One day, not too long after I had moved to Nashville, I was walking in the downtown area and heard some music. Well, it was the Music City after all, and at any time you can expect to hear music from one of a few dozen bars, nightclubs or even the many buskers that ply their trade in this area, but this was music coming from - of all places - the big control box which controls the stop lights at the corner. I thought this was rather unique and forgot about it, until just last night.
Walking to the bus, I came across this box (above) with some nice jazz playing. (See that circular hole near the top? That's a speaker!) It never fails to make me smile, regardless of the day I've had. Where else but Music City could you find recorded music set up for the public to enjoy.
I've never found any rhyme or reason for these boxes as not all of them have speakers and are not on all the time. It may just be that the music is there only when needed - and today they are working on the street and perhaps street workers work better when listening to Charlie Parker. (You never really know!) Or maybe that traffic cop over on 1st really prefers country for directing traffic in the rain. I've also not found out whether this is pre-recorded music, or (as is my best guess) radio being piped in as requested by the city folks nearby. Each box is different, it seems and one day I may find the City Office of Extraneous Music and find out more.
In the meantime, enjoy the music of the South.
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