The Mulehouse’ Blair Garner Is Embracing a New Role As Venue Owner
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2020 October 19 CountryInsider.com | Sign Up For Daily Email Here Blair Garner Readies Live Music Venue ‘The Mulehouse’ Blair Garner is embracing a new role as venue owner. For the past two years, the Country Radio Hall of Famer has invested in and built a state-of-the-art entertainment and event space called The Mulehouse. Located in Columbia, TN, the venue will serve as home to Garner’s artist interviews as well as be a place where artists can perform, labels can showcase new acts and country fans can come and take it all in. “Somebody asked me what my favorite thing was about my job — the answer came quickly, and it’s interviews because I am, by nature, a very curious person,” Garner tells Country Insider (Continued on page 5) COUNTRY INSIDER TOP 5: How Do You Decide How To Vote For CMA’s Entertainer Of The Year When Nobody’s Touring? Reba McEntire Will Star In “Fried Green Tomatoes” Series For NBC With Norman Lear Exec-Producing. The Wait Is Almost Over. 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Meanwhile, Chris Stapleton (Mercury Nashville) jumps 20*-18* with “Starting Over” at +313/+933. Rascal Flatts (Big Machine) crack the top 20 with “How They Remember You,” climbing 22*-20* at +203/+540. CountryInsider.com/Newsletters OCTOBER 19, 2020 | 3 Blair Garner...‘The Mulehouse’ (Continued from page 1) “While I love to do that very much, the interview portion of each show to a combination commercial radio isn’t necessarily the right place to do of “Austin City Limits” and “Inside the Actors Studio.” the 45-minute uninterrupted interview.” “Our intent is for it to be a memorable experience for When another person everybody involved [and] when folks come to see a show suggested Garner here that they’ll leave conduct these interviews here feeling like they on stage so others could know who the artists witness the conversation are.” firsthand and be part of The Mulehouse is it, he took the idea and scheduled to finish ran with it. Garner then construction in March found and redeveloped 2021 with events a 55,000-square-foot expected as early as historic church and April 1. Garner says the its property. While venue plans to adhere COVID-19 has presented to Centers for Disease its challenges, Garner Control and Prevention says the need for guidelines and also take livestreaming events in Rendering of The Mulehouse, Columbia TN temperature checks. His the midst of the pandemic team is considering installing has helped him to pivot the initial concept of his venue. an air filtration system to aid in the elimination of A week before The Mulehouse completed its interior, the airborne bacteria. team changed its goal of creating a 500-capacity venue “First and foremost, we need to be a safe environment and refocused on becoming one of the first venues in for the artists and a safe environment for our guests,” he America primarily designed for livestreaming events. says. “Our mission statement is to elevate what an artist Instead of affixing 500 seats to the floor, there will be a can expect from a venue and the same for the guests … smaller theater on another level the experience that they will have within the walls of The that will serve as a live space. As Mulehouse is something not often seen elsewhere.” a result, the venue will be able to integrate the live audience and The Mulehouse has tried to take a touring act’s every virtual audience worldwide with need into consideration. From thinking of the bus driver the artists on the stage. to the crew and artist, Garner says they are sparing no “We really want to set ourselves expense at making certain everyone feels appreciated apart,” says GM Michael and have even compiled a wish list from artists Oppenheimer, who has known and managers. In addition to a private suite for the Mulehouse GM and worked with Garner over performer complete with a kitchen, washer and dryer Michael Oppenheimer the past 30 years and likens and shower, (Continued on page 6) CountryInsider.com/Newsletters OCTOBER 19, 2020 | 5 Blair Garner’s Mulehouse (Continued from page 5) the venue will also house a full- service studio for artists to take part in radio and media interviews. Whether Garner will use it for a future radio show of his own remains to be seen. “I will never count out radio,” says the former “After Midnite” and “America’s Morning Show” host. “Radio is what put me where I am and I’m forever grateful for all that it has done for me. Till the day I die, I will be a disc jockey. “But right now it’s about getting the walls up … I would Blair Garner with son Braxton, daughter Ava, and love it if we were able to ultimately be the gold standard husband Eric, in front of the Mulehouse wagon, in by which others are judged. That begins with us holding Columbia TN. ourselves to an elevated level from the outset.” While distribution, strategic partners, artist interviews As Garner begins his second act, he and performances will be announced at a later date, encourages others displaced in radio those wanting a glimpse of the venue can view Garner’s due to COVID-19 to embrace new 10-part digital mini-series “From Dream to Reality: The opportunities. “If your life has been Making of the Mulehouse.” The venue plans on several disrupted make certain that you upcoming series too, including a singer-songwriter night feel it, but then quickly start making hosted by Victoria Shaw. your plan because there is always opportunity,” he says. “I look forward “We’re very excited and eagerly anticipating our first to seeing how those who have been displaced will find show in the spring,” Oppenheimer says. “We’re confident themselves, reinventing their world in a much more that when April comes rolling around, 500 people will enriching and rewarding way.” very safely be able to see a show here and have the time of their lives.” 6 | OCTOBER 19, 2020 CountryInsider.com/Newsletters “97.5 WAMZ” Louisville. He’ll do Sheila Silverstein recently joined RADIO that while remaining in Huntsville, WZBB after serving as assistant Mark Krieschen, VP and general where he’ll continue as morning GM of Harvester manager of Cox Media Group co-host. Performance Houston, will retire effective Oct. Center in nearby 23. Under his Turner Media Group country Rocky Mount, VA. leadership, the “B99.9” WZBB Stanleytown, VA Silverstein also CMG Houston hires country radio veteran spent 20 years cluster — Robynn Jaymes as the marketing including for middays. director for iHeartMedia “93.1 country “The Jaymes most WPOC” Baltimore. New 93Q” recently served KKBQ and as MD and Country Radio Broadcasters classic country on-air host at board officer John Shomby is “Country Mel Wheeler launching a new venture where Legends country WSLC-FM he will mentor artists, on-air talent 97.1” KTHT — has won multiple Roanoke (94.9). and program accolades and top honors, She came off air in 2016 as she directors. Early including Marconi Awards, CMA battled pancreatic cancer. Her clients of the and ACM awards and recognition addition to the lineup bumps former PD of from the Texas Association of Gene Allen to afternoons, while Cumulus Media Broadcasters. Prior to joining the PD Craig Richards moves from PM “Nash FM 103.3” group in 2005, Krieschen held to AM, joining Dan Taylor. WKDF Nashville various positions at WGN Chicago. (now “103.3. Former Rubber City Radio “FM Country”) and Brent “Dingo” Crank is returning 94.9 WQMX” Akron, OH PD Ken director of programming for to the air in Louisville, but he’s Steel has taken a job with a Ford Cumulus’ NASH Network include not actually dealer in the United Stations’ Backstage returning to Akron area.