"Soul Searching" in Music City

By Delaney Willson: 

Almost three years into my Nashville residency and I still haven't picked up a southern twang. In fact, a week in Mississippi does more to my vernacular than living in this city seems to. Still, just like everyone else, I get the same questions upon returning home to friends. "Do you listen to country music a lot? Do you actually say y'all?" Well, yes. I would have answered yes to both long before leaving the beaches of south Florida. But if the world is so focused in on our ten gallon hats and cowboy boots, I worry they may be missing out on all the other magic that makes this city the wonder that it is. 

At its core, Nashville is a city full of people chomping at the bit to make their voices heard. People move here because they have something to say, and Nashville listens. So, of course storytelling lends itself to country music; but it's at the heart of Americana, indie, alternative, R&B, and rap as well. So, when commercial radio starts to wear on your soul, you can rest easy as a Nashvillian knowing that soul is something you can find around just about any corner from Franklin to The Hermitage. Think of this as your Nashville* Soul starter pack: 

*artists originally from, newly transplanted, or frequently stopping in Nashville