"Got a Little Crazy"

Kenny Chesney's song "Got a Little Crazy" is probably the best synopsis of this past weekend.

Don's birthday was Saturday, so Friday morning we flew to Nashville. I had gone last year for the first time and had so much fun. Don had never been there and since he has always enjoyed "old school" country music, it was a great place to celebrate his 49th!

We went to the Grand Ole Opry Friday night. The line up was some old school, some newer, but all absolutely entertaining. Tracy Byrd, Vince Gill, Alison Krause, Marty Stuart, Little Jimmy Dickens, and many more were the line up that night. We were 10 rows back, center, perfect seats.

Tracy Byrd

Marty Stuart and his
how the heck do you walk in those too-tight jeans?

Vince Gill

Alison Krause

Saturday morning we started with a liquid breakfast then off to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Another good time seeing costumes, cars, guitars, and history. The walls are floor to ceiling with all the gold & platinum records of every country singer imaginable.

Breakfast!

After the HOF, we decided (since Dons actual birthday was Saturday) to go from one end of Broadway to the other stopping in as many honky tonks as possible. Our stop included getting cowboy boots for each of us and I picked up a cowboy hat.

Tan leather, pink stitching.
Ignore the hem of the white jeans that were too long and
picked up who-knows-what along the street

Don is a good singer. His fave, again, old school country. Especially Hank Williams Sr. We stopped in "Wanna B's", the main karaoke bar on Broadway. There were good, and not-so-good singers, but all having fun. (How can you NOT have fun on a bar crawl?)

The "Wanna B's"

Don started out saying he was not going to sing (mhm, right) but after a few (seventy-eleven) Crowns on the rocks, he was up there with the rest of them. His rendition of Hank's "Hey Good Lookin' " brought hoots and hollers and applause.


We were partying with a couple from our hotel celebrating their anniversary. I had talked to fellow blogger Ginger (GingerSnaps) who I had met last year. She is my BFF in Nashville and was going to meet up with us later. Ginger is a professional singer ( yes, she's sang with Dolly Parton and more) and last year I heard her beautiful voice at this same bar.

As the vodka, Crown, and beers flowed, we all glowed. Don had one request. (He knows I can't sing. Not one note.) He asked for one thing for his birthday.

That I sing.

That I sing Happy Birthday to him.

That I sing Happy Birthday to him at Karaoke.

That I sing Happy Birthday to him at Karaoke, ala Marilyn Monroe, as she sang to President John F. Kennedy.

In a drunken weak moment, I agreed. But, I said I must have a good buzz on before I can do it. I promised and I don't break promises. (forehead slap)

It was just before midnight, I was feeling pretty good. I was getting pressured that his birthday would soon be over. Eh, what the heck. No one here knows me. They'd never see me again. Don was feeling no pain, his ears were probably as buzzed as the rest of his body. I could pull it off.

I got up on stage, had on Caitlin's my Marilyn Monroe T-shirt, my new confidence cowboy boots, and yeah, I'd never see these people again.

I started in, slowly singing just as Marilyn, puttin' on my moves and then oh shit, right there, front and center I see Ginger with her laughing shocked look. She had just got there, umm, what timing. Don was happily prompting me on and I finished without making a total fool of myself. Although, I have yet to be presented with any record deals ?!?!?

Me and Ginger

Sunday, as we were getting ready to leave Nashville, we realized how lucky we are not to be famous "rawk stars" ... we can party like 'em, for a couple nights, but it will take us weeks to recoup.

Happy Birthday Don.