Jessi Zazu’s life and work: arts and humanities, social justice, and women’s health. “Jessi, she wanted to help people,” Wariner says. “She didn’t think a lot of things were fair, and when she didn’t think they were fair, she wanted to make them right, you know? But that wasn’t her only mission in life... She was a singer, songwriter, a visual artist, and she knew that those things really help people in so many ways.”

In honor of its namesake’s legacy of caring and creativity, Jessi Zazu, Inc. will promote and support artistic self-expression and accessible arts training, as well as events geared toward bringing awareness to issues of social importance.

The nonprofit’s emphasis on women’s health emerged as a latter-day priority for Jessi and her family after it became evident that HPV, commonly transmitted through sexual contact but often harmless and easily prevented, can nonetheless be fatal. “It was such an eye-opening experience — her having the cancer, and so many people helping her,” Wariner says. “We just felt like that

needed to be addressed.”

“Jessi didn’t get medical checkups and treatments and things as regularly as she should,” Blankenship says, “so that’s one of the things that we want to impress upon young women — that you need to be at the doctor every year, getting your checkups.”

Wariner adds that her daughter “was all about women anyhow — empowerment.

And it’s not just about women. Part of our women’s health thing is awareness [but] boys need to be aware, too.”

Emmett Wariner, the older of Jessi’s two younger brothers, is the president of the nonprofit. His younger brother Oakley is handling social media, while Emmett focuses on fundraising and event planning. His vision for the nonprofit’s health initiative is “to fund HPV screenings and vaccines. I would also love to educate more people about the virus and its connection to cervical cancer.”

Future activities for raising funds and awareness will likely include bike rides and concerts — events that he hopes “will attract people [not only] because of the great cause, but also just be fun events that everyone can enjoy while also educating people about what we do and will be doing. We will at some point probably have some sort of stuffy black tie-esque benefit dinner for people who like to show up to those sorts of things,” Wariner

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allows dryly, “but I will fight it tooth and nail until I have to give up. I just want to build a community of people as relatable and warm as Jessi was, and the only way I know to do that is to hold events that Jessi herself would have wanted to be a part of.”

Blankenship adds that fundraising will also involve the sale of merchandise, including the “Ain’t Afraid” T-shirts based on the Those Darlins song whose title later became a rallying cry for both the cancer-resisting Zazu and fans standing alongside her. Zazu’s artwork will also be available for purchase once her estate is settled and finalized.

Beyond that, Blankenship foresees the use of “all the traditional prongs of fundraising” such as writing grants, asking foundations for financial support, and reaching out to the community with information about the nonprofit’s goals and accomplishments in hopes of attracting individual donations.

She notes that the organization’s planned outreach is starting locally but will be broad in scope. “Jessi has fans all over the country and all over the world. And so those far-flung fans we expect to be a part of our financial base for sure. And hopefully if they get motivated to bring programming into their community, we would love to work with them to help make that happen. [Such expansion] is our expectation and our hope.”

In March, the nonprofit launched a free, short-term weekly workshop series, Arts & Activism, in collaboration with Oasis Center and the Murfreesboro-based YEAH! (Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, the organization whose Southern Girls Rock Camps crucially sparked Zazu’s musical career, as well as her interest in mentoring others). The project was initially a plan of Zazu’s, scuttled by her cancer diagnosis but closely guarded by friend and creative comrade Ariel Bui, who reached out to Oasis Center. There, she found a willing supporter in Abby Whisenant, program coordinator at the Center’s Underground Art Studio.

Grant funding was provided by both Oasis and YEAH!, with studio space offered by Whisenant, a proponent of the arts-and-activism concept who says Oasis had been looking into offering similar programming.

She calls the collaboration a “beautiful thing ... to come together in honor of Jessi.

We definitely wanted to contribute to celebrating her life and honoring her memory, especially for her family and friends, many of whom I know as well,” Whisenant says. “Jessi taught my niece how to play bass guitar at one of the camps, and she loved Jessi and was really sad to hear about her passing.”

Whisenant’s had a hands-on role in the workshop, as have instructors Marlos E’van and Courtney Adair Johnson, social practice artists-in-residence at North Nashville’s nearby McGruder Family Resource Center.

She explains that the 10 participants, aged 13 through 17 and representing a diverse social cross-section, worked on creating zines, using digital graphics, hand-drawn art, and techniques such as scanning and collage-making. “It’s a different platform for getting a message out,” she says. “They’re creating art around specific messages that are important to them. In this creative way you’re spreading a message, maybe creating awareness about a topic that others haven’t thought about or seen in that way.”

The zines, Whisenant says, “can show people how to see a topic differently, from the perspective of young people, which is really valuable.” In addition to an art show held at Oasis Center on April 26, there will also be a show at Nashville makerspace Fort Houston on the first Saturday of August, where the students’ work — possibly from hoped-for summer sessions still unconfirmed at press time, as well as from this spring’s A&A workshop — can be seen.

The relationship between arts and activism itself isn’t automatically understood by all, a fact that highlights the importance of educating the community. For Kathy Wariner, in fact, the concept initially suggested a simplistic and predictable outcome in which “people would get together and make signs for a march, you know?” In early planning stages for the workshops, she and E’van determined that introspection was the best way to begin with the teenaged participants. “Marlos and me, we both agreed that if you want kids to become strong and be leaders, or just be sure of themselves, the best way is for them to go inward and get to know who they are.

“It’s not an aggressive ... [attitude of ], ‘I’m trying to prove something,’ although it sometimes comes across that way,” Wariner observes. “It’s more about developing strong adults. It’s about compassion and love, too; it’s not about aggressiveness.” Whisenant seconds that notion. “Young people,” she says, “are actually teaching us how to have a more civil conversation.”

Emmett Wariner recalls having lengthy talks with his sister “about how awesome it would be if social justice and equality was just treated as the norm and not gawked at like some foreign and preposterous concepts.

We’d always talk about how we would love to make these things as commonplace as anything else, about normalizing things that should be normal. I think most people assume that changing the world has to be forceful and aggressive, but I think if you silently build the world you want, sly force of will can be the most effective method.”

To that end, he says, his family’s nonprofit will keep “continuing to work on the world we live in and work on building the world we want to live in — the world that Jessi wanted to live in.”

External change typically happens gradually, though an internal shift can sometimes take place like the flipping of a switch. For Kathy Wariner, it happened implausibly, in January of this year. “I went to the Women’s March this year in Nashville, and I’m normally not one of those people, OK? I don’t do extrovert-type things,” says Wariner, who attended a workshop on activism and the arts on the day of the March, at the urging of Pat Blankenship. “[Pat] said, ‘You need to do this, because you’re involved. You need to know what arts and activism is — this is what the nonprofit’s about.’

“I just assumed that they would be making posters and it would be, ‘Look, this is how we feel.’ But it wasn’t. It was so inspiring.”

Women who conducted the workshops shared their stories, Wariner says. “They’d been through serious life trials, and they all worked with people and gave back to the communities. It was emotional, and it was so inspiring. I wanted to be one of those people.”

“That was her first March ever,” Blankenship says. “And she attended a workshop that was devoted to artists getting involved in social justice and using their art to help bring about change in the social justice arena. And she was amazed at how many people were there, how much she had in common with those

people, how many of those people she already knew, just through Jessi. So, yeah, she’s gotten quite an eyeful and an earful, and has learned a lot. And she loves it. It keeps her focused, even when the grief is bad, and she can turn to this and get things done that make her feel that she’s really doing something for Jessi.

