Since we arrived in Nashville about seven years ago, we have known Broadway as a place where musicians go to break in. Seven days a week, you’ll find the city’s working musicians making their living along the street’s iconic strip of honky tonks, performing in 4-hour blocks from mid-morning until the wee hours of the evening.
Some work doubles (and even triples), fielding song requests from tourists who have emerged from all corners of the globe to take in the city’s culture. Once in a while, these performers will sneak in an original tune, giving revelers and passers by a glimpse into their artistry.
On Wednesday nights, however, those who head to the top floor of JBJs on Broadway can catch more than a glimpse. Original music has the floor from 6-10 p.m. during the Rock ‘n Roll Opry, a weekly showcase which gives Nashville’s emerging artists center stage.
Started by a group of Nashville-based musicians, the Rock ‘n Roll Opry gives Nashville’s artists a place to hang out, network and, of course, perform. The house band consists of multi-instrumentalists Mic Guy (vocals/bass/guitar), Rob Talton (vocals/keys/bass), Rory Kennedy (vocals/guitar/bass/drums), and Thomas O’Brian (vocals/drums/bass), who support aspiring performers during the open jam portion of the evening at the end of the night — after a genre-diverse lineup of rising stars have the opportunity to showcase a few of their strongest tunes, to the delight of anyone who ventures up to the top floor in search of something new.
As for the lineup this past Wednesday night, we caught sets from country rock artist and Texas native Hannah Bell, pop rock songwriter extraordinaire J4, and funk-pop powerhouse Ginn. Each artist brought their own brand of thunder to the evening, providing a compelling sample of the talent that resides in every corner of Music City.
Want to learn more or submit? We encourage you to head to rocknrollopry.com — and then come out in support of some of Nashville’s best every Wednesday night!
