

In a half-hour period, four cars had pulled up so a passenger could snap a photo of the trademark blue awning. “It's closed? I don't understand. I thought they filmed here,” said one young woman before getting a picture and driving away. The Bluebird is an often-used setting in ABC's “Nashville” drama. Although the show films in a replica on a soundstage, that hasn't stopped fans from visiting the real space.


So, I followed my inner fan-girl and decided to see Music City for myself. A tour company offers a “Nashville”-centric bus tour. But I opted to use a list from the city's tourism website to go at my own pace. While I never had anyone actually utter the words “hey y'all” to me, I was elated to find that, like the show, there's music all around.



This Jan. 15, 2014 photo shows people listening to a band in Tootsie&#8217;s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, Tenn. Tourists and locals flock to the row of
This Jan. 15, 2014 photo shows people listening to a band in Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville, Tenn. Tourists and locals flock to the row of honky tonks on lower Broadway. (Mark Humphrey/AP Photo)




Tourists and locals flock to the row of bars and clubs, or “honky tonks,” on Broadway in downtown Nashville. It's a buffet of bars that continuously hums with live music. Sidewalk musicians whose bread and butter is singing for tips are out there all day. The signage on the entire row is lit up in neon at night, an often-used exterior shot on the show. “Nashville” has also filmed inside some of the bars, including Layla's Bluegrass Inn and Tootsie's Orchid Lounge. Established in 1960, Tootsie's is the crown jewel of Honky Tonk Highway. Country artists such as Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson played there early in their careers.



A cultural institution in the country music industry, The Bluebird Cafe's location close to a McDonald's will probably take “Nashville” viewers by surprise. For songwriters and singers, playing for the 100-seat room is a rite of passage. It's a tight squeeze but the feeling of intimacy is one of the café's main draws.

In this Jan. 15, 2014 photo made with a fisheye lens, people leave Tootsie&#8217;s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, Tenn. Tourists and locals flock to the row
In this Jan. 15, 2014 photo made with a fisheye lens, people leave Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville, Tenn. Tourists and locals flock to the row of honky tonks on lower Broadway. (Mark Humphrey/AP Photo)

Nestled at a table in the real Bluebird, I couldn't help but expect that someone from the show would walk in and break into song. That feeling is a testament to how well the “Nashville” set designers copied every detail — including the string of lights hanging above the bar.






Abigail Humphrey, who lives on the other side of “Deacon's house,” calls the periodic filming a “minor inconvenience.” She says she also doesn't mind when tour groups show up.


She applauds the show for putting down roots in Nashville.

“It definitely makes the show feel more real.”