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Is Nashville the home of Country Music? The simple answer is, yes, but why? Because it was one of the first cities to make the genre of music known as Country, and has continued to host live country music since. And there is more to know about Nashville, Tennessee.
With a never-ending string of neon-lit honky-tonks, and the sound of vibrant, enthusiastic, cheering crowds, Nashville is not only the home of Country music, but it has also been labelled, Music City USA.
So, let’s see why Nashville is the home of country music and how it came to be known as Music City USA.
When Did Nashville Become Music City?
The story behind Nashville becoming Music City is quite amusing.
In 1871, a nine-student musical ensemble called, Fisk Jubilee Singers, was formed in Nashville’s Fisk University. This group of formerly enslaved people was the first to tour Europe after the Civil War.
After spending nearly three and a half years touring and performing throughout New Zealand and eastern Australia, in October of 1889, the Fisk Jubilee Singers sailed from Melbourne for South Asia. Since their formation in 1871, this group of African American vocalists had met with critical acclaim and cheers from large audiences in North America, Britain, continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
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During their 1873 tour of Great Britain and Europe, the Fisk Jubilee Singers performed for Queen Victoria. Their spirituals ‘Go Down, Moses‘ and ‘Steal Away to Jesus‘ impressed the Queen. So much so that she commented, they must be from the Music City of the United States because of their beautiful voices.
In 1950, David Cobb, the announcer of WSM radio station, officially dubbed Nashville Music City USA.
Hence, Nashville became Music City due to its diverse musical cultures ranging from Jazz and Blues, to Gospel, Rock, and Bluegrass music.
History of Country Music In Nashville
To understand why Nashville is the home of Country music, one must look at the history of Country music in Nashville.
Buck Dancing
The celebrations which accompanied Nashville’s first settlements in the late 1700s included Buck dancing to Fiddle-based music.
Buck dancing is a folk dance that originated among African Americans during the era of slavery. Buck was largely associated with the North Carolina Piedmont and, later, with the blues. The original buck dance, or “buck and wing,” referred to a specific step performed by solo dancers, usually men; today the term encompasses a broad variety of improvisational dance steps. –
NCPEDIA
Soul with Fiddle Strings
In the 1800s Soul musicians met and collaborated in Nashville, where they shared their passion for music. Before Country music, Soul singers, with fiddle strings, transformed Gospel tunes.
In the late 1800s, the Ryman Auditorium sold the first Country music. The auditorium soon evolved into a national centre for music publishing in 1892. It was there the Fisk Jubilee Singers performed as the first entertainers, and it was soon recognised as the Carnegie Hall of the South.
How Country Music Evolved
Country music evolved from a blend of Blues, Western Swing, and Appalachian Folk music in the 1920s to Bluegrass and Honky-Tonk music in the 1940s. Only in the 1950s and 1960s did the slick Pop-Country Nashville sound appear.
Nashville’s significance grew in 1925 when the WSM radio station picked the Ryman Auditorium for its Grand Ole Opry radio show. With the first broadcast ‘Barn Dance’, it continued to air live from there for over 30 years. In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved to the Opry House.
Running for over 95 years, the Grand Ole Opry is the oldest radio show running in the USA. This speaks volumes about the quality and demand for Country music.
The district of Music Row in downtown Nashville is at the heart of the Country music industry. It is home to recording studios, radio stations, and record labels.
Famous Country Music Places in Nashville
Over the years, Nashville has added several music venues . These are the most significant.
Ryman Auditorium
Originally opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, this striking building was the place where it all started. The venue is often referred to as the Church of Country Music which continued to host live music and shows for decades.
Nashville moved into the spotlight for Country music fans all over, with performances from Dolly Parton and Hank Williams at the Ryman. It was also chosen as the venue for the funeral of Johnny Cash in 2003.
Country Music Hall of Fame stars George Jones, Charley Pride, Hank Williams, and Elvis Presley have performed at the Ryman.
The Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is located away from downtown Nashville and is the second most famous venue that has hosted many famous Country performers at different stages of their careers.
There are performances on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from March through November at the Grand Ole Opry. In the winter months, they return to Ryman Auditorium.
A few of the famous names from the music industry, who have performed there, are Carrie Underwood, Gatlin Brothers, Mark Wills.
Country Music Hall of Fame And Museum
Established in 1967, the history of Country music is showcased at the Country music hall of fame museum. Starting with the early influences of Country music to the Outlaw movement in the 1970s (a backlash to the Nashville sound), there are also costumes and memorabilia on show from every notable Country music legend.
The museum also has every album that has gone from gold to platinum in Nashville. And it owns the legendary RCA Studio B, where everyone from Elvis Presley to Dolly Parton recorded albums.
Cannery Ballroom and Station Inn
A famous music venue in Nashville The Cannery was opened in 1974 by a group of six Bluegrass singers and pickers. After they closed the night club they used it for concerts and special events only.
Located in the Gulch area, Station Inn they played Country music, Bluegrass and Roots music, seven nights a week. In its time it was a flour mill and a coffee grinders. And among the famous names who performed there are Greg Allman, Jimmy Cliff, Iggy Pop, and Lenny Kravitz.
The Bluebird Cafe
Nashville is also the Song writing Capital of the World. And the Bluebird Cafe is one of the top Country music hotspots in the city that showcases new talent. Songwriters perform their original music in an intimate setting, allowing them to share the inspirational stories behind the music.
When Is the Nashville Music Festival?
The CMA Music Festival is hosted in June every year by the Country Music Association (CMA). This is a Country music festival that runs for four days in Nashville – the home of Country music.
The top names in Country music play at the festival, with nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium. And the CMA Fest Week has multiple stages set up in downtown Nashville.
Final Thoughts
Nashville city is the perfect place for all music lovers. The musical roots of Country and other music genres run deep in Nashville.
You can hear free live music any day of the year, there are the world-famous honky-tonks on Broadway. With over 180 music venues around the town, any music enthusiast would be amazed by Nashville.
So, is Nashville the home of Country music? We hope we’ve given you enough information to answer the question with a resounding YES.