By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — DeFord Bailey, the exemplary harmonica and blues man who helped break the color barrier in country music with his pyrotechnic ability on the mouth harp just had a star dedicated to him on the Music City Walk of Fame Park last week. Known as “The Harmonica Wizard” Bailey appeared regularly on the Grand Ole Opry – in fact, his train inspired tune “Pan American” often opened the broadcast. His daughter Dezoral Bailey Thomas and extended family members joined in the celebration. Bailey first performed at the Grand Ole Opry in 1926 and was a…
Author: Clare Bratten
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Dan Bern’s early heroes were people like Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie – the songs that were a bit of poetry, a bit of political criticism and sometimes humor. He performed songs that were both musically satisfying and lyrics that pack a punch at the City Winery last week. Bern’s voice is reminiscent of early Bob Dylan or Elvis Costello where lyrics take center stage in a style called “talking blues.” His hard driving guitar chords were interwoven with expert Telecaster or baritone electric guitar back up by the talented Anthony Da Costa –…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN – The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) came to the Opryland Hotel as a part of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International conference last week to explain all the ways people with modest but steady incomes can qualify for a mortgage for a home or investment property. Their message: owning real estate is how black families can build and pass on wealth. NAREB is a professional organization formed in 1949 by black realtors and brokers. Free credit assessments were offered to attendees and representatives from SunTrust Bank, United Securities Fund, and Tennessee…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — When Metro Housing Development Authority (MDHA), the Mayor’s office and some non-profits get together to offer affordable housing, D’Juan (Brent) and Brooke Thompson found they were able to move their growing family into a brand-new house in the fast-developing neighborhood north of Metro Center. Even better, they pay a monthly mortgage payment that is affordable. Mayor David Briley attended a blessing of the new home for the couple given by Rev. Enoch Fuzz along with family and friends of the Thompsons. “It’s affordable. This is an area where we’re from,” said D’Juan…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — What do you do when you are an aspiring singer/songwriter from Roswell, New Mexico and you want to write songs about suffering from illness or disability rather than broken hearts, cheating and beer? Why, you still come to Nashville. At least that’s what Alexandra Fresquez is doing. She came to town to record a song which could apply to a broken heart but, really is a tribute to the suffering with breast cancer her mother endured. “My last song I just did was to raise some money for cancer awareness. My Mom had just…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — People age 62 and up will be able to find affordable housing in a new development complex being built in North Nashville slated for completion in summer of 2020. Fifty-five rental units in a contemporary complex (complete with a rooftop solar panels) will be located at 26th and Clarksville as Phase III in what will be a three-building complex with multigenerational housing. Phases I is built and Phase II opens this summer. A Phase III ground breaking marked the beginning of the new construction. The facility called “TN-SILVER” (which is an acronym for “Supportive…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Turner construction company recently held a panel discussion in Nashville on how to help women professionals succeed in their male-dominated field. Turner is known for their high profile construction projects including the Bridgestone Arena, Davidson County Juvenile Court building, the Nashville Airport Terminal Complex, many state, medical and university buildings in Nashville. The forum featured women in senior positions in the company who had climbed to leading positions. Karen A. Sweeney, Cindy DePrater, Martine Zettle, Jodi Rennie, Margaret Simone, Vesna Conroy. The women executives started in a variety of ways from working their way up from…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — May 15th is Kangaroo Care Day at St. Thomas Hospital – a day rewarding new mothers for holding their babies against their skin for extended periods. Most babies in the US begin their lives in a hospital lying in a plastic bassinet. Premature babies are cared for in incubators. But St. Thomas hospitals (Midtown and Rutherford County) are asking new mothers to spend cuddle time or ‘kangaroo care’ with skin to skin contact with their tiny newborns–even premature babies –until the babies turn six months old. Almost evangelical in her fervor, Brooke Miller,…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — April 13th was Record Store Day and The Groove, an East Nashville store dealing in new and used vinyl LPs celebrated the day with a bash. Nine live bands (broadcast live by Acme Radio), food trucks, and a crowd kept the party going from 9 am to 9 pm, ending in a dance party. The Groove, located at 1103 Calvin Avenue, is one of several stores focusing on older audio formats with a large collection of vinyl LPs and 45 rpm vinyl, tapes, CDs, alternative comic books, and some audio equipment. “Vinyl has…
By Clare Bratten NASHVILLE, TN — Are your ankles swelling? Swollen ankles might be an early sign of kidney disease, according to Dr. Francesca Tentori, a Vanderbilt nephrology instructor and medical director of outcomes research for DaVita Clinics. The symptom is especially worrisome if you also have diabetes or high blood pressure. “We need more awareness around kidney disease, it is pretty silent, it doesn’t manifest with symptoms until late in the progression. It’s not one of those diseases that is talked about until the kidneys actually fail,” said Dr. Tentori. Dr. Tentori and DaVita clinics and dialysis centers are…