JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Creative Writing Forum Redwing Goes To Nashville..............

I've found much less rudeness in Nashville toward the art community than anywhere else I've been. There are songwriter associations, writers' nights, open stages, get togethers, seminars, and on and on. Many are free, few are expensive, fewer are ripoffs. There is a wonderful infrastructure for the arts here. We have a world class symphony orchestra with a new symphony hall that is absolutely top quality. There are resources here for all of the fine arts that rival those of cities five times as large, all with a down-home sensibility. I have, however, encoutered much rudeness toward Nashville itself, I call it "Nash-bashing."

Nashville banks, for example, understand and work with musicians and artists. The banks in the Music Row area have bank officers on duty who specialize in the music business. Music stores here understand the need of the professional musician far more than those I've visited in other cities.

Are there rude people? Yes...everywhere. They will be rude to everyone, even rude to peoples' businesses, hometowns, counrties, religions, etc. Rudeness is a fact of life. But I don't see it here any more than elsewhere, indeed, I see it less. Could it be better here? Yes. It could be better everywhere, but in my experience, Nashville is not exceptionally rude to artists...it is exceptionally open and welcoming.