Picture of flooded Grand Ole Opry House

John McGuire · Post by **John McGuire** » 6 May 2010 7:05 am

I feel very sorry for the folks like Tommy White who lost equipment and personal items during this disaster.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 6 May 2010 7:12 am

deleted

John McGuire · Post by **John McGuire** » 6 May 2010 7:20 am

Sorry Pete that you took that wrong. I feel deeply sorry and concerned about the musicians that lost equipment, homes and possibly family members as a result of this disater. I have deleted the comment that offended you as it was not my intention to offend or pi@@ off anyone. I have been through a few floods myself so I know the devestation that is caused.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 6 May 2010 7:36 am

John,That's a cold shot!

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 6 May 2010 7:45 am

Just so you all know the original post that Stu and I responded too was incredibly rude and and insensitive to the realities here before it was edited; It basically said that he hoped that the flood would wash out the trashy music that was played at the Opry, that's what I was responding to;

John McGuire · Post by **John McGuire** » 6 May 2010 7:53 am

Pete I don't want you kicked off the forum. If someone is that concerned about it they can pm me and I will tell them. This is/was the first forum controversy I have ever been involved in and that was not my intent. And Pete is correct I did edit my post and took out the part that offended him and probably others after he posted his true feelings. I also made a comment that if you want to make a living you play what makes the money, sometimes true sometimes not. I understand that folks are going through a very tough time in Nashville right now and that my comment(s) just further upset Pete and probably others, and I will say again, that was not my intent, and for that I apoligize. Given the circumstances Pete was right in his original response to my original post.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 6 May 2010 8:43 am

Apologies accepted from my end...

John McGuire · Post by **John McGuire** » 6 May 2010 9:00 am

Thanks Pete. For what it's worth, if I was a little closer I would glady drive down and assist you or anyone else (musician or not) in salvaging your belongings and helping get your lives back together.

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 6 May 2010 10:10 am

Pete, you are a truly kind gentleman and dear friend.
I'm glad the issue was settled.
FWIW, I do love the Grand Ole Opry, the music and everyone in the place, even if I weren't employed there!

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 6 May 2010 11:19 am

My gosh! I cannot belive the destruction. What a shame.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 6 May 2010 12:15 pm

Thanks Tommy,

I hope that beautiful blue Sho-pro of yours can be salvaged somehow; last time I was out there I could hardly keep my eyes off of it sitting next to me while I was trying to play!

Ransom Beers · Post by **Ransom Beers** » 6 May 2010 12:24 pm

Trashy music?On the opry?I must have been napping,in all the yrs. I've listened to the opry I have never seen or heard any trash on there.Glad I missed the org. post,I could have been very p$$ed.My only regret is I've never attended a show,only listened to it on radio.

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 6 May 2010 1:09 pm

I talked to my Son this morning and he was telling me of the destruction at some of the sound company's that are close to the river, From what he was saying, several Co's are temp out of business,because of ruined equipment, also where some of the road crews park their rigs, many were ruined. Sad when from what I understand, things were just beginning to pick up for the season.

Bill

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 6 May 2010 2:33 pm

Tommy, were you able to salvage your guitar? I can only hope and pray that that GOD will bless you and all the pickers involved in this tradgedy, and the music once again will hit the airwaves. Jody.

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 6 May 2010 3:30 pm

Having been thru Katrina, I can relate. I spoke with Jeff Surrat yesterday, and we talked about the lack of attention being paid to the suffering in that area.

I think the public has become numbed to disasters. In the past 5 years Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Earthquakes in Haiti, the oil spill in the gulf, one man attempts a car bomb in time square....

It doesn`t take long to slip off the front page.

Maybe this recollection will bring a moment of joy to some of the musicians:

During Katrina we all spent many weeks in exile while our city drained and started to become livable. Us musicians wondered if we would play those same places, with the same players, for the same people who loved our music.

Trust me, the people who enjoyed your playing will be thinking how happy they would be just to hear you play again. When you start to play again you will feel some strong love from these folks.

