Wild Wednesday Morning Shuffle - Gabba Gabba Hey! Mix

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And so it begins... you know, if my Americana 2016 experience ended last night, I think I would be pretty darn satisfied...

I decided not to risk getting shut out of the venue, so I drove straight from work to the Pub at The Basement East and hung out with friends and listened to Terry Rickards and Darrin Bradbury play music by East Nashville musicians.  Then, we joined the line to get into The Basement East.   Caught part of a set by a talented group of students from Nashville School for the Arts.

Later, Chuck Mead led a pretty amazing band with special guests through set that included Mead singing The Who's "Can't Explain", Sarah Gayle Meech singing Blondie's "Heart of Glass", and a cover of a song by The Pogues - plus Patrick Sweany... plus, plus... And that was the "opening act"!

So, I knew that Aaron Lee Tasjan and Friends was going to be epic... I mean, it's ALT and last year's set was epic so...   2014 E2TG Artist of the Year Darrin Bradbury kicked things off with a rocking rendition of his classic "Life is Hard (The Ballad of Jack Kerouac, Lenny Bruce, and Daffy Duck)"... Zach Schmidt - one of my favorites - was up next with one of my favorite songs of his, "Company Man", 2015 E2TG Artist of the Year Jon Latham did his song, "Waitressing Sucks" and there were suddenly a bunch of new Jon Latham fans in the house. Brian Wright did a face-meltingly good performance of "Glory Hallelujah" - I mean...  Brian Wright always blows me away, but this was next level good.  He and Aaron Lee have been playing together quite a bit and it really shows because they were incredibly tight throughout the set.  ALT did "Made in America" and "Ready to Die" which were both amazing. There was more, but I'm running short on time... Then, Jon Latham returned to the stage with the great Dan Baird (Georgia Satellites, Dan Baird and Homemade Sin, The Bluefields) and my mind was blown.  I could have just gone home right then and have been satisfied... but I didn't.

Lee Ann Womack was next with an incredible band and a bunch of friends... like Waylon Payne, Brent Cobb, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Amanda Shires, Jason Isbell (who sang Todd Snider's "Play a Train Song"), Patty Griffin, and more.

Kind of sort of as we speak, Darrin Bradbury is joining Margo Price, Aaron Lee Tasjan and others for an NPR segment at The Country Music Hall of Fame.  I don't know if you can even imagine how it feels to have watch the ascension of Darrin Bradbury over the last two plus years. I am beyond proud of him and glad to know him.  I am at work and not able to be at the Hall of Fame, but I will be there when he takes the stage at The City Winery for his official showcase performance before James McMurtry takes the stage.  Other recommendations for tonight: Allen Thompson Band at ACME Feed and Seed at 11pm and Tim Easton at The 5 Spot at midnight.  My night will be begin at The 5 Spot for Amelia White's Residency show with guest Renee Wahl and the Sworn Secrets and an appearance by Jon Byrd. It will be nice to be back in the friendly comfines of The 5 Spot.

Let's get to the shuffle while I still have a few minutes to write... It is Wild Wednesday - let's get Wild!