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00:04I'm Jane MacDonald and I've never been to Nashville but it's somewhere I've
00:09always wanted to visit. As a singer with 11 albums under my belt I'm drawn to
00:15Music City like a moth to a flame. So it's time I found me country roots and
00:22discover what makes it one of the top holiday destinations in the US. I want
00:28to explore everything from the world-famous non-stop honky-tonk bars in
00:34downtown Nashville. It's crazy. The history. I never thought I'd come to Nashville and
00:39see a Parthenon. The whiskey and some good old southern food. We get you one of
00:48everything and you never know give me a hat and some boots and you might find
00:55this northern lass is southern through and through. So saddle up partners we're
01:00off to Nashville, Tennessee. Yee-haw!
01:08In tonight's episode I follow in the footsteps of my music heroes at the
01:14unmissable Ryman Auditorium. I dine out like a true local at a highly
01:20recommended Nashville institution. Come with me as I uncover the city's historic
01:25past and meet Greek legends. And have I got what it takes to learn the basics and
01:33then go toe-to-toe with the best of Nashville at the iconic Nashville Palace.
01:38Let's find out why over 16 million people a year make Nashville their must-see, must-do holiday destination.
01:53There's now a daily direct flight from the UK so in under ten hours it's touched down in Tennessee.
02:01And in this 24-7 city there's no time for jet lag so come on because I'm diving
02:08straight in and hitting Nashville's famous honky-tonk highway. I'm in Nashville, Tennessee!
02:14Woohoo!
02:21Lower Broadway is the heart of the city's legendary live music scene. No one knows why the bars here are
02:29called honky-tonks but some think it's to do with the rough and rowdy style of music that pours out
02:35onto
02:35the street. And I can tell you it really does. This place is just wild. There's every bar open from
02:47like 10 o'clock in the morning and there's bands playing in the windowsill. You know it's it's just buzzing.
02:58It's crazy but it's amazing and constantly playing all day and that's exciting for me.
03:09And there's something else that's exciting. I'm gonna let you into a little secret.
03:16I've come to Nashville because I was making a new album and when I started writing I realized that
03:25there was like a country feel. For many years people have been telling me I should be a country
03:30singer and my dad always said you should be a country singer and that was years ago.
03:36But if I'm honest I never really gave it much thought until now. So we were all sat writing and
03:44then I said why don't we do this in Nashville. So it's only taken me 27 years to finally come
03:50round to maybe what I should have been doing all along.
03:55So here goes. I'm in the home of country music. Where better to make my first country album?
04:03Back to the sites and number one on my hit list is a place where Nashville's story of country
04:09music first began. I've done a lot of reading and every single guidebook and website about Nashville
04:16tells me I must visit the Ryman Auditorium. I'm hoping that it's the perfect place for me to seek
04:22out inspiration for my country album. This historic landmark is known fondly around the world as the
04:30mother church of country music. It was here where countless country stars got their big break.
04:38The Ryman Auditorium. You can feel the history jumping off every little bit of furniture, every wall,
04:47people like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley have all performed on that very stage.
04:54From 1943 to 1974, the Ryman was the home of the WSM radio country music show, the Grand Ole Opry.
05:05You're just in time to get your tickets for the world famous Grand Ole Opry. I'm John Cameron Swayze.
05:11And Judd Collins welcoming you to the Grand Ole Opry house in Nashville, Tennessee. Curtain's going up,
05:17so let's go inside for the Grand Ole Opry. The Ryman proved to be a massive platform for these music
05:25legends. Millions of people across America would tune in every week to listen to the show while locals
05:32queued around the block to watch the recording live. And the big names just kept coming.
05:38Well, now I'm a bit closer. I can see Reba McIntyre, Ringo Starr. Wow. Martin Luther there,
05:47Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash. Oof. All been on this stage. And I've just touched it. But this iconic
05:59building began life as a church. In 1892, a wealthy riverboat captain, Tom Ryman, built the Union
06:07Gospel Tabernacle. Then in 1920, a young single mother, Lula Naf, took over as general manager.
06:16A few years later, she struck a deal that brought the Grand Ole Opry radio show to the Ryman,
06:22where it remained for the next 31 years.
06:29It's the most amazing place ever.
06:34It's just fantastic. I don't really know how to explain it to you. And this is not just for
06:41musicians here. This is for everybody to come and feel this history and, and, you know, learn about
06:50how the Grand Ole Opry started and why it's so loved.
06:58While the Opry is no longer recorded here, its reputation as a world-class music venue lives on.
