Birdie Smith
Birdie Lee Smith (December 14, 1931 – March 3, 2014) was a bluegrass multi-instrumentalist, singer, and business owner born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. She was a co-founder and co-owner of the Station Inn. In 1974, Smith and her husband, Bob "Red" Smith (d. 2004), established the venue alongside five other musicians and singers: Jim Bornstein, Bob and Ingrid Fowler, and Marty and Charmaine Lanham. Originally situated near Nashville’s Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University, the venue operated as a cooperative clubhouse and coffeehouse-style space. Her role in establishing the venue was formally recognized by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum through her inclusion in archival documentation and the 2021 historical exhibition, The Station Inn: Bluegrass Beacon.
In the newsletter
- No. 30 August 2002