Tin Pan South: Music, Music, and More Music- Day 1

Bo, Darryl Burgess, A.J. Masters and Greg Crowe- The Front Men

The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival is something I had only vaguely heard about before this year. Of course when it was brought to my attention that Bo was doing a writer's round at this year's festival, I knew I had to go! You can buy a fast access pass and can get into any of the numerous shows going on the entire week, so that's what I did and it's one of the best things I've ever done!

Debbie and I headed out to Nashville last Wednesday, all excited at the prospect of seeing Bo in this setting. After settling down in our hotel room, we got dressed and headed over to the Douglas Corner Cafe where The Front Men, Darryl Burgess, Greg Crowe, A.J. Masters, and Bo Bice, were doing the second show. We arrived early and like good little Peeps, were first in the pass line. Bo came by on his way in and spoke to everyone. We only waited a couple of hours, then we were admitted. Some folks were already in there and although I had a seat at the table surrounding the writers, I could not see Bo. So I decided to take a seat at the booth directly behind the table with a straight line of vision to him.

The men were set up in a circle in the middle of a U of tables. There was a large hanging lamp directly over them but they were mostly in the darkness. Unfortunately, that meant I had to use the flash with my camera, but I don't think it bothered them because it wasn't flashing in their eyes.

The guys started the round and it was a laid-back, easy feeling, like we were witnessing them jamming in somebody's garage or living room. Bo sang several songs and I loved to watch the men start singing along and playing their guitars. Bo had brought some percussion instruments and his harmonica and he would pull them out and play them when the other guys were having their turn. Bo sang Wild Roses (*sigh*), Good Hearted Woman, American Blood, a FANTASTIC one I had never heard called You Better Run, and I can't remember right the moment what the rest of them were. Everyone was having such a good time that each time a round ended they'd ask, "One more round?" and everyone would yell "Yeah!!" They played for three hours! It was so great for me to see the other songwriters closing their eyes, listening intently to Bo as he sang, and nodding their heads. They called him "The Voice", which Bo misunderstood as "One Voice" and they all started joking about that.

Caroline was there and she was just as sweet as always. Bo too was very sweet and all the men hung around and chatted and posed for pictures. I love it that Bo's a fan like we are. It was so cool that he got all of the men to sign his set list! It was a wonderful keepsake of his first Tin Pan participation.

We left, all revved up and excited about the next night's performance of The Ides of March.