Nashville, TN is home to some of the world’s most talented musicians.
Being a part of the music culture there, even at the lowest rung on the ladder can be truly humbling for a musician at any stage of their craft.
When I first came to town in 2017, I didn’t know a soul and had no idea where to start when it came to beginning to play music out. Within my few months in town I had played a set at a bowling alley in Franklin that ended up being a total nervous trainwreck, and I hadn’t really played out since. If Pete is reading this… I swear I got better, dude!
Purely through random exploration of my immediate surroundings, I came upon a hotel bar about a half mile down from my apartment, called The Pink Slip Lounge which was inside the Preston Hotel.
I looked on stage and saw faces similar to mine. These were people that just wanted to play music and share it with others. Normal people with a dream, just like mine.
I immediately set a goal to make friends with everyone in the room. A true salesman mentality.
I spoke with a few musicians after they came off stage, and told them I liked their tunes. The funny thing is that I met a lot of the same folks that would come to be part of the “tribe” that I identified with during my time in Nashville.
Eventually I was introduced to Jaye D, who ran the writers nights at the hotel, and was given a slot.
My first round at the Preston went okay.
I remember the three songs I played: Hatfield Roots, Tennessee Sunshine, and Sounds of the City.
I wouldn’t say I blew the doors off the house, but I had more fun than I’d ever had, simply playing my own music.
I had fun and met new friends that I still cherish to this day. After my first round, when people realized I was an okay dude to hang around, I became a regular act at the Preston, and it would translate to being invited to other writers’ nights in other locations, meeting more new friends and further expanding my “tribe” that you hear about so often in Nashville.
This is where I really began to find myself as a musician, and why this particular hotel will likely always hold a special place in my heart. I may never hit it big, but as a musician, discovering “your sound” is an experience that you don’t forget. I began to find mine at the Preston and continued to hone my craft over the few years I was there.
If I have any advice for anyone contemplating making the trip to Nashville it would be this:
Don’t be cocky, there are undoubtedly acts better than yours. There will always be a faster shredder, a better drummer, etc.
Focus on making friends, and finding YOURSELF.
It’ll make your time in Nashville an unforgettable and less disappointing experience.
