The Music City; Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is not just the home of Andrew Jackson, it's also the home of country music. That's a tough subject for me to write about because I'm not a fan and know next to nothing about the "who's who" in that world. Another thing...I'm way behind on this blog and want to catch up. So I'm not going to write much except to illustrate the photos that I took. So here goes:

These photos are taken downtown. This street is lined with "honkey-tonks", the clubs where all the "wanna-be" country music stars play for tips only, hoping to be "discovered."

Also on this street is the Rydell Auditorium. It is a converted church and was the site of the original Grand Ole Opry shows back in the thirties.


Elvis played at the Rydell but wasn't well received, back in the day. His daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, played here a few years ago and wasn't liked much either, according to our tour guide. Maybe too much rock 'n' roll in them for the country music folks. Today, the Grand Ole Opry performances take place every Fri & Sat night at a new auditorium on the outskirts of Nashville. As a sign of the times, the performances are broadcast continually on one of the satellite radio channels, I think it's on Sirius. If we'd stayed through the weekend we could have gone and seen Trisha Yearwood, a name even I recognize.

Speaking of Elvis, look who I found in front of the 2nd Ave. Sun Studio Record Shop! (Sun Studio was Elvis' first label and the studio was actually in Memphis.)



After our walk downtown, Ed & I hopped on board a Grayline trolley for a tour. A few highlights:

This is the Parthenon in Nashville. It is a full scale replica of the original in Greece. It is built of limestone, as opposed to marble, however.



This Parthenon was originally built as part of a Tennessee Exposition. The theme for the fair was "Athens of the South" and this is the only building left from the Expo. Surrounded by formal gardens, the site is now used for civic and cultural events and is popular for weddings.

Our trolley tour passed through the section of town where all the deal-making takes place. Major record labels have their offices and studios here. RCA/Victor is one of the oldest and best-known. I loved the guitar out front. This is one of those photos that can be better appreciated by clicking on it to get a larger view.


Finally, I liked the Tennessee State Capitol building, set high on a bluff overlooking the Cumberland River.

I hated to give Nashville short shrift, but we have to get going to Memphis , Little Rock, Hot Springs...

The Hermitage; Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee is not just the home of country music. It was also the home of the 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. Yes, his is the face on our $20.00 bill! But until I visited "The Hermitage", I knew nothing about this extraordinary man.


His story proves the old saying that anyone born in the US can grow up to be President. Orphaned at age 14, Andrew Jackson somehow got himself educated and moved to Tennessee from North Carolina. Despite nearly becoming bankrupt at one point, eventually he became a successful owner of a cotton plantation. He married and never had any biological children. He did adopt a nephew and an orphaned Indian boy. When the War of 1812 broke out, Jackson joined the Tennessee militia. Despite no formal military training, he rose through the ranks and became a general. His successful defeat of British forces at New Orleans began his rise to prominence in Tennessee politics, culminating in the presidency of the US. Sadly, his wife died of tuberculosis just three weeks before he took office in Washington DC. When his term was completed, he retired to the Hermitage and lived there for the rest of his life. The house has been meticulously restored to the way it looked in 1837. Most of the wallpapers and furnishings are original. No interior photos are allowed. The grounds are extensive and can be toured by wagon with a costumed interpreter for a small fee.



The Hermitage exhibition is committed to also telling the stories of the African-American slaves, without whom the plantation could not have been successful. The slave cabins are on display. Typically, a family with 10-12 children might share one room, with additional sleeping quarters in the loft. Here are photos of the outside of a "duplex" and interior photos of one side.





President Jackson visited the grave of his wife every evening at sunset. The tomb is set amidst the formal gardens, which his wife had enjoyed tending so much. It must be beautiful in the summer.
I have been to Mt. Vernon, home of George Washington. Ed & I visited Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home, a few years ago. There must be other president's homes I can add to my list. I wonder if there's a possible travel article in there somewhere that would appeal to RVers as a road trip. Have to give that some thought. Anyone have an idea?