Are Nashville Musicians the Best in the USA? 🎸 Find Out Here!

[@BensMusicDojo]

Jack Pearson lives in Nashville, so that pretty much seals the deal

[@badbrad]

Yes he is amazing!

[@Panic42000]

I agree with that! He’s one of my favorites.

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

Pretty much

[@TwangTown]

Beat me to it...

[@badbrad]

@@TwangTown Yes indeed!

[@David-sx4hp]

I am a frustrated guitar player in the northeast. What you say is spot on! Finding a good rhythm section that can hold it down is priceless. Finding musicians that listen and are aware of what other musicians are doing is also priceless. So many musicians who are technically good, have no idea how to give and take in a band setting. The best musicians can groove together and follow each other’s subtle cues and make it happen!

[@badbrad]

It is rare to find but the best players do this. When it happens it is magical.

[@FINELINEVAN]

@@David-sx4hp I moved from NY NJ Pa I feel you pain

[@hoytzone]

Im sitting here in my music room laying down some bass lines that any guitarplayer would love to have me behind but im not finding much here in north east ohio, nobody jams just learn the HM song and lets go. Hey brad im 60 yrs old and your right on about so much stuff these days.Its a different world since when we started. shit I just played round about by YES , I forgot how great these guys where. Peace and love ya Brad 😎

[@badbrad]

@@hoytzone Man I hear ya loud and clear...it is way different now. I bet you are laying it down on that bass. Chris Squire was so great.

[@hoytzone]

@@badbrad i nailed roundabout and made my fender sound just like a rick..Thats a hell of a opening riff on bass but i still have it bro

[@billhannaford4488]

Nashville seems to be good at copying stuff like taking a cliche' AC/DC riff and forcing it into a cheesy country song or the endless mike campbell clone solos and keith richards riffs on every song. Great, fast players that kinda all do variations of the same and can read a number chart like it's hard or something.....BUT.....IMO innovators don't really come from there- that's more Los Angeles, NYC and maybe a small town where a genius kid is working on a laptop.

[@badbrad]

Perhaps so...but I don't see alot coming out of L.A. or NYC these days....

[@DocJJohnson]

I feel ultimately, the "best" musicians depend on the specific genre and what qualities you value most. However, there's no doubt that I vote for BadBrad as my favorite Nashville session player...!!! And he is at the top of his game ...!!!

[@badbrad]

Your way too kind thank you!🙏

[@DocJJohnson]

Have a Swell weekend my friend..!!

[@badbrad]

@@DocJJohnson Always! Thank you!

[@charvelshredder]

Bad Brad that soloing was killer man! Nothin like having a great rhythm section behind you while ya do your thing! This is my new favorite channel, it’s just awesome! 🎼🎸

[@badbrad]

Mr Charvel shredder it is an honor to have you here. Thank you!🙏

[@nakim55]

Not a chance. NYC, New Orleans. Not ONE innovation has came out of Nashville. No significant jazz players have came out of there and if you want to talk about the BEST players, that would be jazz musicians, not these pop musicians.

[@badbrad]

I'm telling you Nashville has some great Jazz players now. Check out Emmanuel Echem...amazing Trumpet player.

[@revmaddog1932]

I’m just going to say it. You’ve not lived till you’ve done the Nashville handshake doing gigs with people you don’t know. The expression on the new guy’s face that just got to town the day before is priceless and never gets old. 🍺😂

[@badbrad]

Ha ha yes!!

[@tonepoet]

Intro sounded like Jimmy Herring, killing it, man. Don't discount yourself as a player, you're up there as well.

[@badbrad]

Man thank you so much!

[@giblespaul2001]

I liked the “when the rhythm section is cooking and firing on all Cylinders there is nothing like it” well I just experienced just the opposite with a fill in bass player a week or so ago. Worked my rear off all night was so glad when it ended.

[@badbrad]

that is the opposite experience and I have been there....it sucks.

