What honkytonk do you like to go to when you're in Nashville? I get that question all the time and my answer for my favorite venue is Third and Lindsley. It has been in Nashville since 1991. No it’s not on Broadway with all the famous honkytonks. It is on the corner of Lindsley Avenue and 3rd Avenue South just south of downtown Nashville. I even went there before moving to Nashville in 2014. I remember the first time I went to 3rd and Lindsley with Sally around 2007. We went there solely because it is where Keith Anderson got his start. Many others also got their start at 3rd and Lindsley. The band that was playing when we went was The Wooten Brothers. They are good and play jazz, blues, funk, basically a variety but not country. It was a small place but through the years they bought part of the building next door and expanded which makes 3rd and Lindsley even better. Sally and I would go to other shows there during CMA Fest and many fan club parties.
When I lived in Nashville I was always excited when someone I wanted to see would have a show at 3rd and Lindsley. The food is better than most of the places on Broadway so I don’t mind eating there. They have some good salads. The price of the shows are reasonable and usually not over $25. There is plenty of seating, but I do like to get there early enough to get a table closer to the stage. Parking can be an issue as with most places in Nashville. There is some street parking and sometimes you can get a spot near the building. I was fortunate the two times I went during this trip in 2021, I was next to the building.
The shows I went to this time were songwriter shows. They are so much fun. The first one had three different songwriters and they did the typical writers round. Taking turns singing a song they wrote and telling how it came to be. I loved it when Lance Carpenter said this is Lee Brice’s next hit; he just doesn’t know it yet. Apparently, he had cowritten this song for Lee but has not yet shared it with him. Many times songwriters that have had some success will start writing with the intent of a certain artist to record the song. As soon as I heard it I was like yep that will be a hit. Before doing his last song Lance said you have to do something for me, pretend I’m a girl, because I sing it like it was written and don’t change the words. It was the hit “Love Me Like You Mean It” sung by Kelsea Ballerini. Phil Barton was good as always and Jesse Labelle was good as well. I had not heard of Jesse and was pleasantly surprised, he did a full band show after the songwriter round.
The other show was also a songwriter show but set up a little differently. There was a host and she introduced each songwriter and they came out by themselves and did four songs. The first songwriter was Mackenzie Wasner and she was good. Then it was Ray Stevenson who has many hits, here are a couple you might know "Red River Blue" (Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert) and Hemingway's Whiskey (Kenney Chesney). He also has paintings for sale and they are on display at 3rd and Lindsley. If you want to see some of his artwork go to Backstage Nashville. Trent Tomlinson was next, I hadn't seen him in a long time. He is fun lots of fun. The last songwriter was the reason I went to this show, Chris Tompkins. I have only seen him one other time and really enjoyed him. At a quick glance I think he looks like my cousin Jamie. That is where the resemblance ends. Chris is shorter and soft spoken, while Jamie is tall and very talkative. Another thing that makes Chris stand out to me is that he uses a keyboard instead of a guitar. I will never forget the first time Sally and I saw him at the Ryman for the Peach Pickers show, he was going to sing Before He Cheats a hit by Carrie Underwood. He forgot the words and the audience continued singing. We sang the whole song. This time he didn’t forget that song but he was going to sing Dierks Bentley’s Drunk on a Plane and yep he forgot how it started. It was funny, he said. "Does anyone know how this starts?" Chris is so talented and has so many hits I am sure it is hard to remember them especially when you don’t go out and perform them all the time. I was very happy that I went to both shows. So if you are ever planning a trip to Nashville go to 3rd and Lindsley's website prior to your visit and see if there is a show that you're interested in. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Such fun! I have never been there. I will have to check it out, maybe even next time you're in town.
ReplyDeleteWe will have to do that.
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