07:05In recent years, Harry Styles, Lizzo and Coldplay have all performed at the Ryman. And today, tourists like you and
07:13me can take a tour and get up on that famous stage.
07:18It feels like a blessing to be in here and see so many people just thrilled to be in the
07:27Ryman Auditorium.
07:29I hope you don't mind indulging me, but I've just got to have a moment. This is a dream come
07:36true.
07:37Three in the morning, seat in Evelicia. Should be in bed. Tennessee whiskey. It's stuck in my head.
07:51But it's just a place you've got to sing. You get up there and you're on the Grand Ole Opry
07:57stage and you've just got to belt.
08:00It's fabulous.
08:07That was the most beautiful place. There was something quite sacred about the ground there.
08:14And, and it was like all my worlds came together in the Ryman. All the money for the Ryman was
08:21put up by a ship's captain.
08:23Do you believe that? And it's so iconic. And you could feel the history in there.
08:30The Ryman is such a wonderful place. And if you come into Nashville, definitely, definitely go to the Ryman.
08:38Coming up, in search of authentic southern food, the guidebooks lead me to Arnold's, an award-winning restaurant famed for
08:45meat and three veg.
08:46But you get so much more.
08:48Can we get you one of everything?
08:50I take a tour of Nashville's Centennial Park, an oasis in the heart of the city with its very own
08:56Parthenon.
08:57And an even bigger surprise inside.
09:10I'm on a trip of a lifetime to Nashville, Tennessee.
09:14I've only just arrived and I'm already enjoying all this great southern city has to offer.
09:19I'm right here if you need me.
09:22Nashville might be called Music City, but the Tennessee capital is fast becoming one of the best food towns in
09:29the south.
09:31So I've come just south of Broadway to Arnold's, a Nashville institution for over 40 years, serving traditional home-cooked
09:40southern country food.
09:44If you ask the locals where to go, they usually say Arnold's. And it's packed. As soon as it opens,
09:50everybody comes in.
09:52All right, hey, how are you doing?
09:53I'm good.
09:53Welcome in. Is your first time?
09:55Yes.
09:55Oh, well, good to see you. Some of Nashville's best meat and three right here.
09:59Meat and three?
10:00Yes.
10:00So you get meat and three veg?
10:01Yeah.
10:03Meat and three is a southern staple, meaning, yep, meat and three veg.
10:08It costs around 18 bucks, or about 13 pounds to you and me. It's only open at lunchtime, and you
10:15can't book, so be prepared to queue.
10:17Owner Khalil is on hand to guide me through the meat and three process.
10:22Is the food here pretty good, guys?
10:23It's good.
10:24Is it really good?
10:25It's really good.
10:26Yeah.
10:26So that being said, we get free lunchtime.
10:29That's exactly correct.
10:30Hey, Rose, everybody in line gets free food, okay? All right, good.
10:37Rose and Jack Arnold opened the restaurant in 1982 with the aim of serving food just like your grandma's home
10:44cooking.
10:45Jack sadly passed away in 2023, but their son Khalil stepped in along with the rest of the family.
10:52So is this all your own family?
10:54So, yes, the one that looks like Gandalf, that's my brother Mon, the young lady with the glasses,
11:00my daughter Juliette. Oh, lovely. And then my son and brother Franz.
11:05Oh, that's lovely that you're all here, you're all working together.
11:08We are here, we're all working together, yeah.
11:11Introduction's done, now on to the food. I've got my tray, I'm in line, I'm off.
11:17All right, cherry smoked ribs, barbecue chicken, then we have our chicken and dumplings.
11:23Yeah.
11:23Fried catfish, and then we have our roast with the most.
11:27I'm not talking about my brother, I'm talking about that big hunk of beef down there.
11:30You want to get you one of everything?
11:33I'll try a little bit of the chicken dumpling.
11:36You got it.
11:36But I'm looking at your beef as well.
11:40You've got to have these turnip greens.
11:42Okay.
11:42These are life-changing, these are a southern thing.
11:45All right.
11:45Try that.
11:46Okay.
11:47Now, at least three things.
11:49Well, I'll go for the white beans, because they're good for you.
11:51Can't come to Nashville, Tennessee and not have our famous fried green tomatoes.
11:55Okay.
11:56Now, could stop there.
11:57Yeah.
11:58But, you know, first time here, we're going to give you a little bit of the cauliflower,
12:03and then he's going to give you some of this fresh cut roast beef just came out of the oven.
12:07Oh, wow.
12:08Now, this is one of the most important parts of the meal, especially here.
