On the heels of her country-heavy collaborative album Now & Forever: Duets and ahead of her March 8 performance with the Nashville Symphony (and special guests), superstar Rita Wilson is talking all things music and Music City.

How did your upcoming performance with the Nashville Symphony—your first-ever concert with a full orchestra—come about?

I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, and we decided that this would be the place to have our debut because of how much I love Nashville. I used a lot of the string section on my last album, Now & Forever: Duets, and I loved what they did with it. Nashville has been a second home for me. The songwriting community has been welcoming, as has the musical community. I have a whole band that’s Nashville-based, and I do the Bluebird whenever I come into town, so really this feels like coming home in a way.

What drew you to Nashville—and music—in the first place?

When I was growing up, we didn’t have genres. We had good music on the radio, so I was exposed to many genres: R&B, soul, rock, the California Sound, the Beatles and then country. What appealed to me about all those genres in every case was the storytelling. Nashville has always had incredibly strong storytelling and incredibly strong songwriters, and I was attracted to that. I immediately immerse myself in whatever the song is and whatever the story is that’s being told. And even though maybe it’s a three- or four-minute song, it’s a movie in my head. I’ve always responded to the ability of stories to be told that are so much bigger than what is encapsulated in that three minutes.

When you’re here, what are your go-to spots?

I love Bartaco in 12 South. They have the most delicious little shredded pork tacos. I love Adele’s; I love Kayne Prime. I love Fox’s Donut Den in Green Hills; I love Bobby’s Dairy Dip. And if I have to grab a bite and I don’t have a lot of time, I’m going to Popeye’s and I’m getting the spicy chicken sandwich. nashvillesymphony.org