I can’t think of too many things that don’t go well with a decent glass of wine. In fact, the list of foods, events, and experiences that people pair with wine is endless and always evolving. For example, just the other day I came across an innovative combination of music and wine put together by the Wente Vineyard in Livermore, CA.

I know what you are thinking right about now. There is nothing novel about combining music and wine. After all, music and wine have gone together since the two were invented or discovered! In a sense, you are right, but I’m not talking about your typical presentation where a lonely pianist plays background music while a waiter in a black suit serves your wine in a romantic candle lit scene (not that there is anything wrong with that). I’m talking about something new and exciting.

This Fall, Wente Vineyard is promoting “Discover the Wine, Discover the Music.” The vineyard has teamed with various artists/bands including Under the Influence of Giants, Hopewell, Jessee Dayton & Brennen Leigh, and others. Wente’s Estate Grown wines will feature bottle-neckers that look like album covers and liner notes. Each bottle will also contain a redemption code offering free downloads from selected artists.

So I suppose that its not the actual pairing of music and wine here that is interesting, but the way in which it is done that has caught my attention. Whether you like wine or not, you have to admit that this is a pretty good idea. If done correctly, this could add to the value of both the wine and the music. I think that this is a great way to introduce people to new music that they may have never discovered on their own. At the same time, this provides great exposure for the artists involved, and taps into the growing realm of digital music distribution.

I could also see these bottle-necker booklets possibly turning into collectors items much the same way that maybe concert t-shirts or concert posters are collected. If this is successful, I think that there will be many more attempts to pair music with other products to try and break new bands, or advance the careers of up and coming artists.

For more information, check out the Press Release or visit the Wente Vineyard website.

So I thought my first “real” post would be about Nashville, the amazing new city I live in and what an incredible music scene there is here! By no means do I claim to be an expert about Nashville, or the rich music history that seems to reveal itself everywhere, or even the current music scene. Like I said, I just started discovering it myself, but there are some things that are obvious even for a transplant like myself.

You can bet on being able to experience great live music seven days a week, and if you think I’m talking about country music, you’re wrong. There is a huge range of genres spanning from folk, to bluegrass, to punk, to hard rock, to the huge umbrella of Americana and everything in between from both local and nationally known touring acts. Also adding to the credibility of Music City as a major music hub is the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, one of the most innovative chamber orchestras in the country, and the Nashville Symphony just opened their season by doing a show with pop icon Elvis Costello. See what I mean, country is only a fraction of the music in Nashville these days.

Of course there is country music here, and if that’s what you’re into you won’t have a problem finding it. One of my favorite things to do is to check out some of the “writer nights” where you can hear the songwriters who write the songs you hear on Top 40 radio play their songs in raw form, often with just a guitar or piano.

The other thing about Nashville that I’ve noticed as a newbie is that many people value and support the music community here. I’ve never lived in a place where as far as I can tell, people care so much about and promote their local artists/musicians.

There is a lot more to be said about Nashville and the city’s music. If you have some extra time, check out Nashville’s Band of Outsiders by Ann Patchett which appeared the New York Times this past weekend. The article does a great job portraying Nashville’s rich music scene.

Come in and have a peak around. I’m just getting things rolling here, but soon my take on music, music business, and any related topics that make their way from my brain to the keyboard will be spilling down the page. Thanks for stopping by.