(Brad Arnold and Charlie Daniels Jammin’ out!)(Phil Vassar – or is that an angel)
It’s nice when people do nice things… Monday night I went to a fund raising concert at the world famous Ryman Auditorium… really a great place. Everybody who is anybody in country music has played there and everybody still wants to. It was the original home of the Grand Ol’ Opry and still has the kind of atmoshphere that makes you feel like you are a part of something special. I drove to downtown Nashville – pulled into a parking garage that I had never been in before – paid the attendant $6 and asked if he had a close place to park – “I was in a hurry” – he said yes, moved an orange cone, and there I was…first space by the entrance!!! That was nice!
Christmas for Kids is an organization in Nashville that provides clothing, food, toys, etc. for over 400 local children at Christmas. They do this concert as well as a really cool event where all the busses for all the super stars in Nashille meet at a big parking lot and for a small fee you can tour them. Then the busses do a convoy sort of thing to a local Walmart and all the kids get to go shopping… it’s really a cool organization. My friend, Ken, runs a bus company – is a huge supporter of the organization – and got free tickets to the concert… and I got to go. So did my friend, Mike Bell of HobNobNashville… Thanks Ken…that was nice!
Concert started with Chris Young… he has a huge single right now.. Gettin’ You Home (The Black dress song). Gotta tell you… as a performer, he was kind of boring… but he did donate his time and sang his hugely popular tune. A local radio personality came out on stage with a black dress. The bottom half fell off to reveal him in boxers.. and the place roared with laughter… thanks for your time guys… nice!
Then came Gretchen Wilson – OK.. I know her music and reputation… not the kind of good girl I’m used to hanging with (nod to my wife, Lori) and I wasn’t sure if I would like her or just be offended all night. Well… Gretchen- You have a new fan! She was great!! She can flat out saaannggg!!! not an off note all night. Very genuine, very fun, very surprising but I loved her! Besides the obvious best moment – Red Neck Woman! she did a Christmas song.. I’m sure this tune is one of your favorites – you know, the one you play over and over and over again… the one you hum when you go to see Santa at the mall and buy that perfect gift for your loved one! That wonderful Christmas standard – “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.” She invited her young daughter and several of her young friends and it was a super success. By the way, you can download the tune on ITunes now… Gretchen was great! Thanks for donating your time… that was nice!
Then came Phil Vassar… holy stinking cow! He was tremendous… great voice, great performer, great piano player.. super nice guy (at least on stage, didn’t meet him) and lots of fun. I really enjoyed his set.
Then the concert closed with Charlie Daniels and friends. He had a group called the Grascals come out and do a song and a very special guest – Brad Arnold – drummer/lead singer for the huge rock group Three Doors Down! It is so cool when rock and roll meets redneck… (see my previous Kid Rock post) Charlie is incredible… a legend… and a super great perfomer. And then to have Brad join him was really a rare treat. Brad sang a good ol’ redneck song from the south and then the concert closed with Brad and Charlie doing the Devil Went Down To Georgia…. Wow!!! What a great night.. thanks to all the organizers and artists who donated your time and talents… that was nice!!!
OH… and one last thing… sometimes be careful what you wish for this holiday season! My car… in the close spot…you know, by the entrance because i was in a hurry… It sat there all night… because the garage closed at 11:00 – oops… missed that sign…. we went to eat after the concert and didn’t make it back until 11:24 – fortunately we have cell phones.. Ken came and got me and took me home… Mike drove me back downtown the next morning to get my car…. thanks guys! That was nice!!!
Happy Turkey Day!!!
Wally