Tag Archives: Nashville

Kenny Chesney – Up Close and Connected

28 Mar

Kenny Chesney opened his latest tour in Nashville, and we were lucky enough to get tickets. When I say tickets, I am not talking about just any tickets. My wife could reach out and touch the stage. Of course, that is a great thing because she is a huge fan of Kenny.

Looking at the circumstances, I can understand why she thinks that way.

He was born in 1968, and I was born in 1968.

He is a native of Tennessee, and I am a native of Tennessee.

He is a huge fan of the University of Tennessee, and I am a huge fan of the University of Tennessee.

He suffers from a lack of hair, and I suffer from a lack of hair.

Heck, we are basically the same person. The only differences are his talent, money, fame and the feeling of having thousands of people scream when he walks in the room.

The concert opened with a cool video based on a Voodoo theme. Then, Kenny and his band came out and played for over three hours. Those hours were filled with constant music and little talk. There is nothing worse than going to a concert and have them talk through half of it.

Anyway, it was an awesome show that was made more awesome by where we sat. My wife was able to get some great pictures.

Here is one of Kenny singing from his knees. I supposed that is tougher than singing while standing up.image-25

There is also one with Kenny and one of his guitarists. It was cool to see this guy play up close.image-26

Those are great, but my favorite part of the show was when Kenny brought out a special guest.image-27

Joe Walsh is one of the all-time great guitarists and played some classics. In fact, the entire show ended with a miniature Joe Walsh concert. Once Joe was finished doing his thing, Kenny made a final walk around the stage, and it all came to an end.

I have seen Kenny Chesney in concert before and was not impressed. However, this was one of the better concerts I have seen.

My only complaint? For the band introductions, they covered “Whole Lotta Rosie” by AC/DC, and the crowd did not seem to know what it was. Who does not know an AC/DC song when they hear it?

I guess that is more of a complaint about the ignorance of the crowd. The concert was great. Of course, other factors could have been kicking in. It may have been the seats. It may have been the appearance of Joe Walsh. Heck, it may have been my karmic connection to Kenny. After all, we are practically the same person.

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The Power of 601

6 Mar

Number 601.

It is hard to believe that I have written that many posts. Part of me is proud of the accomplishment. Another part of me is thinking about all of the other stuff I could have been doing instead of writing. Nevertheless, blogging is something that I enjoy doing, and I will keep on writing as the number of posts keeps going up.

As an honor the publication of Number 601, I Googled that number to see what popped up.

It is the area code for Natchez, Mississippi, an interesting town that saw its heyday before the Civil War. It is filled with antebellum mansions and sits at the southern tip of the Natchez Trace. From there, the road goes to Nashville. In the days before boats could go against the current of the Mississippi River, boatmen returned home on that route.

Number 601 was also the error message displayed on the computer in The Andromeda Strain. The 1971 movie is about an alien virus that finds its way to Earth.Andromeda

Form I-601 is an Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility. Yeah, I do not understand that, either. The Official Website of the Department of Homeland Security says the following:

If you are inadmissible to the United States and are seeking an immigrant visa, adjustment of status, certain nonimmigrant statuses or certain other immigration benefits, you must file this form to seek a waiver of certain grounds of inadmissibility. Please refer to the instructions to determine whether you should use this form.

Understand?

The house at 601 Lynnwood Boulevard in Nashville recently sold for $1.1 million.

The house at 601 Freedom Court in Nashville recently sold for $165,000.

Different neighborhoods I reckon.

The Liteville 601 MK 3 is a bicycle looks like it could get you up one mountain and down another.Bike

In the Dewey Decimal system, books about Philosophy and Theory can be found under 601. With the Google Decimal system, I theorize that few people know how the Dewey Decimal system works.

The 601 Bar and Grill is in Fullerton, California and bills itself as a “blue collar establishment” that offers all day Happy Hours. That makes for a lot of happiness.

Viktor Mora and Naccarati have an interesting song called “601” that is an Electronic Dance Club kind of thing.

Certainly, there are a lot of other things association with 601. However, I have spent over 601 second messing with this. It is time to stop.

 

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As Memories of Houston’s Fade

24 Feb

During our time in Arizona, we found Houston’s, a restaurant that can be described as upscale and casual. This caught our attention because Nashville was home to the first Houston’s. It was founded by people who had worked at other restaurants in the city and was one of the most popular places in town. It was a great place to go on a date or to hang out with friends in the bar.