12:12You got to think the homemade yeast roll or the cornbread muffin.
12:17We'll just give you one of each.
12:19Oh, my God.
12:20How much food?
12:21Well, now you're southernized.
12:23Absolutely.
12:23I'm southernized.
12:24Thank you so much.
12:25Sorry for the cue.
12:27Woo!
12:30It's not even midday, and this place is jumping.
12:35Right.
12:36Time to find out just how much of a southerner I am.
12:40So, I'm going to try these first, turnip greens.
12:44Oh, great.
12:45Well, they're good.
12:46I am a bit of a foodie.
12:48You know I am.
12:49And I like to try everything no matter where I am.
12:51This is probably one of the best meals I've had since I've got here.
12:54And now, a classic.
12:57Deep-fried green tomato.
13:02Tangy, a bit tart, but still undeniably southern.
13:07But this is really good.
13:09You've got your meat.
13:10You've got your proteins.
13:11You've got your carbs.
13:12You've got your veg.
13:13And this yeast bread.
13:16You don't usually have bread with your Sunday roast, do you?
13:18I suppose it's like our Yorkshire pudding.
13:22I knew there'd be some Yorkshire in here somewhere.
13:25Young lady, how is everything?
13:28It's good stuff?
13:29Cauliflower cheese, man.
13:31Oh, wow.
13:32So unique, isn't it?
13:33Cauliflower.
13:34It's, uh, it's a little bit.
13:36We saute some onions, a little hog jaw,
13:38and a little bit of rendered bacon fat.
13:40Saute that together, then we kind of build it through there.
13:43We cook that for about six to eight hours.
13:46Slow cook it so it just cooks down.
13:48And then we put some horseradish in there.
13:50It's one of my favorites.
13:52That's so good.
13:53Yeah, thank you.
13:53So good.
13:54That's a good, you know, southern staple.
13:56Mmm.
13:57You're very welcome.
13:58This is the best meal I've had in Nashville.
13:59So I'm sure you say that to all the restaurants.
14:01No, I don't.
14:02Oh, thank you.
14:03You've got to save a little room.
14:04The most important part is yet to come.
14:06Behave yourself.
14:07I want, I got one more little thing.
14:10All right.
14:11I'll be back.
14:12Okay.
14:13Khalil was a joy.
14:15He was just a joy to be around and loved.
14:18He loved what he did.
14:20Well, hello.
14:20So are you still doing well?
14:21Oh my God.
14:22Look, look at this.
14:23All right.
14:25So we have the banana pudding, which is a southern staple.
14:28But this is very unique to us.
14:30This is a chocolate spicy pie.
14:32Oh, spicy.
14:33You know, my mom is from Cartagena, Colombia.
14:37And when she grew up, they always had spice and chocolate together.
14:40Right.
14:40So for her birthday a few years ago, I made her a chocolate spicy pie.
14:44Aw.
14:44And this is Nashville.
14:45We like spice with everything.
14:47So you should definitely try the chocolate spicy pie.
14:51Very unique.
14:51I'm going to.
14:52All right.
14:53Now, I might be back again.
14:54No, I'm kidding.
14:55Oh, God.
14:56Get behind me, Sam.
14:57You're gorgeous.
14:58Thank you very much.
14:59You're very welcome.
15:01Now for the chocolate spicy.
15:04Mmm.
15:06Perfect.
15:07It's got a little bit of a kick because it's got the spices in it.
15:12And that makes the chocolate more bearable for me.
15:17Oh, it's got quite a kick.
15:20It is very spicy.
15:21You've got to come to Arnold's Cafe and you've got to try this.
15:25It's delicious.
15:28Now, leave me alone and let me eat this pudding without any guilt.
15:37The sweet, dark chocolate works perfectly with the spice of the chili.
15:42It's a winning combination.
15:44Just like Arnold's no-frills food combined with heaps of Southern charm.
15:55I really enjoyed my meat and three, but I need a walk before I collapse into a cornbread
16:01coma.
16:02I've wandered away from the bright lights of Broadway as a couple of miles west is Centennial Park.
16:08But this is more than just a park.
16:11Only in America does a city centre park come with its very own Parthenon.
16:23I'm hoping guide Katie can tell me how it ended up here.
16:29You must be Katie.
16:31Hi, yes.
16:32Welcome, Jane.
16:33Welcome to Nashville.
16:34Thank you so much.
16:35How beautiful is this?
16:37It really is.
16:38I never thought I'd come to Nashville and see a Parthenon.
16:42I mean, is it a replica?
