Age / Series / Anna / Udo and Ray / Arrival / First impressions / Luke Lander / Third Man Records / Video / Breakfast in Nashville / Ray’s call / Tommy’s Dungeon and the recordings / Goodbye Udo, hello Anna / Trucker’s diner / Farmers flea market / Mike / Greyhound ride to Memphis / Peabody Hotel / The mighty Mississippi / Graceland / Last evening in Memphis / Nashville Karaoke / Goodbye Nashville / Home / First feedback
Age
What happens if an older songwriter decides to record his songs with professional help? He gets out of his comfort zone and into the studio! Passion is important for your own songs. They are like children: they grow and want to go out into the world. Some make a career, others don’t manage to find their place. In the beginning, the songwriter selects his most interesting children and goes out to find a new home for them. The way leads them to Nashville and to Lost Hollow in Ashland City, Tennessee.
Series
What happens when you watch a series and suddenly find yourself in the middle of it? The series „Nashville“ was a nice winter pastime. Just back from sunny Panama and ignoring the cold weather, we watched the lives of country music stars in Nashville, with many scenes from different studios. During the episode in which the aspiring singer recorded her songs for the first time in a studio, the songs were reinterpreted by professional musicians, my wife said “actually, you should record your songs there too!”
„Yeah, that would be great! “
Three days later, on the way to a supermarket, my wife asked „how long would it take you to go to Nashville and record some songs?”
„Maybe about two or three weeks.“
„Then go and do it! But take someone who knows more about music than me. I could join you afterwards and we could have week’s vacation!“
Anna
Fulfilling a dream without the support of a partner is quite difficult. My wife’s help made the planning for my Nashville adventure possible. She kept an eye on the costs, knew where and how to make the bookings, and supported me with energy and love. This meant that I could realize my dream, and is the right moment in this story to tell her that I love her!
One day, she asked me an important question. „For the recordings, who do you want to take with you?” I immediately thought about my friend Udo, the dentist and former bassist with whom I had a band in the past. I called him, and to my surprise he said straight away: „Yes, let’s do it!”
Udo and Ray
Udo used to play bass in a punk band, and twenty years ago in New York he met Ray Amico, the former tour manager of Devo. However, they hadn’t seen each other for fifteen years. „We can send him an e-mail, maybe he knows someone we can contact in Nashville!“ The answer came back very quickly: „Guys, I’m in Nashville! I have a recording studio there that I’m giving up because I’m moving to Palm Springs. If you want to come over, I’ll be here for three more weeks. I can help you!“ In Nashville, Ray had worked as a manager for Fiona Apple. We found this out on the Internet. It sounded like an adventure, so we thought, let’s go!
Arrival
The journey began two days before my sixtieth birthday. “Nashville, here we come!” It was the summer of 2019 when we sat exhausted after a seventeen-hour flight in the bus to Nashville’s downtown. All the passengers and the driver were discussing where best to drop us off so that we wouldn’t have to walk too far to our accommodation. We walked the last three blocks in the balmy summer night air. We checked in at the Comfort Inn on Demonbreun St., a typical American drive-in motel. “Don’t you have a car?“ laughed Jeed, the friendly Indian at the reception. He was to play a role in the further course of events.
First impressions
„It’s even not midnight: let’s go out and listen to some music!“ We went across the street to the Live Oak, a bar and grill on Demonbreun Street where up-and-coming artists perform. The atmosphere was great, the bouncer was nice and we were sitting inside, although Udo had left his ID at the motel, which is mandatory in Nashville to get into the live music bars. „Let’s order a beer anyway!“ At the counter sat a really cool cowboy, with a hat and a beer in his hand. As the music was very loud, I simply ordered two beers and pointed at him. We got two Bud Lights! Not everyone who looks like a cowboy is a cowboy.
