In its third season, ABC’s “Nashville” has been a prime time hit from the get go, attracting nearly 9 million viewers in its premiere season. Named for the Tennessee capital city – which has been pegged Music City USA – the musical drama series follows the lives of fictitious country music vocalists, including superstar Rayna James (played by Connie Britton) and the up-and-coming Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere). Those characters evolved from the imagination of Callie Khouri, the same Academy Award winner who wrote the screenplay for Thelma & Louise, creating those and other strong female characters during the 1990s and 2000s.

 

Much of “Nashville” revolves around – and is filmed at – the famous Bluebird Café. And that gem of a listening room, which seats 90 and is located in a small strip mall on Nashville’s outskirts, has become world famous for live deliveries of multi-genre chart-topping hits – performed by the songwriters themselves. Among those gracing the stage on a regular basis are Hilary Lindsey and Chris Tompkins/Josh Kear, who wrote Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats,” respectively.

of songwriting. She liked NSAI’s mission and the marrying of the café to Music City USA’s songwriters.  She entrusted daily operations to Wollam Nichols, who according to her husband Roger – member of the BHS class of 1981 – was the right woman for the job. She oversees all aspects of the venue's on-site and off-site operations along with marketing, sponsorship and brand development of The Bluebird Cafe name.