Original subtitles

'I'm Jane McDonald, and I've never been to Nashville,

'but it's somewhere I've always wanted to visit.

'As a singer with 11 albums under my belt,

'I'm drawn to Music City like a moth to a flame.

'So it's time I found my country roots

'and discover what makes it one of the top holiday destinations

'in the US.

'I want to explore everything

'from the world-famous non-stop honky-tonk bars

'in downtown Nashville.' It's crazy!

'..the history...'

I never thought I'd come to Nashville and see a Parthenon.

THEY LAUGH

'..the whiskey...'

Oh-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

'..and some good old Southern food.'

Can we get you one of everything?

'And you never know. Give me a hat...' Howdy.

'..and some boots, and you might find this Northern lass

'is Southern through and through.

'So, saddle up, partners. We're off to Nashville, Tennessee.

'Yeehaw!

'In tonight's episode, I follow in the footsteps of my music heroes

'at the unmissable Ryman Auditorium.

'I dine out like a true local

'at a highly recommended Nashville institution...' Mmm!

'Come with me as I uncover the city's historic past

'and meet Greek legends.'

Oh!

'And have I got what it takes to learn the basics

'and then go toe to toe with the best of Nashville

'at the iconic Nashville Palace?

'Let's find out why over 16 million people a year

'make Nashville their must-see, must-do holiday destination.

'There's now a daily direct flight from the UK,

'so in under ten hours, it's touchdown in Tennessee.

'And in this 24-7 city, there's no time for jet lag.

'So come on, cos I'm diving straight in

'and hitting Nashville's famous honky-tonk highway.'

I'm in Nashville, Tennessee. Woohoo!

'Lower Broadway is the heart

'of the city's legendary live music scene.

'No-one knows why the bars here are called honky-tonks,

'but some think it's to do with the rough and rowdy style of music

'that pours out onto the street.

'And I can tell you, it really does.'

This place is just... wild.

There's every bar open from, like, ten o'clock in the morning,

and there's bands playing in the windowsill.

You know, it's... it's just buzzing.

It's crazy, but it's amazing and constantly playing all day.

And that's exciting for me.

'And there's something else that's exciting.

'I'm gonna let you into a little secret.'

I've come to Nashville because I was making a new album,

and when I started writing,

I realised that there was, like, a country feel.

For many years, people have been telling me

I should be a country singer,

and my dad always said, "You should be a country singer."

And that was years ago.

'But if I'm honest,

'I never really gave it much thought until now.'

So, we were all sat writing, and then I said,

"Why don't we do this in Nashville?"

So it's only taken me 27 years to finally come round

to maybe what I should have been doing all along.

'So, here goes. I'm in the home of country music.

'Where better to make my first country album?

'Back to the sights, and number one on my hit list

'is a place where Nashville's story of country music first began.

'I've done a lot of reading,

'and every single guidebook and website about Nashville

'tells me I must visit the Ryman Auditorium.

'I'm hoping that it's the perfect place

'for me to seek out inspiration for my country album.

'This historic landmark is known fondly around the world

'as the Mother Church of Country Music.

'It was here where countless country stars got their big break.'

The Ryman Auditorium.

You can feel the history

jumping off every little bit of furniture, every wall.

People like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley

have all performed on that very stage.

'From 1943 to 1974,

'the Ryman was the home of the WSM Radio country music show,

'the Grand Ole Opry.'

You're just in time to get your tickets

for the world-famous Grand Ole Opry.

I'm John Cameron Swayze.

And Judd Collins, welcoming you to the Grand Ole Opry House

in Nashville, Tennessee.

Curtain's going up, so let's go inside for the Grand Ole Opry.

'The Ryman proved to be a massive platform

'for these music legends.

'Millions of people across America would tune in every week

'to listen to the show while locals queued around the block

'to watch the recording live.

'And the big names just kept coming.'

Wow.

Now I'm a bit closer, I can see Reba McEntire, Ringo Starr.

Wow.

Martin Luther there, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash.

Oof. All been on this stage.

'And I've just touched it.

'But this iconic building began life as a church.

