- Hidden deep beneath the Cumberland Mountains in Grundy County, Tennessee, lies one of the world's most magical, musical adventures.

The Caverns Sessions, 3 million years in the making, pure acoustics, offer music from the heart of the American experience.

Center stage and deep inside the mountain.

Welcoming, Adia Victoria.

♪ ...and the mountains somehow move... ♪ - It's deep down musical diversity, at the Caverns Sessions, coming up next.

(applause and cheering) (somber acoustic music) ♪ My baby woke me on Christmas day ♪ ♪ He said it's time for me to go my way ♪ ♪ I asked him why you wanna say that for ♪ ♪ He just packed my bag and put me out the door ♪ ♪ And now the snow is falling through the pine ♪ ♪ You used to tell me that your home was mine ♪ ♪ At first I was sad, and then I was blue ♪ ♪ And now I'm so mad I don't know what I might do ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ ♪ It wasn't long until I heard it said ♪ ♪ You got another woman in your bed ♪ ♪ And now I'm hearing voices in my head ♪ ♪ A flash of lightning, I am seeing red ♪ ♪ And now you've gone and broke my heart in two ♪ ♪ You got me in a black screaming mood ♪ ♪ I got it in me to burst into flame ♪ ♪ Let the whole world burn, let the ashes rain ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ (slow tempo music) (slow tempo music) ♪ And after all the pain you put me through ♪ ♪ You better hope that I don't catch up with you ♪ ♪ And if you see my shadow through the pine ♪ ♪ Babe, it's too late ♪ ♪ Why, it's killing time ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ ♪ You made me a mean-hearted woman... ♪ (slow tempo music) (applause and cheering) - Thank you.

(applause) - It wasn't all moonlight and magnolias where I grew up in South Carolina.

Sometimes, some kids, they just couldn't get the God thing right.

And they told these kids that they just did not belong.

And this next song is about a young girl who try as she might, being a preacher's daughter, she just can't seem to find her way to belong.

It's called "Whole World Knows."

(up tempo music) ♪ On a Sunday afternoon ♪ ♪ While her daddy shouts that good news ♪ ♪ Under the steeple ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ She's late in his doville ♪ ♪ Watching her blood rise as it fills ♪ ♪ Up that needle... ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ Hell and heaven in her arm ♪ ♪ Got her mother spinning yarn ♪ ♪ To all God's people ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ And as quiet as she's kept ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody been fooled yet ♪ ♪ The whole world knows ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ From the time that she was three ♪ ♪ Most anyone could see ♪ ♪ The girl was trouble ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ And to her family's dismay ♪ ♪ Where they lead her, she would stray ♪ ♪ And she would struggle ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ She showed up strung out and serene ♪ ♪ At her surprise Sweet Sixteen ♪ ♪ Not even humble ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ Took a bite right out the cake ♪ ♪ And didn't say a word of grace ♪ ♪ The whole world knows ♪ (up tempo music) (up tempo music) (up tempo music) (up tempo music) ♪ The whole world knows ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ You know secrets that exist ♪ ♪ In a town as small as this ♪ ♪ No need denying ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ 'Cause she was never gonna be ♪ ♪ The kind of girl her mother'd need ♪ ♪ To keep from crying ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ So she don't bother going far ♪ ♪ That's why she's in her daddy's car ♪ ♪ Basically worth dying ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ So let the church folks say "Amen" ♪ ♪ Act surprised by the end ♪ ♪ When the whole world knows ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ Don't act surprised by the end ♪ ♪ Just let me rest and say "Amen" ♪ ♪ The whole world knows... ♪ (audience cheering) (soft instrumental music) - This is a song that I wrote, one of the first songs that I wrote about my 20s, about not knowing where I belonged or where I was going, and I turned that feeling into a song.

It's called "Sea of Sand."

(upbeat acoustic music) ♪ Here's a song for Atlanta ♪ ♪ And North and South Dakota too ♪ ♪ Here's a song for Wyoming ♪ ♪ And all the pretty places I ain't been to ♪ ♪ Here's a song for Montana ♪ ♪ My sweetheart sweating in the night ♪ ♪ Here's a song for my mama ♪ ♪ That salt-licking lady on my mind ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ Here's a song for the landlord ♪ ♪ I am sorry for the holes in the walls ♪ ♪ Here's a song for my friends ♪ ♪ I hate every single one of y'all ♪ ♪ Here's a song for Campobello, y'all ♪ ♪ That river ate my patent leather shoes ♪ ♪ Here's a song for my Gram and Grandpa ♪ ♪ Old Billy with the blind man blues ♪ ♪ Oh... Oh... Ohhh... ♪ ♪ Oh... Oh... Ohhh... ♪ ♪ Here's a song for Arizona ♪ ♪ Damn desert nearly done me in ♪ ♪ You could drown in the ocean ♪ ♪ Or you could sink in a sea of sand ♪ ♪ I am sinking in a sea of sand ♪ ♪ I sank in a sea of sand ♪ ♪ Here's a song for Campobello, y'all ♪ ♪ That river ate my patent leather shoes ♪ ♪ Here's a song for my Gram and Grandpa ♪ ♪ Old Billy with the blind man blues ♪ ♪ Old Billy with the blind man blues ♪ ♪ Old Billy with the blind man blues ♪ ♪ Oh... oh... ohhh... Oh... oh... ohhh... ♪ ♪ Oh... oh... ohhh... Oh... oh... ohhh... ♪ (gentle acoustic music) (gentle acoustic music) ♪ If I was a bird I'd fly away ♪ ♪ But I ain't no bird so I gotta stay ♪ ♪ He clipped my wings and he held me down ♪ ♪ And then he shoved my face into the ground ♪ ♪ I'm in the ground ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ If I was an angel I'd be sweet ♪ ♪ But I ain't holy, honey, that ain't me ♪ ♪ I ain't nothing but a no good small town girl ♪ ♪ Hell bent on ruling the world ♪ ♪ I think I'll rule the world ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I'm gonna rule the world ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I'm gonna rule the world ♪ ♪ I'm gonna rule the world ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I'm gonna rule the world ♪ (soft music) ♪ I'm gonna rule the world ♪ (soft music) ♪ I'm gonna rule the world ♪ (soft music) (audience applause) Thank you.

