Dancer First is the name of Nashville musician book NOT brooke’s debut album. It’s also her philosophy for making music. “If it’s good enough to dance to, then it makes the cut” she says.
Justin Barney, Music and Culture Reporter
Hi, I’m Justin. I was born in Milwaukee, WI. I started as an intern at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and worked my way up to Music Director. There I started a segment called “From the Music Desk” where I interviewed over 500 artists including Thom York, Lizzo, Steve Martin, and Phoebe Bridgers. At 88nine I also got to speak passionately about the music I love on the radio, which is a true gift and I still get to do every day. There I also made a podcast called “Backspin: The Search for Milwaukee’s First Hip-Hop Song” which I enjoyed doing more than anything else I’ve ever done and was acclaimed in The New York Times. Highlight of my life. I love music, I love people and I love a good yarn. At the end of the day my goal is to tell stories that are as good as the ones my dad tells me. I’ll tell em on the radio, in print, or next to you at the corner bar.
Varallo’s, the oldest restaurant in Nashville, closes
As Nashville builds, rents rise. Businesses get pushed out. The latest victim of the high cost of downtown is Varallo’s, Nashville’s oldest restaurant.
Nashville calls for volunteers as cleanup phase accelerates
Nashville is accelerating the next stage of the winter ice storm: the clean up. “If you can operate a chainsaw we could use your help,” says Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
Amid power outages, an unusual number of locals visit Nashville’s honky tonk district
While winter storms caused major power outages in Nashville, the downtown music scene saw a lot more visits from displaced locals as they took up hotel rooms usually occupied by tourists.
Comfort from the cold: Acts of kindness help Nashvillians through the storm
Thousands of Nashvillians haven’t had heat for days. Hotels are booked. Restaurants closed. But acts of kindness are holding people together.
Where to find warming locations in Nashville
In a rare move signaling the major impact of the winter storm, Metro has opened cold weather warming locations across Nashville. Here are the details as of 4 p.m. Friday.
Rock Nashville opens music touring campus, aiming to center Nashville in live music industry
Nashville’s newest and largest rehearsal campus, called Rock Nashville, seeks to solidify the city as the nation’s hub for music and touring.
Nashville saves iconic music venue The End
A panic swept through Nashville’s music community this week when beloved venue The End went public with its financial struggles. But in mere hours, we saw how local music-lovers can rally.
Anticipated Nashville albums in 2026
What will the Nashville music scene look like in 2026? We have a solid snapshot of some upcoming local releases — plus early inklings about records that may be brewing. Here are some highlights as we look ahead to the new year.
Nashville as a culinary destination: How the city’s food scene changed in 2025
2025 was a year of fundamental change in Nashville’s food scene. Our city is changing fast, and a food scene is often a directional indication of where it is headed.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM