There ain't no place like

Birmingham

I recently went to Birmingham, Alabama to help my kid change apartments. 

I was born and raised in Birmingham. I left when I was 21 for Austin, Texas's cooler (and hotter) environs. 

Birmingham was always a strange place for me. It always seemed like it didn't fit. I was genuinely surprised when my child decided to go to college there, though I must admit I was grateful my family would be so close. 

What I’ve found strange lately is that young people keep saying that Birmingham is “really cool.” Seriously, it’s happened in conversations I’ve had in D.C., Texas, and Las Vegas. 

I was home last year for a wedding, and my brother and sister-in-law took me out on the town. Honestly, we visited some fantastic bars and restaurants. But of course, we're in our 50s, and we all know how uncool Birmingham has been in the past. So high-end cuisine and specialty cocktails definitely seem upscale for that town. 

But I struggle to comprehend how three people in their 20s have raved about Birmingham in the last two months. 

At Americanafest 2022 in Nashville, I was drawn to an artist called Early James. I saw him and his band twice. I didn't learn until much later that they are based in — you guessed it — Birmingham. You should seriously check him out, by the way. 

I guess all this is just to say that I'm glad my hometown has become cool. I'm looking forward to being just four hours away.

Also, Jeff Tweedy was there at the same time. He posted a cover of the Randy Newman song, “Birmingham.” It warmed my heart.