And it means a lot to her as her mom.”

Blankenship affirms that Wariner has had to travel a fast track in the process of learning how a nonprofit is run, but she clearly recognizes the essential ingredient Wariner brings to the organization. “Kathy is the keeper of the flame, I would say. She holds the total essence of who Jessi was. So many of the people that we are working with knew her through their music endeavors together, or through their social justice endeavors together. But Kathy holds her soul. And as she holds her soul, she keeps the organization grounded and stable. She insists on protecting and safeguarding the soul of the organization and making sure that we are always accurately representing what Jessi would have been doing were she here.”

“Jessi wanted to make a difference and help bring people together,” says her mother.

As the primary flame-keeper of Jessi Zazu, Inc., she holds not only her daughter’s soul but, now, also carries her heart for building community.

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S U P P O R T I N G

OUR OWN

The Ben Eyestone Fund seeks to provide musicians with much needed diagnostic healthcare services ⪢

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en Eyestone was a fixture in the East Nashville music scene for most of his life — a life that ended tragically too soon, taken by colon cancer, a disease that kills more than 50,000 people a year.

Eyestone’s death was also one that may have been prevented had he received his diagnosis sooner.

He lacked insurance and getting into a charity hospital for a colonoscopy took months — valuable time Eyestone couldn’t afford to lose. Tatum Allsep, CEO/Founder of the Music Health Alliance, wants to make sure music professionals who don’t have insurance never have to face this situation again and, thanks to generous support from the music community and St. Thomas Hospital Foundation, her hope may be realized.

“Ben did everything he was supposed to do,” Allsep says. “He worked through the system and, at every turn, he hit a barrier to care … at every turn, → it was a lack of insurance or the ability to pay out of pocket.”

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Ben Eyestone photographed by

Miles Burnett

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Aaron Lee Tas-JAM & Guests Benefit for the Ben Eyestone Fund April 20, 2018, The Basement East

(left to right) Brian Wright, Sally Jaye, Darrin Bradbury, Jon Latham (behind Bradbury), ALT, and Seth Earnest photographed by

Stacie Huckeba

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Eyestone visited numerous local hospitals, charity services, and care providers in search of answers to his ailments. All the while, he knew he needed a colonoscopy, but he lacked the financial resources to pay the more than $5,000 out-of-pocket price he was quoted for the service. Also at issue: the complexities of negotiating private-pay pricing to get a more affordable rate. In Eyestone’s case, by the time he convinced a charity hospital he needed one — in April of 2016 — they told him the earliest appointment was in August. Ultimately, Eyestone’s story could have been dramatically different with an earlier diagnosis.

“Ben’s colonoscopy would have cost $1,200,” Allsep says. “I don’t know that it would have saved his life, but he’d have at least had a fighting chance.”

As a bartender at the 5 Spot, Eyestone was a beloved member of a tight-knit community of regulars, musicians, and music lovers. As a musician — he was a drummer — Eyestone backed numerous acts, including his own band, the Lonely H. He toured extensively with bands like Quiche Night, Cataline Crime, Margo and the Price Tags, Nikki Lane, Henry Wagons, Little Bandit, and Killer Eyes. But as with so many professional musicians, insurance coverage — and, by extension, access to early diagnosis of critical health conditions — was out of the budget.

The tragedy in situations such as Eyestone’s is as complex as the healthcare system that failed him. For want of a test that, ultimately, would have cost $1,200, Eyestone was denied access to a vast infrastructure of world-class healthcare — care he would have been eligible to receive if he only had his diagnosis earlier.

But during his months of working the system, his cancer had grown. He was at Stage 3 when doctors finally ordered an emergency colonoscopy in July of 2016. They discovered his tumor — by this time causing significant pain — was blocking 80 percent of his colon functions. It was also positioned in such a manner that surgery wasn’t possible. Radiation and chemotherapy commenced, but sadly it was too late, and Eyestone succumbed to complications of the disease.

His story is all too familiar to Allsep and her team at the Music Health Alliance, a nonprofit that works with musicians and other industry professionals to provide healthcare services, access to insurance, and the knowledge individuals need to navigate the increasingly complex world of healthcare. Working in tandem with Eyestone’s family, St. Thomas Hospital Foundation, and generous contributors throughout the music industry, Music Health Alliance formed the Ben Eyestone Fund.

The alliance dedicated $15,000 from its Cowboy Jack Clement fund, put that money together with a $10,000 donation from Eyestone’s family, and used it to secure a match from the St. Thomas Foundation. With $50,000 in seed money and the passion of industry professionals throughout Nashville, they raised an additional $25,000. Dierks Bentley contributed $15,000, and Elizabeth Cook partnered with Yazoo Brewery for a limited-run beer, El Lagarto, which raised another $4,500. Others kicked in an additional $4,300 or so. All told, the Ben Eyestone Fund has amassed a $70,000 war chest.

The purpose of the fund is singular and straightforward: to provide music professionals with access to diagnostic services and care. That way, music pros without insurance can still get an early diagnosis for serious conditions, such as cancer, along with diagnoses for less-severe conditions that, nevertheless, might threaten their lives or livelihoods.

“If you know something is wrong, or if you can’t afford a test, we don’t want you to feel like you don’t have the help you need,” Allsep says. “That’s why we’ve created this fund and partnered with St. Thomas Hospital Foundation — to help make sure →

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music professionals have access to diagnostic services when they need them.”

Qualifying for benefits from the Ben Eyestone Fund doesn’t require destitution, she points out. That’s by design, because many professional, working musicians make a good living but lack insurance or the ability to absorb big expenses. Because of this insight into the life of the modern musician, Music Health Alliance made sure the bar was set reasonably when it came time to establish guidelines for the fund’s use.

Music professionals — meaning anyone who’s made their living in music, either as a performer or as support personnel like stage pros, publicists or recording industry personnel — can qualify for assistance with diagnostic services if they earn 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or an adjusted gross income of roughly $36,000 for an individual.

Allsep wants the mission of the Ben Eyestone Fund to be very clear.

“We don’t want people who know something is wrong to sit there, in fear, not knowing what to do, because they can’t afford the tests they need, they don’t know how to go about getting the tests, or they think there’s not help available,” she says. “That’s why we’re here. That’s why this fund is here.”

This mission seems to be one that’s resonating with Music City’s artistic community.

On a Friday in late April, a capacity crowd packed the Basement East to witness The 4/20 Aaron Lee Tas-JAM. Master of ceremonies Aaron Lee Tasjan was joined on stage for performances by a veritable who’s-who of the East Side music scene, including Elizabeth Cook, Allen Thompson, Becca Mancari, Devon Gilfillian, and Patrick Sweany. Part of the proceeds would go directly to the Ben Eyestone Fund.

“I’m excited to be here tonight, to play some music, and to remember my friend Ben Eyestone,” Tasjan told the crowd before kicking off his set. While Tasjan and more than a dozen other Nashville artists had already pledged door money to the Ben Eyestone Fund, Tasjan had another surprise. “We just found out tonight that, in addition to our contribution to the fund, the Basement East is also donating the profits from the bar to the fund as well.”