The first week went by in a flash, exploring the Nashville music scene, visiting many Honky Tonks, soaking up the atmosphere. In every Honky Tonk there was live music with fantastic musicians. The show is important here, as everybody lives from tips. Even the waiters and waitresses! A short conversation is the basis for entering the Nashville world. „Hi, I’m Caroline from Alabama and I’ll take care of you!“ said the waitress at the first bar. This is not the greeting way we are used in Berlin. The musicians are happy about tips, but also about positive feedback on their show. Each band has half an hour to impress the guests. The better the show, the more people dance in front of the stage (even at two in the afternoon) and fill the tip bucket. Every show was worth seeing. „Listen and learn!“ was our motto, and we almost kept to our rule: „No beer before noon“.
Luke the Cowboy
The first musician we heard on the „Lower Broad“, the Honky Tonk live music street in Nashville, had a deep, impressive voice. It called us in to one of the music bars. Luke Lander, a middle-aged cowboy, played and sang for the bar visitors, who continued to talk while drinking beer and cocktails. Fascinated, we listened to Luke for a while and talked to him during his break. He told us that he had to perform at different places, often several times a day, that the competition was fierce and that tips, which were his only payment, were not so generous anymore. When I asked him if he had his own CD to sell, he said that he was working on it. We agreed to meet in the evening in the bar at the Indigo Hotel Downtown, where he had a small gig.
When we arrived there, many guests were in the bar room but they did not pay attention to the live music: Luke was just some Nashville color. The Indigo Hotel is a beautiful old upscale hotel for artists and celebrities. Luke told me that it would take a long time to get the opportunity to play here. Producers also stayed here. Playing here may be a chance to get spotted, or to get additional gigs. Most musicians have to work hard to build up a network and make a living from their music. It was very nice meeting Luke Lander, who we called Luke the Cowboy, with his down-to-earth attitude. Over the next few days we noticed that 90% of the musicians would play perfectly, creating a great atmosphere, but that their repertoire consisted of only current hits or country classics. After two days, you knew the current „Lower Broad“ program. Slowly a sense of routine came into the music world that was so new to us some days ago, and I was ready to record.
Third Man Records
A hot summer day in Nashville. We went out to conquer the city, or at least to get into the music business. I had read that Jack White owns a studio in Nashville, and that it had a store where Neil Young had recorded a CD in a phone booth, and where one can play a strange guitar and record straight away. Unique singles could be created, and pressed directly onto vinyl while they were being recorded. Most people record one of the listed songs.
The way to Jack White’s studio-store turned out to be a bit adventurous, as some streets around it are meeting points for junkies. They lay around everywhere, strung out. Us passing by brought life to the group. „Hey, tourists!“ The first were already on their feet and staggered towards us. We hurried up to reach the studio-store quickly. Pulse beating quickly, I recorded my first single in the phone booth. One of the store employees said „Oh, you brought your own song!“. I thought of Neil Young, squeezed myself into the booth and stuck my lyrics on its wall. The guitar had to be held high, and you only had two and a half minutes to sing your song. Of course, I hadn’t timed the song in advance and had to hurry up, my guitar stretched high, sweating (it was over thirty degrees) and singing my song, „Out of Nowhere“.
Video
Udo had fun just listening and taking pictures. Afterwards, the two saleswomen urged me to play the single on a small turntable and listen to the result. „It sounds cool!“, said one of them. It sounded like a broken gramophone, but it remains unique: my first recording in Nashville.
Out of the small store, my first Nashville recording in my hand, rushing through Junkie Street. At the next crossroads we found a big, cooled beer hall where we could toast to this adventure.
Breakfast in Nashville
Having breakfast in Nashville is a special ceremony. The Comfort Inn offered a typically American breakfast. Everything was wrapped in plastic, and the mountain of garbage seemed to be bigger than what was on offer. During my first breakfast I tried to toast a bagel in a giant toaster, which almost caught fire. Udo said:
„Kay, the toaster is burning!”
