My friend Hallie is heading to Nashville on Thursday to see Shelby Lynne at the Ryman Auditorium. Yep, the same day Hurricane Helene is set to slam middle Georgia with hurricane-force winds and rain. But, come hell or high water, Hallie is hitting the road on Wednesday because that's just the kind of die-hard fan she is.
Hallie’s been obsessed with Shelby Lynne's music ever since "I Am Shelby Lynne" dropped on January 25, 2000. When I say obsessed, I mean she’s probably listened to that album 100+ times. I’ve never met anyone more into music—of all genres. Honestly, I’d love to meet someone who could go toe-to-toe with her in a music trivia showdown.
So, when Hallie found out Shelby Lynne and her sister are performing the entire "I Am Shelby Lynne" album at the Ryman, she had no choice but to leave the cats behind and head to Nashville. What could top Shelby Lynne, the Ryman, and the full album? Armed with a Sharpie, she's checking off two big Bucket List items:
☑ Shelby Lynne
☑ The Ryman Auditorium
By my calculations, Hallie’s in for about a 5-hour-and-13-minute drive (assuming light traffic). But on the way back, Atlanta’s probably going to be its usual chaotic self, stretching the trip out way longer.
Now, here’s a fun fact: Hallie recently did a deep dive into Shelby Lynne’s guitars. Turns out Shelby had a favorite—an acoustic 1967 Gibson B25 that she wrote a bunch of songs on, but sadly, it was stolen over 10 years ago.
Check out this beauty:
Hallie is a folk artist who runs her gig, The Big Gully. To honor Shelby Lynne, she’s painted a mini guitar with a magnet on the back. She’s hoping to give it to Shelby as a token of appreciation for her music and her incredible journey.
Wanna see it?
Pretty cool, right? One artist sings, the other paints—both sharing their gifts with the world, and in my eyes, both doing a stellar job of it!
Shelby Lynne might be a superstar, but my friend Hallie? She’s the ultimate superfan!
💜1965
