With establishments like the Knickerbocker Music Center on 35 Railroad Avenue and the United Theatre on 5 Canal Street, Westerly has been a hub for live music over the past few decades. There’s a mix of local and touring acts who perform there on a regular basis with the styles of jazz, blues, folk and country having a major presence. Everyone knows about Nashville being a city where country and folk music is a vibrant part of the cultural fabric, and recently the musical metropolis started a partnership with the Rhode Island border town. It’s called “Nashville North” and it centers on a working relationship between Westerly’s two major venues and the legendary Bluebird Cafe and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
This endeavor plans on joining Nashville’s acclaimed cultural exuberance with Westerly’s artistic atmosphere as a way to fuel economic development. Fans of live music can expect a fresh injection of musicians from the “Music City” who are still cutting their teeth while exhibiting a substantial amount of talent.
“This program will connect the energy, culture, and vibrancy of Nashville with the rich musical history of Westerly, offering unique experiences for our audiences, students, and the broader community while strengthening the shared musical heritage between these two storied locations,” said Carly Callahan, Executive Director of the United Theatre, last week in a press release announcing the news.
Located on 4140 Hillsboro Pike, the Bluebird Cafe has been an integral venue within Nashville’s music scene for over 40 years with the likes of Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift performing there. The place is known for their “In The Round” shows where three or four songwriters play some of their tunes while sharing the stories behind them, which is something the United Theatre hopes to bring to their stage. They also plan on integrating the educational initiatives from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located right in the heart of Nashville on 222 5th Avenue.
“The original vision for bringing programming from the venerable Bluebird Cafe to Westerly and connecting the United with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s educational programs belongs to Scott Swift, financial advisor and entrepreneur, whose deep connection to both communities inspired this collaboration,” Callahan said. “We are incredibly grateful to him for recognizing the potential of uniting Nashville’s extraordinary songwriting tradition with the musical heritage of Westerly and for setting in motion what will be an unforgettable and ongoing exchange of artistry and storytelling.”
Starting in the fall, “Nashville North” will bring singer-songwriters up from Nashville, courtesy of the Bluebird Cafe, to the United Theatre in a similarly intimate and engaging structure to that of “In The Round”. This aims to deliver authentic country music to Westerly along with the genuine art of songwriting.
“We are thrilled to bring this experience to New England, beginning this fall and continuing quarterly providing our region with an exclusive opportunity to experience the Bluebird Cafe’s signature songwriter-driven performances,” said United Theatre Artistic Director Tony Nunes. “This series will connect audiences to the stories behind the music, offering a rare and authentic glimpse into the creative process of some of the industry’s most respected songwriters. As part of this ‘Nashville North’ initiative, we are also excited to present more Nashville musicians and country music artists on both the United stage as well as at our sister venue The Knick.”
To tie in this partnership closer with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the United Theatre’s music school will be participating in the organization’s “Words & Music” program. Through a training session at the museum, the music school’s educators learned how to include the program’s curriculum into their “After School Arts” classes, which are free to Westerly Middle School students.
“We were so inspired by our visit to Nashville and to see firsthand the impact that the museum’s ‘Words & Music’ program had on students,” United Theatre Music School Director Tom Foley said. “The basics of imagery and rhyme, not to mention the social emotional learning, all enhance the school’s mission of enriching students’ lives through personalized professional instruction and exposure to world class educators and musicians.”
Along with the establishment of “Nashville North,” Southwest Airlines is set to launch a new nonstop route between Nashville and the T.F. Green Airport in Warwick starting on April 8. The airline has been a longtime partner of the Bluebird Cafe along with serving both Nashville and Rhode Island for nearly 40 years, and the launch of the route will be celebrated with a special pop-up performance presented by the United Theatre on the day it begins. To keep track of future announcements pertaining to “Nashville North,” follow the partnership on Instagram at instagram.com/nashvillenorthri. For more information on the United Theatre, the Knickerbocker Music Center, the Bluebird Cafe and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, log onto their respective websites at unitedtheatre.org, knickmusic.com, bluebirdcafe.com and countrymusichalloffame.org.
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