I replied: „Well, it is what it is.“
The hotel employees came in with pliers to pull the burning bagel out of the toaster. An American family came in and said, „What the hell smells so strange here?” Unfortunately, the windows could not be opened. We decided to find a healthier breakfast location. Finally, we ended up in „The Gulch“, a hip part of Nashville that used to be run-down and occupied by drug addicts. Now, it is a place for young people and people from the music business. An avocado toast with coffee can cost $25, and that is not counting the tip for Bob, the waiter from Alabama (“I’ll take care of you”). But the quality was amazing! Next to us sat an older man who was working on his laptop.
Udo said: „Ray still has not called back, now something has to happen.“
„Let’s just go to Music Lane after breakfast and try to find a recording opportunity.”
„Perhaps the man there can give us a hint!”
„Well, do you think we can ask him?“
Approaching people is Udo’s greatest strength. „I’ll just ask him“, he said and addressed the man with a big smile. That’s how we met Kim Shrum. Like most of the people here, Kim is in music business, directing the „America’s Next Top Talent“ TV show and also working as a producer. He offered to arrange a recording the next day, with or without musicians.
Ray’s call
Back at the hotel we sat at the pool with the other guests and played the „where are you from?“ game. Many people were saving money for a weekend trip to Nashville with the whole family. The pool at the hotel is a good meeting point: you can drink some beers there and then take a twenty-minute walk downtown. As we relaxed, my mobile phone rang. Ray was calling. He was now back in Nashville from his tour with Smashmouth, and had arranged a recording session for us the next afternoon. The studio and musicians were already booked. „I’ll pick you up at 4 pm!“ Now there was no turning back: at last, our adventure would begin. We had to cancel our appointment with Kim. Well, the music business is hard. Then we went to the Live Oak again, to get in tune for the upcoming recordings.
„Just a few drinks, I have to be on top form tomorrow!“ Two Honky-Tonks later (the one with the Cadillac over the stage was the best), we made it back to the hotel.
Tommy’s Dungeon and the recordings
Ray arrived on time, quite the manager! Then we headed out into the countryside, where Tennessee’s smooth hills are interrupted only by occasional driveways to private properties. There are no public roads here: everything is privatized and should only be entered with extreme caution, as we were later told.
After a long drive, we found the road to Lost Hollow, Tommy Harden’s property. Tommy is a drummer and session master, engineer, recording manager and arranger, all in one. The property looked a bit old: a mixture of wood and bricks. The neighboring property was a “perfect” Tennessee wooden cabin.
When we got out of the car, we could hear a drum sound. We entered the sanctuary, a small but modern studio where Tommy was already waiting for us. „Welcome to Tommy’s Dungeon!“ The musicians would be coming soon, he said: we were lucky that they were taking a break from their tours and would have time for a three-hour session. Tommy and I picked out four songs, which he put in Nashville notation. A mystery to me. „And they can play it straight away?“ I asked, astonished. „Yeah, they are absolutely professional. You’ll see!“
Pat McGrath came first, a sympathetic, quiet, older guitarist, bringing a bunch of stringed instruments into a room that was reserved especially for his recordings. Then came Alison Prestwood, ten times winner of the best bass player nomination in Nashville. She had just released her own album, as I later learned. Finally Jon Conley arrived, who had just returned from a stadium tour with Kenny Chesney, a superstar in the USA. I didn’t know any of this back then. At that moment, all of them were only incredibly nice musicians, who were really interested in my songs. Which was also true! We sat down together and they listened to me talk about the content and the spirit of the first song. Every now and then there was a question, then there was just a short: „Ok!“ After that it started. Everyone knew exactly what to do. I stood at the microphone in a separate room and Tommy said: „Let’s go!” He played drums and did the recording at the same time. He also coordinated the musicians, who looked to him very much as a musical director. Decades of experience accompanied my entry into the professional studio. The groove was gripping right from the first bar, and took me on a musical journey through my own songs. Three and a half minutes later it was ready: „in the can!” We sat down together again. „Was it ok for you?“ they asked. I had no words. „Absolutely fantastic!“ Then we listened to the recording. Udo was taking photos, flabbergasted at the results of the recording. „How do they get it done so quickly?“ he asked me.“I don’t know.“ Then one of the guitarists said: „Shall I add a little mando?“ which meant adding a mandolin melody. „Yes, please, it sounds great!“ Jon Conley just asked me with a wink, „Was it country enough for you?“ All I could say was: “Yes, man!“
Three hours later the four songs were recorded: the rhythm, the timing, everything was perfect. Everyone gave me the feeling of being in the right place. The musicians were really interested in the songs. „Maybe we should do a whole album together!“ said one of them. I thought that it was just a pleasant comment, but Tommy told me later that they were absolutely serious.
