Nashville Music City Rocks at Whelan's

ITTN’s Saoirse spent a fantastic evening in Whelan’s with Nashville Music City and Songwriter Ray Fulcher, getting a taste of the Nashville experience. Tryphavana Cross, Senior Account Director in Ireland for Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, invited members of the Irish travel trade and media to this intimate songwriter showcase, and it was an evening that did not disappoint!

In Whelan’s, the bar that is world-famous for its live music scene, guests were temporarily transported to Nashville, as songwriter Ray Fulcher took to the stage, following his introduction from Deana Ivey, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation. Also in attendance from Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation, were Laurel Bennett, Senior Vice President and Heather Middleton, Chief Marketing Officer, alongside Kristi Driver, Senior International Tourism Sales Manager at Opry Entertainment, and Margaret Fuqua, Director of Sales at Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

Ray Fulcher’s intimate performance allowed the audience to feel as though they were in the Bluebird Café, one of the many listening rooms in Nashville. With Nashville being known for having the largest community of songwriters in the world, a listening room is a space where people can go to watch these songwriters in action, as they sing and reveal the stories behind their work. Ray did exactly that during his time on stage.

He shared his experience writing for and touring with artists such as Luke Combs and Cody Johnson, and performed the number-one hits he has co-written such as, ‘When It Rains It Pours’ and ‘Lovin’ On You’. As he opened the floor up to questions from the audience, inviting anything from questions about song writing, to questions about Nashville itself, the audience learned about his writing process while on the road, and the heartbreaks that inspired some of his most personal pieces. Ray also shared that he ‘feels most at home on a stool with a guitar’, which made the intimate setting all the more special.

After his performance, guests had time to introduce themselves to Ray, and take photographs with the songwriter. It was their chance to get to know him beyond his performance, before the evening came to an end. Their very own meet and greet.

Nashville Music City accomplished something spectacular with this event, bringing a piece of Nashville to Dublin, and showing the guests exactly what the city has to offer. Thanks to all of the thought and organisation that went into hosting this event, invitees got to see how truly unique the city is. With Aer Lingus operating direct flights from Dublin, an experience like this is just one flight away. For music lovers, it is a must visit, as it is the perfect place to see more of Ray Fulcher, and artists just like him. And if that isn’t enough, it is also home to the world famous Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and the Historic RCA Studio B, along with many Honky Tonk Bars featuring live music. To find out more about this amazing destination, visit visitmusiccity.com.

Deana Ivey ended the night by thanking the Irish travel trade and media for their attendance and ongoing support. She emphasised her hope that travel agents will continue to choose Nashville for their clients, and continue to drive tourism to this brilliant city.