Over the course of its two-decade history, The Listening Room has moved to progressively bigger digs, settling in 2017 in a 350-seat space that was formerly Nashville’s International Harvester showroom. At the time, founder Chris Blair told the Scene, “I’m tired of moving,” and noted he’d locked in a 15-year lease. The singer-songwriter haven has played its part in cultivating the careers of one of Music City’s most important cultural resources, including hosting the Song Suffragettes all-woman writers’ round since its launch in 2014. However, the party to celebrate The Listening Room’s 20th anniversary is too big for it all to fit inside the venue. March 3, it heads down Broadway to the Ryman with country stars HARDY, Mitchell Tenpenny and Jo Dee Messina on the bill. More special guests are promised, and considering the number of musicians who’ve gone on to success as pro songwriters or even marquee artists after cutting their teeth at The Listening Room (see: Billboard chart-topper, three-time CMA Award winner and Grand Ole Opry member Carly Pearce), the range of folks who might come through is impressive.
7:30 p.m. at the Ryman
116 Rep. John Lewis Way N.
