I was listening to American Routes on NPR this morning - an excellent show, BTW, and one that always helps me learn something new.
The host interviewed John B. Sebastian, and asked him about the number Nashville Cats. He asked whether it was irony, or admiration, or poking fun at them...?
Sebastian said the song came from an evening after a gig. They had played a fairly big gig in Nashville, and headed back to the hotel. He was sitting in the bar with another band member, and this teen-age kid comes on stage and starts playing guitar. Within 10 minutes, they knew he was a better guitarist than anyone in their entire band. They were asking each other "How come we're playing the big hall, and this fantastic kid is playing the Holiday Inn bar?"
From that came the song - which Sebastian said was pure admiration for that guitarist and the musicians they heard there.
Now, here's the kicker.........
...the guitarist was a teenage Danny Gatton!
No wonder. Gatton could play rings around 99% of the guitarists out there!