Kallee and Ashley: Nashville

I've been meaning to post about my trip to Nashville back in June but just never got around to do it until now. Story of my life! Really, though, I took about 4,589 pictures so it's been a task to go through *WARNING: this post has A LOT OF PICTURES*

I'm not gonna lie, this Nashville trip was AMAZING! My friend, Nathalie, and I decided one day that we both wanted to see Nashville. We then heard that there is this HUGE music festival there EVERY YEAR.....a little thing called CMA Festival...who know?! :) We looked up tickets and decided why not. Best decision ever. We booked air flight, hotel, car (ugh, there's a story for another day), and concert tix.

We set out early Wednesday morning.

Spent quality time at a few airports. Both pumped to be on vacay....and not at work!

We got to Nashville early afternoon so after we got our car (*grown up moment: this was my 1st time renting a car by myself, feel like a real adult now*)

Woot woot! Drving in my first car rental!

We drove to our hotel. (*side note: hotel ended up being in a completely different town (like 20 miles away) but good news, it was right next to a Chick-fil-a! It's really the little things in life! :) After we checked in and unpacked we decided to go drive back to Nashville and hang out downtown for a while. The music festival didn't technically start until the next day. So we wanted to get a few sites in...

We walked down Music Row (where there are hundreds of offices of record labels, recording studios, radio stations, etc.) People just sitting outside playing music. I'm sure I heard the beginnings of the next new country hit!

Had lunch at The Tin Roof (popular place) and then just walked around downtown doing a lot of sight seeing.

Playing my first guitar solo!

The next three days were jam packed of all things country music. We tried to get up early and drive back downtown to Nashville. Find a parking spot....

Parking was actually my worst nightmare this entire trip. You had to pay *gasp* for parking everywhere you went. Plus there were a few fifty thousand other people parking cars in same area. We finally found this secluded spot (right by the train tracks in a very sketchy neighborhood, but I was willing to take my chances with being kidnapped vs. paying $$$) Here I am sending messages to love ones just in case I was kidnapped and left in a ditch to die, so that police could later find my car. Never can be too careful these day....hello, I saw "Taken")

and just walk up and down all the streets, getting free stuff....

and finding all the concerts and artists that were playing....

Due West!!!

Gloriana

Us in front of Gloriana on Stage

Joe Nickels

David Nail

Never did pass up a photo op....Nathalie and I in front of the Cumberland River

Hunter Hayes

Sara Evans

oh, and getting in line to get pics with a few of our favorites!

Due West again!

Jammin' with Darius Rucker!

Swamp People!
I had no idea who they were, but we saw this line and just jumped in. We had to ask people in front of us who we just saw! Too funny!

Even saw KEITH URBAN.......walk of star

Oh, just hanging with Trace Atkins and Blake Shelton. They asked us to sing a duet with them....weird ;)

David Nail singing in background.

Nathalie's new boyfriend

A little bar dancin' at Coyote Ugly.
Yes, the place is as disgusting as you would think.

Each night we would head over to LP Field where the main concert stage was and watch probably the best concert line up EVER. Every night. So cool. We saw soooo many good shows including:

(*some pics are not great...okay, not even good....but you get the point, right)

Lady Antebellum

Luke Bryan

Hunter Hayes

Besides HUGE multiple headliner, surprise guest stars would come out too including:
Tim McGraw and Keith Urban with Taylor Swift
Kid Rock with Zac Brown Band
Kenny Rogers with Zac Brown Band

Jason Mraz with Hunter Hayes

Blake Shelton

Florida Georgia Line

Sheryl Crow

Dierks Bentley

Keith Urban....obviously a highlight for me!

Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean

Taylor Swift

Kip Moore

Miranda Lambert

and soooooooo many more. You name it, I probably saw them. Jealous, yet??? ;)

Of course we took plenty of selfies while waiting for the next concert.....

Nashville skyline.

One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the Bobby Bones Show. We got up extra early Friday so we could sit in on the radio show. It was an awesome experience. So happy Bobby and crew let us join them. Makes me want to be in radio.