Those donations will make a major difference in the lives of musicians across Music City and points beyond. In fact, so far in the Ben Eyestone Fund’s brief existence, 16 music professionals have sought and received funding for everything from lab tests to medical imaging. Allsep says the average cost is about $500 per patient. She also notes that the fund is changing history for the recipients.

Every single one of them has been positively impacted, whether it was simply finding the cause of a recurring sore throat or looking into more serious issues.

“Fourteen of the recipients simply needed doctors’ visits, labs, or medical imaging to treat what was wrong,” Allsep says. “Two lives have been absolutely saved by the fund.”

Though privacy rules and patient confidentiality prevent her from disclosing details, Allsep can say with certainty that the fund is doing precisely what Eyestone’s family wanted — making a difference in the lives of the artists and professionals who help make life better for everyone else through music.

Contributions to the Ben Eyestone Fund can easily be made the following ways: online at the Music Health Alliance website — click “Donate” and write “Ben Eyestone Fund” in the memo line; credit card payments by phone at (615) 200-6896; checks via mail or dropped off at the Alliance office, 2737 Larmon Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 For more information, or if you know of someone who may need assistance of the Music Health Alliance, visit musichealthalliance.com.

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NASHVILLE t’s been six years since The New York Times proclaimed that East Nashville was “climbing the charts as a new food star,” and over those years, we’ve made good on their prediction, with promising new restaurants joining our established players in droves.

Boundary-pushing high-end cuisine at the Treehouse, knockout ramen at Two Ten Jack, creative vegetarian fare at Graze, fresh French- and Southern-inspired menus at pioneering East Side spot Margot Cafe — we contain culinary multitudes in East Nashville in 2018, and that’s only set to grow.

So, a good problem to have: Really getting to know East Nashville’s estimable food scene can be a significant time (and funds) commitment. Luckily, East Nashville has its effective and delicious shortcuts, too.

One that’s grown up alongside the Times’ prediction: the Yum!East festival, heading into its sixth year, and set for May 31, 2018 at Pavilion East. At the event — a fundraiser for East Nashville’s Fannie Battle Day Home for Children — attendees get to taste dishes from dozens of East Nashville restaurants, from amuse-bouches to sweets. More on this

year’s fest/tickets at yumeast.com.

For a deeper familiarity, you might opt for a three-hour East Nashville tour with Walk Eat Nashville. Twice a week, Walk Eaters wander the East Side, stopping at six different tasting stops, sampling dishes, meeting with chefs and owners and learning about the neighborhood, its history and its culinary offerings. It’s part education, part leisurely lunch, even a little bit of exercise as you swing from Lockeland Table over to the Turnip Truck and around to Edley’s Bar-bque. You can learn more/book your tour spot at walkeatnashville.com.

If you could go for a more immediate introduction, though, we figured we could offer something of an East Nashville food road map in the meantime, too. And who better to turn to than someone who walks and eats the East Nashville food scene every day: Walk Eat Nashville founder and longtime East Nashvillian Karen-Lee Ryan. Think of the following as a focused menu of must-order items that’ll take you across East Nashville, established names to newcomers, and give you a clear understanding of just how high East Nashville’s food star has risen. →

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6 DISHES THAT DEFINE EAST NASHVILLE RIGHT NOW

by Walk Eat Nashville founder Karen-Lee Ryan

The Roze Bowl at Cafe Roze

It’s hard to flip through Instagram without seeing the pink-tinted tables at Cafe Roze dotted with drool-inducing dishes, like the coconut yogurt or hard-boiled B.L.T. But the signature dish, the Roze Bowl, looks as if it were created for hashtagging: The beet tahini swirled 180 degrees inside the white bowl perfectly matches the tables’ pink hues, while the flavors, colors and textures remind this is a dish to savor when the snapping ceases. A look around this cozy restaurant reveals a cross-section of the neighborhood — baby-toting parents, developers talking business, and multi-generational groups of friends — enjoying every bite of the kale, quinoa, lentil and zucchini combination.

And, this rainbow-in-a-bowl is vegan, gluten free and dairy free, but with options to make it carnivore friendly, to meet just about any East Nashvillian’s dietary needs.

1115 Porter Rd., caferoze.com

Athenian Chicken at GReKo Greek Street Food

YUM!EAST INFO When: 6-9 p.m., Thursday, May 31 Where: Pavilion East, 1006 Fatherland St., #105 Tickets: general admission $55, available at yumeast.com (21+) WALK EAT NASHVILLE INFO When: East Nashville tours run Thursdays at 1:30 p.m., Fridays at 11 a.m. (throughout the week, there are other tours in Midtown and SoBro and one focused on Nashville author Jennifer Justus’ Nashville Eats book).

Where: tours meet in East Nashville near 10th and Woodland Streets Tickets: $59.95 apiece, available through walkeatnashville.com

Despite Nashville’s “Athens of the South” moniker, finding Greek street food here wasn’t easy, until GReKo opened near 7th and Main.

Mural-splashed walls inside and out help ferry us to the Grecian city before the tzatziki and house-made pita even arrive, and the chilled, brightly flavored horta greens nudge us further from our Southern mooring. But the Athenian chicken, cooked over live fire and coated in a honey-lemon drizzle, transports tastebuds to the sunny climes of the Mediterranean. It’s a world away from the flaming fowl Nashville is famous for. And this year, that brightly-hued half bird and heap of French fries taste even better on the open-air patio, which beckons sun-starved neighbors to linger after a long, gray winter.

704 Main St., grekostreetfood.com

Cub Scout Moonshake at The Soda Parlor

The Soda Parlor has quickly become a sweet neighborhood hang, combining free-play arcade games, decadent desserts and a line of locally printed T-shirts originally inspired by owner Olan Rogers’ comedic YouTube sketches. And now it’s an ideal place to introduce folks to his latest venture, a hit TBS TV show called Final Space, executive produced

by Conan O’Brien. The 18-month-old shop is grounded in deliciousness.

The signature Waffle Mondaes pack enough sugar and carbs to satisfy a family of four, but for something slightly lighter any time of day, the Cub Scout Moonshake is an out-of-this-world milkshake, made with s’mores ice cream from East Nashville’s own Pied Piper Creamery and Hatcher Dairy milk, served in a fudge-swirled jar with house-made whip and a marshmallow. Play Pac-Man while it’s prepared and pick up a Mooncake stuffed animal for a fully immersive experience.

966 Woodland St., thesodaparlor.com

Braised Rabbit at Peninsula

The $9 gin and tonic menu is reason enough to visit this East Nashville newcomer. The weekly menu changes make return visits essential, but one item “will never come off the menu,” according to co-owner Craig Schoen: the braised rabbit in garlic broth. Thankfully so.

One spoon of the silky ham broth threaded with onions, fennel and rabbit, and forget about sharing this dish with any tablemates.

With a focus on the Spanish and Portuguese dishes of the Iberian Peninsula, the menu intrigues with new-to-Nashville flavors. And that’s exactly what makes this 38-seat charmer of a restaurant such a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

1035 W. Eastland Ave., peninsulanashville.com

Pecan Sticky Bun Sundae at Margot Café

When Margot McCormack stopped serving Sunday brunch and launched a new Sunday supper service at her namesake restaurant, she converted a mainstay of the brunch pastry plate into a signature Sunday dessert. The Pecan Sticky Bun Sundae is an oversized, yeasty sweet roll smothered in pecans and slathered with a decadent caramel sauce then topped with a scoop of house-made vanilla ice cream. It’s a rich dish best savored slowly and shared with friends, and a fitting ending to any week — especially at Margot’s place, where the laid-back vibe and neighborhood crowd kindle plenty of cross-table conversation.

