Nashville – Week One! (writing sessions, Opry and bouzouki)

Jun 23, 2015 | Lifestyle, News

Nashville – Week One!

I arrived in Nashville on 1st June and was met at the airport by the AMAZING Michael Spriggs and his beautiful wife Carla. They’ve got to be the warmest and sweetest people in the whole of Nashville.

After some dinner at Ruby Tuesday’s we arrived back at their home. WOW. What a beautiful place!! Wildlife everywhere – hummingbirds, deer running around with their baby fawns, two raccoons (who visited us at 7 on the dot every evening for snacks), chipmunks, birds galore and yes… BUGS GALORE! But we will get to that later…

After I put my bags down in my bedroom, Michael showed me around the house and I saw his studio for the first time… I had to pinch myself!!!

What an amazing writing room and studio.
Michael and I started writing immediately! As you all know, I have an unhealthy obsession with stringed instruments. Among 120 guitars, banjo’s ukuleles, mandolins etc he also had bouzouki’s… (an instrument which originated in Greece). I was so inspired by the sound that we wrote a song the second I picked one up, it is soooo pretty! I can’t wait for you guys to hear it!

I had a whole load of meeting’s and writing sessions scheduled for the first week of my trip… Here are some of the highlights of my first week in Nashville:

Spencer Day – an awesome writer and artist – check him out!

Sarah Spencer – beautiful inside and out!

Matt Koziol – comes with Charlie (the worlds cutest dog) and has the most beautiful voice EVER (Matt does, not the dog!)

Billy Livsey – WHAT A TOP PERSON! Lovely to finally meet his wife, too!

I was sad not to see my friend Jenn Bostic whilst in Nashville (her home!) but I was able to meet Kyshona, one of her friends who is BEAUTIFUL and WOWZA, that girl can sing, too!

Michael and I met with JW for lunch, manager of Trace Adkins. He is a lovely, kind soul and I am so grateful to him and his team for giving me the honour of performing on two of Trace’s songs from his album “The Kings Gift”.

I went to visit Mike Dungan at Universal Music Group. It was an amazing opportunity to play him my music and to have his feedback. I was thrilled to hear that he loved it and said “this is the music I really like to listen to”. He introduced me to Sam Hunt, and Pain Killer – two of the label’s exciting new artists. They are amazing! I’m looking forward to showing them around London sometime!

On day 2, I ran into an injured fawn on the side of the road… It was the sweetest little thing!!! Michael and I took it to the animal sanctuary. In the car, it must have thought I was its Mum, as I started getting licked! I could have cried!

I met some awesome dogs – one I particularly loved was aptly named BANJO!

On Saturday night I went to the Opry for the first time! It was magical to meet the incredibly talented musicians that have played there for decades and to hear Sara Haze sing “Riot” which was recently cut by Rascal Flatts… It totally blew me away and I was thrilled to be able to give her a big hug and thanked her for the song.

Which leads us on to Sunday… Wow.. That week went by SOOOO fast!! Sunday was an exciting day for me as I went to collect my gorgeous Sam from the airport, and began to introduce him to the wonder of Nashville! The next two weeks will follow soon….