“My first time at the Opry, I rode in with Lester Flatt,” Marty remembers. “Let me tell ya, going into the Opry with Lester Flatt is like going into the Vatican with the Pope.”

Marty Stuart loves the city, the music that touched his heart

He came to Nashville when he was 13 years old and never left. Find out what kept Marty Stuart here, and what he wants you to see while you're in Music City.

There might not be anyone on Earth who loves Nashville, Tennessee and the music that comes out of it more than singer/songwriter/musician/producer/country music archivist/(insert any one of dozens of other talents here), Marty Stuart. And there’s simply not a better go-to guy for recommendations on how to make the most out of a visit to Tune Town.

Stuart’s love of Nashville began growing before he’d ever laid eyes on the Music City skyline. “I was raised in Mississippi,” he says, “where we were immersed in the blues, rock n’ roll, and jazz, but it was the country music I heard that touched my heart. The sounds beaming from that 650 WSM signal seemed to beckon me.”

It wouldn’t be long before Stuart’s music was among the sounds heard on 650. Over Labor Day Weekend 1972, 13-year-old Stuart left a loving and proud family behind and rode a Greyhound bus alone to Nashville at the invitation of bluegrass great Lester Flatt and his band. When Stuart’s friend, legendary mandolinist Roland White, was late to pick young Stuart up in the middle of the night, the Mississippi native walked around the corner of the Greyhound station and found himself face to face with the Ryman Auditorium for the first time. “The site of that old building really, really hit me,” Stuart says. He was on sacred ground. Positioned right in the middle of the city where the music he loved was being made, where his heroes lived and breathed. Standing at the doorstep of the Mother Church of Country Music. Marty Stuart was home.

Within a week, Stuart was actually on the Ryman stage playing the Opry in Flatt’s band. “My first time at the Opry, I rode in to the Opry with Lester Flatt,” he remembers. “Let me tell ya, going into the Opry with Lester Flatt is like going into the Vatican with the Pope.” Stuart’s memories of the night are still crystal clear, shared as if they’ve gotten sweeter with time. He sat in with Flatt’s band, then was surprised on stage with an invitation by Flatt to take centerstage for an instrumental performance. “We walked up and played ‘Love Come Home,’” Stuart says. The microphone wasn’t adjusted for the not-particularly-tall teenager before he began performing, so he had to hold his mandolin high over his head “like shooting birds with a shotgun” to be amplified. The crowd roared with approval, but it was a smaller crowd with which Stuart was particularly concerned. “I just kept thinking, ‘I hope the signal is clear tonight so everyone back home can hear,’” he says. The signal was, indeed, good that night, and Stuart’s family in Mississippi as well as music fans from around the world were going to be hearing a lot from Marty Stuart for years to come.

We talked with Marty Stuart about his continued love of Nashville and his recommendations for those planning a visit.

Q: We’ve seen the suitcase you brought with you from Mississippi that Labor Day Weekend 1972. (It was on display last summer as part of a Stuart exhibit at the Tennessee State Museum) Do you remember what you had packed in it? Anything you left home without others should make sure they bring?

Marty Stuart: I don’t remember a thing I packed in that suitcase, but I’d tell people who are coming to bring a comfortable pair of shoes. There’s some walking to be done, and we just want you to be able to relax and enjoy yourself. Maybe some folks will want to bring one snazzy outfit. Bring a camera and an autograph book, because you never know where you’re going to meet up with someone whose music you like, and as a rule we’re all more than happy to help out with a snapshot or autograph.

Q: What are some sites in Nashville you’d particularly recommend to visitors?

Marty Stuart: The Country Music Hall of Fame has an incredible new Hank Williams exhibit. You have to get there. If you’re looking for Hillbilly Bourbon Street, Lower Broadway is your place. The Station Inn up on 12th [12th Ave., a few blocks away from the Ryman Auditorium] always has world-class bluegrass night after night. For the vinyl enthusiast, there are three great record stores to check out: Ernest Tubb Record Shop [Lower Broadway downtown and Music Valley], the Great Escape [1925 Broadway], and Phonoluxe [2609 Nolensville Pike.]

Q: Favorite eats?

Marty Stuart: The best cheeseburger in town is at Brown’s Diner [2102 Blair Blvd]. Brick Tops on West End [3000 West End Ave.] is good, as is the Sunset Grill [2001 Belcourt Ave.]. After the Opry, you can always hit the Hermitage Café [71 Hermitage Ave.].

Q: You obviously still have a love affair going with the Opry. What have been some of your great Opry experiences since that first night 36 years ago, and what should people watch out for when they come to the show?

Marty Stuart: One of my favorite nights was singing with Connie Smith several years ago before we were even married, back when we were just flirting around. There was the night Travis Tritt, Hank Jr., and I came back from Waylon Jennings’ funeral and just sat out on the stage with our guitars and played Waylon songs. I loved sharing the stage with Mavis Staples. Then last year, for Porter Wagoner’s 50th anniversary with the Opry everybody came back to salute Porter. Dolly was there. Buck Trent was there. In retrospect, that was a great, great night. Then there was the night this year Charlie Daniels was inducted into the Opry. It was a great night of fiddle tunes and Southern rock n’ roll. The crowd was brimming with excitement. I love the nights when anything can happen. One night recently Ricky [Skaggs] came out and played with The Whites. Connie [Smith] and I sang together. Vince [Gill] was out that night and was on and off stage with folks all night. We just had a great time. Nobody worried about being a star. When you come to the Opry, just be ready to have a really good time. That’s what it really is all about.