'In 1892, wealthy riverboat captain Tom Ryman

'built the Union Gospel Tabernacle.

'Then, in 1920, a young single mother, Lula Naff,

'took over as general manager.

'A few years later, she struck a deal

'that brought the Grand Ole Opry radio show to the Ryman,

'where it remained for the next 31 years.'

It's the most amazing place ever.

It's just fantastic. I don't really know how to explain it to you.

And this is not just for musicians here.

This is for everybody to come and feel this history

and... and, you know, learn about how the Grand Old Opry started...

and why it's so loved.

'While the Opry is no longer recorded here,

'its reputation as a world-class music venue lives on.

'In recent years, Harry Styles, Lizzo and Coldplay

'have all performed at the Ryman,

'and today, tourists like you and me can take a tour

'and get up on that famous stage.'

It feels like a blessing to be in here

and see so many people just thrilled...

to be in the Ryman Auditorium.

'I hope you don't mind indulging me, but I've just got to have a moment.'

This is a dream come true.

# Three in the morning... #

See? It never leaves you.

# Should be in bed

# Tennessee whiskey Is stuck in my head... #

JANE LAUGHS

But it's just a place you've got to sing.

You get up there, and you're on the Grand Ole Opry stage,

and you've just got to belt.

It's fabulous.

That was the most beautiful place.

There was something quite sacred about the ground there...

..and it was like all my worlds came together in the Ryman.

All the money for the Ryman was put up by a ship's captain.

Do you believe that? And it's so iconic.

And you could feel the history in there.

The Ryman is such a wonderful place.

And if you come into Nashville,

definitely, definitely go to the Ryman.

'Coming up, in search of authentic Southern food,

'the guidebooks lead me to Arnold's,

'an award-winning restaurant famed for meat and three veg.

'But you get so much more.' Can we get you one of everything?

'I take a tour of Nashville's Centennial Park,

'an oasis in the heart of the city with its very own Parthenon,

'and an even bigger surprise inside.'

Oh!

'I'm on a trip of a lifetime to Nashville, Tennessee.

'I've only just arrived, and I'm already enjoying

'all this great Southern city has to offer.'

# I'm right here if you need me. #

'Nashville might be called Music City,

'but the Tennessee capital is fast becoming

'one of the best food towns in the South.

'So I've come just south of Broadway to Arnold's,

'a Nashville institution for over 40 years,

'serving traditional home-cooked Southern country food.'

If you ask the locals where to go, they usually say Arnold's,

and it's packed.

As soon as it opens, everybody comes in.

Hey, how are you doing?

I'm good. Welcome in.

It's your first time? Yes.

Oh, well, good to see you.

Some of Nashville's best meat-and-three right here.

Meat-and-three? So you get meat and three veg? Yeah.

'Meat-and-three is a Southern staple

'meaning, yep, meat and three veg.

'It costs around 18 bucks, or about £13 to you and me.

'It's only open at lunchtime, and you can't book,

'so be prepared to queue.

'Owner Kahlil is on hand to guide me through the meat-and-three process.'

Is the food here pretty good, guys? It's good. Is it really?

It's really good. Yeah.

So, that being said, we get free lunch today?

That's exactly correct.

Hey, Rose, everybody in line gets free food, OK?

All right. Good. JANE LAUGHS

'Rose and Jack Arnold opened the restaurant in 1982

'with the aim of serving food

'just like your grandma's home cooking.

'Jack sadly passed away in 2023,

'but their son Khalil stepped in, along with the rest of the family.'

So, is this all your family? So, yes.

The one that looks like Gandalf, that's my brother Man.

The young lady with the glasses, my daughter Juliet. Oh, lovely.

And then my son, and brother Franz.

Oh, that's lovely that you're all here,

you're all working together. We are here, working tog... Yeah.

'Introductions done, now on to the food.

'I've got my tray, I'm in line. I'm off.'

All right. Cherry-smoked ribs, barbecue chicken.

Then we have our chicken and dumplings. Yeah.

Fried catfish. And then we have our roast with the most.

I'm not talking about my brother.

Talking about that big hunk of beef down there.

