CMT Blog: Archive

I'm on vacation in Seattle at the moment, and I didn't expect to encounter much country music up here. However, it always seems to find me, wherever I go. As music fans, my friend and I wanted to check out the Experience Music Project, which has a very impressive exhibit about Hatch Show Print currently on display. Although the original Hatch workshop has been in Nashville since 1879, the gallery does a remarkable job of telling the story of the poster-makers, as well as the serving as a timeline of country stardom. They're promoting the exhibit using the Johnny Cash print in the advertising, but my favorite was the blue-and-white Minnie Pearl poster, with her big grin beaming from the walls. If I had one of those on my wall, I'd wake up with a smile on my face every morning. If you happen to go, take some time to admire the collection of country stars' suits and boots, which are on loan from Marty Stuart.

After doing all the touristy stuff (Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Fremont Troll, etc.), we made our way over to the Tractor Tavern to hear some music. The venue almost always features alt-country. A few nights earlier, they had square dancers. We were treated to a performance by a local singer-songwriter named Zoe Muth, who kind of reminds me of a more despondent Kelly Willis. (That is to say, I really liked her.) I couldn't get too depressed though, because I had eaten like a champion all day, asking for more cornbread pudding at Etta's Restaurant, which is owned by the famous local chef, Tom Douglas. For dinner, we ate at Quinn's, in Capitol Hill. One of the side items of my pork sausage was beer. Huh? They plated the entrée with beer foam on the side! At first I thought it was grits, so I took a big old bite. Naturally, I'm not a bit hungry this morning, but I do need to find some coffee.