‘Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any music in the world.’-Earl Scruggs

I love Nashville (and country music) so when B, my little brother, said bluegrass artists for Pinecastle Records, Brandi Colt and Andrew Crawford (under Colt and Crawford), were doing a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe I said yes immediately. He was able to snag me a ‘with the band’ ticket but I would have stood outside again for hours to make the show. For the weekend, B and I were able to spend the it together and explore parts of Nashville I hadn’t been to yet.

I dropped Gus off at a pet sitter I found on Rover to watch for a two nights. It worked out and he didn’t terrorize the lovely woman too badly. Since I don’t live in Nashville, I looked for women or couples (since I was by myself, I felt uncomfortable going to a strange man’s house alone), with excellent reviews, and a fenced in back yard. Gus was only about 7 months, up to date on shots, and neutered but I was very clear in my profile that he was full puppy. I have used the service a few times, ironically not in Odessa, and always had great results.

Coincidently, B and I stayed at the same hotel so very convenient to drive into the city together. The first night, we hung out in the Gulch. It is a hip neighborhood famous for the angel wings mural. There were a handful of people there and a group asked B to take their photo. I chuckled because some of his photos had just appeared in People magazine, like what are the odds to get a professional to take your shot for the gram. We ate dinner at the local pub and headed to The Station Inn, a historic venue. The space is essentially a dive bar, a bit old and weathered, surrounded by very new and modern buildings. Founded as a venue to spotlight Bluegrass music, artists such as Bill Monroe, Alison Krauss and Union Station, and, my personal favorite, Dierks Bentley have all played there. It’s a very simple design and not flashing but so much fun! The cover at the door is cash only, so make sure you have enough or you can use the atm at the corner. They do except cards inside (for food, drinks, and/or merch).

The next day, B and I headed to Franklin. We walked around but the main purpose of the visit was to go to Biscuit Love, my favorite place to eat breakfast. I actually went twice, they have another location in The Gulch, so I ate there, solo, the last day. But the main event was the Bluebird. We arrived early so Colt and Crawford were able to do sound check. B was also filming some behind the scenes stuff for the label. I just sat under a photo of Taylor Swift and watched/absorbed/tried not to cry, lol. It was just so cool to be in there with no one else and chat with the manager. The Bluebird is just such a magical place, with so much history, and just sounds so good! They were out of my frito pie but I had a peach something and it was tasty. The menu really is delicious! Andrew Crawford and Brandi Colt are so talented and beyond kind, you can listen via Spotify or download on iTunes.

B had to head back to South Carolina after the show, so I made the brave (or stupid) decision to head to lower broadway, a place I hate but thought what the hell. Well, I still hated it but it wasn’t super insane. I just popped my head into a couple of honky tonks and then called it a night. The next morning, after Biscuit Love, I drove around a little bit, stopped at the Cupcake Collection-which was delicious and they have puppy cakes- and then picked up my pup for the journey home!