When Ray dropped us off at the Comfort Inn, it was already dark. We Googled the names of the musicians involved and found that they all had impressive CVs. Tommy had already played drums for Paul Simon and Roy Orbison, and was on tour with the band Alabama. Pat had plaid with Dolly Parton. Alison had just finished recording with George Benson. The list was endless! “Just imagine if I had known all this before the recording! I would have been too impressed to sing!” I told Udo. „Sure, but now let’s go over to the Wild Oak and have a drink!“
As we had the first beer, the first files came from Ray. The message was „Here’s the rough mix of the songs!“ We paid, went back to the Comfort Inn and sat down at the lobby. The Indian receptionist Jeed asked us about our day. I told him about the recordings. „Oh, let’s listen to it!“ he said. I put my cell phone on the counter and played the first song. „Wow, is this really you?“ he asked. An older American joined us and listened till the end of the song. Then he turned to me and said: „You did a really great job, man!“ These were my first two listeners, and I was very proud of their feedback.
Goodbye Udo, hello Anna
The next day Udo had to fly back to Berlin, and I still had a week’s vacation ahead of me. Or that was what I thought! My wife would arrive three hours after Udo’s departure and I would show her Nashville. The plan was that we would then continue to Memphis. Ray and I took Udo to the airport and picked up Anna. Saying goodbye to Udo and hello to my wife, a smooth transition. Ray brought us to our new accommodation in Rolling Mill Hill. Before that, he insisted on buying countless groceries and a bottle of wine in a gigantic supermarket, because Anna would surely be hungry and thirsty after the flight. Since we had been together for a long time, I knew that Anna would definitely want to go out and see the area, but who contradicts his producer? Additionally, Ray convinced me to buy six pack of Stella Blue beer for me (a terrible brew, sorry Ray!). I got to know and appreciate him as a lovely but assertive person, who takes care of everything incredibly well and gives you the feeling of being in good hands, important even in stressful situations. The American way of taking care definitely has its advantages. Of course, the idea of having a good product is also behind it. But doesn’t this make a good producer in the end? I will never forget the Nashville evenings with Ray and his wife Michelle: we talked and laughed so much while listening to some great performances in Printers Alley.
A trip from the airport to our accommodation in Ray’s „muscle car“ was not exactly ecologically friendly, but it was worth it for the first impression that Anna got of the „rock star life“ in Nashville. Ray let us out and disappeared into the night.
First, a nice walk through the neighborhood with a view of the Nashville skyline by night and then back to the apartment. After Two Stella beers and a lovely guacamole on the balcony, we were tired enough to go to sleep
Trucker’s diner
The next morning, we decided to have breakfast in a trucker’s diner, on the other side of the main road. It was called Hermitage and was so movie-like that we just had to go in. No tourists were inside, only a few locals and a waitress who had a very direct way of communicating with everyone. In the corner sat a police officer, who already had the second plate of eggs, potatoes and whatever else. He started a conversion with us. He told us that almost everyone here had some ancestors from Germany. The stately waitress looked at Anna and said: „You look so healthy, do you want a banana?” That was the priceless diner humor. When the skinny cook came out of the kitchen and tried to push himself past the waitress, she told him unmistakably „You touch me, I’ll kill you.“ A clear statement!