1017 Woodland St., margotcafe.com

Anything with Chef Hal’s Chimichurri at Lockeland Table

Executive chef Hal Holden-Bache has been tinkering with chimichurri since he first read about it as a teenager. The green Argentinian sauce typically combines parsley, garlic, and red wine vinegar in an olive-oil base to complement grilled meats. Experimenting with various combinations, chef Hal preferred making it with cilantro and a hint of lime instead of parsley. He drapes it over his signature dry-aged New York Strip and pairs it with the daily empanada appetizer. But try it on their pommes frites. Or dip a pizza crust into it. Or take home a jar now that chef Hal’s Chimichurri is part of a product line the restaurant launched about a year ago. It amps up just about anything, from bread to eggs to burgers.

1520 Woodland St., lockelandtable.com

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MUSIC • CRAFTS • GAMES • BIBLE STORY • SNACKS

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B Y

J O E L L E

H E R R

Mothers and Fathers for the (Literary) Ages

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arents. Overbearing or neglectful, nurturing or emotionally distant, in our lives or not — we all have ’em, and so it makes sense that the complexities of parent-child relationships have been fodder for writers for millennia. (Oedipus Rex, anyone?)The most memorable moms and pops of the page run the gamut, from the good (the saintly Marmee March of Little Women and justice-minded Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird) to the bad (the oblivious Charlotte Haze of Lolita and snobbish Sir Walter Elliott of Persuasion) to the really, really bad (the abusive Mary Jones of Push and mallet-wielding Jack Torrance of The Shining).

I’ve read many articles (and recently, listicles) on this topic, and am often struck by how definitive the declarations are, without allowing nuance or depth. Of course, most well-written characters are not merely “good” or “bad.” They have layered psychologies, just like the real-life mothers and fathers they were (sometimes) based on. I tend to root for the underdog, so I’m in the mood to mount a defense or two.

When it comes to the less-than-Marmee (i.e. “bad”) moms of literature, Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice is commonly singled out. Sure, she’s a neurotic busybody whose overly sensitive nerves get on the nerves of her five daughters, her (poor, patient, why-did-he-ever-marryher?) husband and, of course, readers. But really, is it so terrible that Mrs. Bennet is eager for her girls to marry, to secure a little security in light of the fact that they’re legally unable to inherit any of their father’s estate and will likely be kicked to the curb after he passes? (Note: The life

expectancy of men in the early 19th century was in their 40s!) Sure, Mrs. Bennet is shallow and gauche (perhaps even little gross), and embarrasses her daughters in public, but isn’t that kind of in the job description — kind of timeless and well, forgivable?

One of the most infamous lines in The Great Gatsby is Daisy Buchanan’s postpartum wish for her newborn daughter to grow up to be “a fool — that’s the best thing a girl can be in the world, a beautiful little fool.” The first time I read the book was for English class at an all-girls high school, where empowerment and opportunity were a given. Daisy’s desire for her child to be a “beautiful fool” was shocking and foreign. The line, no doubt, is at least part of the reason Daisy lands on the occasional “bad mom” list.

It’s many years later, and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read The Great Gatsby. Yes, Daisy is careless, a little vapid, and does some pretty reprehensible things that I won’t mention so as to keep this spoiler free (for the three of you who haven’t yet read the book), but I am now more forgiving when it comes to the “beautiful fool” line. I think she’s allowed to be a little cynical given that she’s married to a cold, cheating brute. A “fool” in her circumstances would be oblivious, at least. Isn’t a mother wanting to spare her child from turmoil and heartache kind of a textbook sentiment — kind of timeless and again, forgivable? I’ll wrap this up with a biblio-hypothetical to ponder: If you had to choose between the two, which would you want as your mom, Mrs. Bennet or Daisy? Discuss amongst yourselves — or pop into the shop for a chat about your choice … or any other bookish ideas on your mind these days. →

{PSA: Mother’s Day is May 13, and Father’s Day is June 17.}

“Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother’s love is not.”

—James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

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⟫ ⟫ ⟫ ⟫ ⟫ ⟫

Notable books releasing in May and June

Calypso

David Sedaris

Sedaris fans will rejoice at his first new essay collection in five years. Perfect summer reading!

Florida

{May 29}

Lauren Groff

When folks ask for a recommendation at the shop, one of the first books I check to see if they’ve read is Groff’s Fates and Furies. I’m among the many eager to crack open this much-anticipated story collection.

The Ensemble

{June 5}

Aja Gabel

The “ensemble” of the title refers to a string quartet, and this highly praised novel promises a peek into the cut-throat world of professional musicians. {May 8}

There There Tommy Orange

One of the buzziest books of the summer, this debut novel features a multigenerational portrait of the modern-day Native American experience. {June 5}

Robin

Dave Itzkoff

A child of the ’80s, I’m looking forward to this deep dive into the beloved entertainer’s life (and death)

by Itzkoff, a New York Times culture reporter. {May 15}

Square

Mac Barnettt and Jon Klassen

I’m excited to see what Triangle is up to in this follow-up to last year’s super-clever Square, by kidlit duo Barnett and Klassen. {May 8}

Joelle Herr worked as a book editor at various publishers across the country for nearly 20 years. In 2016, she opened Her Bookshop in East Nashville, a cozy bookstore featuring a highly curated selection. She is also the author of several books.

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR EMMA ALFORD CALENDAR EDITOR

M A Y | J U N E 2018

FOR UP-TO -DATE INFORMATION ON EVENTS, AS WELL AS LINKS, PLEASE VISIT US AT: THEEASTNASHVILLIAN.COM

UPCOMING FARM FRESH

East Nashville Farmers Market

3:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Shelby Park

Amqui Station Farmer’s Market — Noon to 3 p.m., Sundays through August, Amqui Station and Visitors Center, Madison The East Nashville Farmer’s Market will kick off again for another fresh season on May 2 in Shelby Park near the baseball diamond.

Just up the road in Madison, Amqui Station starts up their market up on May 6. Looking for something a little fresher than the usual Kroger haul and far more local than Whole Foods? Make a pit stop at one of these. Browse the locally grown organic and fresh foods.

Sniff, sample, and snag the local cheeses, milk, breads, herbs, fruits, vegetables, jams and jellies. Usually a few food trucks are in tow as well, so you can even grab a bite on site. Go out and meet the farmers who grow your food.

They also accept SNAP (food stamp) benefits.

The East Nashville Farmers’ Markets will run through the end of October, Amqui Station will run until the end of August. Double down and visit both.

A HEAPING HELP

Second Harvest Food Bank’s Annual Generous Helpings

6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 10, City Winery

The annual grub down is back again. Here is what you can expect: a smattering of samples from the city’s top restaurants and foodsters.

Wine and beer offerings will be provided by some of your local favorites as well. But more important to know: Generous Helpings isn’t just gratuitous to your belly, it’s all for a great cause. Proceeds from the event go toward Second Harvest Food Bank, making for fewer hungry mouths all around. Specifically, funds raised will go toward Second Harvest’s Middle Tennessee’s Table program, which “rescues groceries” from over 224 nearby grocery stores and delivers food to hungry children, families, and seniors across the state. Tickets are available online.

