When Winter Storm Fern hit Nashville late last month, more than 230,000 Nashville Electric Service customers lost power. For some, the outages, caused by a heavy buildup of ice on power lines and soon-to-fall trees, lasted nearly two weeks, all while temperatures dropped into the single digits.

The weather had some obvious consequences throughout Nashville’s music community. Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart canceled his tour after he slipped on the ice and fractured his wrist, leaving him unable to play guitar or mandolin. And many music venues, particularly those off Broadway (downtown Nashville has buried power lines and fewer trees, and, in general, experienced less damage than neighborhoods), lost power and had to close. But much of the anxiety and the lasting setbacks weren’t immediately obvious until the ice began to melt. Looking back now, many musicians say the effects from Fern will be felt for months, if not longer. Read article