[@FINELINEVAN]

It’s a sad state that great players and there all over in Nashville playing for peanuts paying for parking to make 100 bucks I agree with what you say about playing in space and groove letting the situation breath but worse for me is a drummer who can’t pick up what fellow players are adding to the jam and the drummer can’t figure out how to follow or enhance the grove. When I moved to Nashville I joined a band situation and I do a lot of different chord inversions depending on the song. These guys were ok players but the inversions confused them. And finally the singer insisted we do the songs in the key of recording. I had no issue playing and soloing In Any sharp key. The confusion other players had and finding other players who quit because they couldn’t play outside ordinary keys. After 6 months of trying to make that situation work between singer on a big ego and getting new players to join feeling it’s to different I say screw this. It’s time to retire it’s not worth all the time to go through to go though all the bullshit in these low playing clubs. Playing 4 and half hour sets I never heard of this crap.

[@badbrad]

Putting together a band of like minded players is always difficult. Thanks for the post!

[@abreug2]

I would say both cities have a high density of talent but there are lots of talent spread around!! Enjoy your vids!!

[@badbrad]

That's a fair assessment. Thank you!

[@glenncivale6824]

I remember back in the mid 90's when I was in LA, working union scale gigs in the studio recording scene was saturated with musicians. I saw some heavies moving to Nashville back then and it became a strong movement as the LA scene deteriorated. Gig's were so hard to find in LA. I graduated from PIT in Hollywood with an honors certificate 1990 and had played with cats like Ritchie Blackmore! I spent 2 years looking for a paying gig until I starved to death. I finally bailed out of there and moved to Reno. You had to be a big name established musician and have great contacts to find work like Nashville. You also had to be one of the very best!

[@badbrad]

How was and is Reno?

[@ArticLight14]

Hey Nashville has one definite thing going for it. Hawk Tua!!!!

[@badbrad]

LMAO....she's out in the country tho...

[@ArticLight14]

@@badbrad she made that quote right in the streets of Nashville though.

[@badbrad]

@@ArticLight14 You are correct and it was amusing but man to build a whole career on that.....the 15 mins should just about be up...

[@ArticLight14]

@@badbrad no kidding

[@ltxr9973]

Nashville musicians are extremely impressive.

[@badbrad]

Thanks

[@geetaR615]

Brad, Gotta go hang in New Orleans my friend, I've been in Nashville since last year and lots of pentatonic guitar vocabulary but overall New Orleans has incredible hi level musical diversity and monster groove drummers, bassist and killer guitarist that slay more than southern rock pentatonic licks. Yes, there's plenty of great players in Nashville (and session aces) and I love it here yet New Orleans will expand one's perception beyond the norm, ya know check drummer Julian Addison, Tank and the Bankas, Dave Easley, Steve Masakowski, Simon Lott, Mike Dillon, Stanton Moore.

[@badbrad]

It's been decades since I've been there...may have to make a trip.

[@geetaR615]

@@badbrad Frenchmen St on a Sunday Night Spotted Cat - Pat Casey band. I grew up in LA and New Orleans for many years, got tired of Hurricanes - and for horn players Ashlin Parker, Kevin Louis, Rebirth Brass band, there's millions down there. Best wishes in Florida get out to New Orleans.

[@badbrad]

@@geetaR615 Sounds good!

[@vancemaclean9869]

Brad, i’ll say it again; you are uncompromising and inspiring. Thank you!

[@badbrad]

Thank you. 🙏

[@yetiredi1461]

As a lead player I ENVY a good rhythm section. For years I practiced soloing, but when I first got to play with a really good rhythm section my whole outlook for music changed. I wanted to be part of "those" guys. Playing lead was "icing on the cake". The rhythm section was, for me, the of blood and guts of the band. I now study as hard being a rhythm player as I used to study being a lead player. Give me a groove and I'll make you move!

[@badbrad]

Yes indeed and what 80 percent of the time you spend grooving so why not make it feel good AND sound good.

