- In this episode of "Fly Brother", we get inspired in the city of muses, Nashville, Tennessee.

We start off by waxing lyrical with my girls, musicians Alyssa Trahan and MaKayla Lynn.

Then we explore art deco architecture with fellow travel storyteller Mickela Mallozzi.

We get down and funky with Dr. Steven Lewis at the national museum of a African American music before finally munching on Mexican with fellow journalist, Jeannette Ceja.

It ain't just music in music city.

Let's get fly.

(upbeat music) I'm Ernest White the second, storyteller, explorer.

I feel like Indiana Jones.

I believe in connecting across backgrounds and boundaries.

(upbeat music) Join me and my friends.

(upbeat music) And discover that no matter the background, no matter the history, the whole world is our tribe.

(upbeat music) Come with me.

"Fly Brother" - [Female Narrator] Major funding for this program is provided by.

- This is Mayor Ras J. Baraka, welcome to Newark.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) We are Newark, one family, brick city.

- [Female Narrator] Courageous conversation, global foundation, promoting racial justice, interracial understanding and human healing.

Additional funding provided by the following.

(jet engines humming) - [Ernest] Nashville.

Music city, USA.

This city of muses plays more than a few measures of culture, art and food alongside its more melodic delights.

Known as the epicenter of the country music industry.

Tennessee's capital city has a tradition of gospel, contemporary Christian, rock, and a slew of other musical genres epitomized by its music row district.

We start off at The Listening Room Cafe where the weekly song suffragettes event showcases five up and coming women country artists.

(audience applauding) And here is where we get the chance to talk music and even write a song with future legends, Alyssa Trahan and MaKayla Lynn.

- Yeah.

- Yes.

- And so I'm thinking something that is, got the soul of country with- Well, whatever, whatever- However, it shows up.

- Just a good song.

- Yeah, just a good song.

- Yeah.

(MaKayla laughing) - Okay.

- Let's just write a great song today.

- [Both] Let's do it.

- I mean- It's what we do every day, right?

- Yep.

- Yeah.

- As story tellers, masterpieces.

This is going to be a masterpiece.

- Yep.

- This is going to be a masterpiece.

(MaKayla laughing) - Cause we never write bad songs ever.

(MaKayla laughing) - No, there is no such thing.

- Who would do such, yeah.

- Exactly.

- It's, like, I, kind of, sometimes I think, I don't know if it's the same, but for me I'll go into writes all the time and I'm, like, you, kind of, have to expect the worst and then hope that the song will be great.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- You know, like, you, kind of, have to be, like, this could suck.

- Sure.

- Or it could turn out to be a song that changes my life.

- Yeah, every day.

- You know, like, and you kind of have to have that hope, but then also not be blown if the song is not great.

A dud.

- Because you have tomorrow.

(Alyssa laughing) Yeah.

If it's a dud you have tomorrow to write a new one and you have the next day, you know, like.

- So is there a science to this?

Is there a structure?

- No (laughs).

I feel like- - There's not.

- We just let the muse show up.

We let the muses.

- [Both] Yeah.

- You kind of just, like, you usually you'll just throw around ideas.

Like everyone will share some ideas they had.

- Mm-hmm.

- When one sparks, if one sparks, then you'll chase that idea.

- I think, like, sometimes that's another, it could be, like, really strange and something could pop out of the air and we could think of something cool.

- Yeah.

- And then sometimes what happens, like, you're right, like, a lot of times we'll go into a room or a zoom meeting or whatever.

And we all just, kind of, like, look at if we have any thoughts.

Like, when we have thoughts, I just make 'em in lists.

- Yeah.

- Okay, okay.

- You know, like, I just.

If I have something- - [Alyssa] We have never ending lists on our phones.

- Yeah, of just, like- - Titles and- - It could be a title, a lyric, anything, a concept, you know, like, anything.

So I'm kind of, like, I'm, like, "Is there anything that fits?".