The success of the Nashville location led to an expansion into other cities, and, before long, there was a chain. At some point, the ownership moved the headquarters to Beverly Hills and decided to close the original location. A lot of people believed that the owners had come to the conclusion that Houston’s was too good for Nashville. After all, hanging out with movie stars must be better than hanging out with country music stars.

For old times sake, we decided to have dinner at the Houston’s in Scottsdale. The atmosphere was similar to what we remembered, and I ordered my old favorite.Menu

However, we were disappointed in the food. It was not as good as we remembered, and, frankly, there are a bunch of restaurants in Nashville that are better.

It has been ten years since Houston’s left Nashville, and the city has changed considerably during that time. It has grown into a truly cosmopolitan city with a diverse population. That diverse population has differing tastes, and there are restaurants for everyone. In fact, Nashville has become a foodie destination, and some of the nation’s more prominent chefs have created restaurants within its borders.

I have no idea how long this restaurant trend will last, but, after revisiting Houston’s, I have come to a conclusion. The owners had it backwards. Houston’s is not too good for Nashville. Instead, Nashville is too good for Houston’s.

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Observations of the Apocalypse

29 Jan

I was checking the locks before going to bed and saw a slip of paper stuck in the front door. It was a pamphlet, and its haunting title stared back at me.

Will This World Survive?

I usually throw this stuff away, but something made me keep this one. Was it a sudden fascination with the apocalypse? Not really. I thought it might make an interesting blog post. A few minutes ago, I read it and came up with a few observations.End

1. Whoever left the paper in our door is dedicated to the cause. It is cold out there, and they certainly left one at every house. I am not sure about this apocalypse stuff, but I have to admire their dedication to making sure everyone knows about it.

2. Is this something that happens in other parts of the country, or is it a southern thing? We live in the buckle of the Bible Belt and having someone stop by the house to talk religion is not unusual. I wonder if it happens in places that are not as fundamentalist as here.

Now, a break for some apocalyptic trivia. A lot of people know about Nashville’s music industry. However, few people know that Nashville is also home to a large printing industry. In fact, Nashville prints more religious material than any other city. Oh yeah, it also prints more pornography than any other city.

3. The first sentence states the following – “No other generation has heard so much talk about the end of the world.” I guess that is true, but predicting the end of the world is not something new. I think back to the Millerites in the 1840s. They were convinced that the end was near. When it did not happen, some fulfilled the prophecy by committing suicide.

4. The pamphlet lists the ways in which the world may reach its demise. It contains the usual suspects – nuclear holocaust, pollution, economic chaos. However, it did not mention the current apocalyptic fad. Everyone knows that the world will end with a zombie apocalypse. Anything that leaves that out is not considering all of the possibilities.

5. There are passages about Noah and the flood. Humanity went off the rails and a cleansing was needed. The waters covered the wicked, and Noah was left to repopulate the world. It continues by saying something that I have heard in many sermons. The next cleansing will be with fire. That could be a nuclear fire, but I would bet on an issue with the sun. Whether by bomb or sun, that is going to be a cleansing that is hard to survive.

6. At this point, the pamphlet delves into history. There are a few sentences about a sign. Then, there is mention of the First World War. I got from this that the sign and World War I have something in common. In essence, the apocalypse began in 1914. It was supposed to be the “War That Ends All Wars.” Turns out, it was the war that ended everything.

7. What has happened in the last hundred years to prove that the end is near?

War has raged, and hunger has killed millions

Earthquakes have killed more people in the past hundred years than in the centuries before. Of course, there have been large cities built on fault lines.

Diseases, starting with the Spanish Flu, have ravaged populations.

Streets are filled with lawlessness and chaos.

In short, all of the signs are there.

8. The pamphlet was last updated in 2005. Has anything happened in the last 10 years to change course? I guess that is why zombies were left out.

9. This world will surely come to an end. At some point, our sun will die, and the planet will die with it. Hopefully, humanity will be able to escape with technology. However, they may not be the case. We may go the way to the dinosaurs and other creatures that have inhabited this place.

However, people have been looking for the end of the world since there has been people. The Millerites did it, and plenty of others did it before and after them. Sadly, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy for many. Today, I read about a young family that was found dead because the parents had become obsessed with the end of the world. For them and their children, it ended with poison.