[@Instramark]

More guitar blaze from Brad! Wow! That drummer was there also. Don't know who is best anywhere but when I did Nashville I thought it was the Nicest bunch of players along with their having top notch talent.

[@badbrad]

Thank you! Yes indeed.

[@phoenixbenjamin]

Hey bro I’m a Nashville Musician local #257 now in Jacksonville Florida, you’re not gonna find anything we were used to in Nasvegas. Unless you fly them down for a session

[@badbrad]

Hey but your down here! Good to meet you!

[@phoenixbenjamin]

@@badbrad where you at brother?

[@badbrad]

@@phoenixbenjamin Eventually near Tampa.

[@donaldrowe8460]

been to Nashville once. great music town! have a buddy who's based there now and he took us around. saw some killer musos. great players everywhere, but Nashville just has more. listening is king ;) good luck in your endeavors

[@badbrad]

Thank you! Best to you!

[@EnJoony]

A friend of mine who is a well known session guitarist, who is not in Nashville, used to get flown down for sessions quite a bit. Producers wanted a fresh take on things and were growing a bit tired of the usual suspects coming in and laying down "cookie cutter" guitar parts. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly welcomed warmly by the Nashville guitar community.

[@badbrad]

Yeah I can remember when this was happening. Nashvile had gotten stale and a fresh approach was needed.

[@voyxu143]

No real live scene in L.A. so I do agree on the musicianship in Nashville.

[@badbrad]

They killed that scene off, so yeah.

[@PatrickCharlesjpc]

You sound good in that clip. I've always heard there are some great players in Nashville, but my stomping ground has always been NY and LA.

[@badbrad]

Thank you! It has come a long way from what it was. The scene is alot more diverse and more genres are played since I moved here in '94. It was kind of a what the hell have a done moment when I first got here.

[@PatrickCharlesjpc]

@@badbrad 🙂

[@tdz69]

Definitely some of the best. Been to Nash several times and the musicianship is stellar. That said I’ve seen some devastating players here in NY and other places. Just unknown samurai’s in their own right.

[@badbrad]

Oh yeah NY has some straight up assassins

[@mikec6733]

Nashville cats, been picking since they's babies 😊😊😊

[@badbrad]

lol

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

thanks for sharing your wisdom and knowledge and experience 🙏

[@badbrad]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@GreatPlanet-c7o]

In Tampa, a fantastic way to get the real ace players would be *to find the hungry young bucks* , the best new players with pocket, and mentor them. Your level of skill and talent as guitarist levels up the scene you'll be in, in a new city.

[@badbrad]

Yeah I’ve thought about that. Will be interesting to see what job opportunities there are and who’s available.

[@ro307805]

There’s a Metal scene in Florida too. I plied it for years and it paid well. The real money is in biker rallys, plus they put you up, feed you, etc. first class good time for me at least.

[@badbrad]

Man that is cool. Yeah seems like Metal was big here for a while.

[@ro307805]

@@badbrad I love your videos man. This is the kind of stuff no one could know about or learn before the internet. You had to go through a whole lotta hard knocks , near starvation, etc, because there wasn’t anyone to tell you how to be a performer or the people that knew wouldn’t share it, or people were to dumb to heed the advice of cautionary tales they got here and there. This kinda stuff is so invaluable

[@badbrad]

Thank you!

[@deanbeilke5783]

I haven’t spent anytime in Nashville, but I’m well aware that guys like Robben Ford, Jack Pearson, and I believe even Peter Frampton are based there now. However, I have spent a lot of time in New Orleans and you can’t be a hack or half-ass musician and get work there - way too many good players - even the street musicians. A lot of those people work for TIPS ONLY as well! Take a walk down Frenchmen Street any night of the week and you’ll hear talent in every club - jazz, blues, funk, brass bands, rock - all quality.

[@badbrad]

Absolutely. You got to be able to play down there.

[@Todd-hh3iu]

Damn brother you had that strat on fire!!!

