The atmosphere here is very intimate. The singers (there were four) are seated in the center of the room, and the tables, which seat about 100 people, surround them. No one in the room is more than 20 feet from the singers. What is different is that they interact with each other and with the audience. They go around the circle introducing the song they are going to perform, many of them written by themselves, alone or in collaboration. They give you little anecdotes and jokes, and laugh with each other. They also musically back each other up, both with guitar music and with harmony.

There are waitresses, of course, who will take your drink or snack order. There is a cover charge of $7.50 and a minimum food order of $7.00, so plan to spend a minimum of $29 per couple. For the quality of the entertainment, this is a fabulous bargain. The décor here is simple: wooden tables and chairs and a large bar on one wall. The walls are covered with posters and pictures of Nashville stars. They are all people who have performed here. Among the well-known alumni are Vince Gill, Faith Hill, and Garth Brooks.

One note: when you arrive, don’t just walk in. You have to be let in by the doorman. He lets you in between sets so that the artists aren’t disturbed. And come in quietly; we were shushed for talking. While the artists are performing, it is as quiet as the grave.

The four artists that we saw were all great, and they each had their own unique style. It was obvious that they had worked together before because they were so comfortable. At least two of them had CDs that you could purchase at the Bluebird. The Bluebird itself sells t-shirts, which are hanging from the bar, but it was so dim that I couldn’t see the design enough to make a decision.

Although this is a café, you don’t feel any pressure to order alcohol. I had several cups of coffee and my friend had a Diet Coke. Now, if you prefer not to spend $9 for two cups of coffee, then by all means, have a drink and a snack.

If you are a country-music wannabe, you can play here at their open-mic night or come to one of their auditions. For more information, visit their website.

It's a non-smoking venue, which I loved tremendously. MANY of the venues in Nashville are smoking. My voice gets hoarse with cigarette smoke, so I was thrilled it was non-smoking. It's not a big place. But the cramped quarters don't take away from the atmosphere. They tend to add to it, amazingly.

I've played before on Monday night where they draw your name out of a hat. Barbara Cloyd runs that show. She really means it when she says, “Don't go over your time. I WILL remember you.” (She did. No kidding -- I went over and she remembered a year later. She said, “Yes, I remember you. I really liked your music. You went over your time.”)

Anyway, it was magical. I'll do it again, someday. Someday, maybe everyone in the audience will be singing the song WITH me. . . A girl can dream. . .

We went on a Sunday night. It was songwriter's night and standing room only. About 7 songwriters played, all original stuff. It was amazing!! The energy in the room, from the crowd and the singer-songwriters was one of the most electric I have ever experienced. And the raw honesty, combined with sheer talent that was displayed was moving.

I highly reccomend this place to hear singers who will be famous in a few years.

Kudos to the Bluebird Cafe for providing a showcase for aspiring singer-songwriters.