"Now you take that Charley Pride, there is one scared nigger if you ask me," the cabbie said on the ride in from the airport. "He's afraid to appear in public around here. Half the men in town want to shoot him."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Well shit, he's got white women all over throwin" themselves at his feet. But ole Charley, he's a good nigger, he's got a wife and he don't mess around."

Welcome to Nashville, and welcome to the Grand Ole Opry's 47th birthday party, a five day melange of free booze, aggressive promoters, fine music, southern hookers and thousands of freespending, drunk disc jockeys.