Can we get you one of everything? # Burn your kitchen down... #

I'll try a little bit of the chicken dumpling. You got it.

But I'm looking at your beef as well.

You gotta have these turnip greens.

OK. These are life-changing.

These are a Southern thing. All right.

Try that. OK.

Now, at least three veg.

Well, I'll go for the white beans, cos they're good for you.

Can't come to Nashville, Tennessee,

and not have our famous fried green tomatoes. OK.

Now, could stop there. Yeah.

But, you know, first time here,

we're gonna give you a little bit of the cauliflower,

and then he's gonna give you some of this fresh-cut roast beef,

just came out of the oven. Oh, wow.

Now, this is one of the most important parts of the meal,

especially here.

You gotta think the home-made yeast roll

or the cornbread muffin.

We'll just give you one of each. Oh, my God, how much food?

Well, now you're Southern-ised. Absolutely. I'm Southern-ised.

Thank you so much. Sorry for the queue.

Whoo!

# Burn your kitchen down I ain't messin'... #

'It's not even midday, and this place is jumping.

'Right, time to find out just how much of a Southerner I am.'

So, I'm gonna try these first, turnip greens.

Oh, they're good.

I am a bit of a foodie, you know I am,

and I like to try everything, no matter where I am.

This is probably one of the best meals I've had

since I've got here.

'And now a classic.'

Deep-fried green tomato.

'Tangy. A bit tart, but still undeniably Southern.'

But this is really good.

You've got your meat, you've got your proteins,

you've got your carbs, you've got your veg.

And this yeast bread...

You don't usually have bread with your Sunday roast, do you?

I suppose it's like our Yorkshire pudding.

'I knew there'd be some Yorkshire in here somewhere.'

Young lady, how is everything? It's good stuff?

Cauliflower cheese, man. Oh, wow!

So unique, isn't it?

Cauliflower, it's... It's a little bit...

We saute some onions, a little hog jowl,

a little bit of rendered bacon fat, saute that together,

then we kind of build it through there.

We cook that for about six to eight hours,

slow cook it so it just cooks down.

Then we put some horseradish in there. It's one of my favourites.

It's so good. Yeah.

Thank you. That's a good, you know, Southern staple.

Mmm. Thank you.

This is the best meal I've had in Nashville.

I'm sure you say that to all the restaurants. No, I don't.

Well, thank you. Gotta save a little room.

The most important part is yet to come.

Behave yourself. I want...

I got one more little thing. Oh, right.

I'll be back. Ah! OK!

'Kahlil was a joy.'

He was just a joy to be around and loved...

he loved what he did.

Well, hello. So, you still doing well?

Oh, my God. Look. Look at this. Oh-ho! All right?

So, we have the banana pudding, which is a Southern staple.

But this is very unique to us. This is a chocolate spicy pie.

Oh, spicy?

You know, my mom is from Cartagena, Colombia.

And when she grew up,

they always had spice and chocolate together. Right.

So for her birthday a few years ago, I made her chocolate spicy pie. Aw!

And this is Nashville. We like spice with everything.

So you should definitely try the chocolate spicy pie.

Very unique. I'm going to.

Now, I might be back again. No, I'm kidding. Oh, God!

Get behind me, Satan. You're gorgeous.

Thank you very much. All right. You're very welcome.

Now for the chocolate spicy.

Mmm! Perfect.

It's got a little bit of a kick because it's got the spices in it.

And that makes the chocolate more bearable for me.

Ooh, it's got quite a kick. LAUGHS

It is very spicy.

Gotta come to Arnold's cafe, and you've gotta try this.

It's delicious.

Now, leave me alone and let me eat this pudding without any guilt.

'The sweet, dark chocolate works perfectly

'with the spice of the chilli.

'It's a winning combination, just like Arnold's no-frills food

'combined with heaps of Southern charm.

'I really enjoyed my meat-and-three,

'but I need a walk before I collapse into a cornbread coma.

'I wandered away from the bright lights of Broadway,

'as a couple of miles west is Centennial Park.

'But this is more than just a park.

'Only in America does a city centre park

'come with its very own Parthenon.

