Gone Country - Bring On the Rain

We went to the CMA Fest in Nashville last weekend. For us, it was a weekend full of new experiences: 1) we've never been to Nashville; 2) we've never been die-hard country music fans. Considering #2, you might ask, why on earth would we go to the CMA Fest? Well, we might reply, because it was there.

For the uninformed, the CMA Fest (Country Music Association-Fest), is held annually in Nashville to offer country music fans four days and nights to rub elbows with their favorite artists, hear multiple concerts, and to raise money for charity. The city hosts an influx of fans from across the country, most of whom are clad in brand new, ready-to-be-autographed cowboy hats, Sharpies in hand, cameras at the ready.

During the day, there are performances by up-and-comers, one-hit-wonders, and used-ta-be-big-names at the tents along the riverfront. At night in the Tennessee Titans' Coliseum, the reigning stars play 4-6 song sets of their most crowd-pleasing hits. Then there are the saloons and pubs all along music row that offer after-hours acts. In all, Nashville becomes four days of non-stop music and festivities.

At certain hours during the day in the exhibit hall, artists will show up to sign autographs and pose for pictures with adoring fans. We didn't venture in there; my better half is NOT a line-stander, and we had other things we wanted to see on our maiden trip to Nashville. I imagine, though, that it was a packed venue, judging from the number of people who knew every word to most every song being sung.

All this in the rain, mind you.

We drove out to the Opryland Hotel and the new Opryland performance house. My oh my, what a resort! We will stay there on our next visit. One would really never have to leave the grounds for one's entire trip. It's rather like one of the Las Vegas mega-resorts minus the casinos. Dining, shopping, shows, and gardens all under one roof.

Now picture this: a couple of citified new-comers, sporting brand new $5.00 ponchos that cost $1.98 in the store next door, huddled in our end-zone seats with the concert stage in the opposite end-zone (thank goodness for big screens). Tropical Storm Arlene is making her way north through Alabama, her bands of steady rain creeping into this very coliseum. One after one, country stars demonstrate their talents, converting us to their Americana brand of music. And there we stay. Enjoying the likes of Alan Jackson, JoDee Messina, Craig Morgan, Joe Nichols, SheDaisy, Trace Adkins, Josh Gracin, Trisha Yearwood, and more. Wow.

No, we didn't make it to the end of the concert on either night, and we missed some really good performances. Our daughter tells us we missed some of the best: Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Sara Evans, Kenny Rogers, Wynonna. As it was, when we stood up to leave, all the accumulated rain on our ponchos cascaded down onto our britches, and we were more soaked than we ever wanted to be. We slogged back aboard the shuttle bus to return to the hotel, whereupon we squished through the lobby to our room.

Drenched though we were, we returned as Country Music converts. Proud to be among the CMA Fest attendees. Proud to know the names and the songs (and some of the words) of today's CMA artists. Proud owners of freshly downloaded and burned country music CDs. In agreement with Trace Adkins when he says they're "Songs About Me."

But no, we don't have cowboy hats. Yet.