We tried hard to empty our plates, which is a death sentence in America. But then we had gained the respect of the locals, who took us to be an exotic accessory for the next days.
Farmers flea market
Ray got in touch and said he would pick us up at noon to re-record the vocals with a better microphone, at the house of another producer who was a friend of his. Since it was only 8 o’clock, we still had some time for ourselves. On the internet, we found out that on the outskirts of Nashville there was a farmers flea market. We called an Uber and off we went! We got as far as a closed railroad crossing. The driver turned off the engine. An endless train rolled by. Our driver said that it could take twenty minutes, because there are always several locomotives in between to transport as many cars as possible at once.
In the heat of the summer we reached the flea market. There were halls and tents full of historical objects from the last decades in Tennessee. It was like visiting a museum. A few farmers were thrilled that we had made it to their market from „good old Germany”, and told us stories from the 1950s, when power lines were laid right through the middle of the houses. That’s why the glass isolators that hold the cables were extra chic: so that they did not upset the housewives.
Real stories from Tennessee in the 50’s. For this alone, the trip was worth it.
The Tennessee farmer loves clear statements. In front of a stand with old stuff there was a big sign saying:
It could not be expressed more clearly. We would have liked to buy larger antiques, but how would we get them to Germany? The trip was like visiting a museum in a parallel universe of real country culture. Back through the midday heat to the Stay Alfred hotel in Rolling Mill Hill, we only had a short time to let our impressions sink in, as Michelle and Ray were already standing in front of our door.
Mike
The first question Ray asked me was: „How’s your voice today?” I have never been greeted like that before. We were back in the music business.
With the trunk full of food, we headed off to a swanky area outside of Nashville. The houses there looked like a cross between Shouthfork Ranch and Fontenoy Hall. We stopped in front of one of them and were greeted by an older man with a huge milkshake in his hand. A classic older American, with the natural sovereignty of a genetically inherited self-confidence. Very likable and open to our requests and needs. He was Mike, a well-known rock music producer. He greeted us together with his wife, who had two dogs jumping around her and which she introduced as being Strudel and Schnitzel. Mike was surprised that I came from Germany. „I’ve listened to the songs and I thought you were from Texas!“
Ray knew him from a previous project, and Mike had agreed to let Ray use his studio for the vocal recordings. He had to leave for an important appointment. Meanwhile, he sat down in the mixing room and listened to Ray doing the first recording. Next to the mixing room, Anna and Michelle were relaxing with the picnic champagne and other delicacies in a large home cinema. They could watch movies on a big screen and, at any time, listen to the recordings by just pushing a button on the easy chair.
I started to record the first song. Mike was impressed. He got himself a new giant shake and decided to postpone his appointment to do the vocal recordings together with Ray. Through the big glass front to the recording area, I could see them both pushing each other on.
Over the next six and a half hours I sang the four songs over and over again without a single break until Ray and Mike were satisfied. They drove me to better performances, with positive statements like „That’s nearly perfect!”, “Just one more time“ or, if it was really good, „You’re a genius!” I insisted on having a short break to drink some water.
Anna and Michelle had a great time, but Ray interrupted them and told Anna to get some water from the kitchen. That’s is not what Anna is used to. The role of the inconspicuous wife is not hers; she is too self-confident for that. But in this case she was too surprised to object. As in every American household, the fridge was full of ice cold water in plastic bottles. Anna quickly brought a bottle into the room, so that she could continue talking to Michelle and the recordings could go on. As she was about to give me the bottle, Ray said horrified „Is it cold? It must be room temperature, otherwise it will ruin his voice!” All I could do was take a dehydrated look at the disappearing bottle. Anna warmed the bottle under hot water in the bathroom, and the recording went on.
As everything seemed to be finished, I went to Ray and Mike in the ‘director’s room’, thinking „done!“, but they said „Now your voice is really warmed up, so go into the room and sing the first song one more time“. And they were right. The result was perfect for everyone.