'I'm hoping guide Katie can tell me how it ended up here.'

Ah-ha!

You must be Katie. Hi. Yes. Welcome, Jane.

Welcome to Nashville. Thank you so much.

How beautiful is this? It really is.

I never thought I'd come to Nashville and see a Parthenon.

THEY LAUGH

I mean, is it... is it a replica?

This is as close to what somebody would have seen

in the fifth century BCE, 2,500 years ago.

Wow. So, why is it here?

Nashville is the Athens of the South. Really?

So, this was a place to come for education.

In the 1800s, various cities in America

had different reputations.

Nashville was the hub of education in the United States.

It is pretty impressive, isn't it? It is.

'Athens in Greece is recognised globally

'as the seat of Western civilisation

'and in ancient times was renowned for education, art and culture.

'When the Nashville Parthenon was first built in 1897,

'as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition,

'it celebrated Nashville's nickname as the Athens of the South.

'Initially only temporary,

'it was so loved by the people that it was rebuilt in 1920.

'The Nashville Parthenon is the world's only exact-sized replica

'of the original temple in Athens.

'But for many years, there was just one thing missing.'

Oh!

Oh, my God! I didn't expect that.

I'm in Jason And The Argonauts!

KATIE LAUGHS

That is huge! Meet Athena.

Right, how big is that? About 12 metres.

Just under 42 feet tall. Wow.

And that little one there, how big is that?

Athena Nike stands at six-four, just over two metres.

Oh, my God. Cos it looks tiny, doesn't it?

That is quite spooky, if I may say.

That's a common reaction. Is it?

A lot of people are quite shocked and surprised

when they first see Athena.

Wow. I'm so glad we came inside.

KATIE LAUGHS

'The original ancient Greek statue,

'created in the fifth century in Athens, no longer exists,

'but here in Nashville,

'you can experience this incredible replica.

'Completed in 1990 and covered in gold leaf,

'she is truly a sight to behold.'

Athena's known for a lot of different things.

So, if you notice her helmet,

there's a sign she's role as goddess of warfare.

She's also got a breastplate of armour.

She's got a spear. She's got a shield.

These are all symbols of her role as the goddess of war. And snake.

And a snake. A symbol of Athens. Yeah.

So she's the main goddess of Athens. Spoiler alert, right?

Athena, Athens. Of course, yeah.

Even her dress is iconic. She's the goddess of weaving.

So every detail is sending a message. Yeah.

So every part of this tells a story? Yes.

Platform shoes. Do they tell a story?

Just fashion. THEY LAUGH

I did think, "I like the shoes." It's a girl thing.

'Part of Greece in the middle of Nashville.'

You just don't expect to see that.

It was quite breathtaking, actually. And quite scary, actually.

But beautiful once you got used to the scariness.

Thankfully, she didn't move.

'I never expected Nashville to be a land of myths and legends.

'Back to the bright lights of Music City,

'the night is still young,

'so time for me to take on another Nashville must-do

'and see if I know my rock step from my grapevine.

'Line dancing is enjoying something of a comeback right now,

'and in Nashville, there's plenty of places to strut your stuff.

'Nashville Palace has been a staple for country line dancing since 1977.

'Here they run nightly sessions for locals and tourists alike,

'and all abilities are welcome.

'And if you're feeling a bit rusty like me,

'you can arrange a one-to-one before the main session starts.'

Hi. Hey, Jane. Nice to meet you.

And you too. George. Yes.

George. Nice to meet you. Yes. Thank you for doing this with us.

Of course. Any time. Yes. Welcome to Nashville.

Thank you very much. So, how did you end up...?

Are you from Wales? I'm originally from Wales. Yes, yes.

So, I started with line dancing when I was ten back in the UK,

and I've just been line dancing all my life.

So, how many nights a week do you do here?

We do five nights a week here at the National Palace. Right!

Yes. So it's that popular?

Oh, yes. Yes.

It's a good group of different people,

all nationalities, ages, that do the country dancing now.

It's really incredible. It's very wholesome. It is.

Can you teach me a bit? Absolutely, we can. Yes.