16:45This is as close to what somebody would have seen in the fifth century BCE 2500 years ago.
16:51Wow.
16:52So why is it here?
16:54Nashville is the Athens of the south.
16:57Really?
16:58So this was a place to come for education.
17:01In the 1800s, various cities in America had different reputations.
17:06Nashville was the hub of education in the United States.
17:11It is pretty impressive, isn't it?
17:14It is.
17:17Athens in Greece is recognised globally as the seat of Western civilisation and,
17:23in ancient times, was renowned for education, art and culture.
17:28When the Nashville Parthenon was first built in 1897,
17:32as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition,
17:35it celebrated Nashville's nickname as the Athens of the south.
17:40Initially only temporary, it was so loved by the people
17:44that it was rebuilt in 1920.
17:47The Nashville Parthenon is the world's only exact sized replica
17:52of the original temple in Athens.
17:54But for many years, there was just one thing missing.
18:00Oh!
18:02Oh, my God, I didn't expect that.
18:08I mean, Jason and the Argonauts.
18:15That is huge!
18:17Meet Athena.
18:19All right, how big is that?
18:20About 12 metres, just under 42 feet tall.
18:24Wow.
18:25And not that little one there, how big is that?
18:27Athena Nike stands at 6'4", just over 2 metres.
18:33Oh, my God, because it looks tiny, doesn't it?
18:36That is quite spooky, if I may say.
18:38That's a common reaction.
18:40Is it?
18:40A lot of people are quite shocked and surprised when they first see Athena.
18:45Wow, I'm so glad we came inside.
18:50The original ancient Greek statue created in the 5th century in Athens no longer exists.
18:57But here in Nashville, you can experience this incredible replica.
19:03Completed in 1990 and covered in gold leaf, she is truly a sight to behold.
19:12Athena is known for a lot of different things.
19:14So if you notice, her helmet is a sign she's role as goddess of warfare.
19:20She's also got a breastplate of armor.
19:22She's got a spear.
19:23She's got a shield.
19:25These are all symbols of her role as the goddess of war.
19:28And a snake, a symbol of Athens.
19:30Yeah.
19:31So she's the main goddess of Athens.
19:33Spoiler alert, right?
19:35Athena, Athens.
19:36Even her dress is iconic.
19:38She's the goddess of weaving.
19:40So every detail is sending a message.
19:44Yeah.
19:44So every part of this tells a story?
19:47Yes.
19:48Platform shoes?
19:49Do they tell a story?
19:50Just fashion.
19:53I did think, like the shoes, it's a girl thing.
19:58Part of Greece, in the middle of Nashville.
20:02You just don't expect to see that.
20:04It was quite breathtaking, actually.
20:06And quite scary, actually.
20:08But beautiful when she got used to the scariness.
20:13Thankfully, she didn't move.
20:17I never expected Nashville to be a land of myths and legends.
20:23Back to the bright lights of Music City.
20:26The night is still young, so time for me to take on another Nashville must-do.
20:32And see if I know me rockster from me grapevine.
20:35Line dancing is enjoying something of a comeback right now.
20:39And in Nashville, there's plenty of places to strut your stuff.
20:44Nashville Palace has been a staple for country-line dancing since 1977.
20:49Here, they run nightly sessions for locals and tourists alike.
20:54And all abilities are welcome.
20:56And if you're feeling a bit rusty like me, you can arrange a one-to-one before the main session
21:01starts.
21:02Hi!
21:03Hey, Jane, nice to meet you.
21:04And you too!
21:05Yes!
21:05It's George, isn't it?
21:06George, nice to meet you, yes.
21:07Thank you for doing this with us.
21:08Of course, any time, yes.
21:10Welcome to Nashville.
21:10Thank you very much.
21:11So, how did you end up in...
21:12Are you from Wales?
21:13I'm originally from Wales, yes.
21:14Yes, yes.
21:15So, I started with line dancing when I was 10, back in the UK.
21:18And I've just been line dancing all my life.
21:20So, how many nights a week do you do here?
21:22So, we do five nights a week here at the Nashville Palace.
21:25Yes, a lot of line dancing.
21:26So, it's that popular?
21:27Oh, yes, yes.
21:28And that's a good group of different people, all nationalities, ages, that do the country dancing now.
21:32It's really incredible.
21:33It's very wholesome.
21:34It is.
21:34Can you teach me a bit?
21:36Absolutely, we can.
21:37Yes.
21:37Oh, fantastic.
21:38Yes.
21:38Right, then.
21:39Let's go and have a go.
