This is what us rednecks drink

After crashing out at 2am i was glad for the 1 hour time difference between Pigeon Forge and Nashville in my favour. I get on the road local time 730 to make the 200+ mile trip to the House of Cash. Before leaving on this trip I put a message on the Johnny Cash forum asking for suggestions on what to do and where to go in Tennessee, one member (Gren) offered to show me around. We were to meet at the House of Cash at 1030, by 1010 i had only got to the turn off for the 31E and I knew it was quite a way on the map from here and couldn't check how long it would take. I stop at Walmart and phone Lisa to say I'm going to be a little late. I get going again and soon notice the sign on the side of the road looks like the new House of Cash company board, i realise it is and break hard to make the turn, its 1025.

we jump in her car and head past Conway Twittys house and head toward the house on the lake. after stopping to take photos of his parents home (which is for sale, anyone?) and arrive at whats left of Johnny Cash's Hendersonville home. i bite my lip hard to stop it quivering, it is one of the most upsetting sights I've seen in a while. While renovations started by new owner Barry Gibb were taking place some varnish caught alight and the house was gone. Walking up and down the wall Lisa shows me the Bell Garden and across the street where Johnny Cash kept his animals. (this area is still owned by Johnnys son.) Through the trees on the other side of the fence i spot a horse, before Lisa points out its more larma-ish in appearance. She was right as the heard of Lamas and Deer (now visible because in motion) took off. I even did the sad thing and picked a rock up out the garden through the gate.

from here we went to the graveyard to Visit Johnny and Junes grave as well as the Carter Families and Luther Perkins, it was a strange and weird experience as I've never been to the grave of someone I admire so much. Then we drove into downtown Nashville and towards Music Row. This is an area of Nashville full of songwriting houses, record labels and recording studios. Here we grabbed some food and went to Manuels. Manuel is a tailor who designs the incredibly loud suits for country artists. the walls are lined with $3-4000 dollar jackets and photos of Manuel with Elton John, Cash, Dylan and the Stones.

After this Lisa shows me around downtown before stopping and we went into Grhun Guitars. an awesome place you go when you want a 57 les paul jr or Ace Frheelys own Les Paul prototype (which was sold a few weeks before went.) after this we walked the half block to the Hatch Show Print. I have wanted to go here for years, it is a proper old school printing house where everything is printed by hand using printing presses (ie not screened) one side of the shop is the old stamps for typesetting. I made a mental note to return Friday to get some posters.
At this point Lisa had to get to the studio so we convoyed out to the Opryland before she left (so i could find it) Opryland is a large hotel with rooms surrounding a number of large greenhouses, the Grand Ole Opry theatre which is the current home of the Opry and a shopping centre which is ridiculously huge. I go in looking for sweatshirts and guitars (old navy and Gibson outlet shop) I look around the Gibson store but have no plan on purchasing anything at the prices they listed. Old navy don't have the shirt I'm after but tell me another store has.

From here i head back to the hotel to check in (swinging by guitar center on the way - which isn't on the way) and i head into downtown. I go to Laylas which is dead but have a great female singer on stage, I stay for 2 beers, both 'local' one is Pabst Blue Ribbon which the bar man described to me as 'what us rednecks drink' what I would describe as fizzy water. the bar is quiet so I decide to go to see Tootsies. The bar is rammed full and has a loud rock group playing. I go to the bar and try to ask for a newcastle brown, after blank looks twice from the barmaid, I just say one of them and point to a bottle on the bar. I end up with coors light. I watch the band for a bit drinking the fizzy water and watching the girls on their hen night now dancing on the bar. I am knackered and have eaten only a burger all day, so I call it a night around 11ish and a few more 'beers'. I head back to the hotel which has a McD's accross the street (across the other street is a christian department store.)
which is closed except for drive thru, I dont want to drive the car after a few beers.
I can see a white castle but it looks too far, so I do the British thing and go to the petrol station to buy munchies.