609 Lafayette St.

SPINNING TIRES Bike to Work Day

Time varies by location, Friday, May 25, citywide May is Nashville’s Bike Month and Walk/Bike Nashville is hosting its annual citywide “Bike to Work” day. Leave the gas pump and strap on your helmet There are over 20 meet-up points across the city, so find your neighborhood hub and meet up with other cyclists to make

your commute. From 7:45 to 8:30 a.m., a free breakfast will be served at Cumberland Park.

Work those calves and avoid the usual Friday traffic jams. You can scope out the meet-up points in East Nashville below. Check online to find all locations and times. Get those wheels spinning.

Tom Joy Park 7:35 a.m.

Mas Tacos Por Favor 7:45 a.m.

Mitchell’s Deli 7:25 a.m.

Portland Brew 7:40 a.m.

Eastside Cycles 7:50 a.m.

Two Rivers Skatepark 7:15 a.m.

Shelby Bottoms Nature Center 7:40 a.m.

SHREDDING AIR

US Air Guitar Southern Regionals

8 p.m., Saturday, May 26, The Hi Watt

Grab your invisible Stratocaster and tune up—the top chops of the guitar-free musical world are readying to compete for the national title again. Interested silent slayers can enter the competition for $15, just show up at 6 p.m. to sign up. (No guitar necessary, obviously.)

Championship winners will be given a travel stipend to travel to NYC to compete in the national competition. This string-free six-string battle has us smelling the PBR already. Root for your favorite rocker, or rock out like your favorite rocker.

1 Cannery Row

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

PINCH THE TAIL

East Nashville Crawfish Bash

Noon to 9 p.m., Saturday, May 26, East Park

The time is nigh for the annual “celebration” of mudbugs. We will be pinching tails again here in East Nashville. Palaver Records’ annual crawfish boil promises yabbies aplenty. While the event is free, they will have the option of VIP tickets—this ensures you get your share of crawfish first. You can expect groovy live music, plus art vendors, local noms and brews. Kiddos and doggos welcome.

700 Woodland St.

EAT EAST FOR THE CAUSE Yum!EAST

6-9 p.m., Thursday, May 31, The Pavilion East

Yum!EAST is firing up its engines for this year’s culinary feast. You can expect to snack on treats from more than 30 of East Nashville’s culinary neighbors, all in one yard. Guests will have the chance to sample bites from all over the East Side in one spot, while enjoying live music and local craft beer and wine. This is a grown-ups only event, so book your babysitter in advance. Most importantly, proceeds from the event will benefit Fannie Battle Day Home for Children. Admission will include an open bar, samples of food and drink from oodles of East Nashville businesses and guaranteed fun.

You’ll even leave with a nifty souvenir glass.

1006 Fatherland St., 615.228.6745

the weekend off by joining in the Pride walk at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday (2nd Avenue and Commerce). Over the two-day fest, they’ll have oodles of artists take the stage. In particular, you can look forward to local Becca Mancari and ’90s pop hitmaker Wilson Phillips. (“Hold On,” anyone?) The festival includes plenty of kid-friendly activities, too. Show some love and don’t miss out on this one.

10 Public Square

QUENCH YOUR THIRTH 17th Annual Thirth of July Block Party

4 p.m. to midnight, Tuesday, July 3, Historic East Nashville

‘Twas the night before Independence Day, and all through the east, many creatures were stirring, grooving to the beat. Details are still being hammered out for this year’s annual block party, but we can guarantee you’re in for a good time. You can expect great food, good tunes, and tasty brews! This neighborhood hoorah is a quintessential preemptive party to the 4th. Buy your tickets online in advance to save a buck, or shell it out at the gate. www.thethirth.com 404 North 12th St

q

RESIDENCIES = DEE’S COUNTRY COCKTAIL LOUNGE deeslounge.com 102 E. Palestine Ave., Madison 615.852.8827

Bluegrass

Hosted by East Nash Grass

Mondays, 6-8 p.m.

Madison Guild

Hosted by various songwriters

Mondays, 8:30-11 p.m.

Jon Byrd acoustic Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.

The Spotmen

(with Kenny Vaughan and Dave Roe)

Tuesdays, 8-9:30 p.m. →

IT’S DECORATION DAY Drive-By Truckers “Decoration Day” Tribute

8:30 p.m., Saturday, June 16, The Cobra

Southern rock band Drive-by Truckers has been metaphorically trucking for a long time.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of their fan-favorite album “Decoration Day,” and we’d be remiss to let that pass by. The alt-country group’s album will be performed in its entirety by a host of local acts. The jam out has a charitable slant though — all proceeds will go toward Heal The Music, which benefits the work of Music Health Alliance, a group of saints in Nashville that work with musicians to gain access to quality health insurance.

2511 Gallatin Ave.

BE PROUD

Nashville Pride Festival

June 23-24, Public Square Park

Each June Nashville celebrates LGBT Pride month with a decadent two-day hoorah.

This year marks the 30th anniversary for the city’s rainbow filled-romp. You can kick off May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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TRY THE Y

FOR FREE 3 VISIT PASS

Photo ID is required. Limit one redemption per person per calendar year. Initial visit must be redeemed within 30 days and all three visits must be redeemed within two weeks of initial visit.

Guest pass is not valid for out-of-town guests. Other restrictions may apply

WWW.TRYTHEY.COM

JOIN TODAY AND MAKE IT A SUMMER TO REMEMBER! • • • • • • • •

Unlimited fitness classes Year-round swimming Supervised child play while you exercise State-of-the-art wellness equipment Access to 15 YMCA wellness centers No annual contracts 30-day money-back guarantee Special members-only rates on youth sports, swim lessons and more!

Our Mission: A worldwide charitable fellowship united by a common loyalty to Jesus Christ for the purpose of helping people grow in spirit mind and body.

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

Comedy Night

Hosted by Mikah Wyman

Sunday Night Soul

Hosted by Jason Eskridge

Tuesdays, 10 p.m. to midnight

Second & fourth Sundays of the month, 6 p.m.

The One and Only Bill Davis Happy Hour

Two Dollar Tuesday

Don’t Ease At Dee’s

Darrin Bradbury

Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m.

Hosted by various bands

Wednesdays, 8:30-11:30 p.m.

Kenny Vaughan Trio Thursdays, 8-9:45 p.m.

Daniel Lawrence Walker’s Hoedown Fridays, 5-8 p.m.

= THE COBRA NASHVILLE thecobra.plusvanvelzen.info 2511 Gallatin Ave., 629.800.2518

Not Another Open Mic

Hosted by Derek Hoke

Tuesdays, 9 p.m. to close

Wednesdays, May 9, 16, 23, 30 6-8:30 p.m.

Tim Carroll’s

Rock & Roll Happy Hour

Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m.

Strictly ’80s Dance Party First Friday of the month 9 p.m. to close

Funky Good Time First Saturday of the month, 9 p.m. to close

An evening of open mic comedy

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Idustry Night

ART EXHIBITS

Western Wednesday with The Cobra Cowpokes

STUMBLE ON TO ART

Sundays, 7 p.m.

Mondays, 8 p.m.