21:40All right, let's give it a go.
21:41Woo-hoo!
21:42All righty.
21:44Time for the boot scooting to begin.
21:47Yeah, all right, Jane.
21:48So, we're going to start with a really nice beginner line dance.
21:50This one is called the Muddy Spider.
21:52So, let's give it a go.
21:52We're going to start by going forward, right, touch the left.
21:55Yeah.
21:55We're going to go forward, left, touch the right.
21:57We're going to do that again.
21:57Forward, right, touch the left, and left, touch the right.
22:00Okay.
22:00So, let's try that together.
22:02Going forward on that right foot.
22:03Okay.
22:03We've got forward, right, touch, forward, left, touch, forward, right, touch, and left together.
22:09We're then going to do a grapevine, which is going to go to our right-hand side.
22:12Go right side, behind, side together.
22:16I'm going to do another grapevine to that left-hand side.
22:18Go in left side, behind, side together.
22:21All righty.
22:22So, should we try it again?
22:23Yes.
22:24All righty.
22:24Here we go.
22:24Five, six, seven, eight, four to right.
22:27Touch and left, touch and right, touch and left together.
22:30Back right, back left, back right, back left.
22:34We've got a grapevine to the right and a grapevine to the left.
22:38We stomp the right, stomp the left, cross over, quarter turn, side together.
22:43Come here, I'm dancing.
22:45I'm dancing.
22:46Woo!
22:46I might get hooked on this show.
22:48You might be moving over here with me now.
22:49Who knows?
22:50I might.
22:51Oh, George.
22:54And there's no rest for the wicked.
22:57Having learned the basics, I'm going back on the floor
22:59to join in a group routine with Nashville's Finest.
23:03How are you feeling out there, Nashville?
23:04Woo!
23:05Feeling good.
23:06Yeah?
23:07All right.
23:07This one is the Muddy Spider.
23:10Take it away, George.
23:11Five, six, seven, eight, four to right.
23:13Touch forward, left, touch forward, right.
23:15Touch and left together.
23:17Back right touch and left touch.
23:21Grapevine and a grapevine to the left.
23:24Stomp the right, five, four to right.
23:26Touch forward, left, touch forward.
23:31Looking good.
23:32All righty.
23:44Good job, ladies and gentlemen.
23:46So that was our first line dance of the evening.
23:48And that one was called the Muddy Spider.
23:51I hope this guy doesn't like it.
23:52This fella must think I think it's a good one,
23:55but I'm not a good sort of one.
23:56Now, we did this one a lot last week,
23:58if you weren't here, and we missed a lot of classes.
24:00Actually, when you get the steps right, eventually,
24:02because it takes a while, you think,
24:05and like me, I'm in Dirty Dancing.
24:10Next, journey with me down Music City's Walk of Fame
24:14and see how many celebrated country music icons we know.
24:18Do not step on Dolly Parton.
24:20And who we need to brush up on.
24:23In the studio, as the musicians work on the country sound,
24:26I struggle to hold it together.
24:28Sorry.
24:28And join me as I uncover the story behind Tennessee's most famous spirit.
24:35That's fabulous.
24:42MUSIC PLAYS
24:46I'm on a voyage of discovery in America's Music City.
24:50Nashville and music really is everywhere here.
24:55A few blocks from Broadway and across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame
24:59and Museum are 112 stainless steel and terrazzo stars.
25:05This is Music City's Walk of Fame.
25:10Opened in 2006, it's where all those who created, performed,
25:15or recorded music in Nashville are celebrated.
25:19It's a who's who of country music.
25:23So, as I'm on a country music adventure, let's play a little game.
25:27Just how many stars do we know?
25:31OK, we're off.
25:32Tim McGrath, massive star.
25:35Faith Hill, of course.
25:37Johnny Cash, I love a bit of Johnny.
25:40Trisha Yearwood, amazing.
25:42Garth Brooks.
25:44Oh, Loretta Lynn.
25:46I love Loretta Lynn.
25:48How many have you got so far?
25:51Bob Babbitt.
25:53No, don't know that one.
25:55Keith Urban, I know him.
25:57Fabulous.
25:58Patsy Cline, massive star.
26:02Crazy.
26:04We all did crazy.
26:05In the clubs, we all sang crazy.
26:08Oh, Kris Kristofferson.
26:11Fabulous.
26:12Are you still counting?
26:14Must be at least ten.
26:15Oh!
26:16Do not step on Dolly Parton.
26:19Let's be honest.
26:21Dolly is the queen of country.
