Nashville, Tennessee – Music City USA

Nashville is one of my favorite cities in the US because there is so much to do and see there and the people are so friendly. I visited Nashville in 2008 and walked the streets, explored the state capitol, and admired downtown’s history and architecture.

It is sad to note that earlier this year Nashville suffered a devastating flood. The Cumberland River and other tributaries rose high above their banks, inundating lower Broadway and the Grand Ole Opry and other sites with more than 10 feet of water. 17 people lost their lives in Tennessee during this disaster.

However, the “Volunteer” Spirit took over and people helped their neighbors they didn’t even know with home cooked meals, rebuilding supplies, labor and laundry services. I have no doubt that in a few years you won’t even realize a flood has occurred because the people of Nashville and the great state of Tennessee will have rebuilt their proud Capitol City.

Nashville is known as “Music City USA” because it is the undisputed capital of the world when it comes to country music. I’ve also been to Austin, TX, but there’s just no comparison in my book… Nashville wins hands down.

Nashville was established on January 1, 1780 during the height of the Revolution when James Robertson led his band of North Carolina pioneers across the frozen Cumberland River and built Fort “Nashborough.” This old log fort that still stands in Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville was used to ward off Indian raids that finally ended in 1792. If you visit Nashville, put the old fort on your list as it is very interesting walk the grounds. and see how those early pioneers lived.

Speaking of history, on my visit, I walked up to the imposing State Capitol which was built by architect William Strickland who was very famous at the time for the many Greek Revival style public buildings he had designed in Philadelphia, namely the Second Bank. from United States. William put his heart and soul into the Tennessee State Capitol, which would end up being his final project and his neoclassical masterpiece.

He worked in this building until his death and his last wish was to be buried in the structure, so when he died his body was placed on the cornerstone of the building at the top of the steps leading into the capitol mall towards the west. The Capitol building itself is amazing and unique. The distinctive tower is modeled after the Lysicrates monument in Athens, Greece.

It was completed just before the Civil War began and during the war was converted into a Union fort called Fort Andrew Johnson. It is interesting to walk through the corridors of the building and see old photographs of the Capitol during the War of 1862, where there were cannons placed at the top of the stairs around the building. I walked to the green park located on a ledge on the eastern grounds of the Capitol and found that President James Knox Polk and his wife Sarah are buried in a tomb designed by William Strickland.

I also noticed an impressive statue of Andrew Jackson riding a rearing horse. There was also a statue of President Andrew Johnson, but what I found most interesting was the bronze effigy of a World War I “dough boy” standing, pointing his rifle at him. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a statue of Sergeant Alvin York, Medal of Honor winner, who led an attack on a German machine gun nest killing 28 German soldiers, capturing 32 machine gunners and taking prisoners. 132 German soldiers.

This American hero stands forever ready gazing up at the skyscrapers of downtown from the east green of the Capitol. During my visit I stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, which is a magnificent skyscraper just around the corner from lower Broadway, where on any given night you can go bar-hopping and listen to the best rising country music stars anywhere.

My favorite place though is the “Wild Horse Saloon” around the corner from Broadway on 2nd Avenue. This site is absolutely amazing! I felt like I had stepped into a movie with its huge dance floor, mezzanine, and hardwood stage. I was lucky enough to see an acoustic set by the band “Telluride” on my visit.

My favorite place for lunch was a true southern joint on Broadway called “Jack’s BBQ” where they piled Texas beef brisket and Tennessee pork tenderloin on a Styrofoam plate with all the fixings. As I sat devouring my meal at a table covered in a red and white checkered tablecloth, a gentleman in a cowboy hat approached me and asked if he was enjoying my meal.

I could tell from the photo on the wall that he was the owner Jack himself. I talked to him for a bit and told him about Utah and he gave me a Jack’s BBQ gold “Pig” coin that I have as a treasured member of my collection to this day. As I walked out of Jack’s pretty full I saw “Ernest Tubb Records” right across the street.

I’m a huge fan of classic country music and the signs said they had the largest selection of classic country music in the world so I had to keep going. The publicity was spot on as I saw row after row after row of shelves full of county class records. I couldn’t leave Music City USA without some records, so I bought Don Williams’ “Gold” collection and Waylon Jennings’ “Greatest Hits.”

Talking to the woman who worked there, I found out that this was the location where “Midnight Jamboree” first broadcast from and continues to do so in front of the Grand Ole Opry on WSM 650 AM Nashville. The second longest running radio broadcast in the country with over 3,700 broadcasts, the Jamboree continues its mission of bringing country music fans the music they love for free every weekend after the Opry. Mel Tillis, Steve Warnier and Daryle Singletary are just a few of the acts scheduled for this July stream.

I walked downtown through the impressive War Memorial Plaza, taking in the gleaming US Bank Building and the incredible AT&T building known locally as the “Batman” building due to its two unique prongs. This 33-story, 617-foot-tall building is the tallest building in the state of Tennessee and is a beautiful tower of sparkling glass.

Visitors to Nashville can catch all the biggest acts about 10 miles from downtown at the Grand Ole Opry. Some of the upcoming acts are Kellie Pickler, Wynonna Judd, Dierks Bently, and Charlie Daniels, just to name a few. History buffs should head to Andrew Jackson’s “Hermitage” estate, which is a plantation-style architectural gem. The NFL’s Tennessee Titans play at Adelphia Stadium, across the river from downtown. At Riverfront Park you can visit the historic Fort Nashborough and stroll along the banks of the Cumberland.

A short drive east on Opryland Drive will bring you to the “General Jackson” which is a 300 foot long paddle wheel riverboat featuring 4 decks and a Victorian theater with live entertainment. A dinner cruise on this magnificent ship against the backdrop of the bright lights of downtown is an experience not to be missed. Nashville is full of fun and interesting things to do.