In this video I’m talking about the stuff nobody tells you before you move to Nashville as a musician. Growing up, I always heard the same line: “There are some serious cats down there.” So I practiced my tail off—ears, time, gigs, bands—because I wanted to show up ready. Then I started coming to town and honestly thought, “Where are all these serious cats at?” Yes, there are amazing players here, but a lot of what gets hyped isn’t the playing—it’s something else entirely. Where Nashville gets truly competitive is the money. I run into it constantly: guys taking $50, $100 gigs, and it’s just not sustainable. I’m not “all about the money,” but music is my livelihood—this is how I eat and pay rent—and I’m not packing up $10k–$15k worth of gear for a $50 night. The other big reality is how track-heavy modern gigs are. Tons of artists run full density tracks—guitars, bass, keys, vocals—and some players get hired even if they can’t actually play the record parts because the track covers it. If you’re thinking about moving here, understand the economics and the track culture before you jump.