The apocalypse cannot be predicted because the signs are always there. Heck, everyone who has ever predicted his has been wrong. War, hunger, natural disasters, disease and crime are tragedies that have always been with us. Instead of looking for signs, we should be looking for ways to fix them.

I avoid writing about religion, and I do not mean for this to be about that subject. I am saying that we should not focus on the world ending. We should focus on fixing it.

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My iPod Has Issues – The Weekend That Was

20 Jan

Over the past few days, the weather has been unusually warm, and we took the opportunity to get out and about. The long weekend has spent doing things other than sitting at home.

On Friday night, we had a nice meal at a Greek restaurant and saw American Sniper. The theater was packed, and the first two showings were sold out. We bought tickets and hung out in the lobby until our screen was ready. When I write that the place was packed, I am not kidding. The teenagers taking tickets were overwhelmed, and the police officer working security had to help them. It was obvious that the movie would make a ton of money.

On Saturday night, we helped celebrate the 50th birthday of a friend. We had a great meal at a place called Urban Grub. Then, everyone started talking about going to the honky-tonk bars for which Nashville is famous. We were not up for loud music and loud crowds and headed home. The next morning, we learned that none of them went to the bars. I guess people who go to 50th birthday parties have barks that are bigger than their bites.

On Sunday, we had brunch at Sammy B’s, a local restaurant in an old woolen mill. The entire complex has been renovated, and there are a few businesses inside. However, the restaurant is probably the most popular.

After brunch, we went on a drive through the country. We like a country drive every so often and try to pick different routes. On this drive, we went past a farm that Paul McCartney called home for a few months in the early 1970s. We also stopped at a country store looking for fried peach pies. Unfortunately, we had to settle for candy bars.

Today, we went back to Nashville and had lunch at Burger Up, a place where burger does not adequately describe what you are getting. Then, we walked down the street to Jeni’s Ice Creams. This place is the bomb.

Tonight, we went to Gondola Italian Restaurant, an old staple for us, to celebrate my brother’s birthday. He is ten years older, which means that his current membership in AARP represents my future.

Wait, I just realized. We went to two birthday dinners, and there was not a birthday cake at either one.Cake

Anyway, that is the weekend that was. I know it is not exciting. To add something to the mix, here are a few selections from my iPod.

“Take California” by Propellerheads

“Memphis Exorcism” by Squirrel Nut Zippers

“Waterloo” by Stonewall Jackson

“Paranoid Android” by Radiohead

“Chill in the Air” by Amos Lee

“69 Police” by David Holmes

“The Chokin’ Kind” by Joe Simon

“Spanish Harlem” by Ben E. King

“My Little Home in Tennessee” by Mac Wiseman

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

“Endless Black Ribbon” by Tiny Harris

“Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent

“Don’t Say You Don’t Remember” by Beverly Bremers

“Piece of My Heart” by Big Brother and the Holding Company

“Cripple Creek” by The Dillards

“Go Speed Racer Go” by Sponge

“Lose Yourself” by Eminem

“The Harder They Come” by Jimmy Cliff

“Love, Love, Love” by Ted Jarrett

“Jack of Diamonds” by Nevada Slim

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What is the South?

16 Jan

This semester, my colleague is teaching Southern U.S. History, and, on the first day, he asked his students to answer a simple question – what is the South? As it turns out, the question is not as simple as it appears, and the students have been trying to answer it for a couple of days.Question

I have been listening to the discussion as it takes place outside of my office door, and it has brought to mind a blog that I recently read. The person wrote about how they wanted to visit a southern city because they had never been to one. They had been to New Orleans but did not think that counted. The Big Easy was too diverse to be truly southern.

I was taken aback by the blog because New Orleans is one of the most southern of cities. Apparently, the blogger thought that a southern city should be a place where people put on their camouflage caps and rebel flag t-shirts; hop into their pickup trucks; and crank up the country music station.

Of course, those people exist. However, the South is more than that. It has different geography. It had different foods. People speak with different accents. In short, the South is a diverse region, and New Orleans is a perfect example of that.

However, that does not answer the question that was asked of the students. What is the South? Well, it is a matter of perspective. It depends on area. It depends on race. It depends on the person who is answering the question.

Obviously, people have different opinions about the South. Some think of its faults, and others think of its more positive qualities. I can only think about it from my point of view. When I answer the question, this is what I come up with.