- Totally.

- But now you expected to, crank out a song in, like, a half hour?

Like you need to have, you know, at least the chorus and the bridge.

- [Both] No.

- No, I mean- - Sometimes it falls out that quick.

I mean, sometimes it can, it can happen quick.

- Sometimes it can happen in 30 minutes.

Sometimes it takes a few years to finish a song.

I mean, there's, like, every song is so different, but there's no like template.

There's no formula.

We always say in Nashville, you write what's in the room and you just write the vibe that you're feeling, you got to chase that.

And it is difficult, because a lot of writers in town have a quota they have to meet.

So a certain amount of songs per month, they have to hand in and you know- - To who?

- Publishers usually.

- Okay.

- And you know, everyone wants, like, that radio hit.

So you'll try to write for radio a lot of times, but personally, for me, I have found that the most, reward comes from just writing the best song I can, not focusing on the industry, not focusing on, "Oh, well publishers would tell me to do this."

Or, "Oh, well, radio does this, I should do this.".

I just write what feels right.

Even if it doesn't follow, like, the rules of songwriting.

And I say that in quotes, 'cause, like, there aren't really rules.

- Sure, sure.

- Right.

- But you just got to, if it feels right, it's right.

That's what I try to live by.

- So do you think whatever we write is going to be a top 10 hit?

- I don't know.

- I don't think you can ever tell what a top 10 hit is - You never know.

- Because there are so many songs.

- A billboard hit.

A hit parade hit, I dunno.

(MaKayla guffawing) As long as it's not a dud.

- Yeah (laughs) - We don't want a dud.

- If it's a dud we go away tomorrow.

- Yes.

- Exactly.

(MaKayla laughing) All right.

- Yeah.

- Yes, but- - I think that's the joy, you don't know.

- Yeah.

- You don't know.

- Yeah.

- It's, like, the- That's, I think, what I'm addicted to about writing is not knowing what I'm about to write.

- Yeah.

Like, I just- There's, like, a- There's this weird indescribable feeling of, like, being putting something out onto paper and making something up that wasn't there before.

- Mm (indistinct).

- Yeah.

And that feeling you get when it's a good song.

- Yes.

- Like, I don't even know how to put being a writer, I should know how to do this, but I can't put that into words, like, - Yeah.

- that feeling when you're proud of a song.

- [Ernest] Turns out as a songwriting trio, Alyssa, MaKayla and I worked pretty quickly.

Here's what we've come up with so far.

(soft guitar music) ♪ I watched you leave so much unspoken ♪ ♪ Then break down in the dark ♪ ♪ I wish you wouldn't be so hard on yourself ♪ ♪ Looking through the glass on the wall ♪ ♪ I see the good, ♪ ♪ I see the light ♪ ♪ I see the sparkle in your eye ♪ ♪ What is it when I look away ♪ ♪ All the fears and regrets become the only pieces left ♪ ♪ I wish that I could be to you what I see ♪ ♪ In the mirror ♪ (soft guitar music) - Yeah.

- All right.

- Yeah.

- Yes.

Ariana, we did that.

- We did that.

(all laughing) (upbeat music) - [Ernest] From a tiny trading post on the Cumberland river in middle Tennessee, Nashville grew into a railroad hub and education epicenter, a battleground for civil rights and a showcase for great chefs.

But the city soundtrack is still the star of the show.

Musicians started making their names here after the civil war and ever since 1925, the Grand Ole Opry brings the sound of Nashville to millions of people every Saturday night.

You don't have to wait till then though.

Great live music plays here all day, every day.

(camera shutter clicking) (upbeat music) Buzzing with the eclectic and the eccentric, Nashville's restaurant and bar scene is bar none.

And today we're meeting up with two of my good Judys in the travel game, who returned to Nashville time and again.

Television host, Mickela Mallozzi and journalist and speaker Jeannette Ceja.

