Nashville [HERC's Mix]

 

As a general rule, HERC doesn't watch nighttime or daytime soaps. Or shows about lawyers, policemen, firemen, postal workers, soldiers, gangsters, vampires, post-apocalyptic worlds or hospitals. Or original shows on ABC Family. Or any of the so-called "reality" shows. But there are exceptions...

As a nighttime soap with almost deafening hype, HERC didn't want to like ABC's Nashville but it has won him over since the first episode aired. There are three key reasons why:

• the cast can actually sing and music is a huge part of the show but in a more natural way than say, a show like Glee;
• the show's music supervisor is none other than T-Bone Burnett and he has been getting some quality material from some of the most talented songwriters in the business;
• the music performed on the show is not what is getting played on country radio, rather its a rootsy, folksy throwback to the classic Seventies singer-songwriters that continue to get airplay today

First, the cast:

HERC's favorite Hayden Panettiere portrayal is the titular, horrible driving tease in I Love You, Beth Cooper.  She has released several singles, mostly in the Disney universe, between 2004-2011 so we know she can sing.  There is much speculation as to which young denim diva her character "Juliette Barnes" is based on, from current star Taylor Swift to legends like Tanya Tucker.  HERC don't play that game.

Connie Britton will always be "Tami Taylor" in HERC's  clear eyes and full heart.  Although HERC loves to hear her characters speak in Southern accented voices, Britton's singing voice comes as a very pleasant surprise.  Most people assume Britton's Nashville character "Rayna James" is based on Faith Hill.  Or Shania Twain.  Or Trisha Yearwood.  Or Tanya Tucker.

Charles "Chip" Esten, who plays "Deacon Claybourne", is most familiar to HERC as a cast member of both the UK original and the USA clone of Whose Line Is It Anyway?.  He excelled in the singing improv bits with Wayne Brady so it is no surprise he has pipes.  HERC is waiting for "Deacon" to bust a sly smile and do his Snagglepuss impersonation, like he used to on Whose Line.

The rising talent on the show is Clare Bowen who plays Bluebird Cafe waitress "Scarlett O'Connor".  She's a shy poet with an aspiring rock star boyfriend and one night, the bartender with a crush on her, encourages her to read/sing one of her poems while he accompanies on guitar and harmonies.  This emerging love triangle has been the source of the best song on the show early on, the sexy, slow-burning "If I Didn't Know Better".  

The bartender is "Gunnar Scott" played by British actor/musician Sam Palladio.  HERC recognized him from the Matt LeBlanc Showtime series Episodes but honestly can't remember if he sang on that show or not.  "Gunnar" somewhat resembles "Finn" on Glee but he's more laid-back, soulful and less awkward.  His feelings for "Scarlett" come out when he performs with her and their chemistry is combustible.

*****

 

T Bone Burnett first gained prominence as a guitarist in Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue in 1975-1976.  He then formed a band of his own and did some solo work before becoming a much sought after producer, working with Roy Orbison, Los Lobos, Counting Crows, Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips, Marshall Crenshaw and The Wallflowers among many others.  In 1992, Burnett worked with River Phoenix and Samantha Mathis for their roles in the film Thing Called Love.  Then in 1998, he was the "musical archivist" on The Big Lebowski.  In 2000, T Bone wrote the score and produced the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou? which went on to sell seven million copies and earn several awards, including multiple Grammys.  He followed that success as Executive Music Producer on Walk The Line, working with Phoenix's brother, Joaquin.  Another Grammy and an Oscar came his way for his work on Crazy Heart.  Other films and albums followed until Burnett is known as the foremost purveyor of Americana or roots music, a predominantly acoustic style descended from gospel, bluegrass, country and rockabilly.  It's this flavor of country music featuring less hat and more cattle that drives the soundtrack of Nashville as well as Hart Of Dixie.  

 

You don't have to be a country music fan to appreciate the songs heard on Nashville but it helps.  In addition to the original performances by cast members, there's a healthy helping of country classics as well as contemporary country radio cuts heard in the background or sometimes even the foreground of most scenes.  In a Glee-like marketing move, singles from the show are released the day after an episode airs via iTunes and several streaming services including Spotify.   And mark HERC's words, there will be physical collections aka CDs of those songs eventually released as well.  Here a few of the songs from the show's first three episodes (including the original 2009 version of "If I Didn't Know Better" performed by The Civil Wars) followed by HERC's Spotify playlist of songs featured on the show.  He'll be updating it regularly as more songs become available so be sure to subscribe.