Never Been This Crazy!

The floating stage is under construction, the cooks for the crews are loading their pantry, road blocks are starting. It is CMA Music fest season. Impossible to ignore if you are a Nashvillian, but close to the last thing on anyone's agenda!

Hockey! Stanley Cup playoff hockey fever with Nashville's NHL team versus Pittsburgh.

The fan scope of this is getting international attention; 10,000 showing up to watch the game on city-provided big screens. Big-time security, of course, and its building with the first home game Saturday June 3rd and Alan Jackson performing a concert in front of the arena. FREE! Game is at 7p. And big screens all around will show the game. Tickets for inside the arena going for as high as $70,00! The national anthem will be a major singer. Everyone from Trisha Yearwood to Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood have sung in the playoffs. The suites are filled with the famous! Only touring will keep fans like Luke and Jason away. Luke's at a Cullman, Alabama festival and Jason is in Toronto.

Hockey and Nashville may not seem to go together. Watch the NBC coverage; it is fan support rivaling anyone any sport. (I'm a graduate of the University of Alabama ... we have a pretty good football team ... I know fan support when I see it!)

The death of Gregg Allman (Gregg was his nickname and has 2 g's in spelling) ... He was idolized by many Music Row acts. Jason Aldean from the land of Allman - Macon, GA. Jason said it hit him hard. Allman's personal life was crazy from his Nashville birth to his rock star adult life style. His musical life was Hall of Fame worthy. Jackson Browne said Gregg was "one of the most gifted singers of the last 50 years."

Gregg Allman to be buried Saturday, June 3rd next to his brother Duane and fellow band member Berry Oakley. Oakley considered one of the top 100 bass players of all time ...

Lady Antebellum getting rave reviews for their latest tour. Two horns added to the musical mix. Where is everyone going to get the money to see all these wonderful shows? Big shows ... multimedia ... Aldean, Bryan, Paisley, Lady A, Chesney out there a little bit ... No Carrie this summer ... No Taylor, either. Bob Seger just announced a big tour. Stones in Europe with NO U.S. dates yet. Paul McCartney is all over the place. Huge festivals from East Coast to West Coast.

Nashville's Ascend Amphitheatre near the Cumberland River/1st Ave downtown. Amazing variety of artists, Pop and Country ... The Opry is always there ... no shortage of summer music.

Chris Stapleton is on the sidelines for most of June ... He is recovering from a broken bone and a detached tendon in his right index finger. In physical therapy and hopes to be playing guitar again soon.

The media will have a hard time focusing on the CMA Music Festival if The Stanley Cup goes past the fourth game this Tuesday. Coverage has been huge for the NHL team and the locals are in "Pred fever" mode. Normally, CMA music fest unofficial and official events run for seven days. They still will, but now will have a challenge getting coverage in market. The expense of coming to Music City is a big sticker shock. New hotels are coming up all the time, but still you will find everything challenging. The secret is not a secret anymore. Downtown Nashville is one of the great party locations in the WORLD not just the U.S.

No one will ever beat Vegas, but Music City is challenging places like New Orleans and Austin. Big-time locations are in construction mode now for Dierks and Blake's buildings. If you like to party, then come on!