I love Nashville. At this point, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made the pilgrimage to Music City, but you never forget your first time. For me, that maiden voyage went down in the early 2000s. I had just scored the gig as Country Music Editor at Rhapsody, and my first official order of business was diving headfirst into the beautiful chaos of CMA Fest. Enter John Zarling. Back in his Big Machine Label Group days, Zarling gave me the ultimate crash course in genuine Southern hospitality. He rolled out the red carpet with a killer dinner and backstage passes to the holy grail itself: the Grand Ole Opry. As if standing in the wings of the Opry wasn't enough to blow a rookie editor's mind, he threw down the ultimate ace. Right there in the flesh, he introduced me to the legendary, rhinestone-clad icon himself, Porter Wagoner.
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