Nashville Lifestyles Magazine January 2021

I can’t say that I’ve ever been one for resolutions—I usually dump them by February. I also can’t say I’ve ever wanted a year to end so badly! I can say 2020 was one hell of a wild ride, but a few good things came out of it for us. More of you read the magazine than ever, maybe because you’re home and needed something to distract (and inform and entertain) you. I am extremely grateful for our readers. I am even more grateful for the team at the magazine who never missed a deadline, worked tirelessly, and did great work in a difficult year. We’ve covered the city in the best of times and in the worst of times. The May issue with a look back at the tornado…

Do you hear that? It’s the collective sigh of everyone realizing 2020 is over and we’ve come out on the other side. That’s not to say we made it out unscathed, or that 2021 is guaranteed to be easy, but it does feel like a poetic new beginning. We kick off this new year with our annual Music in the City issue—a tribute to some of the best and brightest artists on the scene right now. And who better to cover the issue than country’s favorite country boy Morgan Wallen? Though he’s been playing music since he was a kid, this Tennessee native is skyrocketing to fame with the release of his second album, Dangerous: The Double Album. It’s a telling title for an artist who ran into some troubles last…

Aaron Lee Tasjan named his new album after himself—three times, in fact. It goes by the excitable title Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! But in the process of finally embracing his own conflicted identity, the Americana artist actually stands for those who feel “other” just for being who they are. Filled with a mix of cosmic-cowboy pop, Sgt. Pepper-style rock, and unabashed glam folk, it finds a former folkie embracing his psychedelic side in truly flamboyant style and exploring everything from his own conflicted sexuality to mental health and the uncertainty of life in the process. But he does it all with a lighthearted, endlessly engaging style that finds the fun in self-acceptance, and according to him, it’s been a long time coming. “In a lot of ways, I felt kind of stuck before…

With 3.6 million Instagram followers, a major cosmetic line collaboration under her belt, and appearances in campaigns for Old Navy Holiday 2020 and LG Homestyle (working alongside A-Rod, Billy Porter, and 2 Chainz) Baddie Winkle is the epitome of an Instagram star. But there’s one specific quality that sets her apart from traditional influencers: she happens to be 92. Though much has changed since a viral photo catapulted her into the spotlight, Winkle has been a true “baddie” long before social media coined the phrase. Her Instagram account is filled with vibrant colors, the fiercest fashion, and the perfect blend of spunk, inspiration, and sass. It’s Winkle’s unapologetic authenticity that has captured the hearts of millions. Just consult her IG bio, which reads, “Been stealing ur man since 1928.” Age: 92 Stealing your…

With nearly 4 billion career streams, over 13 million singles sold, and a membership induction into the Grand Ole Opry, multiplatinum country music artist Chris Young has found tremendous success in his career. And for Young, success is accompanied by opportunities to give back to those who helped him get where he is today. In support of his beloved alma mater, Young has not only lent his name, but has donated $50,000 to open a new live entertainment venue on the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) campus. The Chris Young Café is located in a standalone dining building surrounded by residence halls, and will serve as a teaching and practice space for student performers and technicians during the day. By night, the space will transform into a performance venue for everything…

The Fortunate Ones by Ed Tarkington (Algonquin Books) Charlie Boykin lives on the paycheck-to-paycheck side of Nashville. But when his mother arranges for him to enroll in an elite private high school, Charlie is exposed to a new way of life—one where money is power and the rich evade consequences. In Nashville-based author Ed Tarkington’s new novel, he sets the stage for Charlie to choose between covering up the quiet misdeeds of the wealthy or doing what’s right. (Available now.) The Best of Me by David Sedaris (Little, Brown and Company) Considered one of the best living humorists, David Sedaris returns with a new volume of his greatest literary hits. The North Carolina-born-and-raised author is known for his skill at holding an uncomfortable tension between a story that presents as funny…