NPR

Songs We Love: Joshua Hedley, 'Mr. Jukebox'

The title track from Joshua Hedley's forthcoming album Mr. Jukebox mines both country music history and his own experience playing for Nashville barflies.
Joshua Hedley's <em>Mr. Jukebox</em> comes out April 20.

Nashville's as hot as a vinyl biscuit these days, both as a mecca for young musicians and a tourist destination. Even as a relatively new resident, I'm always doling out tips to visitors eager to find the heart and soul of Music City. It's a complicated quest because in Nashville deep authenticity and surface flash are inseparable: it's a place dedicated to creating the perfect good time, a dream fueled by bourbon, hot chicken and twang, clichés that turn into sacraments on the tongue and in the ears. Tourists stumble from Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville right into Robert's Western World; a future country star could be playing in the chain establishment or the beloved real watering hole. Robert's, though, is where most players go when their sets are over and they want to eat a bologna sandwich and marvel at

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
From Pandemic To Protests, The Class Of 2024 Has Been Through A Lot
Pomp and circumstance again fall victim to circumstance for some students in the graduating class of 2024, as protests over the war in Gaza threaten to disrupt commencement ceremonies.
NPR3 min read
What's Making Us Happy: A Guide To Your Weekend Viewing And Reading
Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: Vanderpump Rules recaps, the book The Worst Ronin, and a duet by Pavarotti and Celine Dion.
NPR2 min read
Brian Wilson Of The Beach Boys Is Being Placed Under A Legal Conservatorship
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the conservatorship Thursday, noting that Brian Wilson suffers from "a major cognitive disorder." Wilson has agreed to the conservatorship.

Related Books & Audiobooks