February | 2023 | Star Spirit Adventures

What’s the number one thing you should do if you’re a country music fan visiting Nashville? Okay. Maybe it’s not number one on everyone’s list, but it is a prime activity choice. You must visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. At least once, right?

Last month, I took some time to check it out. I enjoyed looking at everything, but oddly, as a writer, I didn’t care to read about every single detail. The clothing, cars, albums, and plaques were what I was most interested in. I wandered around searching out memorabilia from Taylor Swift, Elvis, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, etc.

You could spend hours looking at and reading everything. They have an area where you can choose different music videos to watch and look at all kinds of videos from the Grand Ole Opry. It was interesting and enjoyable. I won’t need to do it again for several years.

The one downside was that I wanted to see more items on Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline. Some singers who had displays were surprising to me. I didn’t realize how big of a deal Martina McBride is. I enjoyed looking at her display and learning more about her rise to fame.

My favorite part of this excursion was looking at the records displayed on the walls and the room at the very end that held the bronze wall plaques for each star. I also loved seeing anything related to Taylor Swift. She has an entire wing dedicated to children’s learning.

Not my top favorite museum, but worth a visit all the same. New exhibits come along here and there. Perhaps I visited during a less exciting time.

Here’s a fun fact. It’s cheaper to buy your tickets in person than it is online, according to the museum front desk.

For more information, please visit: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – Top Nashville Experience and Tours

With the holidays having ended and winter in the Midwest in full swing, my husband and I took a brief trip down to Nashville to escape the plummeting temperature and rising snow accumulation. Now, you would think this would be a genuine trade for warmer weather, but, the wind came gushing in and the temperature dropped into the thirties, making the evenings chilly. We didn’t let it stop us from having a good time. It was the entertainment in Music City that warmed us up.

We wandered Broadway and stopped at several bars, but the place that grabbed my attention most was Ole Red. For those of you who do not know, Ole Red is Blake Shelton’s bar. At first, I was none too excited to be there because many patrons were standing in wait for a table to open up. We got lucky and a few groups left, securing us a spot near the right side of the stage.

We stayed for two hours and happily bobbed to the smooth vocalizations of Krystal Steel and her band, who she lovingly refers to as Hot Pockets. I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m a hard sell with cover bands. My father is in a band and has been my entire life. I nitpick everything, but this group was solid, which had me thinking, Blake Shelton, give The Voice a break and come see this woman belt it out! She was by far the most intense and exciting performer I saw the entire time I was in Nashville. If anyone deserves a chance at stardom, it’s her! On top of it all, one of the band members is a Keytar player, which I find fascinating.

Krystal has a great vocal range. When we walked in, she was belting out an Eminem song. The band takes requests for twenty dollars. A smart idea, if I do say. She sang Lady Gaga’s Always Remember Us This Way (fantastic!), Zombie, Tennessee Whiskey, Whole Lotta Lovin’, and Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith. The rest of the band was as impressive as she was. They sang Watermelon Crawl, Blue on Black, Rocky Top, and a mix of Queen songs. At one point, they received a request for the song Tom Sawyer, which the drummer admitted he had never played to completion but would give it his all. If I wasn’t a fan before, this would have won me over for certain. I have a soft spot for drummers, as my father is one, and one of his favorite drummers was none other than Neil Peart. He kicked that song’s butt. I couldn’t stop cheering. It was exceptional!

If you’re looking for some fun, check out Krystal and the boys. They frequently play at Ole Red. You won’t be sorry. They’re brilliant musicians with wonderful chemistry and a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure.

For more information on Krystal Steel, check out Instagram @KrystalSteelMusic and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KrystalSteelOfficial/

Adventure is wherever the desire takes you.