Oh, fantastic. Yes.

Right, then, let's go and have a go.

All right, let's give it a go. Woohoo!

All righty.

'Time for the boot scootin' to begin.'

Jane, we're gonna start off

with a really nice beginner line dance.

This one is called the muddy spider. Let's give it a go.

We're gonna start by going forward. Right touch the left. Yeah.

We're gonna go forward. Left touch the right.

Do that again. Forward right, touch the left.

And left touch the right.

OK? So, let's try that together, going forward on that right foot.

We've got forward right, touch.

Forward left, touch.

Forward right, touch, and left together.

We're then gonna do a grapevine.

Gonna go to our right-hand side.

Go right side, behind, side, together.

And we're gonna do another grapevine to that left-hand side.

Going left side, behind, side, together.

All righty. Should we try it again? Yes, please.

Here we go. Five, six, seven, eight.

Forward right, touch.

And left, touch, and right, touch and left together.

Back right, back left, back right back left.

We've got a grapevine to the right and a grapevine to the left.

We stomp the right. Stomp the left.

Cross over, quarter-turn, side together. Yay!

Look at me. I'm dancing, I'm dancing! Whoo!

I might get hooked on this. You might.

You might be moving over here with me now. Who knows? I might.

Oh, George! THEY LAUGH

'And there's no rest for the wicked.

'Having learned the basics,

'I'm going back on the floor to join in a group routine

'with Nashville's finest.'

How are you feeling out there, Nashville?

CHEERING Feeling good, yeah?

All right. This one is the muddy spider.

'Take it away, George.' Five, six, seven, eight.

Forward right, forward left.

Forward right, touch, and left together.

Back right touch, and left touch.

Grapevine. And then grapevine to the left.

On the right. Forward right, touch.

Forward left, touch.

# I used to think if I missed... #

Looking good. All righty.

# You'd come back for sure

# But I can't be bothered now To miss you any more. #

Yes! Good job, ladies and gentlemen.

So, that was our first line dance of the evening.

And that one was called the muddy spider.

I hope this guy doesn't...

This fella must think I keep looking at his bum, but I'm not.

I'm just trying to follow t'steps.

We did this one a lot last week. If you weren't here...

Actually, when you get the steps right eventually,

cos it takes a while, you think,

"Blimey, I'm in Dirty Dancing."

'Next, journey with me down Music City's Walk of Fame

'and see how many celebrated country music icons we know.'

Do not step on Dolly Parton.

'And who we need to brush up on.

'In the studio, as the musicians work on the country sound,

'I struggle to hold it together.'

Sorry.

'And join me as I uncover the story

'behind Tennessee's most famous spirit.'

That's fabulous.

'I'm on a voyage of discovery in America's Music City, Nashville,

'and music really is everywhere here.

'A few blocks from Broadway and across the street

'from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

'are 112 stainless steel and terrazzo stars.

'This is Music City's Walk of Fame.

'Opened in 2006, it's where all those who created,

'performed, or recorded music in Nashville are celebrated.

'It's a who's who of country music.'

'So, as I'm on a country music adventure,

'let's play a little game.

'Just how many stars do we know?

'OK. We're off.'

Tim McGraw, massive star.

Faith Hill, of course. Johnny Cash. I love a bit of Johnny.

Trisha Yearwood, amazing. Garth Brooks.

Oh! Loretta Lynn.

I love Loretta Lynn.

'How many have you got so far?'

Bob Babbitt?

No, don't know that one.

Keith Urban. I know him.

Fabulous.

Patsy Cline. Massive star.

# Crazy. #

We all did Crazy. In the clubs, we all sang Crazy.

Oh, Kris Kristofferson. Fabulous.

'Are you still counting? It must be at least ten.'

Oh, do not step on Dolly Parton.

Let's be honest. Dolly is the queen of country.

You just think...

That sums up country to me, does Dolly Parton.

Cos she's just everything. She's wholesome, she's beautiful.

She's... You feel like you can sit and have a pint with her.

Pint? That's terrible, innit?

A glass of wine and talk about life with her.

She writes about life. I love that.