Again, it was already dark when we came out of the house. Ray and Michelle dropped us off at our apartment and we were glad that, thanks to Ray, we already had food and drinks in the apartment. In the pleasant summer warmth we sat on our balcony and thought, „what was that?”
Greyhound ride to Memphis
The next two days we wanted to spend in Memphis. We had already booked the hotel from back home in Berlin. The Peabody Hotel is also home to a family of ducks. That sounded interesting. Ray and Michelle were a bit worried. „Memphis isn’t Nashville. It can be dangerous to walk around there!“ Well, for old Kreuzberger this was no reason to worry. We preferred not to tell them that we were going there by Greyhound bus. I wanted to enjoy this Tom Waits feeling, whose songs I associate with a Greyhound ride. Michelle gave us the phone number of a friend in Memphis, in case we got into trouble.
We went to the Greyhound Station in Nashville. The Greyhound logo had gotten a modern makeover, and looks really cool now. The buses are still the old ones, which can be seen from the inside. But the feeling was great! Even better to drive on the highway and listen to your own songs on the headphones. Four and a half hours to Memphis Station, this one time without talking to locals, because we both needed a break. When we arrived, we jumped into an Uber, since the bus station was far from the center. In the USA, the Ubers are real information centers: every driver tries to combine conversation with a lot of information. Of course, tipping is also an aspect, but the way the communication works is much better than in Berlin. Often the entertainment is mixed with real interest. For example, we learned that Memphis has the largest children’s hospice in Tennessee. The driver was visibly excited to talk about his hometown and so, curious, we arrived at the Peabody Hotel.
Peabody Hotel
The contrast to the outside world could not have been greater. In the huge hotel lobby from the thirties there was a luxurious ambience, like in old movies. A huge fountain placed in the middle of the hall plays an important role in the Peabody Ducks show. Design and marketing are perfectly coordinated. Elvis and Johnny Cash signed their first record deals here. Every guest is given the star treatment. Our room had a view of the Mississippi. We took a walk to Beale Street, where the authentic blues (in all its variations) roars out of every bar. Unlike Nashville, the music here is more direct. There’s no show: what you hear is what you get. Of course, there are also the hoodoo stores for tourists, but in the middle of July they hardly ever come around here. The Mississippi is just a few yards away. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn greeted me from the books of my childhood. I hadn’t felt so grounded for a long time, and I think Anna felt the same. Our room was a perfect retreat. Finally, a break from the experiences that had been going on for two weeks, and a little sleep…
Bling! I got a WhatsApp at 2 am. Ray sent the rough mixes of the four songs. Anna can sleep really deeply, and she did not wake up. I was laying there thinking „I have to hear that now!“ My inner restlessness woke Anna up, this connection between lovers that cannot be explained. She said „Well, let’s listen to the songs!“. Afterwards we were so excited that we couldn’t sleep anymore. I felt like I was in an endless movie, walking through the scenes as the main character. From watching the “Nashville” series in Berlin up to now, I thought: „Now I’m the new character for the start of the next season!
The mighty Mississippi
At six in the morning, it is really nice to be beside the river. The Mississippi has a calming aura. So much history and so many stories. We had to add one more to it. My mind was already creating the prelude for my album, which was to take shape half a year later. The walk in the morning sun by the river had such a mystical feel to it. It had been a long way here, with strokes of fate and great experiences. Now I would always be able to say: „I have made it!” I offered my music to the Mississippi and the Mississippi gave me inspiration for new songs.
The day and the heat. We had breakfast in a restaurant where the waitress read out the menu. Since we could not understand her, we had to ask again. She repeated the choices at the same speed, with the same accent. It didn’t help, and we had to order blind. Imagine a round table, full of foods like pancakes and syrup, omelettes with potatoes, etc… When the waitress came back with two new plates we just thought „Please let her pass us by!”, but no, these were for us too! I seldom felt so full after a breakfast.
