This afternoon I arrived in Nashville for the Americana Music Conference, and while I can't promise that I won't be too tired or too drunk at the end of every night to post updates, I'm going to try. And at least with this post, you'll at least get one update.

Shockingly, I had an awesome flight. I had a window seat, no one next to me, and you know how there's always one person who's snoring on the flight? That would have been me this time.

Upon checking into my hotel, the desk clerk with a slight speech impediment took a liking to me (he asked me why I was staying by myself; I said because I didn't like people, and he told me he'd be working until eleven if I needed anything - which I did not) and hooked me up with internet cable. Sweet! I met my friend Pam and a couple of the girls from Universal Records South for dinner and drinks at Morton's, before heading off to 3rd and Lindsley to see new Universal South artist Jonathan Singleton's showcase. I'm already a fan of his because he wrote Gary Allan's "Watching Airplanes," which contains the line, "That fence is too high; so am I," which caused my friend Denise and I to double over laughing more times than we could count.

Following that, Pam and I went over to Cadillac Ranch where Hal Ketchum was playing on Billy Block's Western Beat. He started his set with "Past the Point of Rescue," which prompted me to text my dad, as that's the song he taught me to two-step to when I was sixteen. After the show, I became a complete dork and told Hal that. He was very gracious, even though I was gushing like a total nerd. Michael Peterson was also in attendance, which was ironic, because Pam - who was a label rep for mainstream country for several years insisted that that was not him - while our pal Rick Star, who up until very recently programmed KFAN in Fredericksburg, Texas (a highly respected Americana station), picked him out right away.

Things are starting off well - I've only been here for eight hours, and I've still managed to hang out with several friends, see some good music, and eat fried food. Isn't that what I came to Nashville for in the first place?!