The South is:

drinking sweet tea.

having people from other parts of the country make fun of your accent when their accents are just as strange.

the Blues.

reading Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner.

not being able to live without air conditioning.

eating black-eyed peas and hog jowl on New Year’s Day.

driving on country roads on a Sunday afternoon.

being washed in the blood.

hiking the trails of the Great Smoky Mountains.

eating baloney on crackers with a little hot sauce on top.

growing up as a non-football player in a region that worships football players.

going to college football games and worshipping players on a Saturday afternoon.

listening to the Allman Brothers and the Marshall Tucker Band.

feeling shame when watching film of Bull Connor’s forces using fire hoses and dogs on protestors.

saying I want a Coke when ordering a soft drink and knowing that someone who calls it pop is from somewhere else.

attending a NASCAR race and thinking I could do that.

driving the Natchez Trace from Nashville to Natchez.

going to church and having a “dinner on the ground.”

walking in the footsteps of Elvis at Graceland.

drinking Jack Daniels.

eating at a locally owned Meat and Three.

greeting strangers as you walk past them.

knowing that the region has had some serious issues.

being proud of where I live despite knowing about those problems because there are some great things about it, too.

To me, that is the South.

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Celebrations of Yesteryear

1 Jan

Last night, we spent a low-key evening playing games and doing everything we could to stay up until midnight. It was a fun celebration of the new year, but my mind kept going back to a celebration that took place twenty-five years ago.

My college roommates and I threw a huge party at our apartment. To protect the guilty, I will not recount the gory details of the gathering, but it would make a good movie to be shown in some art house theater.

There were two parts of the party that can fit a family blog and provide examples of that night. First, most of the furniture ended up in the backyard. Second, I spent the strike of midnight convincing a girl not to kill her boyfriend.

As I thought back to that night, I thought about where I was on other nights of the yearly eve, Honestly, I cannot remember most of them. That is either a result of inebriation or old age. However, a few of the nights come in clearly.New Year

One New Year’s Eve was spent at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Those were the days when my favorite football team played in a New Year’s Day bowl every year. We watched fireworks that night and watched fireworks on the field the next day.

Traveling to a football game also took me to the streets of Phoenix, Arizona on a warm December night. My friend, who was also hosted the famous party, and I stumbled down the sidewalks with 200,000 other people. Luckily, we ran into Larry, who you have read about a couple of times, and he got us to our hotel.

Football games have also led me to less festive locales. One New Year’s Eve was spent in a Waffle House in north Georgia. The greatest memory of that night was one of my traveling companions complaining about the iced tea. According to him, it tasted like urine. Of course, he used a different term.

The New Year’s Eve on of Waikiki Beach was a lot better than the one in north Georgia. Everyone sat in the sand while fireworks blasted over the Pacific Ocean. The only problem was that we had to drive across the island to our beach house and almost got lost.

There have been many memorable New Year’s celebrations. However, none of them compare to the party at Citizen, a private club in Nashville. At one of their parties, I spent New Year’s Eve with my future wife. Since then, every celebration of the coming year has been awesome.

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Observations from a Justin Timberlake Concert

22 Dec

Justin Timberlake brought his tour to Nashville, and we went to see him. My wife saw him because she thinks he is one of the greatest humans on the planet. I saw him because my wife thinks he is one of the greatest humans on the planet. I also saw him because he is one of those people who I think a concert addict should see.

The arena was packed, and no one was disappointed. Justin Timberlake is an extraordinary entertainer who can sing, dance and make the crowd feel like they are part of the show. Everything about his band was great. Horns. Backup singers. Dancers. Everyone on stage was top-notch. It was an event more than it was a concert. It was one of those shows that brings out the Who’s Who of the Nashville music industry.

I did not know many of the songs and was lost when he asked the crowd to sing along, but even an old AC/DC fan like me got caught up in the excitement.

With all of that being written, I came away from the concert with a few observations.

1. The 15th row is a great place to sit. When I made up my mind to get tickets, I wanted them to be good and ended up getting them through a package. We had to pick up the tickets at the door and had no idea where they would be. They ended up being in the middle of all the action. We were surrounded by lights and sound.image-18

2. Most of the women dressed as if Justin Timberlake could see them from the stage and, if they look good enough, get invited to leave the arena with him. They must have forgotten that there is a woman named Jessica Biel.

3. On the subject of being seen from the stage, there was a woman in front of us who kept holding up a sign. There were several fancy signs that people had spent a great deal of time making. They lit up. They said cool things. They were close to the stage where he could see them.

