Day 10 - On With The Meetings ....

Day 10 - On With The Meetings .....
Today I'm off to Murfeesboro (50 mins from Nashville), to meet with Dr. Paul Fischer from Middle Tennessee State University who's the convenor of the US chapter of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music. Will also try to get to the visitor's centre at Stones River - scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
Then lunch with Mary Sack - local manager/publicist, meeting with local agent/promoter and AMA board member Paul Lohr, coffee and follow-up with Christian Roreau. Bit of shopping at the famous Grimey's Pre-Loved Music, and an early night - maybe!

Later
MTSU is a HUGE campus that dominates the small country town of Murfreesboro (derived from the mispelling of a miltary commander of the Revolution Hardy Murphy apparently). Paul Fischer's a lovely bloke and very interested to discuss the possibility of this academic involvement. His advice is that initially at least, the scholarly presentations will be dominated by Australian contributions as he thinks his colleagues are not aware of the historical links between Americana music and the development of Australian country music. Still, he imagines that they'll be very interested if such an meeting/seminar takes place under the Americana Festival banner, and will help to promote it. Will discuss with Jed.

We've got time to visit the Stones River battlefield. The Civil War has always fascinated me since my Uni days. The visitors centre is excellent and graphically tells the sad, sad story of this bloody battle where nearly a third of the 80,000 participants were killed, wounded or went missing. What emerges is a familiar story - namely, that the rank and file were commanded by men drawn from the landowning/merchant/professional classes who had little or no military training or grasp of strategy. Apparently on the eve of the battle, with the lines only 600 metres apart, the rival brass bands engaged in a musical 'duel' - The Battle Hymn of the Republic and Yankee Doodle on the Union side and Dixie and the Bonny Blue Flag on the Confederate. Then one started Home Sweet Home and was joined by the other with all troops singing. You could only hope that at that point, they'd cross the short distance, embrace and go their separate ways. Not to be I'm afraid, and hours later the carnage begins. It's a moving experience. I'm sad, but glad I came.

Mary takes me to her favourite eating place and is greatly surprised when I'm greeted warmly by the owner! It's Bro's who catered at Jewel and Barry's the night before where we'd had a good chat. The 'legendary' Buddy Miller who scooped the pool at the awards is also there for lunch and we have a few minutes for a chat. He's a bit embarassed about winning nearly everything, and especially the Duo/Group award as he 'loves' Kasey and Shane's record. Lovely humble fellow, and Mary explains that the owners are famous for keeping many a hungry young artist fed - a young Buddy being one.
Mary worked last year with Melbournians Bill Jackson & Ruthy Hazelton who travelled on a Vic Rocks grant and sang her praises before I left.
She's been described to me a real 'doer' and I'm nt disappointed by the flow of ideas and enthusiasm. She loves working with Australians and offers to do whatever she can to investigate additional gigs for the group that attends in 2010.

Off to coffee with Paul Lohr from New Frontier Touring. Greeted at the door by a Queenslander - a kelpie/heeler cross - yet another Aussie in Nashville! Paul's very excited - with his AMA board member hat on, by the plans to create formal links with Australia. We talk about the potential for organising additional gigs around the festival. He thinks that the 'Australian' tag makes it real possibility but will depend very much on exactly which artists will be involved. We discuss a number of possibilities, and he offers to be a sounding-board as things develop. Very positive - good bloke.

By the time I get to Thirty Tigers to catch up with Christian, he observes that it's 'beer o'clock' - a universal term it seems. No argument fro me as it's been a long day.
Having seen a couple of Christian's acts during the week, I'm in a much better position to discuss performance possibilities in Australia. We discuss the major festivals (who've given me info and cards to distribute) and connecting gigs. For his part, Christian listens to my tentative/developing plans for the Aussie 'invasion' in 2010, and provides relevant contacts to follow up. He also introduces me to his boss who turns out to have been best man at Pru and Tom's wedding. Like so many here, Bob is an ex major label exec, who moved to Nashville to start his own business. Thirty Tigers has been a success and is one of the new wave of indie labels who provide in-house management and PR/Promo services to the artists they've signed. Fascinating chat about operating in Nashville and he - like nearly everyone else I've met, is very supportive about the plan.

Thirty Tigers is in a great spot. 2 floors below is The Basement bar and music venue and, sandwiched in between, Grimey's Pre-Loved Music. It's an absolute Alladin's Cave! Thousands of new and used vinyl albums and CDs. I'm on a personal and family mission - for DJ son Dan. This particular 'mission' involves tracking down classic funk/soul LPs and this is THE place. How I'm going to actually pack them and not exceed baggage allowance occurs to me - but only for a moment!

Had every intention of going out to see a gig, but realise I'm buggered! Tom's cooked up some salmon and a few quiet beers on the verandah provides the perfect end to the day.