Where to Eat in Nashville

On my recent trip to Nashville, I came across some great restaurants. If you’re heading there soon, you might want to check out:

• Noshville Deli (cute name, great deli, all-day breakfast, and they use their Challah bread for amazing French toast; 1918 Broadway)
• Amerigo (Italian food; I had fabulous chicken parmesan over angel pasta; my wife had Pasta di Mare on 1920 West End Avenue)
• Las Palmas (awesome burritos and enchiladas; 1905 Hayes)
• Pie in the Sky Pizza (any combo of toppings you can think of is incredible; I think it’s at 1770 Galleria Blvd., but I’m not sure. We walked there from the recording studio, following the producer!)
• Mojo Grill (had Crawfish Etouffée with Bushwackers – they’re like a Frosty with EVERY liquor poured into it – to wash it down; 1900 Broadway)

All but the last one have additional locations, so you don’t need to head to midtown Nashville just to grab great food. And BTW, the prices are very reasonable.

BTW, again: if you head to Mojo Grill, heed the warning on the door: “No Concealed Weapons Allowed.” (Of course, I’m not sure that means that UNconcealed weapons are okay!)

Recording in Nashville, Pt. 1

A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d be in Nashville recording some of my songs. After all, while I've hired others to do demos of country songs I’ve written, I don't perform purely country songs myself, and Nashville is where you find great country musicians, right?

Well, yes and no.

Nashville is home to sensational musicians who can play ANY type of music magnificently. (Of course, now I know why it’s called "Music City USA" and not "COUNTRY Music City USA.")

In mid June, I was in studio to record six of my tunes and had a terrific group of musicians to perform with: 

• Buddy Hyatt, piano
• Chris Cottros, acoustic guitar
• Danny Parks, electric guitar
• Jim Hyatt, bass
• Bruce Bouton, steel guitar
• Wayne Killius, drums and percussion

All of them have amazing credits; for example:

• Buddy is a former member of Toto and has worked as a session piano player on Nashville’s Music Row for about 30 years
• Chris Cottros has toured with Lorrie Morgan, Lee Ann Womack, Terri Clark and many others.
• Danny Parks has played and recorded with Brooks & Dunn, Dickie Betts, Toby Keith and more.
• Wayne has drummed for Toby Keith, Big & Rich, Blackhawk, etc.

Each player had great ideas when it came to interpreting my songs. And I was amazed how quickly they came up with those ideas. Mark Riddick, the session producer, said that these guys are fast because they have to be. I think they’re fast because they’re absolutely brilliant.

Thanks so much, guys. Your playing is appreciated more than I can say.

In "Recording in Nashville, Pt. 2", a look at the amazing string quartet that added magic to two of the songs.

For pics of the band during the session, click here.

Should Have's

I came across an interesting posting about "should/should have" (as in, "that's a good muffin you made, but what you really should have done is..."). You can read the original posting at http://jimelyot.blogspot.com/ (June 9, 2011). In response to it, I sent him this philosophy I live by:


Love your "should" item on your blog. Another perspective: "should have" can be used as a personal motivator. I imagine my Future Self saying "you should've done/tried (whatever)" to my Present Self so my PS does things today that would/could otherwise be regrets (for things I'll have wished I had done) in the future. Imagining looking back in the future and saying "should have" to myself makes me do/try things today that might be out of my comfort zone but that make my life worth living.


I plan to have no deathbed regrets.