Movement was needed. Before, we quickly went back to the hotel. When we entered the big, cooled hall the „walk of the ducks“ had started. Every morning at 11 a.m., and every afternoon at 5 p.m., a ceremony leads the duck family from the 13th floor to the hall by elevator, with music and servants in livery. The ducks are brought to the fountain in the middle of the lobby. The show is great! This takes place every day, and has done for decades. The Americans love it. The ducks love it less, but they are replaced every three months. One tried to get off the red carpet and was followed by a liveried servant.
Graceland
We booked a trip to Graceland at the hotel. After we had waited quite a while, we were taken onto a shuttle bus, where a very excited driver asked us: „Where are you from, guys?“ Since we were the only passengers, we had a good chat about the differences between Europe and the USA. The bus stopped at several hotels, but no other passengers got on. Suddenly, at a crossroads, she turned on her intercom and changed to her professional announcement, which was very loud in the empty bus. It was about the fact that we were not allowed to take any weapons or explosives to Graceland, and that the shuttle would be back at the bus stop at 4 pm. Whoever was late would need to get back on their own, which seemed to be impossible. After this announcement, the driver switched seamlessly back to our interesting conversation. What a show! A group of older Australians joined us and we reached the entrance of Graceland. At least, this was what we thought to be the entrance! All over the place was Styrofoam snow, thirty degrees outside, a perfectly illuminated winter landscape. People in winter clothes were hanging around in the entrance area. We were told that the film „Christmas in Graceland“ was about to be shot.
Then we were taken to a video room, where a twenty–minute film about Elvis‘ life was shown, with a little speech from an animator before the screening. After that we were brought to small buses, to finally reach the real entrance of Graceland after a couple of minutes journey. Only afterwards did I understand the purpose of it: large merchandising halls with articles „all about Elvis“ are on the arrival side. Elvis‘ private plane was there, only to be seen from the outside. Graceland has been left as it originally was, like a holy grail. It was interesting to watch the attention American visitors pay to this place. Elvis‘ spirit is still very powerful, though mainly for white Americans.
At the bus stop bus we talked to a young couple. As the young man heard that we were from Germany, he said: „Actually I should be angry with you. You killed my cousin in World War II!“ He was in his early twenties.
Last evening in Memphis
Back in Memphis, we were hungry and ended up in a place called the Flying Fish. It was a great location: hundreds of singing plastic fishes were hung on the walls, each one was handcrafted. The catfish as a menu was a great touch. Afterwards, we went back to our hotel to have a cocktail at the bar.
There we met Dave, who earns his living as lighting director for big shows. „I make sure that Barbara Streisand’s nose doesn’t look too big!“ He commutes back and forth between Nashville and Memphis. His social project is the Children’s Hospice in Memphis. Together with his team, he makes sure that terminally ill children in the intensive care unit can feel the illumination of a day and night, through artificial light. We were touched, and enjoyed the conversation with Dave.
For the next morning we hadn’t booked breakfast at the hotel, because it was sinfully expensive. But on our departure day, we decided that we would try it. Not a bad decision, since we now know that Tennessee Buttermilk Biscuits taste great, and how they are made. Memphis is definitely worth another trip. In the back of my mind, the lyrics formed into a new song.
On the way back, on the Greyhound, we had a short break in Jackson.The city is only a trucker hotel now. Since Anna and I couldn’t sit next to each other, I talked with my neighboring customer about Jackson. She told me: “ The south is overrated!“ When I asked her why, only said: „If you come at Christmas time, it’s sooo fantastic!” I imagined Jackson with a thousand light bulbs, it could not get better! Then we talked to a farmer family who were on their way to Nashville for a weekend. „I like your ring, man!“ was the start of the conversation. Americans always have a positive conversation opener, like „I like your hat“ or „I like your ring”. In this way, they create a relationship right away, and are able to tell you about their lives. Clever!
Nashville Karaoke
Back in Nashville we changed our accommodation and moved to the Comfort Inn, where I had already stayed with Udo. As soon as we arrived, we received a WhatsApp from Ray: „Let`s meet at a bar at 6pm! I will karaoke my ass off!“ First I thought „Great, but not today“, but then my curiosity won out. When are you ever invited to a karaoke evening outside the tourist zone? We took a shower and went there by Uber.
