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Nashville: More than Glamour and Glitz By Thomas R. & Deborah A. Fletcher
Music fans flock to Nashville to get closer to the stars of country music. That’s easier to do than some folks may realize. There are a number of events throughout the year that make it happen. There’s Fan Fare, the world’s largest country music festival, held every June. Fans get to meet the stars, get autographs, and hear more than forty hours of live performances. Another event is Tin Pan South, the annual celebration of songwriters and their craft. Probably most well known is the Grand Ole Opry, with live performances every Friday and Saturday night.
There are some attractions music fans wouldn’t want to miss. The
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Ryman
Auditorium, and the Grand Ole Opry
top the list. The Ryman Auditorium,
known as the "Mother Church of Country Music," is a National Historic
Landmark. It got its start as a church in 1892. After conversion in a tent
revival meeting, Nashville businessman Thomas Ryman decided the Reverend Sam
Jones needed a better place to preach than a tent. He built the structure to
serve that purpose. Called the Union Gospel Tabernacle, the church later became
known as the Ryman Auditorium. The structure was made famous as the home of the Grand
Ole Opry from 1943-1974. The Ryman has been called "the Carnegie Hall
of the South," as result of her wonderful acoustic qualities. After the Grand
Ole Opry The
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is located in a new
downtown $37 million, 130,000-square-foot facility with of three floors of
exhibit space, theaters, store, restaurant and the 5,300-square-foot Hall of
Fame Rotunda. The RCA’s Historic Studio B on Music Row is another must see. Built in 1957, Studio B is Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio, having earned its right in history as home to the "Nashville Sound." The Nashville Sound revived interest in country music and stemmed the tide of young people flocking to rock and roll. Names such as Jim Reeves, Dolly Parton, Charlie Pride, and the Everly Brothers put Studio B on the map. It is ironic that Elvis Presley, the King of Rock & Roll, recorded more than 200 of his hits in Studio B, a place that at the same time was developing a sound to draw young people back into country circles. After RCA closed the studio, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum began operating the studio as an historic site in 1977. In 1996 the studio was restored to its vintage look. Partnered with Belmont University, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum operates the studio as a "learning laboratory" where students get to work with vintage and state-of-the-art recording technology (as well as offering public tours).
The Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest running live radio show, got its start in November 1925 on AM station 650 WSM. In 1974 the Opry moved from its home in the Ryman Auditorium to the Grand Ole Opry House, a 4,400-seat auditorium that is the centerpiece of Opryland Resort. With a cast of more the 70 members, the Grand Ole Opry features some of the best known names in country music with performers such as Porter Wagoner, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, and Ricky Skaggs. On Friday and Saturday nights the line-up of stars varies from week to week, but the entertainment level is always high. Country music is the number one visitor draw to Nashville, but surprisingly, not the number one industry. That would be publishing and printing, stemming largely from the denominational publishing houses and headquarters in the city. Which, in some circles, has led to another nickname for the city: "The Protestant Vatican." Nashville is all about country music but there’s something for those seeking culture and history as well. Stock photography by Thomas R. Fletcher at Alamy If You Go:
Sunset Grill 2001-A Belcourt Avenue Nashville, TN 37212 Phone: 615-386-3663 Fax: 615-386-0495 Web: www.sunsetgrill.com
Click here if you would like to use this feature or one of these photos Text and Photos Copyright Thomas R. Fletcher / PROSE AND PHOTOS
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Glamorous and glitzy? You bet. That’s Nashville. It’s expected. What one
may not expect are the culture, history, and earthy, friendly feel to this
sizable city with a metropolitan area population 1.23 million. Nashville has a
long history on her way from "Fort Nashborough," as she was founded on
the banks of the Cumberland River in 1779 as part of the Carolina Territory, to
becoming known as "Music City USA.". That history is reflected in some
of the area attractions such as 
In
Nashville, you may simply bump into a star or two while seeing the city. For
instance, after dancing a bit at the 
moved to Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the Ryman sat vacantly
for nearly 20 years until it was restored in 1994. The Ryman is open daily
except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. as a
museum and is again a performance venue, featuring a diverse schedule of
performers throughout the year. Those who have recently graced the Ryman stage
include: Indie Arie, Bruce Springsteen, Matchbox 20, and the more expected
performers such as Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, and Dwight Yoakam. Friday and
Saturday night, November-February the Ryman is once again hosting the Grand Ole
Opry. Tour the museum by day, take in a show by night.
