Nashville
Wednesday 1.11.23
Today we are going to see Nashville itself. We take a drive alongside the Cumberland River and see the older parts of the city although it is currently one of the fastest growing places in the USA as the local authorities have gone out of their way to attract businesses into the area. Settlements in the area commenced in 1689 however the first permanent construction did not come until 1779 with the establishment of Fort Nashborough and by 1806 was incorporated as a city becoming the county seat. By 1843 it was the state capital of Tennessee. Our tour enables us to see the Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry for a long period before relocation and from time to time since, We also pass the Woolworth Theatre which was a key location during the sit-in civil rights protests in 1960 which led to the desegregation of such facilities.
The prime attraction is Broadway Street where many of the outlets are honky-tonk bars serving music and food to the visitors and we will return here later. Honky-tonk is regarded both as a style of bar and music dating back to ragtime possibly deriving from poorly maintained pianos. Or possibly to pianos made by the Tonk brothers. The linked article does not seem to support the name really relating to prostitution – but who really knows? The most famous is Tootsies and our party enters – with me in the rear. I am stopped by the doorman who is unwilling to let me in with my Canon camera. And around here you do not argue with a doorman! So I do not get to see the inside!
However our main stopping point this morning is the Country Music Hall of Fame, a modern building telling the story of country music over the last 100 years and paying homage to the many famous names which have graced the country music scene over those years.
Lunch proves slightly difficult and we end up in a food court where none of the food on offer actually appeals and the noise levels are off the scale, so that I can hardly hear what is happening. In my view best avoided.
RCA Studio B
Our visit this afternoon is to RCA Studio B which was one of the major recording locations through the country music years. It was built in 1957 and was the origin of the “Nashville sound” initially under Chet Atkins who was the RCA Musical Director in Nashville. A later larger studio became Studio A and the original became Studio B. Elvis Presley recorded over 240 tracks here whilst Dolly Parton was allegedly so nervous on her first session that she accidentally collided with the building when parking her first new car!
The studio is now primarily a history lesson and tourist site but some recordings are still undertaken although it appears pretty low tech compared with the inside of a modern studio and maybe that is the appeal.
Earlier in the day as we progressed along Broadway Street we had identified a likely looking spot for dinner, where we go in the evening. Their attitude to low alcohol beer and service means that I cannot recommend it.