Brenda Lee. Fabulous.

One of my favourite, favourite singers ever.

You see, if I'd have married him,

I wouldn't have had to change my name or anything, would I?

Of course, the great Elvis Presley just there.

Hank Williams.

'Racing to the end now.'

Roy Orbison, fabulous.

Emmylou Harris.

This lady's got a cracking voice - Wynonna Judd.

KLAXON

See, a lot of the country stars, we don't even know.

And I'm gonna make it my mission now

to listen to more country artists,

because I think it's fantastic.

I love country.

'How did you do? I reckon I got about a third. I'll take that.

'Nashville isn't just the home of country music legends,

'it's also the hub of an industry that has shaped music worldwide.

'A drive down Nashville's Music Row

'is a chance to spot the major recording studios.

'Music lovers can even take a tour

'of some of the historic recording venues

'where artists like Patsy Cline and Elvis

'created their masterpieces.

'I've arranged to meet songwriter Ben Johnson.

'Grammy-nominated Ben has notched up ten number ones,

'writing for the likes of Justin Timberlake

'and country superstars Lee Brice and Dierks Bentley.'

Hey, hey. Ben.

Welcome, welcome. Oh, good to see you.

'With multiple Song of the Year awards

'and several platinum-selling singles,

'what Ben doesn't know about songwriting isn't worth knowing.

'So I'm hoping to get some tips.'

Oh, Ben, what's it like to be a famous songwriter in Nashville?

Well, I don't know. You're gonna have to ask somebody else.

THEY LAUGH

No. What is the secret to a successful country song?

Well, you know, that's a good question.

I think a lot of people,

especially maybe from the pop side, they go,

"Oh, let's throw a banjo on it, and then it's a country song."

Well, there's a little more to it than that.

One of the things about country is that we write about real life

in a way that's telling a story. I think it's country.

That's what I love about country, is it tells a story. Mm.

It's got a beginning, a middle and an end.

And songs nowadays don't have a lot of that. Mm. Yeah.

So that's key to it, isn't it, really?

Yeah. It's been cool to see...

Country, I feel like, has really gone global.

It's exploded. In the last two years, I would say.

And I think part of that is, like you said, the storytelling,

and people fell in love with the way that we write songs here, and...

Yeah.

So it's really cool to see people really discover what it's all about.

Taylor Swift is huge in Nashville. Oh, yeah. She's the GOAT.

Everywhere I've been, people mentioned Taylor Swift.

Oh, yeah.

And she started here, didn't she? She sure did, yeah.

She calls Nashville home, and we're very proud that she does.

Yeah. I must admit that, I belong here.

I've decided. Moving to Nashville.

Exactly. THEY LAUGH

'Feeling inspired after my chat with Ben,

'I've decided it's time to visit the recording studio.

'Situated in the quiet suburb of Berry Hill

'is the renowned Blackbird Studios.

'It's here where my country music dreams are being made.'

These are all the people that have recorded in this very studio

that I'm gonna do my album in today.

So, we've got everybody.

Coldplay, Johnny Cash, Chris Stapleton.

We've got the Red album with Taylor Swift.

I mean, the...

Willie Nelson. Everybody...

Everybody who is anybody

has recorded here in these very walls.

JANE'S MUSIC PLAYS

# Right here, right now

# Is where I'm meant to be. #

This is it. This is where it all happens.

JANE'S MUSIC PLAYS Ooh!

'The Blackbird Studios are iconic.'

And just to be stood looking at that wall when you go in,

it's just...

Well, it's a "wow" moment, isn't it?

There was only me I didn't know in there.

JANE'S MUSIC PLAYS MAN: Could be a thing.

JANE CHUCKLES, MUSIC STOPS

So, we've got a writing team, a producing team.

We've got engineers, we've got the musicians here.

THEY PLAY

'Everyone right here in the studio in Nashville.'

# Right here, right now... #

'Today, the musicians, the engineers and the producers

'are mixing the songs.

'This is the part of the process where it all comes together.

'And I'm not gonna lie, it's all a bit nerve-wracking.'

