Music City Part 2

Music City Part 2's opening act shreds some flaming guitar at a private party held at the Country Music Hall of Fame. They hired a photographer with a Mac to take pictures on a green screen and then place the background. Until I arrived everyone was doing the traditional pose and covering up the guitar. After my solo...everyone started to do what I did with very interesting combinations. Let's get this party started! Just one of the things this errant, yet humble Knight does best!



With best intentions to make Saturday Vigil Mass before the DMB concert, the timing just didn't happen. So, after a convention and concert surrounded by beautiful girls, I trekked down for the 11 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral on West End for some Jimmy Carter (I lusted in my heart) confession and communion. By the time I arrived 5 minutes late I had to stand in the back...good news for the Church...bad news for Sir Hook...because shortly after this creature of loveliness arrived after me and parked herself in front of me. I couldn't resist taking this shot during the second reading. God help me! You can bring the Hook to Church...but you can't take the Hook out of the man!


Finally, free from sin for a few seconds...I headed back down to the Music Row on Broadway for a Sunday Brunch of the world famous Jack's Bar B Que. Not caring about Swine Flu...I "Pigged Out" on Bar B Que Pork Shoulder, Texas Style Beef Brisket and St. Louis Style Ribs...complete with Tennessee style green beans, vinegar based cole slaw and generous portions of good ole' Southern Sweet Tea! I once wrote a blues song about Southern Sweet Tea:

I thought it was Mother's Milk child
But it was Grandma's recipe
I said, I thought it was Mother's Milk child
But it's that deep brown dark shit
They call Southern Sweet Tea



Sunday afternoon's are the best time to catch some great country music in the Honky Tonks on Broadway. In the evenings you catch the up and coming stars, but you also get the standing room only crowds. On Sunday afternoon's, you get the seasoned veterans, session musicians, just off tour backing musicians...and at Layla's Bluegrass Inn you get a 40 year old, part man-part Tasmanian devil, legend of Broadway...Todd Bolton.


Todd Bolton brings a high energy, eclectic mix of country standards, originals and classic renditions of rock n roll hits. A bass player, my first guitar instrument, he whips the patrons into a feeding frenzy of good old fashion fun!


Of course, I started the run on his CD's for $5 and had to indulge in the next best thing to Southern Sweet Tea in Nashville...PBR...Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer! A true...and even truer now...American lager beer. And no Sir D...it doesn't taste like horse piss!



Another tradition in Tennessee on Sunday's is the family reunion. Here is Todd's best friend, who just moved back to Nashville, taking a turn on the drums for a set. Todd's father and mother also rode in from California on their Harley, a six day trek, to be here this particular Sunday. Of course I met his father, a giant of a man in the bathroom...where we struck up a conversation about road trips, his son and how great life is!



Here's Todd's drummer enjoying his break by the front door. I loved his T-Shirt! No doubt he's performed a few procedures wearing that shirt in his day!



One of the beauties of wireless technology is the fact that you can play and sing about anywhere you like. Here's Todd doing something he's famous for, in fact he's been arrested for playing in the middle of the street before. He takes his act outside to stir up those walking by to perhaps come inside and enjoy his music for awhile. It's a great marketing ploy! Everyone piles out of the bar with cameras to take pictures. It creates the mystic that there's something happening in there! That's Todd's dad's Harley in the background.


Being successful in bringing in a party of 25 girls celebrating a friend's birthday...two of them began the traditional country line dance to the delight of all!



Here's the tip jar for the band. Of course the best tip is on the jar. Please tell your pants it's not polite to point!



Here's Todd's dad taking the stage for a five song set of country classics. He had a tremendous voice...kind of a cross between Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash.



It's obvious that the family has musical talent. Todd's daughter, Presley Bolton, shows up with her pink guitar to play a couple of songs with her dad. She's just 8 years old, but already can hold her own with the band!



It's about time to hit the road again, so one last trip to the bathroom. Here's a play bill on the bathroom door promoting an act that will be there tonight. I was intrigued by the title, "Beatnik Cowboys". Sir Jack of America would be proud!



Having my fill of Southern Sweet Tea, PBR, Jack's Bar B Que and another wonderful road experience...I point my metal steed Northwest to Southern Indiana and home. Armed with a Garmin GPS (which I don't need on this trip), iPod filled with 36,858 songs, my Indian Dream Catcher and Celtic Cross...Sir Hook enjoys another, and hopefully accident free, wild ride!

Sir Hook the Mad Music Man & Beatnik Cowboy of Warrick