We head up to the top of the Graduate Hotel to the jewel box of a bar called White Limozeen.

Inspired by national treasure herself, Miss Dolly Parton.

(upbeat music) - That smells insane.

- Ladies, here's to the muses of Nashville, including Miss Dolly Parton.

- Yeah.

- And TSU grad Oprah Winfrey.

- Yeah.

- [All] Cheers.

- All right.

- Cheers.

- Nashville.

- Cheers.

(tiny ding) (Ernest laughing) - We're in Nashville.

- We are.

- We're atop Nashville.

I love it that you're both here.

You've both been around the world 80 times and- - More or less.

- Okay, 76, 76, 77.

(women laughing) But Nashville always is a special place for both of you.

Why is that?

What is it about this place that is so inspirational?

- Well, for me, you know, I have a lot of childhood memories growing up here.

My family moved here about 20 years ago in the 90s.

My parents still live here.

My relatives, uncles, aunts, cousins, live here.

And I love personally seeing the growth and diversity of Nashville over the past decade.

- Mm.

- 'Cause every time I come back, it's just expanding and I'm really excited.

- Yeah.

- Love it, love it.

- Yeah.

- How about you?

- So Nashville has sort of become a third home for me when I'm not in New York or traveling- you and I met in Ireland.

- Yes, we did.

- We're all over the place.

- Wow.

- Nashville is a place that I settle in when I'm not in either of those places.

- Mm-hmm.

- My husband's a musician.

This is Music City.

- Sure.

- And every aspect of the industry is here, whether you're a manager, a performer, a producer, a writer, publishing, licensing.

So it's become this wonderful sort of Mecca for all types of musicians.

Here, in Nashville, being a musician is revered.

- Sure.

- It's respected.

So it's a really special place I think for musicians and artists in general.

And the food here is amazing.

There's a crazy food scene.

- Well, as we can see.

- Yeah (laughs) (upbeat music) - Last time I flew in, just now I didn't recognize the airport.

- Oh yeah.

- You know, they've done so many changes since COVID.

- Sure.

- And it's now an international airport, so there're direct flights to London and I think it's opening up even more.

- Mm-hmm.

- Yeah.

- And they have live music sometimes.

- Right, they do.

- At the airport?

- Yeah, at the airport.

- I want to see this.

- They do.

- That's a traveler city.

- It is amazing.

- And it's a music city that is exactly what it is.

- It's a music city.

I arrived to Nashville just a few days ago.

And even when I arrived, I heard the live music.

And if I wasn't in a hurry, you know, I would've wanted to just sit and see who the performer was.

- Yeah.

- It's a cool experience.

- Yeah.

- And I think it's something only, like, Nashville.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (women laughing) - [Ernest] Food and Dolly, bringing people together.

(upbeat music) (camera shutter clicking) We'll reconnect with Jeannette a bit later, but first Mickela takes me to one of her favorite places in Nashville.

The fabulous Frist Art Museum housed in an art deco masterpiece completed in 1934 as the main post office.

- I love this building.

- Beautiful.

- Isn't it gorgeous?

- I am an art deco fiend.

- This is why I wanted to take you here.

Because every time I come back to Nashville, it's this beautiful space.

- Mm.

- It holds so much beautiful artwork.

And it's always changing.

- Mm.

(upbeat music) - Here, former executive director, Dr. Susan Edwards, takes us on a tour.

- So this is breathtakingly beautiful.

- I absolutely love it.

- When you walk into the grand lobby, you see the building as it was in 1934.

So all of the features that you're looking at are original to the building.

So all of the marble, the postal tables, all of the light fixtures and the stars on the ceiling, the aluminum flourishes.

So the icons above here are the ways the mail was brought.

So by air and train and ships and over land.

We're a non collecting museum.

So we don't have a collection or a building.

We are really all smoke and mirrors.

- Mm (laugh).

