Day 1 - Later

Day 1 - Later

Feeling good! Must be the healthy life I lead.......

Have already registered a decent quota of "y'all"s. Must say I'm agreeably surprised that the obligatory "have a nice day" so much in evidence when I was here a couple of years ago, seems on the wane - good!

Had my first stroll downtown and have been reminded just how friendly and polite folks are here.

For those not familiar - Nashville's approx 1 million folks - think Newcastle or Geelong on steroids. It's a perfect size really - any bigger and music wouldn't dominate as it does. It's everywhere you look and in everyone's conversations, and THAT's exciting! Pharmaceuticals and bible printing may be the big industries, but it's music that's the heart and soul of the place.

Just glimpsed the paddle steamer making it's way up the Cumberland River, reminds me of my favourite film of all time - "Nashville", as it happens. Before I came here, I thought Altman was taking the piss, but there's a reverential element that I only grasped after I visited. Anyway, on with the show.

Have made the calls and the diary's filling nicely.

First off tomorrow, I'm meeting with Dale Cockrell, Professor of Musicology at Vanderbilt University to explore the possibility of creating an 'Americana/Australia' conference element to the 2010 plan. Idea would be to attract academics from Australia and US to present papers on topics related to the significant musical bonds between our countries. Provided it's 'populist' enough, I think lots of delegates to Americana would be interested. More soon.

Then off to meet Mark Moffat - prominent ex-pat player and producer and member of the Americana Music Association's International Committee. Mark's been largely responsible (along with AMA CEO Jed Hilly) for encouraging me to come here.

Among his many credentials, Mark produced the world's first punk 'anthem' I'm Stranded by the Saints and Treaty for Yothu Yindi, which the Australian National Film and Sound Archive recently announced had been added to their Audio Hall Of Fame. I'll be congratulating Mark on behalf of you all - or rather y'all.

Then it's off to see assorted agents and managers for some background briefings and intelligence gathering.

More tomorrow. x