[@badbrad]

Thank you!!!

[@rodneyhutchins2816]

It’s not what you play, it’s what you don’t play. That’s it in a nutshell. I like the word you used “Space”, This is sometimes so hard for some players to learn. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@badbrad]

Man you are so right. You don't get paid by the note.

[@GuitarVacation]

Agree 100%. Guys I know that play in N’Ville say that the guy that busses your table after you eat can probably outplay you LOL. Every time I go there I’m amazed by the talent, and the depth of it. I’ve heard more than once you get more gigs by being on time and a good hang, because being a good player is just par for the course.

[@badbrad]

I often joked I was Nashville's most punctual guitarist. Yeah so true everybody plays there.

[@GuitarVacation]

@@badbrad Hats off to you brother. You put in the time and made it, national touring acts and all. It pains me that the music game is in a state where a player of your caliber, who’s been in it so long still has to chase the gigs to pay the bills. Hope you hit your stride in FL, and get to play what you enjoy and get to see the bank account benefit from your years of work. With your content, you just might have this KZbin $$$ figured out 😂💪💪💪💪

[@jasonlee8497]

Killing it. That’s my kind of playing. Edit…should have ended the video with some more of that hot band…

[@badbrad]

That's a good idea. Thank you!

[@scottdunn9087]

Loving your vids Brad, we’re getting some Florida-style humidity in Toronto

[@badbrad]

Wow that's crazy! Stay cool! Thank you.

[@deantrovinger4194]

Yeah, Florida isn’t really a musician friendly state. Solo and duos are kind of the order because of the money offered. It’s a sad thing and I’m sure you’ll do well because of your talent, but putting more than a trio together is tough.

[@badbrad]

That seems to be the word from a lot of people down here. Hoping to carve out my own niche but yeah there will be challenges.

[@bbowjazz]

If you’re talking about urban hip-hop/modern R&B you might be right about LA, But if you’re talking about olds school Muscle Shoals/Memphis, not so sure. As a music making mecca, Nashville wins for Southern soul players.

[@badbrad]

There is alot of that in Nashville for sure and alot of Memphis players move to Nashville.

[@SteveFye]

Nashville is absolutely saturated with pro level musicians. Great for the music lovers, but i feel really bad for how tough it is to make a decent living as a session player there. It's got to be such a grind - so many musicians do 3+ gigs a DAY. Most never know who their next bandmates will be. It's crazy. Please, leave them generous tips.

[@badbrad]

Absolutely. If you go there take care of the musicians.

[@Todd-hh3iu]

Wess is tight as hell !!!

[@badbrad]

Yes I always liked when he was on the gig.

[@acimbobby]

True words of experience and wisdom. Great rocking band all around, I like it. Robert UK

[@badbrad]

Many thanks!

[@SK__Guitar777]

If the talent pool you seek is akin to face-melting burnout throw down like your clip, New Orleans is by far the city where everyone slays, it's part of the sound n music culture down there. ❤

[@badbrad]

That’s what I hear .

[@randommuiscchannel1049]

i have a band. Guitar, bass and drums. Nothing like a group gelling together! Guitar and Bass play snappy...makes my job easy.

[@badbrad]

Oh ya! Thanks for tuning in.

[@randommuiscchannel1049]

@@badbrad Of course... these Gen X, Gen Z Millennials need a talking to . Get it in gear!!

[@badbrad]

ha ha yes!

[@tjsmith3741]

You’re right. A driving rhythm section just makes the band, without that you got nothing. As far as great musicians between LA and Nashville. My guess is you’ve seen more of them migrating to Nashville. As a session player, it must be tough to compete with guys like Tim Pierce (LA) and Tom Bukovac (Nashville ) I’m not sure what you’ll find in Florida, it depends on which metro area you’re in. That said, I would think the skill levels on average wouldn’t be the same. You never know what you’ll find.

[@badbrad]

One must seek in order to find.

