Nashville's Best Songwriter Stage - The Bluebird Cafe

It's off the tourist-beaten track, and it's a place to gather for serious listening, so the rules don't tolerate blabbing during the music.  If you're aware of the Bluebird Cafe but have not visited, you might be surprised at how diminutive it is.

Tucked away in a bland row of businesses along Hillsboro Road in Green Hills, with a scarcely visible sign, the Bluebird Cafe is a midget hole in the wall eating place and saloon, where four musicians sing from the heart of the cafe, in the round. It's a extremely unceremonious, up close and personal setting, in which to hear some of Nashville's aspiring and accomplished artists.

As a matter of fact, the artist in the round format was started at the Bluebird.  Writers Fred Knobloch (Used to Blue and Meanwhile), and Don Schlitz (The Gambler and Forever and Ever, Amen), purportedly after an evening of drinking, resolved to set up four chairs facing each other in the heart of the venue, kill the lights, and simply take in what materializes. This format proved to work so well, that you're likely to view it at many songwriter's gatherings in Music City.

The Bluebird has not simply developed to be known as Music City's most well thought of place to listen to musicians, but it has been the jumping off point for numerous known country songwriters, beginning back in 1983 when Kathy Mattea scored a recording deal after singing at the Bluebird for just a short time. Once that occurred, the Bluebird became one of the most competitive venues to play.  And this phenomenon would persist to repeat again and again, as several of the Bluebird's artist regulars proceeded to get record deals, and singer-songwriter after musician reached fame in the identical way. (There have been overly many popular musicians "born" at the Bluebird to name them all here, but do you know Garth Brooks? - Yes, indeed, he got his big break at the Bluebird, as well,also.)

The Bluebird Cafe has two performances each evening, and reservations are advised, which you can set up online (likely the optimal way) or by calling in on the phone. But if you have not got reservations and desire to run over there at the last minute, you really should attempt it - they'll do everything possible to get you into the performance. The Bluebird certainly should be on any visitor's list of Nashville attractions to enjoy.