In the bar Ray, Michelle and Michael Klooster’s wife (who wore a shirt that said „fragile as a bomb”, a shirt Anna immediately wanted to have) were waiting for us. The locals could all sing, and there was also a small group of Hell’s Angels who had come with their motorcycles. The scene resembled a Tarantino movie. Several women sang country ballads, and Ray asked me „What do you want to sing?“. I decided to sing „Soldier of Fortune“, a ballad by Deep Purple. This was the right choice, the next singer gave me a high five. I was in! Ray did a version of „White Rabbit“ that was incredibly energetic. The rockers moved outside, where they could still listen through the speakers. I decided to sing the song „Bad Company“ next, by the band of the same name. When I finished there was applause. Back at our table, the chapter leader of the Hell’s Angels suddenly came up to me and squeezed my hand. „I like the way you sing, man!“
Everybody performed very well: in Nashville, karaoke has a different quality to Berlin. Ray told me that he just wanted to see how I perform on stage. My next song was „Dirty Old Town“ by the Pogues. The DJ was thrilled to hear songs other than just the country classics. In the next round, when I was singing „Pancho and Lefty“, the rocker boss came up to me on stage and said: „This is my favorite song!”, whereupon he tried to sing a duet with me. Since he had already tried to sing twice before, I knew that he was not the best partner for a duet. Anyway, he was very happy afterwards and rode off with his two buddies into the sunset. A more American cliché wouldn’t have been possible, only this really happened! At the end of the karaoke evening I sang „C’est La Vie“ by Chuck Berry, and the DJ told me that he would be happy if I came back soon.
Goodbye Nashville
On the last evening we went out with Ray and Michelle. After dinner we spent the evening on Printers Alley, in a blues club and an Irish pub. A beautiful conclusion to our first Nashville trip. I would have loved to have shown Anna the farmers market and much more, but the film of my recordings ran until the last minute.
Ray took us to the airport, and on the flight back I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. Anna woke up briefly and asked what I was doing. I was typing the first lines of my new song into my cell phone. They came to me with the memories of the quiet power of the Mississippi. I knew immediately that this would be the opening song for my album, and that I wanted to record with the same fantastic musicians.
Home
Back home I was thinking about future opportunities. I had the chance to record a complete album of twelve songs in Nashville with great musicians. Ray wanted to be the manager, and Tommy Harden would again select the musicians and do the recordings. I had six months to select the songs and to do the arrangements, as in February 2020 I was supposed to go back into the studio. From Nashville I brought an uncanny energy, Udo and Anna felt the same. The Berlin grumpiness suddenly seemed completely alien to us. I was full of beans.
„We have to make a cover for the EP!” Anna bought a good camera and started to take the photos for the cover. We took some pictures and tried to shoot a little video at our place in Kreuzberg. At the same time, it was all about finding a label and getting the necessary permissions and licenses for the release. The whole thing suddenly grew into the dimension of a production: trade, distribution and marketing, which shifted the actual music into the background for a while. Half a year later we had fought our way through, the EP Northern Soul – Southern Spirit was released. The final touches for the Sheriff/Outlaw KayNashVega were done in winter, on the Oranienplatz, Berlin.
First feedback
For Anne’s 50th birthday, which was celebrated one week after our return, friends from different countries came to Berlin. Since we were still completely in Nashville mode, we played the four songs one by one to each guest. For everyone, the way of listening was completely different. A friend from Switzerland, a musician himself, said he could only listen to new songs if he played guitar. So he took my guitar and played while listening. Others were very surprised, saying that my voice sounded very young.
Udo played the songs at a party thrown by the Beatsteaks manager, and said that people were dancing to it. The positive signs encouraged me to not just be satisfied with the four tracks, but to go to the next level with this energy: a first album!