Robert’s Western World, Nashville’s beloved honky tonk and the city’s “Home of Traditional Country Music,” is throwing the ultimate street party this summer. On Monday, August 4, the iconic Lower Broadway venue will host the Robert’s Western World Fan Fair, an all-day, all-ages block party and music celebration featuring a stacked lineup of country legends, rising stars, and surprise guests.

 

Taking over the stretch of Lower Broadway between Fourth and Fifth Avenues, the free outdoor event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CT, with two stages showcasing a who’s who of live performers. Fan favorites from Robert’s—including JesseLee Jones & Brazilbilly, Kelley’s Heroes, Joshua Hedley, and The Cowpokes—will be joined by an impressive roster of guests including Marcus King, Elizabeth Cook, Radney Foster, Chuck Mead, The Travelin’ McCourys, and more. And of course, in true Nashville fashion, fans should keep their eyes peeled—because you never know who might hop onstage.

A highlight of the day will be “Wanted for Steelin’,” a one-of-a-kind steel guitar celebration curated by the legendary Sho-Bud Steel Guitar Company, which once operated out of the same building that houses Robert’s today. It’s a fitting tribute, as Robert’s remains the only venue on Lower Broadway to regularly feature pedal steel guitar on its stage. Backed by Eddie Slide and his Cowtown Dozen, a 13-piece Western Swing band, the event promises a toe-tapping tribute to one of country music’s most beloved instruments. Local dance instructor Laura Mae Socks will also lead a Nashville Street Party & Two-Step Dance Lesson, perfect for anyone looking to brush up on their moves.

 

In addition to the music, fans can expect:
Exclusive merch, including a rhinestone-studded, Western-inspired limited edition tee by Any Old Iron
Live tattooing of Robert’s iconic “R” door stamp by Kustom Thrills’ Adam The Kid
The world-famous Recession Special – Robert’s signature combo of a fried bologna sandwich, Lay’s chips, a Moon Pie, and a cold PBR – still just $6

 

A Honky Tonk with History
The history of Robert’s Western World runs deep. Long before it became a live music institution, the building was home to the Sho-Bud Steel Guitar Company, which once sold Willie Nelson his iconic guitar “Trigger” and crafted custom instruments for artists ranging from Yes to The Monkees. The venue’s deep ties to the roots of country music continue to shape its identity.

Originally opened as Rhinestone Western Wear in the early 1990s by honky tonk entrepreneur Robert Wayne Moore, the shop quickly evolved into the internationally renowned venue we know today. In 1999, Moore passed the torch to musician JesseLee Jones, who, along with his wife Emily Ann, continues the mission of keeping traditional country music alive in the heart of a fast-changing Broadway.

Jones’s own journey from São Paulo, Brazil to the stage of Robert’s is the stuff of country legend. Arriving in the U.S. in 1984 with little more than a dream, he was robbed of his belongings on a Greyhound bus his first day in the country. Taken in by a church family in Peoria, Illinois, he worked odd jobs—babysitting, cooking, delivering newspapers—to get by. After making his way to Nashville in the early ‘90s, it was Moore who first recognized Jones’ potential, booking him at Robert’s in 1995. Nicknamed the “Brazilian Hillbilly” by house band BR549, Jones embraced the moniker and formed Brazilbilly, which has since become the venue’s signature act.

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Courtesy: Nashville.com