Walkin’ Nashville tours

Front landscape peach pincher

Bill DeMain is a very talented man. He is a journalist who has interviewed all your musical heroes; an accomplished musician and songwriter based in Nashville; the entertaining and astoundingly knowledgeable tour leader of Walkin’ Nashville; and a recently converted Francophile.

Bill visited Paris last year and fell in love with the city. During March, he returned for one of those total immersion language courses and kept his instagram followers entranced with photographs of the things he saw (and ate) while in The City of Light.

When Bill asked me for suggestions for his third Dandy & Rose shirt, this wonderful Arts and Crafts style print by Liberty leapt right into my mind. It seemed like such a fun way to acknowledge Bill’s love of France. And just look at that frog, with his little toes!

It can get hot out there, walkin’ Nashville, so Bill likes short sleeves. I like short sleeves too, and leap at the opportunity to make them.

short sleeve detail peach pincher

I have been waiting for an opportunity to use this print ever since it came out last year. I’m so glad that one has has hopped along.

OK. That’s enough corny frog jokes. Unless you know any.

Bill DeMain’s Guitar print shirt

Last time I was in Nashville, I decided to indulge in a little tourism. So I booked myself on the Walkin’ Nashville tour hosted by the journalist, musician and songwriter Bill DeMain. It was great fun and most informative! Bill is a real expert on the history of country music and puts his knowledge across with humour and warmth. We started at the statue of Chet Atkins on the corner of Fifth Avenue North and Union Street, where Bill began with the story of country’s fight-back against rock and roll in the late-1950s; in Printer’s Alley, we heard the tale of club owner Skull Schulman’s 1998 brutal murder, which took place there – wait, was that the ghostly apparition of a tall, thin man in rhinestones we saw disappear around the corner?

Skull Schulman posing with some of his collection of rhinestone encrusted embroidered suits by Nudie and Manuel. Skull loved poodles – and rainbows!

Moving on, we passed by the Country Music Hall of Fame and stopped to admire its architectural references to piano keys and musical notes; then, after stopping in the alley that many an Opry star must have slipped down on their furtive way there from the back door of the Ryman Auditorium, we ended at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge on Broadway.

Bill telling one of his Walkin’ Nashville groups the history of the Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 – 1974

whole front 2

Bill is a connoisseur of vintage western shirts, so when he asked me to make for him, I suggested digging out one of my collection of vintage patterns. He picked out Simplicity 4703, from the early 1960s. And because it’s hot out there on the streets of Nashville, I shortened the sleeve and added a piped cuff to it.

He also asked for a western-themed print. Not my thing usually, but when I found this guitar print with western touches, I fell in love. I specially like the tiny cacti on the guitar headstocks.