CMT aired the broadcast premiere of Bluebird on Wednesday night. The documentary, which first debuted at South by Southwest in 2019, shows the humble beginnings of the Nashville hotspot the Bluebird Café, that became a haven for songwriters to showcase brand new songs. Performing at the Bluebird could make or break the success of a song or its artist, as evidenced by the fact that it launched the careers of global superstars Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift.
The Bluebird began as a restaurant by day and a bar by night, that primarily focused on rock music when it opened in 1982. One of the recurring themes spoken by many who were interviewed for this documentary was how unassuming this place is, and that one really must experience it firsthand to get the full scope of its power. Songwriter Barry Dean said it best, that one goes to the Bluebird “to locate where your soul is.”
If you’re a songwriter, you also went to the Bluebird to earn the respect of your peers or give listeners a fresh perspective of a song they’ve heard countless times on the radio. Writers could also finish performing and give feedback on other songs, something that a headlining act rarely gets to do.
Once original owner Amy Kurland was ready to retire in 2008, it seemed fitting that she sell the venue over to the Nashville Songwriters Association Inc. (NSAI) to carry on its tradition. Within a few years, the Bluebird would reach a new level of fame, becoming a pivotal “character” on the ABC-turned-CMT show Nashville.
At its core, the Bluebird Café has remained about the music. Aspiring songwriters still have to audition to play there, keeping a level playing field. Employees are the largest gauge of a great song, because if they don’t remain professional, the performer knows that the song will affect people. For these reasons and so many more, the Bluebird has sewn itself into the fabric of Nashville.