Curated by Brendan Malone

Wednesdays, 9 p.m.

= THE 5 SPOT

the5spot.club 1006 Forrest Ave., 615.650.9333

in as well, with some businesses participating in a “happy hour” from 5-7 p.m., offering discounted prices on their merchandise to fellow stumblers. Be sure to check out the happy hour deals in The Idea Hatchery.

RED ARROW GALLERY

theredarrowgallery.com 919 Gallatin Ave. Ste. 4, 615.236.6575

Daniel Holland The Silent World

Opening Reception 6 p.m., May 12; Through June 3 Nick Stull + We The Beast Lauren Kinney & Patrick Vincent

Opening Reception 6 p.m., June 9 Through July 8 con-fab

a red arrow gallery art talk series Every Month – Check online for details!

ART & INVENTION GALLERY artandinvention.com 1106 Woodland St., 615.226.2070

11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m., Sunday

RAVEN AND WHALE GALLERY

East Side Art Stumble

ravenandwhalegallery.com 1108 Woodland St. Unit G, 629.777.6965

We don’t art crawl on the East Side, we art stumble. Every month, local galleries and studios will open their doors after hours to showcase some of the fabulous work they have gracing their walls. You can expect to see a diverse, eclectic mix of art, affording the opportunity to meet local artists and support their work. Local retail stores are stumbling

through May 12 Noon to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday 6-10 p.m., second Saturday of every month

6-10 p.m., second Saturday of every month, multiple East Nashville galleries

Works by Kate Harrold & Jason Brueck + Jori Lee’s Middle C: Belief

⇾

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

LANE MOTOR MUSEUM

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lanemotormuseum.org 702 Murfreesboro Pike

The Dan Auerbach Collection: Vintage Harley-Davidson Motorcycles from 1937-1950

Opens Thursday, May 10, through May 6, 2019

SHOP LOCAL

THEATER|OPERA NASHVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE presents

Dragons Love Tacos Through May 13

Summer 2018 Drama Camps (Ages 4-18)

May 21-Aug 3 Evenings and weekends are open to the public. nashvillechildrenstheatre.org 25 Middleton St. ∏

THE THEATER BUG presents

The Paper Bag Princess June 21-23, 28-30

thetheaterbug.org 4809 Gallatin Pike ∏

NASHVILLE OPERA presents

Susannah

April 6-8, 8 p.m.

James K. Polk Theater at TPAC nashvilleopera.org 505 Deaderick St.

e

CONCERTS EXIT/IN

exitinn.com 2208 Elliston Place

Lightning 100 Presents: tUnE-yArDs Friday, May 18, 8 p.m.

Dirty Projectors Saturday, May 18, 8 p.m.

Blackfoot Gypsies Saturday, June 2, 8 p.m.

Abbey Road Live Saturday, June 9, 8 p.m.

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

MARATHON MUSIC WORKS marathonmusicworks.com 1402 Clinton St.

Descendents Friday, May 25, 8 p.m.

Lightning 100’s 2018 Half Christmas Beerfest Friday, July 20, 7 p.m.

Musician Spotlights:

Sunday, May 27, 1 p.m.

John England

Paul Kramer

Sunday, June 10, 1 p.m.

Abbey Waterworth

Sunday, June 17, 1 p.m.

Bobby Earle Smith with Kimmie Rhodes

Sunday, June 24, 1 p.m.

Sunday, May 13 1 p.m.

Sunday, May 20, 1 p.m.

Alisa Jones Wall Jerry Navaro

⇾

RYMAN AUDITORIUM ryman.com 116 Fifth Ave. N

Dashboard Confessional Friday, May 11, 7:30 p.m.

Spoon

Sunday, May 13, 7:30 p.m.

Margo Price

Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20, 8 p.m. (with Tyler Chiders) Wednesday, May 23, 8 p.m. (with Coulter Wall)

Bill Maher

Sunday, June 24, 7:30 p.m. ∑

NASHVILLE SYMPHONY nashvillesymphony.org One Symphony Place

Brian Wilson

Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour with the Nashville Symphony, Al Jardine, and Blondie Chaplin

May 10-12, 8 p.m.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert May 24-26, 7 p.m., May 27, 3 p.m.

The Music of Pink Floyd and Light Show with the Nashville Symphony June 16, 8:30 p.m. ∑

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM countrymusichalloffame.org 222 Fifth Ave. S.

Exhibits: Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ’70s

This major exhibition, slated for a minimum three-year run, explores the artistic and cultural exchange between Nashville, Tenn., and Austin, Texas, during the 1970s.

Opens Friday, May 25

Shania Twain Opens Friday, June 20

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EAST SIDE CALENDAR

Film Screenings at the CMA Theater

SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE CENTER

Ozark Jubilee (1955)

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Friday Closed, Sunday and Monday

cmatheater.com 224 5th Ave. S., 615.760.6556

Sunday, May 20, 11 a.m.

Heartworn Highways (1976)

Sunday, June 3, 11 a.m.

Still the One: Live From Vegas

Sunday, June 17, 10:30 a.m.

Film Screening: The Unbroken Circle: A Tribute to Mother Maybelle Carter (1979)

Sunday, May 13, 11 a.m.

Program Pass (free with museum ticket or museum membership) required to guarantee admission. Admission is included with museum ticket or museum membership. Seating is limited.

The Nature Center offers a wide range of nature and environmental education programs and has a Nashville B-Cycle station where residents and visitors can rent a bike to explore Nashville’s greenways. For more information, as well as the online program registration portal, visit: nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/ Nature-Centers-and-Natural-Areas/ Shelby-Bottoms-Nature-Center 1900 Davidson St., 615.862.8539

EVENTS & CLASSES Bike Ride: Migratory Birds at Dusk 7-8:30 p.m., Friday, May 11

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Storytime

2-3 p.m., Wednesday, May 16

All ages, registration required

Young Birder’s 4-H Club 9:30-11:30 a.m., Saturday, May 19 Ages 10-18

Nature Art Festival and Picking Party 12- 3 p.m., Sunday May 19 All ages

Eco Documentary Night 7-9 p.m., Thursday, May 24

All ages, registration required

Fable Friday

11 a.m. to noon, Friday, May 25

Ages 3 and up, registration required

Honeybee Meet & Greet 1-2 p.m., Saturday, May 26 All ages

All ages, registration required

Bird Friendly Coffee Social 8-10 a.m., Saturday, May 12 All ages

RECURRING MINDFULNESS MATTERS

Mindful Connections

6 p.m., Sundays, WeWork

Call it a workout for your mind. A little vocabulary lesson for our readers: Kaizening, a Japanese word meaning continuous improvement. These mindful meetups are shaped around that goal. Tired of cocktail conversations? If you’re searching for some like-minded folks on the path to personal development, here’s your chance to make that connection. You can expect meditation and discussions revolving around personal growth and wellness — think of it as an exercise in community and personal development. If you’re looking for a group of people to bounce these topics around with, drop by one of these free weekly group sessions.

901 Woodland St.

SHOP AROUND SUNDAY

Sundays at Porter East

Noon to 4 p.m., First Sunday of every month, Shops at Porter East The Shops at Porter East open their doors the first Sunday of every month for a special parking lot party. You can expect to enjoy a selection of rotating food trucks (and a flower truck), fixups from Ranger Stitch, and occasionally catch some good tunes. Amelia’s 96

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Flower Truck will let you build your own bouquet while Ranger Stich weaves some amazing chain stitch on your favorite denim.