26:25You just think, that sums up country to me, does Dolly Parton.
26:29Because she's just everything, she's wholesome, she's beautiful, she's...
26:34You feel like you can sit and have a pint with her.
26:37A pint?
26:37That's terrible, isn't it?
26:38A glass of wine.
26:39And talk about life with her.
26:42She writes about life, I love that.
26:44Brenda Lee, fabulous.
26:48One of my favourite, favourite singers ever.
26:52You see, if I'd have married him, I wouldn't have had to change my name or anything, would I?
26:57Of course, the great Elvis Presley, just there.
27:00Hank Williams, racing to the end now.
27:03Roy Orbison, fabulous.
27:06Emmylou Harris.
27:07This lady's got a cracking voice, Winona Judd.
27:14See, a lot of the country stars, we don't even know.
27:17And I'm going to make it my mission now to listen to more country artists,
27:23because I think it's fantastic.
27:26I love country.
27:29How did you do?
27:30I reckon I've got about a third.
27:32I'll take that.
27:36Nashville isn't just the home of country music legends,
27:39it's also the hub of an industry that has shaped music worldwide.
27:45A drive down Nashville's Music Row is a chance to spot the major recording studios.
27:52Music lovers can even take a tour of some of the historic recording venues,
27:57where artists like Patsy Cline and Elvis created their masterpieces.
28:03I've arranged to meet songwriter Ben Johnson.
28:06Grammy-nominated Ben has notched up ten number ones,
28:09writing for the likes of Justin Timberlake and country superstars Lee Bryce and Dierks Bentley.
28:16Hey, hey. Ben.
28:18Welcome, welcome.
28:19Oh, good.
28:19With multiple Song of the Year awards and several platinum-selling singles,
28:23what Ben doesn't know about songwriting isn't worth knowing.
28:27So I'm hoping to get some tips.
28:29Oh, Ben.
28:30What's it like to be a famous songwriter in Nashville?
28:32I don't know.
28:33You're going to have to ask somebody else.
28:36Now, what is the secret to a successful country song?
28:41Well, you know, that's a good question.
28:43I think a lot of people, especially maybe from the pop side, they go,
28:46oh, well, let's throw a banjo on it, and then it's a country song.
28:49Well, there's a little more to it than that.
28:50Um, you know, one of the things about country is that we write about real life
28:54in a way that's telling a story.
28:56I think it's country.
28:57That's what I love about country, is it tells a story.
29:02It's got a beginning, a middle, and an end.
29:04And, um, songs nowadays don't have a lot of that.
29:07Mm, yeah.
29:09So that's the key to it, isn't it, really?
29:11Yeah, it's been cool to see, you know, country, I feel like, has really gone global.
29:15It's exploded.
29:16In the last two years, I would say.
29:18And I think part of that is, like you said, the storytelling.
29:21And it's, people fell in love with the way that we write songs here.
29:26And, um...
29:26Yeah.
29:27So it's really cool to see people really discover what it's all about.
29:30Taylor Swift is huge.
29:31Oh, yeah.
29:32Nashville.
29:32She's the GOAT.
29:33Everywhere I've been, people have mentioned Taylor Swift.
29:36Oh, yeah.
29:37Um, and she started here, didn't she?
29:39She sure did, yeah.
29:40She calls Nashville home, and we're very proud that she does.
29:43Yeah.
29:43I must admit, I belong here, I've decided.
29:46Moving to Nashville.
29:48Exactly.
29:49Ha, ha, ha!
29:53Feeling inspired after my chat with Ben, I've decided it's time to visit the recording studio.
30:00Situated in the quiet suburb of Bury Hill is the renowned Blackbird Studios.
30:06It's here where my country music dreams are being made.
30:13These are all the people that I've recorded in this very studio that I'm going to do my album in
30:17today.
30:19So we've got everybody, Coldplay, Johnny Cash, Chris Stapleton.
30:23We've got the Red Album with Taylor Swift.
30:26I mean, Willie Nelson.
30:29Everybody, everybody has, who is anybody, has recorded here in these very walls.
30:37Right here, right now, is where I'm meant to be.
30:45This is it.
30:47This is where it all happens.
30:48Ooh!
30:52The Blackbird Studios are iconic.
30:56And just to be stood, looking at that wall when you go in, it's just, well, it's a wow moment,
31:04isn't it?
31:05And there was only me I didn't know in there.
31:11So we've got a writing team, a producing team, we've got engineers, we've got the musicians here.
31:23Everyone right here in the studio in Nashville.
31:29Today, the musicians, the engineers and the producers are mixing the songs.
