To me, Marty Stuart is the hottest guy in country music. (For the record, his wife, Connie Smith, agrees with me. She told me that when I met them both at the Eddie Stubbs Intimate Evening radio show taping.) I think so not only because he looks fine. He is also an artist of integrity with superb musicianship who has proactively done so much to further the cause of traditional country music and be an encouragement to those who have paved the way. That should hopefully make him an eventual shoo-in for the Country Music Hall of Fame.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a taping of The Marty Stuart Show at NorthStar Studios. My understanding was it started in the morning, so I arrived, was instructed where to park and told to walk to some path where I would see people waiting to get in. All I could spot was the two front doors. I went in, gave my name to the front desk person, was told to go through and went looking for some direction. I saw Marty out in the hallway looking like he was headed for the studio but I didn't think it would be all that cool to follow him or even ask "hey, do you know where the studio is?" Eventually someone found me wandering about and began to help me find where I was supposed to be to wait with the others. But the person at the front desk said my contact had me set up to go straight into the studio. I felt like a VIP! I didn't even have a clue going in...I was just winging it, this all being firmed up for me just earlier that morning! (I found out later on that even the beautiful young lady helping us out with audience applause was clued in advance to who I was!)

I found the studio and went in. There were only a handful of others in the audience seats. I got a seat right in front and watched guest John Anderson, banjo player Leroy Troy, Eddie Stubbs and Marty and the Fabulous Superlatives. It seemed as though they were taping in segments. After a while they called a 15-minute break and so, still puzzled by the small turnout, I started to go in search of the ladies room. At that point came an influx of people through the doors. At that point I realized it was a rehearsal I was sitting in on! Duh! The nice people sitting around me did not sell my front row seat for $100 as they hoped to and saved it for me as I headed for the restroom. Then the real taping began and it was great fun.

After a lunch break, we lined up for the second taping. Unfortunately, none of us made it in for that rehearsal, but that was okay...I had a conversation with a lovely lady who works backstage hospitality for the Opry while waiting. The second taping had the Old Crow Medicine Show as the guests. The highlight of this show was a cool number led by Superlative guitarist "Cousin" Kenny Vaughan with everyone getting in on the act.

"The Marty Stuart Show" follows a parallel format to the Porter Wagoner shows of the 60s and 70s. Marty and the band start off the show, followed by a guest. As Porter had Dolly Parton as the regular female singer, here it is none other than Connie Smith. Comic relief is provided by old time banjo player Leroy Troy of Goodlettsville (recall that Speck Rhodes did so for Porter). Also like Porter's show, a gospel number follows...the ones Marty and the Fabulous Superlatives taped for these two shows were awesome. WSM's beloved Eddie Stubbs is the show announcer. All of Eddie's fans will be delighted that he gets much "face time," and we even get to hear him jam on fiddle with the Old Crow Medicine Show.

There were some very nice people on the crew helping us with warmup and encouraging us to be enthusiastic and all while instructing us with various applause sound levels (similar to a couple of the Gaither Homecoming video tapings I've attended).

I hated to have it all come to an end...what a great experience. The show begins airing on November 1 with a regular Saturday evening half hour time slot of 7 p.m. Central time on RFD-TV. Here's a clip to hold you until then.

After these last few days, how can I tell you how much I love this town?

By Wendy V