Nashville, Tennessee
When you live in Nashville, you are smack dab in the heart of Country Music! Nuthin' else ain't exactly the same as that good ol' foot-stompin' toe tappin' sound with image laden lyrics that can touch your soul and make you smile at the same time! Nashville is the self-proclaimed Country Music Capital of the world!
The Ryman was originally the Union Gospel Tabernacle, a mission built by Captain Tom Ryman for a tent preacher who saved his soul at a tent revival. From preaching to music, in 1925 when radio was still in its infancy, WSM auditioned a weekly program from the Ryman Auditorium. The first show started with a steamwhistle blown by George D. Hay, the "Solem Ole Judge". 
The broadcast featured a new sound, "old time" music of the locals, so it was sarcastically dubbed the Grand Ole Opry. The music became known as "country" simply because that is where it originated.
Banjo and fiddle acts, gospel groups and vaudeville became popular on the air, making stars of performers like the Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers, and Uncle Dave Macon. The fiddle, banjo, guitar, dulcimer, harmonica and mandolin were the main musical instruments with vocals done in single voice or close harmony. The lyrics about poverty, orphans, lost lovers, loneliness, and endless work appealed to the people living the hardships of the times.
Another variant of country music was honky-tonk made popular by Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams. Hank played a guitar in his radio debut at age thirteen, and formed his first band, Hank Williams and his Drifting Cowboys when he was fourteen. Some of his best-selling recordings were "Cold, Cold Heart," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Hey, Good Lookin'."
Mandolin playing Bill Monroe and his string band, the Blue Grass Boys, kept up the original hillbilly music. His guitarist was Lester Flatt. Earl Scruggs, his banjoist, had an unequaled three-finger picking style that fascinated listeners. Their music came to be known as bluegrass from the band's name.
Western swing music evolved with a strong dance rhythm on steel and amplified guitars. Later came the "outlaw" country music with Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
Roy Acuff, named the King of Country Music and famous for "WABASH CANNONBALL", co-founded Nashville's first music publishing house, Acuff-Rose with Fred Rose, a song writer. Nashville is now the center for publishing, recording, and broadcasting. There are many studios of various record labels, including historic operational RCA Studio B where Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley recorded some of their big hits.
Some of the more notable entertainers that have recorded their songs in Nashville are Tex Ritter, Johnny Cash, Eddie Arnold, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Chet Atkins, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, George Jones, Reba McEntire, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams Jr. and Lyle Lovett.
"Hee Haw", started as a special, then a summer replacement and ended up being a long-running television series from 1969 to 1992. The show, hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark, was taped live in Nashville starring Grandpa Jones and Junior Samples. It was a comedy tribute to country music. Remember the hay bales, hillbilly costumes, gags, and animated kicking donkey laughs? A spin-off syndicated sitcom was "The Hee Haw Honeys" set in a Nashville restaurant and featuring drop-in muscians as guest stars. It only lasted one season, but one of the Honeys was Kathie Lee Gifford, who now chats every morning with Regis.
The nearest "Hee Haw" country humor available these days might be comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, who starts his act with "You know you're a redneck if...."
In 1983, Country Music aired on it's own national cable television network, TNN (Tennessee Nashville Network) with emcee, Ralph Emery. TNN offers live or taped performances of the Opry and its many star performers, Statler Brothers series, Willie Nelson's Farm Aid concerts, country dancing, outdoor sports, motorsports events, cooking and crafts. "Nashville Now" is one of the prime-time centerpieces. The annual TNN Music City News Country Awards Show is the only country awards that gives fans the pleasure of voting via toll telephone or fan magazine.
After over thirty years of live stage performances, the Grand Ol Opry moved to the suburbs of Donelson in 1974. President Richard Nixon officiated on stage at the opening ceremonies. The old Ryman Auditorium was rebuilt in 1993 as a showplace and shrine to all the talent that graced its stage.
A new $37 million Country Music Hall of Fame is under construction to replace the old out-grown crowded building at 4 Music Square East. From Stars to Guitars, interactive exhibits, old film clips, costumes, original song manuscripts, the guitar Garth smashed onstage, Alan Jackson's "Chattahoochee" water-ski, Travis Tritt's 20-foot-long guitar, and other mementos will be transferred to the new location.
