Nashville is one hoarse town

[T_i_B]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/05/25/wnash25.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/05/25/ixportal.html

It may be the capital of country music and the town where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan recorded some of their finest tunes, but singing in Nashville is actually a doggone bad idea.

Voice experts and singers say that the town, which sits in a humid, heavily forested bowl where pollens and pollutants get trapped in the air, is so unbearable for allergy sufferers that some artists have either had to delay their recording sessions or move elsewhere.

Nashville is one of America's biggest recording centres and is home to thousands of professional musicians, singers, engineers and producers.

Dr John Overholt, a local allergist, said that about 50 of his patients are singers and they all complain of the same things: hoarseness, poor tone and limited vocal range. "They feel they have a lot of trouble hitting the top end," he said.

[bballny]

1. Poor singing form

Is it possible that they are oversinging or never took a singing lesson. My mom was a professional singer who took singing lessons and this malady may be caused by bad technique

[unhappycamper]

2. Nashville is downwind

from all kinds of good stuff like coal-fired power plants. Dismantling of EPA regulations over the last five years have not helped the situation.

[Lars39]

3. Nashville's like the center of a bowl.

If you don't have allergies when you move here, you'll probably develop them.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. I live about two hours south

in Chattanooga and get bad allergies here and there. I would come here for recording personally if you're having too many problems. There are quite a few studio's here people can use.

[Lars39]

5. I'd be there in a minute if it was my voice/liveliehood.

Must be some kind of Music Row cachet that keeps 'em here.
Wheeling and dealing, always having to promote yourself. Ugh.
I got horribly lost in that area last week, so I'm a little biased.:)

[NashVegas]

6. Sinus Infection Capitol of the World

I will say this: I haven't been hit with one since I started doing yoga on a regular basis.

[nashville_brook]

7. someone told me that the Cherokee called this area the Valley of Sickness

words to that effect.

[dflprincess]

8. That explains it

I arrived in Nashville this morning, already having problems with my Minnesota hayfever, and I've noticed a definite decline in my condition in the last 10 hours. I'm here for training for my new job and have had to leave the room twice because of embarrassing coughing fits caused my over active sinuses. Will I survive until I leave Friday and get back to the pollen I'm used to? And how will I survive if it turns out I have to come back next week for more training? Can I use the allergies as an excuse not to come back?

Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the DFLPrincess Wheezes".

[Lars39]

9. Take the strongest stuff you can find and still stay awake.

:hi: