Spirit At the 6th: Doak Turner's 3rd Sunday 6th Anniversary 3/15/09

Each month I have a few standing commitments on my wild and crazy schedule. One of those happens on the third Sunday of the month, when I go to Doak Turner's Nashville Muse songwriter potluck. If you haven't read my previous writing on this event, it's a gathering at Doak's house where songwriters, those who love them and other music types gather to eat, meet, network for opportunities and fill a few rooms in the house and the yard as weather permits for spontaneous song sharing rounds. This month marked the 6th anniversary of the 3rd Sunday potluck.

This event has hosted people from all over the country and beyond its borders, from newbies to hit writers. Some who started coming without ever writing a song went on to become co-writers with people they've met at Doak's. For some of us, it was our introduction to the songwriting community in Nashville. I fully credit 3rd Sunday as the most important factor that helped me get to know many of the songwriters in town and enabled me to support them. I went from a new in town fly on the wall to a member of the "family". I am truly blessed to have been accepted so warmly by these dear people despite never having played a note of music in a round.

Every month at Doak's get together is a good time. But on this 6th anniversary day, everyone knew there was a certain spirit present that seemed to make the gathering extra special. "Moments" were breaking out all over the place. We were visited by a group of young singers from the University of Texas at Austin called "Ransom Notes", who wowed us all with their up tempo a cappella arrangements; our favorite funny man, songwriting teacher and ambassador, Marc Alan Barnette, who jumped in with the group and later held court in one of the rooms with his big power voice and engaging songs; Tom Shinness, musician extraordinaire who brought three different instruments and as always, impressed everyone and was in demand to add his musicianship to rounds; jam packed rooms with great new singers and writers and old friends with new material to share.

Musicians note that there is a unique sensation that takes place whenever the right players get together and find the right groove, one which perhaps those who don't play can't experience. I submit that we non-musician listeners have our own equivalent of that experience. It's that "pinch me" sensation you feel when you're in the midst of hearing something like this. Nashville, of course, is full of those moments for me. Lord knows I've written about many of them here. On this afternoon, from time to time, players and non-players alike, we were all fans.

Experience the magic for yourself through this video clip by Doug Farrar.

Happy anniversary, Doak. And many, many more.