Description
If you walk into Robert’s Western World on Sunday morning and sit on one of the barstools of this iconic Nashville honky-tonk that is synonymous with Country, you won't be able to drink any alcohol and you’ll listen to Christian music.
This is "The Gospel Hour", led by The Rev. Ron Blakely and his band of family and friends.
"When I went to Robert's for the first few weeks, it was it was different. Totally different. I'm never I mean, for the gospel, it was it was different. And Jesse Lee Jones got up there one morning and said, it's not about the building, it's about why we are here. And that just stunned me. And I said, he's right. The reason we're here is because of Jesus," said Rev. Blakely.
The band has been playing a mix of Christian country and gospel music at Robert's Western World, owned by Jessie Lee Jones, for nearly two decades.
"People tell me you can feel it. I feel more this honky tonk than I do my church," said Rev. Blakely.
The all-Christian music is interrupted only when Blakely gives a brief sermon to families of all ages who sing along, clap and pray.
"It's the type of place where when you walk in, you can tell this is a place for locals. It's not shiny. It's not about modern country. It's not things that are, fabricated because it's cool. It's the actual real stuff. It's vintage," said longtime band member John McTigue III.
The band doesn't play for money McTigue says, just for the love of music and sharing a message.
"And the messages that I give are simply what I feel coming to my heart," said Rev. Blakely. "And it seems to work because the people come back. They just come visiting Nashville, and they come to this honky tonk to hear this old guy talk about the Lord and the need for him in their life."
They play for dozens of people every Sunday, who in line with nationwide trends, no longer attend church, but who love music in this musical capital of the USA.