You won't believe this Nashville appliance repairman
Man, I gotta tell you, I heard a story this morning that just made me smile. We're talking about Ovven – that's Owen Burton to his mama – an appliance repairman right here in Nashville who just dropped a standout alt-country album. Now, look, this ain't some trust-fund kid with a guitar. This man was fixing refrigerators and dishwashers, financing his independent record one service call at a time. And he paired up with Alex Farrar, a real leading producer in the game. That's the real Nashville, y'all – before the neon and after.
* **Who is Ovven?** Owen Burton, a Nashville resident who works as an appliance repairman by trade. * **What did he do?** Released an independent alt-country album that's getting serious buzz. * **Who produced it?** Alex Farrar, a well-respected producer in the music industry. * **How did he fund it?** He self-financed the entire project using money earned from his appliance repair business.
See, a lot of folks come to Music City with dreams, and some of them get caught up in the glitz of Broadway, or they end up playing cover tunes down in the Gulch. But then you get a story like Ovven's, a reminder that the soul of Nashville music still lives in the everyday folks, in the neighborhoods, in the grind. This ain't about chasing a record deal from some big label on Music Row; it's about pure, unadulterated passion and hustle. It reminds me of those late nights at the Bluebird, when you hear a songwriter sing something that just hits you right, and you know they're not doing it for the fame, but because they simply *have* to.
This is the kind of grit and genuine talent that built this town's musical legacy, long before the bachelorette parties and the crane-filled skyline. It's in the spirit of those original honky-tonk heroes and the bluesmen on Jefferson Street. It makes you wonder how many other folks are out there, quietly crafting their art after a long day's work, living that true Nashville life. Makes me want to go check my fridge just to see if he's the one who shows up.
Darius Caldwell, MiTL Sports Desk, Nashville.
The morning crew at MiTL dives into stories like this every day – catch 'em live at mornings.live.