[@Dragon_rls]

When you started this solo, you wanted to rip it? I have to say. That's quite an understatement. How about this... " When I started this solo, I wanted to put the audience on another planet"😊. It was absolutely incredible. Brad, you rock. I hope I can come see you play sometime. I will be happy to drive from the Jax area, to Tampa if that's what I need to do. Rock on Brad.👍

[@badbrad]

Man thank you so much. Will have to see what kind of gigs I can dig up. It certainly helped having that great rhythm section.

[@chrisalexander1661]

Great video. I would say as a city Nashville has the largest collection of incredible players, but the are incredible players in almost every town. They just chose not to go to Nashville, LA or New York.

[@badbrad]

So true...there are guys sitting in a bedroom somewhere just killing it....

[@amaturemusicians]

A friend of mine and I played guitar in our small church worship team in southern California. He had moved his family to a city south of Nashville, found a church and settled in. Not long after I asked him if he was playing guitar in the worship team. He said no. Not a chance. I asked why not and he told me that the talent is so thick in those areas that he wouldn't be invited to play in the Junior High youth group band. It's like sharks teeth. One tooth breaks off and another ratchets in to take it's place

[@badbrad]

Some of the best players in town play in church.

[@jimmyc5498]

Nice playing

[@badbrad]

Thank you!

[@luckyhaskins69]

In my humble opinion if your in a town like Nashville it is not about your chops. Every one in town has the chops. The real secret is being able to handle the job. There are millions of great players, and lot's of them can not handle the job. Every serious band leader is looking for the cat that get the job done, professionally, every time.

[@badbrad]

Alot of truth there for sure!

[@DanaDeerwester]

Thanks Bad Brad 👏👏👏👏🤍💜💙❤

[@badbrad]

Thank you!!!!

[@TeleCaster66]

My father was a professional bass player in Nashville 30 yrs ago. I was blown away by the country pickers there. But what is a good musician exactly, I think John Lee Hooker is one of the best guitar players I've ever heard but a lot of people would say his playing isn't good at all so it's a completely personal assessment.

[@badbrad]

That is so true.....

[@Instramark]

Absolutely. Can't fake cool.

[@badbrad]

@@Instramark That's for sure!

[@thebigleone1066]

Robben Ford recently left Cali to go to Nashville. Hmmm……

[@badbrad]

But now he is in Europe so he didn't stay very long.

[@billhannaford4488]

Robben sold his house, he lasted a year in Nashville. Told a friend of mine he didn't dig it. Same with Kirk Fletcher. It's not for everyone. It is the south after all

[@satyadasgumbyji8956]

🤘🌎❤️

[@badbrad]

Salute!

[@ledhed5717]

Yeah but honestly how many of these “Nashville” musicians are actually born and raised there as opposed to moved there from places like New York, LA, and of course TEXAS?

[@badbrad]

That really doesn’t make any difference they also come from places like Ohio, Memphis, Chicago…. But they choose to live in Nashville.

[@caleshtcincredibles]

I loved that jam did I hear some Trower influence in there ? Badass....

[@badbrad]

Trower via way of Hendrix...

[@caleshtcincredibles]

@@badbrad oh yeh tasty tasty riffs

[@badbrad]

@@caleshtcincredibles Very much appreciated!

[@Todd-hh3iu]

@@caleshtcincredibles I had thought the same thing.

[@badbrad]

That style is very much a part of my DNA

[@TheFeelButton]

Nashville is for sure the easiest place to be a great musician. It's a stark and lonely musical landscape out here...and there...most everywhere. Cheers Brad!

[@badbrad]

Cheers! Yes it def can be.

[@citydrums7525]

Great video.

[@badbrad]

Thank you so much!

[@slimlewisguitar]

It really depends on the genre. Most would say that Jazz is the hardest music to play. Thus, New York City musicians are the best.

[@badbrad]

Or Classical? Nashville didn't use to have much of a Jazz scene.....but it does now.

[@Dragon_rls]

If I ws a millionaire, I would hire you as my personal guitar tutor.