Down here, hearing some live music again was unbelievably theraputic for the folks who were working so hard by day to rebuild, and needed a break for a few hours at night.

It`s a huge part of our culture, and made people feel a sense of hope and normalcy. People came to me, tearful, and thanking us for being back and playing.

The really beautiful part of it was, of course, as good as it was for them, it was 1000 times more satisfying for us. You really did do something that helped people, just by playing.

I know you and your fans are thinking right now of bigger issues than playing music, but at some point, and I hope it`s soon, you will, and when you do, it will be somehow bigger than before.

I hope this helps.

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 6 May 2010 3:44 pm

Hi Steve,
Well said! Like so many other musicians, I've lost equipment due to natural disasters, so I'm sending out good thoughts to my friends in Nashville.
Chuck

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 7 May 2010 3:26 am

I went on a tour of the Opry last summer while on vacation. Seeing that picture just gives me a better idea of how deep the water was during this flood. My heart goes out to anyone who lost equiptment, regardless of whether I like their music or not. The Opry is a historical monument in American music and it just bothers me to see it damaged. Best wishes to all the musicians, singers and all who have taken a loss in this tragedy.

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 7 May 2010 3:55 am

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 7 May 2010 3:55 am

Steve Spitz wrote:Having been thru Katrina, I can relate. I spoke with Jeff Surrat yesterday, and we talked about the lack of attention being paid to the suffering in that area.

I apologize, but the reason we're not getting the attention is because we're not acting like a lot of folks down there did. We are taking care of ourselves, instead of being "newsworthy." We Are Nashville.

http://www.section303.com/we-are-nashville-4366

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 7 May 2010 4:21 am

I apologize, but the reason we're not getting the attention is because we're not acting like a lot of folks down there did. We are taking care of ourselves, instead of being "newsworthy." We Are Nashville.

Michael with all due respect and friendship:

I'd be the last one to minimize the incredible loss and destruction here, but a little perspective...

There were about 30 deaths from these storms; of course each one is individually tragic and also affects a larger circle of friends and family... There were more than 1800 deaths from the actual storms and flooding of Katrina, not counting illness or other after-effects that came later. If there's going to be any comparison of the two that would be the humane place to start. And there were some arrests for looting here, but they weren't plastered all over the TV 24/7.

As horrible as this is it doesn't come close to registering on that scale of misery, and I don't see how it credits Nashville to say we're somehow "better" than New Orleans. Let's help our own neighbors here without taking a shot at the incredible past (and present) suffering of our neighbors not all that far downstream (our Cumberland flood water with all the chemical and toxic waste is right now going "Down the Mississippi down to New Orleans" as the song says...).

Shouldn't this be a time to emphasize connections instead of divisions?

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 7 May 2010 4:36 am

Pete, friends always, my brother... but if "amount of death" is your gauge... then we have way more important things to be talking about than either flood example. I think that number has more to do with sea level relativity. Of course, Wolf Blitzer would have a completely different take...

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 7 May 2010 4:39 am

I apologize, but the reason we're not getting the attention is because we're not acting like a lot of folks down there did. We are taking care of ourselves, instead of being "newsworthy." We Are Nashville.

I am sorry for the loss in Nashville. However, this comment was unnecessary. Let's leave it at that.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 7 May 2010 4:41 am

Well, it seems to me that if the question is about why we have don't have more national new coverage (seems like a pretty marginal question to me anyway given the more immediate things we have to worry about) the numbers 30 and 1800 are not exactly irrelevant...

Besides the incredible difference in amount of human misery...

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 7 May 2010 4:54 am

You left out the link, Bill.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 7 May 2010 7:12 am

I have been so involved with work for the last couple of weeks I have not had a chance to see pictures of the devastation until now.
The picture of the Opry is a truly sickening sight.

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Picture of flooded Grand Ole Opry House

Picture of flooded Grand Ole Opry House

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