The woman in front of us made the sign after she got to the show. On the back of a white poster, she wrote “Grizzlies” with a pen. Justin Timberlake is one of the owners of the Memphis Grizzlies. It was not a sign that he was going to notice, but she was determined to hold it up.

Her friend, realizing that it was blocking the view of others, asked her to take it down. When she refused, the friend forced her to take it down. The woman who made the sign sat down and did not stand up for the rest of the show.

The sign lady was obviously inebriated, and that brings a question to my mind. If someone is blasted at a concert, then have they really been to the concert? People have told me that concerts and other moments in life are better experienced in an altered state. To those people, I say you are full of crap. I will experience concerts and other moments in life with my senses running at their naturally sharp state.

4. Justin Timberlake kept saying how happy he was to be in Tennessee and how it is his favorite state. Every performer says that wherever they are. However, I think he really meant it. After all, he is a native Tennessean, and his band is called the Tennessee Kids. We can excuse the fact that he is from Memphis.

5. He also talked about how great it was to be in the Country Music Capital of the World and fell into the trap that a lot of performers find themselves in. He invited a country artist to the stage. I cannot count all of the concerts I have attended where some local artist joined in on a song. Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it does not. The greatest sacrilege was when Vince Gill played guitar alongside Eric Clapton.

Anyway, Justin Timberlake was joined by Garth Brooks. Granted, Garth was a superstar of the last century, but he looked like some bum who walked in off the street. Carrie Underwood was at the concert. I think she would have fit in better with the style of the show.image-19

6. At one point, Justin Timberlake made his way to the center of the arena in one of the coolest ways possible. Half of the stage lifted him up and carried him there. That is when he offered up a few tributes to fallen stars. First, he sang an Elvis Presley song and asked everyone to remember his greatness. Then, he sang a Michael Jackson song and asked everyone to remember him.

On the surface, this made sense. He, like Elvis, is from Memphis and was probably influenced by the presence of his memory. Also, he has probably been influenced by Michael Jackson’s style of performing. He dances. He sings. He is a complete performer.

However, I had the feeling that something else was going on. Elvis was the King of Rock and Roll. Michael was the King of Pop. It could be that Justin wants to be considered the King of whatever today’s music is called. It is a lofty goal but one that I feel he cannot reach.

Elvis was a groundbreaking performer who brought something new to the eyes and ears of the masses. Michael was doing things that his contemporaries could not compete with. Although Justin is an awesome performer, I get the feeling that other performers can put on just as great a show.

None of this is to disparage the show. Justin Timberlake performed one of the best concerts I have ever seen. He is an awesome performer, and I am glad that we got to see him. There are a few people I would see more than once, and he is one of them.

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Nashville Travelogue

18 Dec

The other day, I published a post about visiting the Johnny Cash Museum and got a response from Lunar Euphoria. A trip to Nashville is in the works, and the museum has been added to the list of things to do. Then, the question was raised, “Anything else there I should know about?”

I promised a reply but decided to put it down in a post. It is not an exhaustive list, and I will certainly forget some stuff. However, these are some of the places people should visit when they come to Nashville.Nashville Skyline

Nashville is known as Music City, and music can be found everywhere. Chances are that your waiter can sing better than most of the people on the radio. Here are some of my musical suggestions.

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge – It sits in the heart of the tourist trap that is Lower Broad. However, it has an interesting history. Performers on the Grand Ole Opry used to saunter into the bar between their appearances on the show.

The Bluebird Cafe – Songwriters sit in the round and play their songs. They also talk about how they came up with the songs.

3rd and Lindsley – It is not a tourist destination, but it is the home of The Time Jumpers, a group of studio musicians who have become a legendary Western Swing band.

The Ryman Auditorium – The original home of the Grand Ole Opry is known as the “Mother Church of Country Music” and is open for backstage tours. It does not matter who you see perform at the Ryman. Hearing music in that venue is an experience unto itself.

Third Man Records – Nashville is not just about country music. To see what I mean, stop by Third Man Records, owned by Jack White. He lives in Nashville along with a lot of other people who most would find surprising.

The Country Music Hall of Fame – This is one of my favorite places in Nashville. The permanent exhibits follow the history of country music. The special exhibits focus on interesting people and interesting times. Oh yeah, get the package that includes a tour of Studio B.

