Was in Music City last week, spending a bulk of my time on Broadway, which for those who never visited is about a three block row of open air bar after open air bar with one, some bars with up to three, bands playing at the same time. Had a blast and most of the music was top notch.
Is this the true spot to get discovered in Nashville, or is it just a tourist trap and the “real” music scene is elsewhere in town? Or, in reality, do most country music stars just get “discovered” elsewhere and rarely have to actually work the Nashville music scene?
All the bands in Broadway ask for tips in a bucket, and rarely mention their names or who they are; is it pretty much safe to assume then this is their primary source of income, and they have very little hope of getting “discovered” and they make most of their living doing day jobs?
How hard is it to get a gig on Broadway in Nashville? Do you pretty much have to live full time there or pretty close to Nashville if you want a steady gig? How do you work your way up to the 1030-1100 “main event” at one of these bars? I ask this because one night a blonde sang lead for the earlier band, then sat and pouted and got drunk with us as the “1030” act came up and blew her off the stage. I was at more than one bar where crowds seemed to show up for the later night band.
Finally, that same night the “1030 act” performed for a 1/2 hour, and then claimed she was shooting a video for CMT and asked everyone in the room get close to the stage; we all did and helped her look over while a guy with an expensive single shot handheld cam shot us; then another guy in a baseball hat and flannel shirt who seems to be a “Facebook” country star, if you know what I mean, came up to sing and shot another video with her. Is this common? Will we really get shown on CMT? Afterwards the guy acted like a bigshot taking photos with a couple that “starred” in the video, but when I looked him up online, seems like he hasn’t quite made it yet.
I would not be the list bit surprised, though, to hear that the Honky Tonk section of Nashville can be a place to get noticed; same with the legendary Bluebird Café. But I am sure it is hit or miss, i.e., it is not like Label Scouts are scouring the clubs.
And I am sure, given the density of musicians trying to make it there, that the bands are likely paid primarily via those tip buckets. It is really a thankless existence at the bottom of the music chain.
The Voice has featured several musicians that played those Nashville clubs. Waiting for the big break that never came. They audition on The Voice and often get three or even four chairs to turn.
Tanya Tucker talks about hanging out with some of Nashville’s top writers in the mid 80’s. Long nights of drinking and playing music in smoky waterholes lead to a string of hits that came out a few years later. The trick is knowing where these songwriters hang out and getting accepted into their circle of friends.
Some buddies were having a little get together not far from Nashville and getting some people to/from the gathering was an issue (can’t afford airline tix, etc), somebody asked if there was a Greyhound terminal in Nashville. Like, yeah, probably the busiest one on the planet
I live in the Nashville suburbs, but let me start by saying:
I’m not a musician nor in the entertainment industry
I don’t go down to Broadway (at night) or the other music hotspots very often
But I do know several musicians, and of course just by living here for 16 years I’ve learned some things by osmosis.
Most of the musicians you see on Broadway make very little money playing. That tip bucket is about it, plus any merchandise they manage to sell. Because the owner knows that he can walk out to the sidewalk and sign 3 or 4 other acts willing to perform for even less, just for the experience and exposure. Acts that actually make okay money are the ones who sell tickets to a venue, not the ones playing open shows in bars for the tourists on lower Broad.
Sometimes acts will get discovered this way, but it’s incredibly rare. Nashville attracts musicians in all genres from all over the world hoping to be discovered so the competition is fierce. As in most businesses, the key to success (in addition to having talent) is to meet or know the right people, and to be lucky.
Tomorrow night I’m going to go down to the Station Inn for a show featuring my former mandolin teacher who has a new release that is apparently doing well. Well enough for him to stop giving mandolin lessons to middle-aged desk jockeys, anyway! This show is $12 at the door, so it’s a case where some of the money actually will be going into his pocket and I don’t expect a bucket to be passed around.
I visited Nashville once and met up with a high school buddy that had moved there. He’s doing alright–plays the Bluebird in-the-round regularly. Also took me to a jam at the Station Inn.
He mentioned that in our hometown he could count on his fingers how many people could really play and front a band; in Nashville he said there were more people just on his street that could do more. So, I imagine the competition is brutal to get noticed.