31:34This is the part of the process where it all comes together.
31:37And I'm not going to lie, it's all a bit nerve-wracking.
31:41Can you feel it in the air tonight?
31:45You go through certain stages when you're doing an album, you put the demo down,
31:48then you put all the musicians down, it takes on a whole different energy.
32:01Thank you very much.
32:05To be part of a Nashville, the Blackbird Studio, I mean, it's legendary.
32:13Everybody has recorded here.
32:15And with especially these musicians that have all been handpicked, with the producers and the
32:19writers here, I mean, poof, it's, sorry, it's, it's blowing my mind a little bit, really.
32:29Because when I started here, I thought, what am I doing?
32:33You know?
32:36Because I've always felt that my heart is in country, because I'm a storyteller.
32:41And when I write songs, I write a story.
32:44Yes.
32:45And, um, and this is my story.
32:49And thank you for coming to Nashville.
32:52Oh.
32:53All my life, I've sort of been the underdog.
32:56I've been the person who was, you know, never give up.
33:03If I've ever learned anything from being in Nashville, I just never gave up.
33:08I, I fought all the way through.
33:11From my first ever album, right through, it's been a struggle, I'm not gonna lie.
33:17This industry is hard, very, very hard.
33:22Now we're gonna be right stoic, and just, you know, as if I was, you know, all used to this.
33:27But I'm not.
33:31And while the musicians take a break, I can't resist me own superfan moment.
33:38I've had to recreate the Taylor Swift, uh, feet photograph,
33:42because she recorded in this very studio, and used this very desk.
33:48And she had a feet, with Steve!
33:49And, uh, she put her feet on there, and I've just recreated the very same.
33:55Me and Swiftie, like that.
33:58Love that.
34:01Coming up, I venture out of town to visit a Tennessee icon,
34:06and find my southern voice.
34:08That smells like pie.
34:10I like the way you say pie.
34:20I'm on a voyage of discovery to Nashville, seeing the sights and also seeking inspiration
34:26for my new country album.
34:28Today, I'm heading out of the city and into the country.
34:33About 80 miles south of Nashville, in the small town of Lynchburg,
34:38is a Tennessee institution I absolutely can't miss.
34:43Good morning, Jen. How are you?
34:45I'm very well.
34:45Lovely to meet you. So nice to meet you.
34:47Welcome to Jack Daniels.
34:51I've booked a tour of the 160-year-old Jack Daniels distillery with guide Jed.
34:58The drive up was just beautiful,
35:01and now I'm going to taste my favourite, favourite thing in the whole world.
35:04Well, we're excited that you're here.
35:08Jasper Newton Daniel, or Jack as he became known,
35:12established the whiskey distillery back in 1866,
35:16making it the very first registered distillery in the US.
35:20But country boy Jack didn't have the easiest of upbringings.
35:25Now, Jack was born about five miles south of here.
35:28He was the youngest of ten children.
35:30Wow.
35:31Yeah, right around the age of six, he got it in his head that he was a full-grown man,
35:35and he moved out of his dad's house.
35:38No.
35:38Six-year-old?
35:39He did not run to six years old.
35:40He was six years old.
35:40I've got a 24-year-old at my house eating my food right now.
35:44Jack became a farmhand locally in this county.
35:51And it was while there, he met an enslaved man, Nathan Nearest Green.
35:56Green distilled whiskey on the farm using the specialised process of sugar maple charcoal filtering.
36:05So we're going to drip every drop of Jack that we produce down through 10 feet of charcoal.
36:11Uh-huh.
36:12And so this process is called the Lincoln County process.
36:15It's the way Jack was taught to make whiskey from Nathan Nearest Green.
36:19This was the process he used 160 years ago,
36:22and it's still the process that we're using today to mellow out your whiskey.
36:26Wow.
36:26And that's what we call it.
36:27It's like filtering, but we call it mellowing.
36:30Yeah.
36:30Because it just sounds cooler.
36:34Nathan Nearest Green was the man who taught Jack Daniel,
36:38and the first known African-American distiller,
36:41and is widely recognised as the man behind Tennessee whiskey.
36:44His son George took over from him when, in the early 1880s,
36:48Jack discovered something else that would make the whiskey even more special.
36:53Oh, wow. Look at this.
36:55This is the water that Jack came up here for.
36:58It's probably the most water coming out of any cave system anywhere in this county.
37:05In 1884, Jack purchased the land at Cave Spring Hollow for just over $2,000.
37:11What was then a very substantial amount of money?