# Can you feel it In the air tonight? #

'You go through certain stages when you're doing an album.'

You put the demo down, then you put all the musicians down,

and it takes on a whole different energy.

MUSIC PLAYS

Mm.

Hoo!

Incredible.

Thank you very much. LAUGHS

To be part of a Nashville...

The Blackbird Studio... I mean, it's legendary.

Everybody has recorded here,

and with especially these musicians that have all been hand-picked

with the producers and the writers here, I mean, it's blown...

Sorry. It's, erm...

It's blowing my mind a little bit, really,

cos when I started here, I thought, "What am I doing?"

You know?

Because, erm... I've always felt

that my heart is in country because I'm a storyteller.

And when I write songs, I write a story.

And, erm...

And this is my story.

And thank you for coming to Nashville.

MAN: Aw.

'All my life, I've sort of been the underdog.'

I've been the person who was, you know...

Never give up.

If I've learned anything from being in Nashville, I just never gave up.

I fought all the way through.

From my first-ever album, right through,

it's been a struggle. I'm not gonna lie.

This industry is hard. Very, very hard.

I were gonna be right stoic and just...

You know, as if I was, you know, all used to this.

But I'm not. LAUGHS

'And while the musicians take a break,

'I can't resist my own superfan moment.'

I've had to recreate the Taylor Swift feet photograph,

because she recorded in this very studio

and used this very desk, and she had her feet...

With Steve.

And she put her feet on there,

and I've just recreated the very same.

TAPS HER FEET

Me and Swifty, like that.

Love that. SIGHS CONTENTEDLY

'Coming up, I venture out of town to visit a Tennessee icon

'and find my Southern voice.'

That smells like "pie-hh". I like the way you say "pie-hh".

THEY LAUGH

'I'm on a voyage of discovery to Nashville,

'seeing the sights

'and also seeking inspiration for my new country album.

'Today, I'm heading out of the city and into the country.

'About 80 miles south of Nashville, in the small town of Lynchburg,

'is a Tennessee institution I absolutely can't miss.'

Good morning, Jane. How are you? I'm very well.

Lovely to meet you. So nice to meet you.

Welcome to Jack Daniel's. Thank you.

'I've booked a tour

'of the 160-year-old Jack Daniel's distillery with guide Jed.'

The drive up was just beautiful,

and now I'm gonna taste my favourite, favourite thing

in the whole world.

Well, we're excited that you're here.

'Jasper Newton Daniel, or Jack, as he became known,

'established the whiskey distillery back in 1866,

'making it the very first registered distillery in the US.

'But country boy Jack didn't have the easiest of upbringings.'

Now, Jack was born about five miles south of here.

He was the youngest of ten children. Wow.

Yeah, right around the age of six,

he got it in his head that he was a full-grown man.

And he moved out of his dad's house. No. Six-year-old?

Six years old.

I've got a 24-year-old at my house eating my food right now.

SHE LAUGHS

Jack became a farmhand locally in this county.

'And it was while there he met an enslaved man,

'Nathan "Nearest" Green.

'Green distilled whiskey on the farm using the specialised process

'of sugar maple charcoal filtering.'

So, we're gonna drip every drop of Jack that we produce

down through ten feet of charcoal. Uh-huh.

And so this process is called the Lincoln County process.

It's the way Jack was taught to make whiskey from Nathan "Nearest" Green.

This was the process he used 160 years ago,

and it's still the process that we're using today

to mellow out your whiskey. Wow. And that's what we call it.

It's like filtering, but we call it mellowing.

Yeah. Because it just sounds cooler.

'Nathan "Nearest" Green was the man who taught Jack Daniel,

'and the first known African American distiller,

'and is widely recognised as the man behind Tennessee whiskey.

'His son George took over from him when, in the early 1880s,

'Jack discovered something else

'that would make the whiskey even more special.'

Oh, wow. Look at this.

This is the water that Jack came up here for.

It's probably the most water coming out of any cave system

anywhere in this county.

'In 1884, Jack purchased the land at Cave Spring Hollow

'for just over $2,000 -

'what was then a very substantial amount of money.'

So the water here is really good?