700 Porter Road

RINC, Y’ALL

Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance

Sundays at DancEast:

2-2:30 p.m., Beginner Class; 2-3 p.m., Intermediate/Advanced Soft Shoe Class; 3-4 p.m., Intermediate/Advanced Hard Shoe Class

M ondays at Eastwood Christian Church: 5-5:30 p.m., Beginner Class; 5-6 p.m., Intermediate/Advanced Class

You’re never too young — or too old — to kick out the Gaelic jams with some Irish Step dancing. No experience, or partner, required.

Just you, some enthusiasm, and a heart of gold will have you dancing in the clover before you can say “leprechaun.”

DancEast

danceast.org 805 Woodland St., Ste. 314, 615.601.1897

Eastwood Christian Church, Fellowship Hall 1601 Eastland Ave., 615.300.4388

ANSWER ME THIS Trivia Nights

Design Center PTO, so you can feel good about giving back to your neighborhood while schmoozing with your fellow East Nashvillians. lockelandtable.com 1520 Woodland St., 615.228.4864

SHOUT! SHIMMY! SHAKE! Motown Mondays

9:30 p.m. until close, Mondays, The 5 Spot

For those looking to hit the dance floor on Monday nights, The 5 Spot’s Motown Mondays dance party is the place to be.

This shindig, presented by Electric Western, keeps it real with old-school soul, funk, and R&B. If you have two left feet, then snag a seat at the bar. They have two-for-one drink specials, so you can use the money you save on a cover to fill your cup. Get up and get down and go see why their motto is “Monday is the new Friday.” motownmondays.club 1006 Forrest Ave., 615.650.9333

TELL ME A STORY East Side Storytellin’

7 p.m., first and third Tuesdays, The Post East

Looking for something to get your creative

juices flowing? East Side Story has partnered with WAMB radio to present an all-out affair with book readings, musical performances, and author/musician interviews in just one evening. Look for this event twice each month.

If you want some adult beverages, feel free to BYOB. Check the website to see who the guests of honor will be for each performance.

The event is free, but you may want to reserve a spot by calling ahead of time.

The Post East

theposteast.com 1701 Fatherland St., Ste. A, 615.457.2920

East Side Story

eastsidestorytn.com 615.915.1808

GET YOUR GREEN ON Engage Green

First Wednesday of each month, locations vary

Tap into your eco-consciousness every month when Urban Green Lab and Lightning 100’s Team Green Adventures join forces for Engage Green. Join these enviro-crusaders for a discussion that highlights government agencies, businesses, and organizations that practice sustainability. They will provide you with info on these trends and a way to make them an affordable and a convenient part of your own

8 p.m., each week, various locations East Siders, if you’re one of the sharper tools in the shed (or not, it’s no matter to us), stop by one of these East Side locales to test your wits at trivia. They play a few rounds, with different categories for each question. There might even be some prizes for top-scoring teams, but remember: Nobody likes a sore loser.

Drifter’s Edley’s BBQ East Lipstick Lounge (7:30 p.m.)

Wednesday Noble’s Kitchen and Beer Hall The Mainstay (7 p.m.)

Thursday 3 Crow Bar

Monday Tuesday

BRING IT TO THE TABLE

Community Hour at Lockeland Table

4-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, Lockeland Table

Lockeland Table is cooking up family-friendly afternoons to help you break out of the house or away from that desk for a couple of hours.

Throughout the week, they host a community happy hour that includes a special snack and drink menu, as well as a menu just for the kiddies.

A portion of all proceeds benefits Lockeland May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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life. You can expect an hour-long presentation or demonstration with a fun, hands-on component. Green looks good on you! urbangreenlab.org

TRANSFORMING AT THE POST Free Conscious

Transformation Groups

7-8:30 p.m., second Wednesday of every month, The Post East

Looking for a supportive environment to focus on your professional and personal development? These monthly meetings offer a place to focus on conscious transformation teaching, tools, and meditation practices to promote and home in on a plan of action to

support your transformation. The meetings are led by Energy Healer Ben Dulaney. Think of it as conscious coupling with other likeminded folks. theposteast.com 1701 Fatherland St., Ste. A, 615.457.2920

ART IS FOR EVERYONE John Cannon Fine Art Classes

1-3 p.m., Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays The Idea Hatchery

If you’ve been filling in coloring-book pages for years, but you’re too intimidated to put actual paint to canvas, it might be time to give it a try. Local artist John Cannon teaches intimate art classes at The Idea Hatchery, and the small class size keeps the sessions low-pressure and allows for some one-on-one instruction.

If you’re feeling like you could be the next Matisse with a little guidance, sign yourself up. johncannonart.com 1108-C Woodland St., 615.496.1259

WALK, EAT, REPEAT Walk Eat Nashville

1:30 p.m., Thursdays; 11 a.m., Fridays, 5 Points

What better way to indulge in the plethora of East Nashville eateries than a walking tour through the tastiest stops? Walk Eat Nashville tours stroll through East Nashville, kicking off in 5 Points, with six tasting stops over three hours.

You will walk about 1.5 miles, so you’ll burn some of those calories you’re consuming in the process.

This tour offers the chance to interact with the people and places crafting Nashville’s culinary scene. You even get a little history lesson along the way, learning about landmarks and lore on the East Side. Sign up for your tour online. walkeatnashville.com Corner of 11th and Woodland Streets 615.587.6138

FIND YOUR STATION Songwriters Night at The Station

7 p.m., third Thursday of every month, The Engine Bay of The Station

They’re not fighting fires anymore, but the folks at The Station are on to something hot.

Every third Thursday, they host a writer’s round of local musicians. You can check the monthly lineup at facebook.com/ TheStationNashville/. Tip: There is limited parking behind the building, but overflow parking is available across the street at Eastland Baptist Church. thestationnashville.com 1220 Gallatin Ave.

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HONESTLY, OFFICER ...

East Nashville Crime Prevention Meeting

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursdays, Turnip Truck Join your neighbors to talk about crime stats, trends, and various other issues with East Precinct’s Commander David Imhof and head of investigation Lt. Greg Blair.

If you are new to the East Side, get up to speed on criminal activity in the area.

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS & EVENTS

HISTORIC EDGEFIELD NEIGHBORS

Board Meeting 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 22

Turnip Truck Business Meeting 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 29 East Park Community Center Board Meeting 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 19 Turnip Truck

historicedgefieldneighbors.com 700 Woodland St. ⇾

East Precinct

615.862.7600

Turnip Truck

701 Woodland St., 615.650.3600

CAN’T FORCE A DANCE PARTY Queer Dance Party

9 p.m. to 3 a.m., third Friday of every month, The Basement East

On any given month, the QDP is a mixed bag of fashionably clad attendees (some in the occasional costume) dancing till they can’t dance no mo’. The dance party has migrated over to The Beast, which gives shakers and movers even more space to cut up. Shake a leg, slurp down some of the drink specials, and let your true rainbow colors show. thebasementnashville.com 917 Woodland St., 615.645.9174

PICKIN’ YOUR BRUNCH Bluegrass Brunch

10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays, The Post East

What could make brunch even better, you might ask? Bluegrass. For a pickin’ and grinnin’ kind of meal, join the folks at The Post East. Every Satuday they’ll have some jammers their to compliment their toast.