37:16So the water here is really good.
37:18It's perfect. Wow.
37:19So the water's also iron-free, and it's because of what this hillside's made out of.
37:25Our geology is all limestone, and limestone is going to pull iron out of the water.
37:30If you have iron in your water and you make whiskey, your whiskey's coming out black and bitter.
37:36Wow. Jack was on to a winner.
37:40Iron in the water can react with the tannins in the barrels and the mash, creating a bitter taste.
37:46With iron-free water, Jack knew his whiskey would be really smooth.
37:54We still produce every drop of Jack for the entire planet with the water you're looking at.
37:59Oh, my. There's a lot of little nuances that make it the best.
38:05We cannot make this whiskey anywhere else on the planet.
38:09I shall savour it a lot more now.
38:12So when you're at home, this is the water that makes your whiskey.
38:18How amazing.
38:22The distillery makes around 100,000 gallons of whiskey a day, serving 173 countries.
38:30And that's a lot of whiskey.
38:34Let's hope they keep a few drops back so visitors like me can try some of Tennessee's old number seven,
38:41in the place where it all began.
38:44Oh, this is the best bit now.
38:46Oh, please have a seat. We're going to drink some whiskey.
38:49Oh, I'm going to.
38:49We always have old number seven. Always.
38:53Right.
38:53It is the original. It is the base of everything we make.
38:56And make sure that when you're back home, it tastes just like you're here in Lynchburg.
39:01So it's very important to always smell your whiskey.
39:05That smells so good, don't it?
39:12It's already working. Your medicine's working.
39:14That's fabulous.
39:17I'm a big lover of Jack Daniels.
39:21So I'm in my heaven place right now.
39:24Good.
39:24The next one we're going to sip is what we call heritage.
39:28This one is going to be brown sugar, maple syrup, butterscotch, toffee.
39:34It's an over caramelized kind of sweet note.
39:37I could tell you about it, but let's go ahead and smell it.
39:42Jed's not wrong.
39:43This smells much sweeter than the original, like toffee, but warm.
39:48That smells like pie.
39:50I like the way you say pie.
39:58That's strong.
39:59It's really good though, isn't it?
40:01Yeah.
40:02The first one you sipped was 40% alcohol.
40:05This one's 50% alcohol.
40:09What am I doing?
40:10And the last one.
40:11Uh-oh.
40:12Let's see.
40:13Oh, what is that?
40:15That's cinnamon.
40:15That is cinnamon.
40:16Is it?
40:16It is.
40:17It's supposed to be good for you.
40:18It's supposed to be good for you.
40:20Yeah.
40:20Especially your vocals with all the singing and everything.
40:23Right.
40:24First, the cinnamon.
40:25Then that warm, buttery, mellow flavor.
40:28Oh, that's really sweet.
40:30I like them all.
40:32It's terrible, isn't it?
40:33No, it's not terrible.
40:35I could just drink.
40:36In fact, I might do.
40:37When you turn off, I'm going to finish all of this.
40:40Me and Jed are going to have a party.
40:44Because that's how they roll here in Tennessee.
40:47It's that southern charm again.
40:50The people are so welcoming here.
40:53Nashville is like, come on, everybody's welcome.
40:57We love that.
40:59And I can't come to the home of country music and not pay homage
41:03to this incredibly inspiring place.
41:06Time for a real country classic.
41:10I laid a red rose on your front porch
41:17Road I love you on a note
41:22I rang the doorbell and turned to gold
41:30Baby, when the curtains moved
41:37I saw the light in your window tonight
41:42I saw the light in your window tonight
42:05Why, baby, why, why, should I listen to you
42:12Cry, baby, cry, now I'm walking out the door
42:20I know the truth when I look in your eyes
42:28I saw the light in your window tonight
42:40Join me next time as I continue my journey of discovery in Nashville, Tennessee
42:46I start to look the part as I get kitted out country style
42:50Howdy!
42:51Oh my god, I love them
42:53Feel the heat as I challenge my taste buds with Nashville's national dish
42:58Help!
43:00And fulfil my wildest dreams when I step foot on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry
43:06How are you doing out there?
43:09I'll be a Nashville girl yet
43:13And join Jane for all that new tomorrow at 9
43:17A teen on a trip to France suddenly stops answering her messages
43:21In Five's brand new original drama, Missed Call, starting Monday at 9
43:26And with a 3,000 year history and such rapid transformation
43:29There's plenty for Ben Fogel to discover in China
43:32Stream now on Five
43:34Next night, forensics murder scene
43:36Stay with us
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