- But with pleasure, we present about 15 exhibitions a year.

In exchange for the government's support Everyone under 18 is always free.

I think the Frist family very much wanted every kid in Nashville to have what their children had.

It's kind of wonderful to feel that you're an equalizer in some way.

- Sure.

- In terms of providing both exposure to all the cultures and time periods of the world, and it really helped people realize.

And certainly something we've seen over the last 20 years is being part of a global community is increasingly important.

- Absolutely.

- For understanding other cultures and being unthreatened by them.

- Well, that's the purpose of this series is to go to different places, engage with people across background and boundary and get everyone to see that the whole world is our tribe.

Building global community.

- Exactly.

(upbeat music) - We have about 80 works on loan to us from Paris, the only venue in the United States for this work.

This was a piece we absolutely had to have for Nashville.

- Yeah.

- Nice.

- When I was there I said, you know, "We have to have man with a guitar."

And it's one of the prime examples of analytic cubism.

And of course, it's obviously stunning.

(upbeat music) For Liliana Porter we have a stunning exhibition.

The major piece in this installation is "Man with the Axe".

And if you see that "Man with the Ax" is this little figure here and he's chopping up all of these things and including the piano.

Tremendous amount of whimsy and, you know, looking at the detritus in our lives and yet, you know, repurposed as such.

(upbeat music) Because we are a relatively young institution, founded in 2001, we have this luxury of reaching out and being a listening organization.

Right from the beginning-- - Mm.

- we had community partners.

So there's almost never an exhibition that we don't convene an advisory group to give us feedback about how this might be received in the community.

- Sure.

- Because we want everyone to feel welcome.

You don't need to know anything about art to appreciate it.

It's pre lingual, you don't even have to speak the language.

- Wow.

- You just look.

So we're inspired by those fresh ways of seeing things.

- Mm-hm.

Like you said, innocence and authenticity.

I mean, that's almost how we should be living life, but you don't think of that when you think of museums.

So it's nice to know that people can come to an institution and really have an engaging experience.

- Well, and I think in the last year that we've all been very humbled around the world about systems of power and constructions of exclusion.

- Yes.

- And establishing otherness.

If we're going to have truth, if we're going to have reconciliation, we need to speak truth.

- Mm.

- [Ernest] You can trace the history and ambition of Nashville through its architecture, from the Gothic revival power of the Ryman Auditorium, to the art deco splendor of the Frist Museum.

Downtown Nashville is full of neoclassical wonders.

But the city's true gem is its perfect replica of the Parthenon right here in Centennial park.

Built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial exposition, this exact reproduction has been featured in films and television shows reinforcing Nashville's nickname as the Athens of the South due to its collection of well regarded academic institutions.

But it's a new institution that's advancing scholarly research, particularly in the city's highest profile industry, music.

Just steps from the Ryman Auditorium, AKA The Grand Ole Opry House in downtown Nashville, the National Museum of African American Music opened in January 2021 with a collection spanning the centuries and tracing the impact and influence of Black American music traditions on global culture.

From fashion to politics.

Museum curator, Dr. Steven Lewis takes us inside.

- So this story here is the story of African American religious music, which includes the spirituals like, "Wade In The Water".

- Sure.

- And also going up to contemporary gospel music.

This is where we talk about the story of the Fisk Jubilee singers, for example.

- Yes.

- The people who really put Nashville on the map as a city of musical excellence.

- Mm-hm.

- You know, this group from Fisk University.

- Sure.

They did the first, like, international band tour.

- Exactly.

Exactly, exactly.

And they're the group that really introduced the world to African American music.

- Mm.

- Right.

Prior to the Jubilee singers.

There was not really an international appreciation for - Sure.

- African Americans' traditional music.

And so by singing the spirituals all around Europe, they created a new community of enthusiasts for the music that then paved the way for later groups.

So over here, it was one of the things I wanted to show you, we've got a replica of a late 18th century banjo.

