Let’s Go Honky Tonkin’

The most well known area of Nashville is a five-block strip where Broadway intersects with 2nd Avenue, and features music flowing out of almost every door. When people think of Nashville, they think of Honky Tonks, where for several for several decades, musicians and songwriters have gathered to share ideas and perform their music live.

The most famous of all would be Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, where Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Nashville’s inner circle of songwriters used to hang out in the upstairs back room. It wasn’t an uncommon sight to see country music performers begging for songs to record over on Music Row.

Nowadays, Tootsie’s back room is open (as well as the front), and bands play on both ends constantly.  There is a link on the website to set up band auditions, but realize that you will be playing at least 90% covers. It’s not all country – bands will mix in “Back in Black,” “I Want You To Want Me” and Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” with songs like “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.”

The most traditional club, Robert’s Western World, started out as Robert’s Western Wear and was originally home to Sho-Bud Guitars. This is where Eric Clapton bought six Stratocasters (for $100 each) back in 1970 and combined the best of three to build the famous “Blackie,”  his most well known guitar.

Robert’s is famous for hosting The Don Kelley Band, the band that every new country guitarist wants to play in; having spawned several of Nashville’s finest such as Brent Mason, Kenny Vaughan and Johnny Hiland. Currently, J.D. Simo is the guitarist in the hot seat. He has been written about in Vintage Guitar and has a blues power trio that records and performs at indie clubs off Lower Broad.

Both sides of Broadway (“Lower Broad”) have been growing in the number of clubs almost monthly. There are twice as many Honky Tonks as there were just three years ago. New clubs have been going into old historic buildings and appear to have been there for years, when in actuality they have just been reclaiming vintage spaces for for use as modern venues.

It’s not all country, with BB King’s, The Rock Bar and other new venues opening in the district in the last few years. Paradise Park is one of the best places to get your band started.

Second Fiddle, which was featured in the Gwyneth Paltrow movie Country Strong, has a great sound system and big room. Martin McDaniel, from the band Alabama, plays there regularly when not opening for country acts out on the road. It gives him the opportunity to keep tight while playing for tips. Martin will throw in “Cold Shot,” “Rosanna” and even a little Hendrix “Little Wing” in the set along with Merle Haggard standards.

There is typically no cover charge at the door for many Honky Tonks. Bands work for tips and send around a tip jar about every half hour. A band’s pay depends on how many crowd favorites they play. Lower Broad is a great place to work on stage presentation and musicianship.

Lower Broad is also a tourist haven, with lifelong country fans returning to their Mecca as well as business conference patrons who constantly flow in and out of Nashville. Locals don’t frequent the area as much, unless celebrating a birthday or reaching legal drinking age.

Nashville’s Honky Tonks are where musicians can build their chops, while getting studio work and possibly finding a touring gig as a sideman. One can make a career out of street performing like Mike Susser, who can play anything from Bluegrass to Metallica’s “One” on his mandolin. Nashville is full of great sites and sounds for music fans and visitors, and the city’s historic Honky Tonks are a wonderful place to have fun, hear some great music and get a real sense of Nashville’s flavor.

Recommended Honky Tonks

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

The Rock Bar

Second Fiddle

Robert’s Western World

Paradise Park