(audience applause) (soft music) - If some blues are a eulogy, some blues are a prayer.

And this song is a conversation that I had between God and myself laying on my big brother's living room floor.

It's called, "Troubled Mind."

♪ Been troubled by much, Lord ♪ ♪ The devil and such, Lord ♪ ♪ I made some mistakes, Lord ♪ ♪ I got junk in my veins, Lord ♪ ♪ These times are strange, Lord ♪ ♪ Like nothing before, Lord ♪ ♪ That's why I stay praying, Lord ♪ ♪ So dark was the night, Lord ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind all the time ♪ ♪ Troubled mind... ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind all the time ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind... ♪ ♪ I'm running on grace, Lord ♪ ♪ It's mysterious ways, Lord ♪ ♪ I wanna behave, Lord ♪ ♪ But I've been led stray, Lord ♪ ♪ I don't know where I've been, Lord ♪ ♪ Or the woman I am, Lord ♪ ♪ I've been in that gin, Lord ♪ ♪ I've been in my sin, Lord ♪ ♪ Troubled mind... ♪ ♪ Troubled mind all the time ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind all the time ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ You know what they say, Lord ♪ ♪ That just before day, Lord ♪ ♪ Is the darkest of night, Lord ♪ ♪ Like nothing in sight, Lord ♪ ♪ I wanna be good, Lord ♪ ♪ And do as I should, Lord ♪ ♪ Free me from myself, Lord ♪ ♪ I don't wanna hurt no more ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind all the time ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ Troubled mind all the time ♪ ♪ Troubled mind ♪ ♪ I got a troubled mind... ♪ (upbeat music) Let the church say, "Amen."

(upbeat music) (audience applause) (audience applause) My name is Adia Victoria.

I almost forgot to tell you that.

It's been in honor and delight to be with y'all tonight.

(audience applause) They say that southerners, we love to tell about ourselves, we love to tell stories, and I guess that's because not many people understand what it means to be from the south.

And I wanted to write this song, following the passing of Representative John Lewis, who told young folks to get into good trouble.

And that just means telling your story, speaking the power, to tell the truth about the south.

This song is called, "South Gotta Change."

(soft acoustic music) (soft acoustic music) ♪ You've been running from the ghost ♪ ♪ You keep hidden in your past ♪ ♪ The veil before your face is falling ♪ ♪ It's falling fast ♪ ♪ I won't go blindly in the night ♪ ♪ I'll drag you to the light ♪ ♪ I stood up to the mountain ♪ ♪ Told the mountain, "Say my name" ♪ ♪ And if you're tired of walking ♪ ♪ Let the children lead the way ♪ ♪ 'Cause I love you ♪ ♪ I won't leave you ♪ ♪ Won't let you slip away ♪ ♪ Come what may ♪ ♪ We're gonna find a way ♪ ♪ The South gotta change ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ It's gotta change ♪ (up tempo music) ♪ You've told a lie for so long ♪ ♪ You're a stranger to yourself ♪ ♪ You're all dressed up in make-believe ♪ ♪ To be somebody else ♪ ♪ So listen closely when I sing ♪ ♪ The truth will set you free ♪ ♪ I stood up to the mountain ♪ ♪ Told the mountain, "Say my name" ♪ ♪ And if you're tired of walking ♪ ♪ Let the children lead the way ♪ ♪ 'Cause I love you ♪ ♪ I won't leave you ♪ ♪ Won't let you slip away ♪ ♪ Come what may ♪ ♪ We're gonna find a way ♪ ♪ The South gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ (up tempo music) (up tempo music) (up tempo music) ♪ Change... ♪ ♪ Change... ♪ (up tempo music) (soft music) ♪ It ain't no clean way to make up ♪ ♪ Man would squarely hear this pain ♪ ♪ We still fall in power ♪ ♪ Let him hide from what he is ashamed ♪ ♪ But your walls are falling down ♪ ♪ So you gotta face me now ♪ ♪ I stood up to the mountain ♪ ♪ Told the mountain, "Say my name" ♪ ♪ And if you're tired of walking ♪ ♪ Let the children lead the way ♪ ♪ 'Cause I love you ♪ ♪ I won't leave you ♪ ♪ Won't let you slip away ♪ ♪ Come what may ♪ ♪ We're gonna find a way ♪ ♪ I stood up to the mountain ♪ ♪ Told the mountain, "Say my name" ♪ ♪ And if you're tired of walking ♪ ♪ Let the children lead the way ♪ ♪ 'cause I love you ♪ ♪ I won't leave you ♪ ♪ Won't let you slip away ♪ ♪ Come what may ♪ ♪ We're gonna find a way ♪ ♪ The South gotta change... ♪ ♪ Change... ♪ ♪ The South gotta change... ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ Gotta change ♪ ♪ The South gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change... ♪ Thank y'all so much.

My name's Adia Victoria.

Y'all have a good night.

(applause and cheering) (applause and cheering) ♪ ♪ ♪