Music City Mixtape
Nashville food & beverage professionals who have dabbled in music show us the sound off-Broadway.
Maybe you showed up with your fiddle and guitar, but I bet you quickly discovered that what really makes the Nashville music scene interesting is the eclectic mix of genres that exist within. For many Nashvillians, music is what brought them here, for others, music kept them around. We asked a bunch of industry professionals who have dabbled in music professionally or casually to show us a little bit of the sound off-Broadway and how it quite literally plays into a night of service.
We played a game of telephone to build this playlist, song by song, person by person. Each one added to the song before to either let it flow or change the vibe completely. So when the question begs: "Are you sure Hank done it this way?", this playlist answers with a firm “hell no.”
1. “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” — Shania Twain
Bartender Emily Ramey of City House
“I play mostly classical and instrumental piano, but every once in a while, Billy Joel or Rufus Wainwright will make it in the mix. I am large; I contain multitudes.”
2. “Can't Hide Love” — Earth, Wind & Fire
Baker Max Palmer of Bagelshop
“I’m a drummer and guitarist. At this moment, I’m mostly playing indie pop/psych rock.”
3. “Drawn Away” — Fruit Bats
Aaron Distler of Mr. Aaron's Goods
“In my past life, I was a drummer, playing for Skyway Man and sharing a bill with Fruit Bats on a tour in 2019.”
4. A Nível De — João Bosco
Bartender Eric Bowers of Bastion
“I play guitar. Groovy, laid back Moonchild, Robert Glasper-type stuff.”
5. “Backseat Freestyle” — Kendrick Lamar
Chef Drew Dunston of Tootsie Lou’s Tacos
“I've played guitar since I was about 15 years old. My background is in jazz, funk, and hip hop, but as things evolved I primarily played harder music such as metalcor and mathcore.
6. “Telephone Bore” — Gordon Spicer Band
Chef Rooney of Black Dynasty Ramen
“We play a lot of music for the love of chaotic energy, but hip hop, punk, lo-fi and rock and roll are our mainstays.”
7. “King of the World” — Steely Dan
Sake Brewer Byron Stithem of Proper Sakè Company
“I play drums and went to school for music business. I mostly play jazz and related materials, but dabble in metal as well.
8. “The Power of Love” — Huey Lewis
Chef Colin Shane of The Continental
“I was the frontman in a punk rock band from Gainesville, Florida for the better part of a decade, singing and playing guitar.”
9. “WIN” — Jay Rock
Chef Bryan Lee Weaver of Redheaded Stranger
“I played guitar/piano when I was young, but fell in love with vinyl/turntables towards the end of highschool. I used to DJ a weekly hip hop show in Colorado, if people remember what a radio station is.”
ILLUSTRATION: BASHEL LUBARSKY
PHOTOS: WILL BLUNT
