Some of the worst of the Nashville flooding this week has hit Soundcheck Nashville, a storage and rehearsal space relied upon by many prominent country musicians. Some musicians, including Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, have lost most of their touring equipment and many of their guitars.
"I sent a Tweet the other day that basically told people that when they come to the show just know that what you're seeing has been fully tested under water," Paisley commented jokingly to an Associated Press interviewer on Wednesday. His H2O tour is scheduled to begin in two weeks in Virginia Beach, Virginia. "You're talking about total cred. This is the H2O tour. This isn't posers acting like we know about it. We've done it, buddy." Almost all of Paisley's touring equipment was underwater, although one exception was the 1952 Fender Telecaster, painted in a paisley pattern, which is his trademark. But Paisley is determined to start his tour on time. "My guitar tech is spending like a broker on the stock exchange floor," he said.
Keith Urban was in a similar position. "I've probably lost all my road equipment, and all of my guitars and amps and everything," he told CNN. "We have to wait and see to what extent the waters came up...but we know it is not good." Urban played with a borrowed guitar during a flood relief telethon last night.
Soundcheck Nashville owner Ben Jumper said that all 160,000 square feet of space that he rents are flooded. Soundcheck will lose tens of millions of dollars. Most of Keith Urban's touring gear is there, and so is Vince Gill's vintage guitar collection, most of which is irreplaceable. LeAnn Rimes has lost a tractor-trailer full of road gear. Rimes' guitarist, Ryan Wariner (the son of Grammy-winning country artist Steve Wariner), said that he had probably lost almost all his equipment. "Everything that I use but two guitars is in there -- pedals, amps, speakers, mics, front house consoles, everything was in there," he told the Associated Press.
Jumper has announced that Soundcheck will not be accessible until the Cumberland River has dropped down to below flood levels. Police will not allow anyone in until the building is safe. So Jumper has not been able to assess the full extent of the damage. He explained to Rolling Stone, "It looks like we were under three and a half feet of water, which is receding slowly. All roads leading to the facility are blocked by water and the power grid is still on. The authorities will not allow us in until the power has been turned off."
Keith Secor, of Old Crow Medicine Show, seconded that, telling Rolling Stone, "You can't get anywhere near there and not just because of police barricades....You can't get over that five feet of water."
Sources used:
Itzkoff, Dave. "Country stars are reeling after Nashville flooding." New York Times. May 6, 2010.
"Keith Urban, Brad Paisley lose gear in Nashville flood." RTT News. May 7, 2010.
Nudd, Tim. "Nashville floods claim Grand Ole Opry House." CNN. May 5, 2010.
O'Donnell, Kevin. "Country music reels from dangerous Nashville floods." Rolling Stone. May 6, 2010.
Talbott, Chris. "Musicians lose millions in gear in Nashville flood." Associated Press. May 6, 2010.
Talbott, Chris. "Taylor Swift donates $500K for Nashville flood." Yahoo News. May 7, 2010.
"Urban's guitars ruined in Nashville floods." ABC News. May 7, 2010.