- Mm.

So this is a replica of a banjo circa 1795.

- Okay.

- And so we've got it here kind of juxtaposed with these instruments from west Africa.

- Sure.

- A one string fiddle, called a Goje, and then of course, a traditional harp called a Kora.

The reason we have it here is, 'cause we want to illustrate how the banjo, which is a distinctively African American instrument- - Of course.

- Is descended from these African predecessors, right.

- Mm.

So just drawing that clear line.

So there's no ambiguity about the origins.

- Exactly, exactly.

So really, you know, this is a story that hasn't been told before.

- Mm-hm.

- And so we want our visitors to come in and have a deeper understanding of where this music comes from.

- Sure.

- Like, our African American music and American music, in general, has these African roots.

- Absolutely.

- Here in this gallery where we talk about the blues in particular, the blues is the stories of individual people.

- Mm.

- One of the first mediums in which black people were allowed to, kind of, narrate their own experiences and then also present them in a way that was relatable.

- Sure.

- To a broader audience.

So again, you know, people come in, they may not know about the history or the context of this music.

- Mm-hm.

- We hope they leave with a much deeper understanding of where everything comes from.

- Mm.

- And so now we're here in the Love Supreme gallery.

You can see the aesthetic has changed.

We're trying to evoke something like a jazz club.

- Sure, of course.

- And we're going to walk in here and you'll see, we've got replicas of signs from notable venues.

We've got Minton's, The Cotton Club.

- Mm.

- We've got the Savoy here around the corner.

And there's another piece in here I want to show you that I think is really significant illustrating the complexity of jazz history, the diversity of the jazz community.

So this trombone here belonged to Helen Jones Woods.

Helen Jones Woods was a member of the first, all women integrated jazz ensemble.

- All right.

- Named The International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

- All right, Miss International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

That's right, that's right.

- Miss Helen Jones.

Pioneering ensemble, because they were made up of women of all backgrounds and races working together harmoniously.

- Establishing community.

- Exactly.

- With the language of music.

- Exactly.

And that's what the music has always been about, in particular, jazz.

- Sure.

You know, you have jazz, kind of, is this music where you have, of course the African American roots of the music, but also very early on, you have people from a lot of different communities- - Sure.

- Joining in and music making.

- Well that's the nature of jazz and certainly the nature of black music, is its expansiveness.

- Right.

- It's inclusion.

It's, kind of, ability to hold space for.

- Right.

- And allow for the play, the joy, the energy.

- Exactly.

- All of it.

Dr. Lewis.

- Yeah.

- I mean, I'm looking at one type of church robe actually.

- That's right.

- I mean, you know, this is, like, the church of funk.

- (laughs) That's right.

- The whole funk and nothing but the funk.

Judicial robe too.

- Right, right (laughs).

So what we have here, this is a robe and a wig, that were given to the museum by George Clinton.

- Mm.

Like you said, one of the founders of funk.

- Sure.

- And the gallery we're in, One Nation Under A Groove, actually comes from one of his best known songs.

- Mm-hm.

- It's really, it's amazing.

Not only are you getting to tell the story of funk, here in this gallery, but also to have a personal item from one of the people who is an architect of the music.

- Sure, absolutely.

- Another trailblazer we feature here is Prince, of course.

(Ernest exhaling in earnest) - We've got a jacket from the "Purple Rain" tour here.

(Ernest's hands clapping earnestly) We have a copy of "Parade" here by Prince and The Revolution.

- Mm, yes.

- So, you know, again, it's really amazing to get to juxtapose all these people from this era.

- Oh man.

- You know in one spot.

- I just feel- I'm feeling the, I don't want to say ghosts, 'cause they aren't ghosts, they're here with us, I'm feeling the energy of these geniuses, you know, these masters of artistry, of storytelling, of music.

(upbeat music) (fast upbeat music) It's time to eat again.

