Beyond Country: Meet the Creatives Defining Nashville’s Diverse Arts Scene
When you think of Nashville Region artists, big-name country musicians like Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson often come to mind. But the region’s arts scene is far more complex. It’s rooted in storytelling and embracing creatives of all genres. Ahead, learn about two artists who represent the rich and diverse creative scene found in the Nashville Region.
Great Graffitist: :Shen: Finds Home in Music City
Known by her artistic alias :Shen:, Jodi Goldman-Hallford has worked as an artist in many cities across the country and is widely recognized as the first female graffiti artist on the West Coast. However, a recent serendipitous move in 2024 brought her and her family to Music City, which has afforded her with countless opportunities and a supportive arts community.
:Shen:, who is known for her vibrant, graffiti-like brushstrokes and unique live painting events, praises the Nashville Region’s love of the arts as well as its infrastructure in place to support artists. Among the primary resources for artists in the area is the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and its Periscope program, which empowers artists to see their work through an entrepreneurial lens, as well as the Monthaven Arts & Cultural Center in Hendersonville, which offers outreach programs and workshops.
“The love of creativity here is unsurpassed by that of the other cities I’ve been in,” she says.
Big things are in the pipeline for :Shen:. A goal of hers is to start a nonprofit called Unashamed Arts that aims to help people who are struggling and feel left behind by providing them with programs and art therapy. :Shen: is passionate about continuing to unite Nashville Region creatives and providing support to help them thrive.
“We want to help creatives move from a scarcity mindset into a place of abundance in every area of their lives,” :Shen: says.
She is currently meeting with music industry icons to design album covers, and a major proposal for the new Nissan Stadium is in the works. For updates on :Shen: and her work, visit her on Instagram at @ShenShen210.
Buddy Miller: The Americana Music Award-Winning Songwriter
As a musician, singer, songwriter and producer, Buddy Miller has made a name for himself in country music. Hailing originally from the Northeast, Miller found himself in Austin in 1976, where he joined a band and met his wife, Julie Miller. From there, the duo followed the music around the country. With nothing but some gear and a 2-inch tape machine, they headed to Nashville in 1993 and fit right into the scene.
“When we got here, we were just so amazed by the music community that was so much broader and deeper than we expected,” Miller says.
Music City has afforded him many opportunities. After nabbing a gig playing guitar for Emmylou Harris, he has gone on to work with former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and producer and guitarist T Bone Burnett, whom he later took over as the executive music producer on the show Nashville. Miller also boasts the title of the most awarded artist in the history of the Americana Music Association. He has gone on to produce albums for many big names while also releasing albums of his own, and he does it all from his home studio.
“There are so many songwriters here who can get together and write, and that’s what this town is about, songwriting,” Miller says, praising the tight-knit music community and its camaraderie.
Nashville’s Supportive Creative Ecosystem
According to Miller, one big reason Nashville’s songwriting community is so welcoming is that everything is so concentrated on Music Row.
“You could go from publishing company to publishing company and hear incredible songs by so many different songwriters in one afternoon,” he says. “There is no place like it.”
Miller co-hosts the SiriusXM radio show The Buddy & Jim Show with Jim Lauderdale, and he is planning on making another record with his wife. When he is not in the studio, Miller enjoys Nashville’s robust food scene and loves walking to his favorite restaurant, Jashan.
If you’d like to learn more about the Greater Nashville Region, check out the latest edition of Livability: Nashville Region.