Music City Pulse Podcast

Billy Contreras is a special kind of musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist whose primary instrument is the fiddle. When you hear Billy play you immediately realize that he knows exactly what he is doing and if you are a musician, you’ll be wondering what exactly is he doing. His playing is impossible to ignore with creative and interesting uses of harmony, melody, and rhythm at every turn. Billy has played with a long list of notable musicians, teaches at Belmont University, and performs regularly around Nashville as well as the all over the world. Find out what floats his musical boat in this episode of Music City Pulse.

Lorenzo Washington never imagined that he would one day be the curator of a museum, however that’s one of the many hats he wears today. This hat fits easily and comfortably as it came about naturally through a passion for his community. Lorenzo is the founder and creator of Jefferson Street Sound Museum. Nashville’s Jefferson Street has a deep musical history and was at one time an epicenter for R&B, blues, and jazz. Lorenzo witnessed this flourishing musical era firsthand. Many of the musicians and artists who called Jefferson Street home are his friends. Jefferson Street Sound Museum has exhibits, memorabilia, instruments, and autographed pictures that were mostly donated to him by these friends. A piano from Marion James and a guitar strap from Billy Cox are just two of the items one will discover at this museum that is also still Lorenzo's home. Lorenzo welcomes tours and hosts performances at Jefferson Street Sound. There is also a recording studio to capture the current sounds coming off Jeffers

Hit songwriter, Jane Bach, is featured on this episode of Music City Pulse. Jane has been writing in Nashville for 37 years and has had her songs cut by Tammy Wynette, Reba McEntire, Jo Dee Messina, and many other well-known artists. Jane is no doubt a very successful songwriter and she guides others in her craft at various workshops around the country. At this point in her career she also spends time writing in Los Angeles and New York. In this episode she shares some of her experiences as a song writer in Nashville and talks about how the city and industry has changed.

Eamonn Dillon was born in Belfast, Ireland. His father introduced him to traditional Irish music as a child and it became a lifelong pursuit. He plays the Uilleann Pipes, the bagpipes of Ireland, as well as the tin whistle. Currently living in Nashville, he performs regularly around town and teaches at the Fiddle and Pick in Pegram Tennessee located just west of Nashville. Eamonn has done extensive touring in the US, Canada, and Europe. He has toured with John McDermott, The Irish Tenors, Celtic Bridge, and as a solo artist as well. Recorded on a cold November morning this episode features Eamonn talking about the unique instrument he plays as well as traditional Irish music – a style that he loves and one that connects him to his homeland.