This past weekend, I went home to visit my parents in North Carolina. After two cancelled flights, I arrived in NC a day late and very ready to start my vacation. My mom picked me up at the airport, and we drove straight to Nashville to see my mom’s boyfriend, Keith Urban. He was doing both the early and the late show at the Grand Ole Opry, and we just HAD to go. We also just HAD to get a back stage tour. My mom, it seems, has taken to escaping any and all reality by luxuriating in Urban’s sensitive love songs. I, on the other hand, had never listened any of his music—the only thing I know about him is that his wife’s forehead doesn’t move.
My mom and I had never had a girl’s trip with just the two of us. I had never been to Nashville, nor I had never been interested in county music.
That said, the Grand Ole Opry was amazing. We saw all sorts of acts. New, old, honky tonk, pop, etc. During our backstage tour, we actually heard Keith Urban’s sound check, and my mom almost died. One of the hosts was a 91-year-old country star named Little Jimmy Dickens. Not only is he ancient, he’s four foot eleven.
It was a great adventure. We rushed the stage to get a closer view of Keith, we went out and got drunk with our country-girl tour guide, we wore cowboy boots and ate BBQ, and we heard a lot of awesome music.
By the way, you can check out Little Jimmy Dickens here:
Lindsey Gentile is an actor, writer, comedienne, and all-around gal-about-town. Every Thursday, she reports from the front lines of single life in NYC. Check out her website HERE. Need more Big City Siren? No problem.