The Country Music Wax Museum features lifelike figures of more than 60 country favorite stars in the entertainer's original clothing with additional displays of memorabilia, stage costumes, and musical instruments. More than 250 performers have added their signatures, footprints and handprints in concrete to the Sidewalk of the Stars. 2515 McGavock Pike
The Music Valley Car Museum has antique vehicles, street rods and special interest cars, many owned by music stars. This collection includes George Jone's 1981 DeLorean, Elvis's "solid" gold 1960 cadillac, Webb Pierce's silver dollar studded convertible, Louise Mandrell's Rolls Royce, Barbara Mandrell's Rolls Royce, Marty Robbins Limo and Dolly's Cadillac. Shotgun Red's Collection of knives, shotmobile, airplain, player piano is also located in the Car Museum. 2611 McGavock Pike
The Grand Ole Opry Museum pays tribute to Opry stars with exhibits honoring the legendary Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Hank Snow, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones and Jim Reeves. Displays feature special audio and video electronic effects and interactive devices. You can browse through exhibits of current artists, including Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire. The Roy Acuff Museum features musical instruments photos, memorabilia and gifts from his fans which, chronicle the life of the "King of Country Music" The Minnie Pearl Museum displays personal items, costumes, photos and scenes from the life of the country comedienne with her price tag hat. Willie Nelson & Friends Museum honors Patsy Cline, Elvis with J.D. Sumner, Alan Jackson and others, along with Willie's personal items, gold & platinum albums and guitars.
The Hank Williams Jr. Museum chronicals the lives and careers of both father and son with cadillacs, costumes, guitars, guns, and unpublished photos. Two videos tell the stories of these two country music greats. Located in an 1794 plantation house, Jim Reeves museum showcases Jim's gold records and awards, costumes, guitars, photos, his touring bus, his 1960 Cadillac El Dorado and other personal treasures.
Thousands of fans visit our city every year for Fan Fair (June 12, 2000) to meet and greet celebrities at the fairgrounds. Along with shows, autograph sessions and a big barbeque, there is the Grand Masters Fiddling Championship. Dozens of organized sightseeing tours available to view the homes and hangouts of country music stars, but my personal recommendation is for the "NASH TRASH" trip hosted by the Jugg Sisters.
With downtown Nashville being "revitalized and renovated", outdoor concerts and happenings at Nashville River Stages downtown have drawn a lot of interest and crowds. On Thursday nights during the summer months, a newer tradition of "Dancin' in the District" is informal, fun and free.
If you enter downtown Nashville along First Avenue which runs along side the Cumberland River and Riverfront Park. HardRock Cafe sits on the corner of Broadway with a huge 140 foot mural of a guitar painted on the building. A new Planet Hollywood with its rotating globe, Nascar Cafe, and famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge are all within eyeshot on lower Broadway. Since 1879, Hatch Show Print has been making posters and handbills by letterpress printing with hand-carved wooden blocks. Ernest Tubb's Record Shop stocks many hard-to-find country albums. There are some honky tonk dive bars with music playing night and day, and it would not be unusual to see a want-to-be star on any street corner singing and strumming for tips. Printer's Alley, the strip of tourist night clubs, is just a few blocks away, running from Church Street to Union.
As you might suspect, two giants in the musical instrument business have stores downtown. Nashville-based Gibson hosts an exhibit which includes the oldest Gibson guitar (hand built by Orville Gibson in 1894) and other beautiful custum-made instruments played by famous musical artists. Gruhn's Guitar claims to have the world's premier collection of vintage guitars.
During the second weekend of July, "Uncle Dave Macon Days" is celebrated in Murfreesboro with the National Championships in Old Time Banjo Pickin', Clogging and Buckdancing. 
Two-stepping might be more your style, but most people who love country music like to kick up their heels a bit to a catchy tune. Wildhorse Saloon with its hardwood floors is great for bootscootin' boogeyin'. Western dancing is broadcast live every weekend at TNN's "Line Dance Party". Denim & Diamonds or Southfork are also great places for cowboys and cowgirls into western style dancing.
Most any type of music from Appalachian, Dixieland, classical, jazz, disco, blues, country, ballads, christian, cowboy, rock, gospel, rap, and alternative can be found in Nashville. Tennessee is a state drenched in music. The three Music Heritage Trails include an impressive long list of sights and attractions arranged by geographical areas, west, middle and east.
I love Nashville Country Music ... but Shhhhhh! I like a lot of *OLDIES* too! Although there are many country radio stations, I mostly favor radio WSM 95.5 FM, which gives away lots of free "listener appreciation" tickets to local concerts. I enjoy going to Starwood, recently renamed "Amsouth Amphitheatre" where general admission fans take blankets to sit (or lay) on the spacious well-kept lawn of grass surrounding the stage. From atop this hill, spectators get a clear view of the stage. The relaxed night time atmosphere encourage a festive air with people cheering, clapping and even joining in to sing. Now there's some irreplaceable memories but I don't think I am gonna go there on a web page! (grin)
Tim McGraw summed up my sentiments towards music with his immortal " I Like It! I Love It! I Want Some More Of It! " Like Charlie Daniels who performed at President Jimmy Carter's 1977 Inauguration, I believe ... " it is great to be alive and in Tennessee! "
SOME OF MY FAVORITE MUSIC ARTISTS:
NASHVILLE
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