'Book Nerd' finds love at Parnassus

For his latest album, "Thousand Springs," folk singer Korby Lenker eschewed the studio entirely. Instead, he recorded songs at places that were important to him, ranging from his undertaker father’s mortuary to one of his favorite Nashville haunts: Parnassus Books.

“Book Nerd,” the catchy folk-pop tune he recorded at Parnassus, references "To Kill a Mockingbird," James Joyce, Leo Tolstoy and Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." The song is about “a girl I’ve imagined but never met. … The one who would rather read novels than go to a party. The one who never goes anywhere without a paperback in her purse,” Lenker told The Tennessean in July. 

Lenker also filmed the "Book Nerd" music video at Parnassus. In the video, drummer Percy Bell and accordion player Sarah Holbrook of the band SHEL make a connection over Lenker's short story collection "Medium Hero." 

On Saturday, Lenker will record a live album, called "Korby by Himself Mostly," at the Basement. 

He decided to make a solo live album after realizing that, out of the 107 gigs he played in 2017, all but four were solo. Said Lenker in an email: "I realize I've spent 10 years and 10,000 hours slowly turning the dude-with-a-guitar thing into an Actual Show via variety, stories (and) occasional idiocy. ... I'm proud to announce I've finally become myself." 

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In between songs, Lenker will share stories of his songs and various misadventures, from getting deported from the U.K. after spending a night in jail to purposely grabbing an electric fence. 

While the bulk of the show will be Lenker solo, there also will be a few surprise musical guests, he added. "I mean, it's Nashville."

If you go 

What: Korby Lenker By Himself Mostly

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Basement (1604 Eighth Ave. S.)

Tickets: $6 in advance, $8 the day of the show

Info: thebasementnashville.com