On Broadway - Mitchell Tenpenny and Grandma's Macaroni
On Broadway is a bi-monthly web series that delves into the food memories of the talented musicians of Broadway in downtown Nashville. Every other week, we’ll pair those memories with a relevant recipe and information on how to listen to each musician’s material. Our aim is to connect the passion of food to the passion of music—two mediums that evoke instant reactions and memories and remind us of the incredible people that pour their heart out every day to make their living in our backyard.
If you’ve been in Nashville long enough, you’ve probably heard of the term ‘unicorn’. It refers to the rare person who is not a Nashville transplant; one who was actually born and raised here. Rising country music superstar Mitchell Tenpenny is one such unicorn.
Growing up in music city and, by proximity to his grandmother, Donna Hilley (president and CEO of Sony/ ATV Nashville), on music row itself, Mitchell has been basted in country music since birth. By the time he picked up a guitar at age 13, he was on a steady diet of music and his grandma’s cooking. Mitchell recalls that the most filling dish for both his heart and stomach was her macaroni and cheese. “[It had] Ritz crackers on it. It’s hard to explain, but that flavor brings me back to their table, eating as a kid- just all of us sitting around this way too small table for too big of a family- everyone just destroying that macaroni. It was a staple.”
Mitchell attended Lipscomb Academy and enjoyed playing on their football team. Once he graduated and enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, the plan was to continue playing ball. But when do life plans ever go, well, according to plan? It wasn’t long before his first love – music – completely stole his attention. Mitchell graduated with a degree in Music Business and a fire inside him no one could put out.
His first album right out of the gate, 2015’s Black Crow, featured cameos from a handful of bigger names in the industry and his 2017 EP Linden Ave reached number 6 on the Billboard “Heatseekers” chart. While it took a few years for his voice to reach the spotlight, his talent for songwriting didn’t take a back seat for long. As a co-writer on Granger Smith’s hit single If The Boot Fits, Mitchell found himself in a position to release his first studio album to the masses. Telling All My Secrets debuted at the end of 2018, launching Mitchell onto the radios and playlists of country fans all across the nation.
The first time I heard “Drunk Me” on the radio, I marveled at the beautiful and unique quality to his voice so hard that I had to pull over to google his name. The first time Mitchell heard it on the radio, he just thought he left his CD in the player. After countless attempts to eject the phantom disc proved ineffective, his jaw dropped. And it became a moment in Mitchell’s life that will be burned on his brain forever.
Mitchell just wrapped up his 3rd CMA Fest performance with a first- a set on the Chevy Riverfront Stage. “It was amazing,” he says with a smile expanding across his face. “I thought the rain would hold everybody out, but everyone showed up. Country fans are the best and they get rowdy. It was good.” Though he probably wrapped things up with his traditional “after show pepperoni pizza” (and, to be honest, a shot of tequila), while he’s in town he makes sure to save room for a really good meal. “There’s a new place [in Germantown] called Saint Stephan. RJ is the chef and a good buddy [of mine]. But I’m not just biased, it’s incredible food!” (Having experienced it first-hand- he’s absolutely right. The food from James Beard Award winner RJ Cooper is fantastic.) That statement, though, shows a lot about Mitchell’s character. He’s a genuine guy that always makes time for his friends and his fans. Each time I’ve met or run into him, he’s always been the same- warm and smiling.
While we don’t have Grandma Hilley’s recipe for mac and cheese (Hey Mitchell- you wanna get that for us??), we do happen to have the recipe from another local favorite: Hattie B’s. Cue up Mitchell Tenpenney’s album (or, appropriately, his cover of “Just To See You Smile”) on Spotify or Apple Music, whip up a batch of his favorite comfort food, and dig in. What the heck- throw some Ritz Crackers on top.
