Fan Fair 2001

Ron Adsett’s report for CapNews

Country Music Fans have been making the pilgrimage to Nashville TN for 30 years now and this year it was going to be different at Fan Fair 2001. The old Fairground has not really been coping with the 24,000 registrants who come to  hear the music and meet the stars. In June I was there just to see how the revamp worked out, and I’ve got to say that, I was very surprised how the heart of Nashville suddenly came alive, almost like Tamworth in January.

The Big artists now appear at the huge Adelphia Football stadium for the cool of the nighttime concerts.
On a River Stage during the daytime, there’s developing and non-mainstream acts, Thursday through Sunday.
Yep, it’s now on the weekend, another big change.

Here’s a sample of this year’s main stage entertainment…

• Thursday; Billy Ray Cyrus, Joe Diffie,
  Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt,

• Friday; Tracy Lawrence, Jo Dee Messina,

• Saturday; Garry Allan, Terri Clark, Jamie O’Neil, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill

• Sunday; Sara Evans, Tracy Byrd, Sammy Kershaw, Brad Paisley, and Alan Jackson. 

The Autograph booths have shifted to the air-conditioned Nashville Convention centre and the other new event this year was the gala opening season of the brand new $37 million Hall Of Fame just behind Broadway.

Interestingly, if somewhat ironically, the first ten years of Fan Fair were held downtown in the Municipal Auditorium before outgrowing it and moving to the Fairgrounds.
This year in the Auditorium, there was again a debut event… an Independent Country Music Artists Fan Fest was mounted, and I’m sure this too will grow as the years roll on.

All the changes in the world would not deny it was still roasting outdoors with 95% humidity, but the atmosphere is much more vibrant, and the Never Say Sleep approach After Hours when the concerts finished and the honky tonks on Broadway turned it on for Fan Fair registrants, Wolfie’s, Miss Tootsies, the Wildhorse Saloon, all had special shows too. Sometime, with or without the lotto win, if you’re a fan of American Country, you’ve just got to make this journey.