Why I love Nashville: A Tennessean veteran reflects on three-decades covering the city

My mom's voice dripped with sarcasm when I told her in 1990 that I was moving to Tennessee's capital city: "Nashville? What, are you gonna sit around barefoot on hay bales in your new apartment?"

I don't want to excuse my late mother's ignorant reaction, but it probably — like most prejudiced thoughts — came from fear. No one in our family had ever lived in the South.

Hey, I wasn't so sure what to expect myself. A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, I'd spent the past three years working at a North Jersey newspaper and going into Manhattan on weekends to party. When I interviewed at The Tennessean, I remember thinking the city's humble skyline was, well, cute.

In 1990, there were no major league sports teams or facilities, few fine dining options and an Okie named Garth Brooks was just starting to explode and propel country music into the cultural mainstream. Nashville's top industries were (mostly religious) book publishing, government, health care and, after those, tourism and music.

I wasn't paying much attention to any of that, as I was working long days as The Tennessean's only police reporter.

Both the city and my Tennessean career have changed mightily in the 34 years since.

Today, I'm a columnist who writes:

• profiles about community leaders and others who've walked through tough stuff, like natural disasters, life-threatening diseases, the loss of a child, or poverty, addiction, sexual assault or any many of childhood traumas;
• feel-good stories as part of our Sunday Inspiration page and our weekly email newsletter The Good News with Brad Schmitt;
• restaurant reviews and best-of lists as a sidekick to Tennessean senior dining reporter Mackensy Lunsford. (Thanks for letting me tag along, Mack!)

I spent several years in the 1990s covering crime and doing investigative reporting, working directly at times with legendary Tennessean publisher/editor/civil rights warrior John Seigenthaler to help expose crooked cops and botched corruption probes.

From there, in a bizarre twist, I became the newspaper's first full-time celebrity news reporter, churning out the column "Brad About You" six days a week from 1995 to 2006.

I wrote tidbits, and sometimes longer features, on the aforementioned Garth Brooks, Ashley Judd, Barbara Mandrell, Brad Paisley, Reese Witherspoon, other national stars and a host of local media personalities, sports team standouts and community leaders. Much of that writing was tongue in cheek and sometimes, well, kinda rude. (And I really hate that now.)

Those were years that Nashville's national profile began to blow up, fueled in large part by Garth Brooks and later, a talented, personable teen singer/songwriter named Taylor Swift. The Tennessee Titans and the Nashville Predators brought the city into the major leagues. And more health care industry headquarters began to call Nashville home.

I had an eight-year hiatus from The Tennessean, one that included stints in television news and rehab.

When I returned to The Tennessean in 2014, the city seemed to have hit hyperdrive. The past 10 years have seen an explosion of population and development. International tech and auto giants are among those headquartered in the area now. National sporting events (an NFL draft, an NHL All-Star game, NCAA/SEC hoops tourneys and more), country music awards shows and festivals and an ever-growing national conservative media community are drawing attention like never before.

And Lower Broadway is a crazed party zone attracting bachelorettes and family/friends reunions from all over the world. (I know this first hand as I do some ride-share driving in my off time and have heard dozens of languages spoken in my car.)

Like many long-time Nashvillians, I worry that skyrocketing prices are forcing working-class folks out. I occasionally bemoan growing traffic congestion and I mourn the loss of some small-city charm. The constant battles between the state and city governments and the larger culture wars they represent are exhausting.

But, man, what an exciting time to be here.

Skyscrapers popping up, Belmont University adding medical and law schools, new Americans opening quality global food spots on Nolensville and Murfreesboro pikes faster than we can track. We have a gorgeous 30,000-seat soccer-only stadium and the National Museum of African American Music.

No one outside Nashville has asked me lately about sitting barefoot on hay bales.

I can't wait to see what the next 34 years bring.

Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384.