And the music plays on....

In case you haven't heard-and it possible maybe you haven't-Nashville's been drowning for about four days, and while you'd think that might be worth some attention from the outside world....not so much, actually. And while other areas in Tennessee are affected too, Nashville is and has always been my home, so most of what I will point you to in this blog is local. Nashville is the capital city of Tennessee, densely populated, and a major economic hub for the entire state. The impact of this natural disaster will last for years. Here's what happened.

On Saturday, it started to rain. Early in the morning. And it didn't stop. I mean it. Literally nonstop rain-and not just a sprinkle, either, pouring rain-for nearly 48 hours. A massive storm moved right over our heads and just didn't move for two days. When it finally moved on Sunday evening, waters were rising at the riverbanks all over town. I don't think there was a neighborhood in Davidson County that didn't have flooding. From North to South, East to West, water stood in the streets and seeped into basements and homes. Over the interstates, trapping people in their cars to be rescued by boats. Water flowed into businesses. And major Music City landmarks, like the Opryland complex-Opryland Hotel (click link for pics), Opry Mills Mall, and the Grand 'Ole Opry house. The Farmer's Market, where local Tennessee farmers come to sell their crops-their livelihood. The arena where our hockey team plays and most of our concerts are held. The stadium our NFL team plays. The new Symphony hall-where the glorious organ has been lost. Our bus and train systems shut down. Schools closed indefinitely, as many sustained damage and others are being used as shelters. Because a lot of people have lost everything. Houses caught fire after being abandoned with the gas left on. The things I've seen on TV the past few days don't even seem real. These are places I know. Places I go. Places I've worked. Shopped. Had my prom. Made great memories.

The economic impact of this, for a city that relies heavily on tourism, and music production, is devastating. It is estimated to take months to get Opry Mills and the Opryland Hotel back open. But they will re-open. Because We Are Nashville. The show must go on. The music won't stop. In fact, the music in my head has been nonstop since this began (a sign that I'm a true Music City girl, I guess). I've had two songs go through my head over the last couple of days pretty continuously. One, "Rain" by Patty Griffin. Now, this song goes through my head almost every time it rains. It is one of my favorite songs of all time-so beautiful, and has helped me through many a bad (rainy-literally and emotionally) day. Now, of course the song is not literally about RAIN. But it is about surviving in the face of loss. We are "still alive, underneath this shroud."

The other has been, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" a country-gospel tune by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (among many others over the years). The first image that really broke my heart was the one of water filling the Opry House. In the center of the Opry stage is a circle. It is considered the highest honor to stand on that stage and sing in that circle, because it represents the history of the Opry and of country music in Nashville. When I saw that image, this song began filling my mind. Again, it describes the spirit and strength of our city-we will go on, we won't be broken by this disaster.

My home is ok. I do have friends and family with damage. The waters are just now beginning to recede enough for people to go home and assess their losses, and begin the long, painful, expensive process of recovery. Even though I don't have any personal property losses, I feel like I've lost part of my home. These places and neighborhoods have been my home for almost 30 years. I've driven these streets, sat in the seats at these beloved venues, lived and played in this city my entire life. It's been very emotional to see these images, and compare them to the ones in my memory of everything before Sunday. But we are Nashville, Tennessee-the Volunteer State. We have a great community, and we'll survive. If you can give, please give to the Middle TN Red Cross. Many have lost homes, cars, and all their possessions. Our community will provide support, but we will also desperately need the support of our other neighbors throughout the country. And please, come and see us. We depend on your visits to bring tourism tax dollars to our state, and we promise to show you a good time (but may not be able to take you to the Opryland Hotel this visit). At the very least, there will be music.