News Briefly
Editors everywhere
The artwork for Rick Beziat's "Encore" article was great (May 20). I was disappointed, though, right off the bat when the first song title was written as "Down in the Boon Docks." This is "Music City," and as such I would expect an editor (you do have them don't you, and not just in title) to correct it to "Down in the Boondocks." That is the title of the song, you know.
Then comes "I Can't Stop Lovin' You." Sure, country people tend to drop every "g" they meet head on. But, give Don Gibson credit on this classy song; he didn't do it in title or in performance.
Rufus Thomas did thud his "g's" to the dance floor on his classic song, but the title is dictionary correct. It's "Walking the Dog." The title of a Rolling Stones smash is "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Just citing it as "Satisfaction" is OK the second time around, but not the first.
In fairness, The Tennessean isn't any better. Just recently columnist Gail Kerr became the 4,192nd writer at her newspaper to refer to Porter Wagoner as "Porter Waggoner."
The songwriters may reside in "Music City," but as for other writers....
Bryce Martin
Havilahus@Yahoo.com (Spring Hill)
Memory lane
Thank you for an incredible story ("Encore," May 20). I remember attending a few of those mentioned, especially the Steve Martin show—I will never forget that! I would love to see a follow-up article about two of Nashville's '70s and '80s happenings, Cantrell's on Broadway and the Cat's Music store on West End. Cantrell's was a favorite hangout of mine in the late '70s to mid-'80s, and I met many people on their way up the ladder (R.E.M., U2, Jason and the then Nashville Scorchers, Walk the West, The White Animals, etc). Cat's used to have the best rooftop concerts—free, so unheard of—and was such a great record store too. I bought so many imports (vinyl!) I think I kept them in business in the '80s. Cat's is back again, but the days of free concerts by local talent are long gone and need to be resurrected. Nashville has so much more talent to offer other than country music. Thanks again for all the good memories.
Lisa J Goodrich
ljgfab4@aol.com (Nashville)
Addenda
Great article by Rick Beziat. ("Encore," May 20). It brought back some fond memories, but one correction: The Steve Martin gig preceding the trip to Krystal was at the Good Woman Cafe in the basement of Carmichael Towers at Vandy in 1973, and was his first appearance in Nashville. The two Exit/Inn shows were as described, except I didn't get a balloon tied around my head.
Tim Gill
MitLigg@aol.com (Nashville)
Hug a tree
Congratulations on your recent editorial on the issue of land conservation ("Hey Bredesen: It's the Land, Stupid," May 20). I agree. I would add that land acquisition is only one method of protecting the land from inappropriate development. The state needs to be more active in the oversight of city and county planning commissions, so as to assure that development of land adjacent to parks is not detrimental to the resource.
Mark Fraley
FRALAW@aol.com (Nashville)
Here to please
I'm one of those weird people who gets joy out of finding the little glitches in publications, films, etc. So thanks to the Scene for entertaining me in this week's issue: a double printing of Mr. Jowers' article (which was not unpleasant in the least—why don't you run him every week? He's delightful); the girl trying to look hip as she stood beside the pool table in the Dining review (shouldn't she be in a Posh ad?); and then the girl "shooting pool" in that shot—with her cue poised on the striped ball instead of the cue ball. (What game is she playing?) And I'm getting lots of giggles from the new "want ads" of "You Were Seen." Are those for real, or are you all just having fun making up cheese?
I may have missed any other glitches, as I've gotten in the habit of skipping over most of the paper (including the "comic strips," which lack both humor and sense, not to mention artistic ability). But thanks for the laughs.
D. Clemen
dclemen@nashcap.com (Nashville)
Major scandal in the works?
Phil Williams, of Channel 5 fame, has done it again. The city's best reporter—print or broadcast—reports that investigators are looking at potential bid rigging among road construction companies. Williams reported that Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) execs have discovered weird bidding patterns, including dozens of instances in which only one company bid on a road project. That would imply that companies have schemed together to divvy up the work. The state attorney general's office has opened a criminal investigation into the entire affair.
It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Air Force One
President George Bush was to swoop into town this Thursday to make an appearance at Vanderbilt University's new children's hospital. He will treat boo-boos, read nursery rhymes and spell Band-Aid for traveling media. In his speech to the nation about the Iraq war Monday night, Bush appeared to pronounce Abu Ghraib prison three different ways. After his hospital appearance, Bush will discuss information technology in health care in the university's Langford Auditorium.
Jail cost overruns more bad news for Purcell
Sheriff Daron Hall says that the mayor's people insisted he use a particular plan to expand the city's jail, which forced the project to go millions of dollars over budget. Hall says the consultant, pushed by finance commissioner David Manning, didn't understand that Nashville needs a "jail" and not a "prison." It's a time of bad news for Mayor Bill Purcell, who unveiled a slash-and-burn budget this week reducing expenditures in numerous departments.
Will Eddie stay or go?
Tennesseans everywhere were freaking at the prospect of losing Eddie George, who may be released from the Titans soon because he makes so much money. The only hope for keeping George here is if he foregoes some salary, which he has so far apparently declined to do.
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