And we connect with Jeannette and her niece, Tiffany, at their family restaurant, La Hacienda Taqueria for some light fare and laughs.

So I'm excited, your family has had this restaurant for how long now?

- For almost 20 years or more.

- And have just seen, kind of, like, this growth in Nashville.

- Yeah, I'm really happy and proud of them.

The story that I love, it's a family owned business.

It's, you know, they put all their heart into it, you can tell.

And, really, it's grown over the years.

- Thinking about the city of muses, you know, how do you feel?

And having grown up here.

- Yeah.

- How do you feel that the Mexican American community, the Latino community, Hispanic community- - Yeah.

- Has been a source of inspiration in this town.

- It's inspiring to see so many Hispanic and Latino leaders in the community.

Business owners really contribute to the growth of Nashville.

- Sure.

You know, so many different ways.

The youth, the students who are coming to, you know, all the universities and colleges.

There's, you know, Fisk university, there's CSU.

- Sure, sure.

Yeah.

- Belmont, Vanderbilt.

It's an amazing college city too.

- Well, that's why they call it the Athens of the South.

- (laughs) Yes.

- Because of its educational institutions, you know?

But one of the things that I think is very interesting is just the fact that as a southerner, you know, I even grew up seeing it as a Black and white place, you know, at least for so long.

And now the South and many Southern cities have just become so multicultural, bringing in Latino cultures, Asian cultures.

- Mm-hm.

- The whole region has just gotten more diverse.

There's always been diversity here.

- Yes.

- We've always had communities from different parts of the world, but I feel like now it's really palpable in a lot of Southern cities and particularly here in Nashville.

- Nashville, when I say Nashville, it's like, "Oh, I can't wait to go to Nashville.".

There's an excitement to come here.

- Sure.

- It really has this, you know, new, I don't know, exciting optimism, right?

Yeah.

- Well we're about to have our tacos or whatever else we're having here.

- Whoo, yes.

- So in the meantime, we've got our chips and dip that we need to eat.

- Okay, so you need to try this cheese dip I honestly only think you can get in the South and here at La Hacienda Taqueria, it is so amazing.

You really can't get anywhere else.

(chip crunching) (Jeannette laughing) (upbeat music) So good, right (laughs)?

(upbeat music) - So can you just tell us what we're about to eat?

- Yeah, so I ordered the huevos mexicanos.

- Mm.

- And so its a delicious- - Mexican eggs.

- Breakfast dish all day, especially since I'm vegetarian.

So here you have huevos con rancheros, so since you do like meat, I do recommend the chorizo.

- I do like meat.

- (laughs) And then over here we have a carne burrito and here we ordered the combo number four, which is a nice mixture of vegetarian dishes as well.

(both speaking Spanish) - Okay.

(upbeat music) So good.

- Mm.

- I love it.

- What tastes good too, you put some cheese dip over it or some salsa.

- (sarcastically) Does it?

(Jeannette laughing) (Ernest speaking Spanish) (upbeat music) - [Ernest] Munchies, museums, music.

This city of muses never fails to inspire.

- We've got, you know, things like vintage turntables here.

- Mm-hm.

- We've got- - (exhales) I remember these well.

- Mm-hm.

- And the fact that it's 1978.

Okay, so, and we're calling it vintage?

Is that we're calling those of us from the late seventies?

The latter half of the nineteen hundreds.

- Exactly, the late 20th century, you might say.

- (laughs) Exactly.

(upbeat music) - [Female Narrator] Major funding for this program is provided by: - This is This is Mayor Ras J. Baraka.

Welcome to Newark.

(upbeat music) We are Newark, one family, brick city.

- [Female Narrator] Courageous conversation, global foundation.

Promoting racial justice, interracial understanding and human healing.

Additional funding provided by the following.

To join the "Fly Brother" travel community or to order your own copy of this episode, visit flybrother.com.

(upbeat music)