Honky Tonk Survival: The Revival of Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
By John Hood
© 2006 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.
August 8, 2006
Tootsie's inside.
Photo: Amanda Eckard / CMA
Historian for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "That aura of the 1960s heyday can still be absorbed down there. You can go down there, kick back, have a beer and let the vibes penetrate."
Those vibes exist because of Tootsie's compassion for and generosity to the struggling songwriters who were regular patrons in its early days.
"She became a den mother figure to the various folks who hung out there," Rumble explained. "Among these were folks were songwriters like Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard, Roger Miller and Willie Nelson. It's also right next to the Ryman Auditorium. The area between the Ryman and Tootsie's and Tootsie's itself became an informal meeting ground for Opry performers and their fans. It's easily one of the most famous Country bars in the world, historically speaking."
The club, along with much of Downtown Nashville, fell on hard times in the '70s and '80s. Smith bought the place in 1992. He wanted to revive the magic that had made Tootsie's so special in its heyday.
"It was the cornerstone of the careers of some of the older stars," Smith said. "It's a historic landmark and important to the heritage of Nashville's music community."
He and his brother are both quick to point to Tootsie Bess as the reason that the club is special.
"We just operate it," Taylor said. "This place was something Tootsie created. We like to joke that she still owns it and we're just running it for her."
Tootsie's was almost torn down to make a park in the early 1990s. At the time Downtown Nashville was a dark and dangerous shadow of its current vibrant self.
"It was terrible down here," Taylor said. "Steve fought tooth and nail to keep the place from being torn down. He actually lived here for about three months to keep it from being demolished. During that time he got it registered as a historic landmark, so it couldn't be torn down."
Smith knew Tootsie's held a special place in the musical history of Nashville. Many of the Opry stars of the '60s would sneak over between sets to have a drink. It was also a home away from home for songwriters, who held a special place in Tootsie Bess' heart. Her generosity made the place a favorite hangout for the famous and not-yet-famous. Patsy Cline, Tom T. Hall, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Webb Pierce, Mel Tillis and Faron Young were just a few of the patrons who made Tootsie's a favorite watering hole.
In many ways Downtown Nashville's resurgence and Tootsie's reemergence were intertwined.
"We wanted to help develop the Downtown area and we knew this place was of great historical value to the city," Taylor said. "We actually became a sponsor of the Opry in 2000. As we were advertising on the Opry, we told people to come back to the most famous honky tonk in the world. I had young and old coming in here. They'd tell us that their daddy or great granddaddy told them to come here. It was really neat."
Tootsie's became a hotspot for tourists wanting to see and hear great Country Music. Along the way the club became an important training ground for rising Country stars. Terri Clark was signed to Mercury Records while holding down a regular gig at the club. The Lynns (Lorretta Lynn's daughters) also got a deal while playing there. It's a trend that continues. Three finalists from the recent season of "Nashville Star" are Tootsie's performers.
Taylor said one of the biggest developments for Tootsie's in recent years is the development of a record label. Tootsie's Records was a natural outgrowth for the club because of their ability to find great singers and songwriters while they are still developing.
"We opened a record label in 2003," Taylor said. "It was primarily because when we met [Country artist] John Stone, we knew we had something. We'd been thinking about doing this for a long time. John is a high-energy performer and the complete package - great singer, songwriter and entertainer. He's what Tootsie's stands for."
Stone released his debut album Meet John Stone, which features the self-penned single, "Same on Me," on Tootsie's Records in October 2004. He's currently in the studio working on his sophomore release.
Smith, who also recently purchased another famous Nashville club, The Nashville Palace, revealed that he's pursuing other opportunities to expand the Tootsie's brand.
"I can't give many details because everything is still in the planning stages," Smith said. "But we're in negotiations to put a Tootsie's in the airport. It would be a great way for people just getting to Nashville to experience a little bit of what makes this place Music City."
It's been the same way for more than 40 years - a little rowdy on Saturday nights with the sound of Country Music blaring from the stage. Country fans still fill Tootsie's Orchid Lounge soaking up the magic that has made the place America's most famous honky tonk. It hasn't changed much since 1960 when Hattie Louise "Tootsie" Bess bought a bar called Mom's, renamed it after herself and turned it into a haven for songwriters and singers.
Tootsie's has seen good times and down times (just like the songwriters who helped make it famous), but it remains one of Downtown Nashville's hottest spots. Tootsie passed away in 1978, but current owner Steve Smith and his brother John Taylor, who manages the venue, have kept the spirit of the place alive while shepherding Tootsie's into the 21st century.
"It's a living piece of history," said John Rumble, Senior
Tootsie's Manager John Taylor; Tootsies recording artist John Stone; and Tootsie's Owner Steve Smith. Photo: Amanda Eckard / CMA
