As owner and manager of Nashville's nationally renowned Bluebird Cafe, Amy Kurland has witnessed -- and made -- Music City history. From hundreds of remarkable evenings, she selected the following as being most memorable:

1. The First Show in the Round, Mar. 29, 1985. Featuring Thom Schuyler, Fred Knobloch, Don Schlitz, and Paul Overstreet.

   "I remember Thom coming outside during the break and asking if he ever had to do this again. By the end of the night, he swore he would never go back to playing on-stage."

2. First Women in the Round Show, Feb. 4, 1988. Featuring Ashley Cleveland, Tricia Walker, Karen Staley, and Pam Tillis.

   "Tricia did 'I Met an Angel' and the other women put on their halos and sang angel parts."

3. Mary Chapin Carpenter's debut performance. Nov. 10, 1987.

   "The first time she played I had little faith that we would have a crowd, so I paired her up with Carlene Carter. What a split bill that was -- and it was packed."

4. Waiting for the big-name audience, July 31, 1993.

   "We had a reservation for Peter Jennings and Lauren Bacall. They didn't arrive until after midnight, and J.D. Martin, Jennifer Kimball, Tom Kimmel, and Randy Vanwarmer had to play later and later while we waited. Lauren Bacall bought a Tom Kimmel tape."

5. Jonell Mosser in perpetuity. First date: Dec. 19, 1987.

   "She is the record holder on all scores: most bar sales, most door sales, and best female friend a music-club owner could ever have."

6. Nanci Griffith as an opener. Apr. 15, 1984

   "She opened for Jim Rooney and friends. I missed that one and have regretted it ever since. She did a tour preview here a few years ago and sang 'From a Distance' with her fist to the heavens. I was impressed."

7. Mecca is born. July 1, 1984

   "First Sunday Writer's Night. Don Schlitz was the special guest. Bartender Katy's favorite Writer's Night moment since then is the first time Jon Vezner sang 'Where've You Been.' The whole room cried.

8. First appearance of unsigned Sweethearts of the Rodeo. June 1985

   "They got a record deal, and we got a mention in the New York Times."

9. Surprises from farther south. Mar. 26, 1986.

   "Carol Elliot brought a group of the best local talent from Atlanta. That group included Indigo Girls."

10. Chris Isaak causes a rain of footwear. July 29, 1989.

    "Mostly memorable because the show was sold out, and we had a desperate call from a president at Reebok. We got him in, and the whole Bluebird staff got new shoes."

11. Jim Varney. Feb. 17, 1983

    "Ernest Goes to the Bluebird"

12. Donna Summer on the Chili Shack Show. Oct. 21, 1993

    "This may be the most farfetched thing that ever happened at the Bluebird. She sang 'She Works Hard for the Chili.' I swear, she really did."