[@badbrad]

You don't have to be a millionaire.

[@georgemulligan8958]

Great music scene in Melbourne

[@badbrad]

Man I hope so! What a great country.

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

The best guitarists in Nashville are not even on youtube yet

[@badbrad]

I know some that probably won’t ever be on it.

[@SK__Guitar777]

@@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender 👍

[@tonejunkeee]

Nice ripping there. Reminds me of Jimmy Herrings work on Mirrors of Embarrassment ( Col Bruce & Aquarium Rescue Unit) which has Oteil on bass

[@badbrad]

I will have to go check that out.....Thank you!

[@badbrad]

Wow yes very similar groove and Herring is amazing!

[@RoseCityMusicClub]

Hey Brad, would that be the same flying condominium community that Randy Rhodes and Ozzy Osbourne were staying in on the faithful morning in 1982? Just curious.

[@badbrad]

No that was near Knoxville...I'm in Florida.

[@jasonvansteenwyk5984]

@@badbradRandy died in Leesburg.

[@badbrad]

Ah ok....

[@ccthree329]

Brad, I know your looking for the best of the best you can find but with your experience, ability, chops and over all knowledge have you ever thought of getting some plain old good players, maybe not the best ever but good decent solid guys and lending all you have to offer to see how successful of a unit you can put together? We would all be rooting for ya and the whole lineup the whole way and it would make for some interesting stuff.... just sayin.

[@badbrad]

That’s a good idea. Will have to see what’s out there.

[@guitarplayer5932]

any jazz player will play circles around almost anyone in nashville

[@badbrad]

I know some Jazz players in Nashville who will run circles around anybody. We're not talking old Nashville but Nashville now.

[@guitarplayer5932]

@@badbrad no you dont

[@ro307805]

You guys are great. But I know old men living in dirt floor shacks on the sides of mountains here in Eastern Kentucky that smoke anyone else I ever saw. Those guys are sending their offspring your way all the time though, and they’re doing pretty good .......

[@badbrad]

There are guys all over the world ripping it up....hard to leave home for some. No doubt those kids are carrying on the legacy.

[@thomboy54]

don't matter where your from you can be the best there so many ways to be great are you talking skill or just musicianship skill it.s hard to beat someone like tommy emanuel to me as a musician you can't beat Marck oconner

[@badbrad]

Those guys are both greats I think by great in this context I just mean super versatile and pro musicians able to adapt to whatever situation they are in.

[@thomboy54]

@@badbrad just leave your thumb print in what you do you could live 3 life times and not do it all miss playing live music i'm from north dakota keep and an eye out for Kevin Carson he does a solo acoustic show in Fl in the Destin Santa rosa beach area i respect any body that can make a living playing guitar today to me one of the most underrated player is Greg Jennings from Restless Heart and as a musician Dan Fogelberg the real heroes are women that stand by us music is life. life is music life

[@badbrad]

@@thomboy54 Excellent Post! Music is indeed life.

[@UseTheSupeRsonic]

Nashville is home to A LOT of amazing players who either make terribly mediocre original music, end up jumping on with some country act or they fall into the cover gig thing. The scene is 100% overrated as hell

[@badbrad]

I hear what your saying...

[@GaZonk100]

more dissonance!

[@badbrad]

Needs to be more?

[@GaZonk100]

@@badbrad yes. . .clashes, head-on and back out

[@badbrad]

@@GaZonk100 I like to play outside from time to time but you gotta pick your spots...

[@GaZonk100]

@@badbrad true

[@progressivehardindustrialslug]

It matters not how well you play if you can't COMPOSE. These "players" all write the same 20 songs over and over and over. Hear a dirt-poor guy who CAN compose ORIGINAL MATERIAL in my FIRE-ROCK-SLUG playlist here on my YT page. A zero dollar demo that makes high dollar studios look useless.

[@badbrad]

I'd say alot of the players can and do compose but have you seen Spotify royalties?