Nashville is also becoming known as a food city. Chefs from throughout the nation are opening restaurants, and it is a haven for foodies. Of course, we have the good old southern stuff, too. Here are my food suggestions.

Rotier’s – Many years ago, a struggling artist ate at Rotier’s quite often. Eventually, he was inspired to write a song about one of his favorite menu items. That song was “Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Jimmy Buffett.

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack – Nashville has become known for its hot chicken, and Prince’s is the best place to get it. It is fried. It is hot. When you go there, do not be bashful when ordering. If you are, then they might skip over you and go to the next customer.

Southern Steak and Oyster – Want to hang out with the local hipsters and eat some great food? Go to this place. It is one of our favorites, and it is great every time. Unfortunately, oysters are not my thing, but the first half of their name is awesome.

The Farm House – Sitting across the street from Southern Steak and Oyster, this place offers southern food with a touch of class. I cannot write what is good because it all is great. It is not cheap, but it is worth it. On top of that, the owner/chef is from Wilson County, where we live.

BrickTop’s – A lot of people would probably leave this off the list. It is casual fare served in a fern bar atmosphere. However, I think it is awesome. It is especially good for brunch after a long night at one of the music places.

Taco Mamacita – This restaurant is a cool hangout just off Music Row. That means you might see a singer or two eating lunch on the patio. It also means you will be away from the tourists and mingling with the locals.

The music and entertainment aspects of Nashville obscure the fact that it is a historical city. When I say historical, I am not writing about Hank Williams or Patsy Cline. I am writing about non-musical history. Here are my historic suggestions.

The Hermitage – Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States and brought a power to the presidency that the United States had not seen. This is his home and is a great place to learn about his presidency and his life.

Cheekwood – This estate was owned by the family that produced Maxwell House Coffee. It is now an art museum and botanical gardens. There are permanent and rotating exhibits.

Fort Negley – I should let the fort’s official website tell you about its history, but here is something interesting. It was a Union fort during the Civil War. Yes, Tennessee was a Confederate state, but it was not long before Union troops took Nashville. That is when the city became the second most fortified city behind Washington, D.C.

The Parthenon – Centennial Park was the location of an international exhibition in the late 1800s. Those things were all the rage back then. There were numerous buildings, and the Parthenon, a replica of the one in Greece, remains. Why would there be a replica of the Parthenon in Nashville? Because the city was “the Athens of the South” before it was “Music City.” That was due to the large number of universities in the area.

As previously written, there are a ton of things that I have not included or have forgotten. If anyone wants to add something then put them in the comments. However, if you make your way to Nashville, then you should try out a few of these spots.

 

 

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The Night They Demanded “Runaway”

8 Dec

The other day, I wrote a post about concerts, and it brought to mind a show that has, for the lack of a better word, haunted me. I reckon an explanation is needed.

Many years ago, I took my mom to an Oldies reunion concert that had a lineup filled with people she had grown up listening to. I cannot remember everyone who played, but there is one I will never forget.Del Shannon

Del Shannon came on stage and told everyone how happy he was to be in Nashville. He grew up listening to country music, and Hank Williams was one of his heroes. He opened up with a Hank Williams song, and it was easy to see that it was important for him to sing that song in this city.

Then, he sang another Hank Williams song. Apparently, one was all the crowd was willing to put up with. A few of those close to the stage started yelling, “Runaway! Play Runaway!” For those of you who may not know, “Runaway” was Del Shannon’s big hit. He had a few other songs make the charts, but “Runaway” is what made him famous.

As they yelled, Del was getting frustrated. He said that he would play the song, but he was going to do this first. Some people continued to yell but most sat back and waited. They politely clapped, but it was not the same as the reactions for other performers.

Finally, he played the song, and the crowd went crazy. Then, Del Shannon left the stage.

For the rest of the concert, I wondered what Del Shannon was thinking. What was it like to be famous for one song and have to play it over and over? What was it like to know the crowd only wanted one thing? What was it like to have a hit; be on the cusp of stardom; and not make it further? What was it like to be relegated to playing reunion shows?

A few weeks after that concert, I opened a magazine and read that Del Shannon had committed suicide. I doubt that the show in Nashville had anything to do with it. However, I wonder if the answers to those questions did have something to do with it.

I do not want to speculate on the lives and deaths of people I do not know. However, I still think about that concert and the actions of the crowd. It was the only concert that I regret attending.

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