The Town Troubador visits Nashville
GG <3 Grant-Lee Phillips
Hipster spectacles? Check.
Twelve-string acoustic? Check.
Portable microphone amp, a deliriously cool repertoire and a solid chunk of Stars Hollow cool? Check, check and most certainly check.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Stars Hollow Troubadour, Grant-Lee Phillips.
From his first appearance in season one, leaning on a lamppost as a bus delivers Rory to Dean, to his final wandering around the haybale maze in season seven, Phillips’ recurring role as ‘Grant’ saw him accompanying a number of poignant moments as a wandering musician.
He added a gloopy amber warmth and comedy to the flavour of Stars Hollow - anywhere else in the world he’d be a busker but in Stars Hollow he’s The Troubadour. With his trademark brown box amp and headgear, he resembled a one-man band crossed with a Ghostbuster - a Ghostbusker if you will.
Ahead of his show tomorrow (Weds November 5 2014) at the City Winery in Nashville, the Nashville Scene featured an interview this week, with Phillips giving some choice glimpses into his time on Gilmore Girls.
Grant It always felt like some great coup was being pulled: How on earth could this wholesome family drama find its way to welcome the likes of me? Sonic Youth? Sebastian Bach? You know, it’s just a crazy thing.
It’s hard to imagine a Stars Hollow without him…
Grant They had me lean against a lamppost and play a song and maybe next episode they had me lean up against a tree. We exhausted all of the things I could lean up against.
My favourite Troubadour moments include the five seconds of Heavenly he plays as Dean and Rory cross a street; and Lorelai barging into him mid-song (a cover of Cat Stevens’ Peace Train), the girls laden with preposterously tall rucksacks.
Rory Coming through! Heavy bags. Lorelai Out of our way Peace Boy! No offense, love the song.
My outright favourite moment is just watching him sing and groove - his hair grown out like Ben Folds - to the exquisite Lily-A-Passion from his 2004 Virginia Creeper album.
If you’re in Nashville, why not go say hi? I’m sure he won’t mind if you start whistling along.
And check out the full Nashville Scene interview here.
Do you already have tickets?
Favourite Grant-Lee moments?
Troubadour songs and highlights?
Were you a fan before Gilmore Girls? He’s got a new album coming out next year y’know.