Scope their menu out online and see who will be serenading each weekend.

1701 Fatherland St.

ONCE UPON A TIME… Weekly Storytime

10 a.m., Saturdays, Her Bookshop Her Bookshop has a story to tell to us each and every Saturday. Once a week, they sit down for a good old-fashioned storytime for the bookish kiddos of the East Side. They occasionally have special guests stop in the shop for these readings — you’ll learn more about that on their website. One thing is certain, this makes for some solid Saturday plans for our wee bibliophiles. herbookshop.com 1043 W. Eastland Ave., 615.484.5420

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lightning 100's

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2 015 201 6 2017 2018

: Moon Taxi : Hightide Blues : Eastern Block : Roots Of A Rebellion : LuLu Mae : Phin : Smooth Hound Smith : Mountains Like Wax : The Voodoo Fix : ???????

winner gets a slot at live on the green entries due may 11

submit your band at lightning100.com 100

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LOCKELAND SPRINGS N.A.

Date and time tba

lockelandsprings.org 1701 Fatherland St.

SHELBY HILLS N.A.

6:30 p.m., third Monday of every month Shelby Community Center shelbyhills.org 401 S. 20th St.

MAXWELL HEIGHTS N.A.

6 p.m., second Monday of every month Metro Police East Precinct 936 E. Trinity Lane

ROLLING ACRES NEIGHBORS

6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of every other month Eastwood Christian Church (Sanctuary) 1601 Eastland Ave.

EASTWOOD NEIGHBORS

Business Meeting: 6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 12 Eastwood Christian Church eastwoodneighbors.org 1601 Eastland Ave.

GREENWOOD N.A.

Meeting times and dates TBA Metro Police East Precinct

East Nashville business owners to promote collaboration with neighborhood associations and city government. Check the association’s website to learn about the organization and where meetings will be held each quarter. eastnashville.org

♕

Would you like to have something included in our East Side Calendar?

Please let us know — we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us at:

calendar@theeastnashvillian.com

MOMS Club of East Nashville

Monthly business meetings at 10 a.m., first Friday of every month, location varies by group

MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club is an international organization of mothers with four branches in the East Nashville area.

It provides a support network for mothers to connect with other EN mothers. The meetings are open to all mothers in the designated area.

Meetings host speakers, cover regular business items of the organization including upcoming service initiatives and activities, and also allow women to discuss the ins and outs, ups and downs of being a mother. Check their website for the MOMS group in your area. momsclubeast.blogspot.com

fin.

greenwoodneighbors.org 936 E. Trinity Lane

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS N.A.

6 p.m., third Thursday of every month Trinity Community Commons 204 E. Trinity Lane

CLEVELAND PARK N.A.

6:30 p.m., second Thursday of every month Cleveland Park Community Center

facebook.com/groups/Cleveland Park 610 N. Sixth St.

INGLEWOOD N.A.

7 p.m., first Thursday of every month Isaac Litton Alumni Center inglewoodrna.org 4500 Gallatin Pike

MCFERRIN N.A.

6:30 p.m., first Thursday of every month McFerrin Park Community Center 301 Berry St.

ROSEBANK NEIGHBORS

6:30 p.m., third Thursday of every month Memorial Lutheran Church 1211 Riverside Drive

HENMA

Dates and locations vary

Historic East Nashville Merchant’s Association (HENMA) is a cooperative formed among May|June 2018 theeastnashvillian.com

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Misty Waters Petak M.S., CFPÂŽ, CLUÂŽ Financial Advisor (615) 479-6415 mistypetak.nm.com

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East of NORMAL ⟿ by Tommy Womack ⟿

I

Gimme, Gimme Some Ned

get to write pretty much what I want to in this column. It’s a beautiful thing. I thought this issue I’d tell you of an artist I know and love who’s paid his dues and then some. Hell, he’s paid other people’s dues. I pitched him for the cover story this issue. Didn’t happen. And I was aggressive about the pitch, too. I’m only assertive once every six months, so when I try to be that way I always overdo it.

Ned Hill. Heard of him? I didn’t think so. Well he’s a terrific songwriter and performer who has been paying dirt-scratching dues in Music City in for nigh on 30 years — ever since he left his Kentucky homeland for Nashville, formed a band, made several records with his first band here in town, The Cowards, and several more (occasionally brilliant) ones with the recently defunct Ned Van Go. He is now a solo artist and just dropped his first album under his own flag, Six Feet Above the Ground, produced by the great Dave Coleman and boasting a sound and focus like no record he’s ever done before. There’s even a string section.

It’s good — really good — and if you’ve never checked him out (which is likely), this is a great place to start.

Part of Ned’s charm has always been his fatal flaws. He has no love for the music business and has often appeared to embrace a Replacements-style fatalism, which is great for your image and little else. He did get a break back in ’93 when somebody at Warner Chappell took an interest in him. I played on the sessions. It turned out good. I don’t know what happened with all that.

But playing with session musicians back then was something distasteful for Ned. He was a good 35-years-old by then and instead of making something happen as a solo singer/songwriter, he still wanted a real band, one that doesn’t change members from gig to gig, a loud, fun, rock & roll-meets-Americana band. For Ned, a band still means jamming in the basement, putting

up posters on poles, drinking beer at rehearsal and more beer at the gig. And that’s the path he followed from ’93 on.

First, he formed The Cowards, who were full of humor and released a couple of records. Then came Ned Van Go. Ned never cared much about money. Ned Van Go would hit the road Friday afternoon after he got off work, drive straight through to Detroit, play a dive for the door, and drive straight back for work Monday morning. They did that for Texas runs, too.

His voice can convey great-unguarded emotion, as in the tender-tough “Marry a Waitress,” and hilarity in the rocking bane of his existence for 30 years, “We Just Wanna Get Laid Laid Laid.” But Ned’s foot took a self-inflicted bullet with the fact that Ned Van Go was loud as fuck. So many people in clubs have heard Ned Hill’s songs incompletely because his voice didn’t get above the din.

Ned has had his moments of nihilism. I played in his band about 15 years ago for a brief while, and we were playing a multi-band festival at Butchertown Pub in Louisville.

In the center of the room was a big circular stone fountain spurting water into the air with a foot or so of water in the bottom. We were playing a song called “Elizabeth” — not one of Ned’s best. Eight minutes in the key of A. After about six long minutes of this thing, Ned dove off the stage, ran straight across the room, did a half-gainer into the fountain, swam around, dunked himself under, and tossed handfuls of water into the air. We held on to our limpid jamming for a minute or so until the song petered out, with Ned soaked to the bone and knowing that the half-gainer into the fountain was exactly what the show needed at that moment.

Ned is playing The 5 Spot on May 12th. His latest and best ever CD, Six Feet Above the Ground, is available.

Go see his show. It’s high time.

Tommy Womack is a Nashville singersongwriter, musician, and freelance writer.

Keep up with his antics on Facebook and at tommywomack.com.

☕

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KJ@nashvillebikefun.com | (615) 763-3788 | nashvillebikefun.com

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PARTING SHOT

MARGO PRICE

Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge April 9, 2018 Photograph 106

by

Alysse Gafkjen

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www.GraffitiIndoorAd.com

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