It's perfect. Wow.

So, the water is also iron-free,

and it's because of what this hillside is made out of.

Our geology is all limestone,

and limestone is gonna pull iron out of the water.

If you have iron in your water and you make whiskey,

your whiskey's coming out black and bitter. Wow!

'Jack was onto a winner.

'Iron in the water can react with the tannins in the barrels

'and the mash, creating a bitter taste.

'With iron-free water,

'Jack knew his whiskey would be really smooth.'

We still produce every drop of Jack for the entire planet

with the water you're looking at.

Oh, my! There's a lot of little... nuances that make it the best.

We cannot make this whiskey anywhere else on the planet.

I shall savour it a lot more now.

So when you're at home,

this is the water that makes your whiskey.

Fabulous. How amazing.

You're welcome.

'The distillery makes around 100,000 gallons of whiskey a day,

'serving 173 countries.

'And that's a lot of whiskey.

'Let's hope they keep a few drops back

'so visitors like me can try some of Tennessee's Old No. 7

'in the place where it all began.'

Oh, this is the best bit now.

Oh, please, have a seat. We're gonna drink some whiskey.

Oh, I'm going to. We always have Old No. 7.

Always. It is the original. Right.

It is the base of everything we make.

And make sure that when you're back home,

it tastes just like you're here in Lynchburg.

So, it's very important to always smell your whiskey.

That smells so good, doesn't it? Mm-hm.

It's already working. Your medicine's working.

That's fabulous.

I'm a big lover of Jack Daniel's...

..so I'm in my heaven place right now. Good.

The next one we're gonna sip is what we call Heritage.

This one is gonna be brown sugar,

maple syrup, butterscotch, toffee.

It's an over-caramelised kind of sweet note.

I could tell you about it, but let's go ahead and smell it.

JANE CLEARS HER THROAT

'Jed's not wrong. This smells much sweeter than the original.

'Like toffee, but warm.'

That smells like "pie-hh". I like the way you say "pie-hh".

THEY LAUGH

That's strong.

It's really good, though, innit, yeah?

The first one you sipped was 40% alcohol.

This one's 50% alcohol.

What am I doing?

And the last one... Uh-oh.

Let's see. Oh, what is that? That's cinnamon.

That is cinnamon.

Is it? It is.

Supposed to be good for you.

It's supposed to be good for you. Yeah.

Especially your vocals,

with all the singing and everything. Oh, right.

'First the cinnamon,

'then that warm, buttery, mellow flavour.'

Ooh, that's really sweet. I like 'em all.

LAUGHS

It's terrible, isn't it? No, it's not terrible.

I could just drink... In fact, I might do.

When you turn off, I'm gonna finish all of these.

Me and Jed are gonna have a party.

'Because that's how they roll here in Tennessee.

'It's that Southern charm again.'

The people are so welcoming here.

Nashville is like, "Come on, everybody's welcome."

We love that.

'And I can't come to the home of country music

'and not pay homage to this incredibly inspiring place.

'Time for a real country classic.'

MUSIC PLAYS

# I laid a red rose

# On your front porch

# Wrote "I love you" on a note

# I rang the doorbell

# And turned to gold

# Baby, when the curtains move

# Couldn't believe the view

# I saw the light In your window tonight

# I saw two shadows Holding each other tight

# I know the truth

# When I look in your eyes

# I saw the light In your window tonight

# Why, baby, why

# Should I listen to you?

# Cry, baby, cry

# Now I'm walking out the door

# I know the truth

# When I look in your eyes

# I saw the light In your window tonight. #

'Join me next time as I continue my journey of discovery

'in Nashville, Tennessee.

'I start to look the part as I get kitted out country-style...' Howdy.

Oh, my God, I love them!

'..feel the heat as I challenge my taste buds

' with Nashville's national dish...'

Help! LAUGHS

'..and fulfil my wildest dreams

'when I step foot on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry.'

How are you doing out there? CHEERING

'I'll be a Nashville girl yet.'

# Nashville girl

# Just wait, I'm coming

# Nashville girl

# Oh, take me home

# Nashville girl

# I love you so. #