Wednesday September 30th is day 147 for Charlie and I, it is day 11 for the caravanners. Today, we leave West Memphis AR and caravan to Nashville. The sunrise on our walk gave us a beautiful sky! This caravan is our longest of the tour. Yes, I still have tidbits about what we see along the way to share. Even though we are on the Interstate for most of the drive, there are still interesting things off the exits!Parker’s Crossing Battlefield is located at mile marker 108. The battle was fought on Dec. 31, 1862. Union forces sought to capture Confederate troops on their return from their first West Tennessee raid. When Confederate General Forrest found himself caught between two Union forces, he ordered his troops to “Charge Both Ways”; and made a successful escape.
Around mile marker we crossed the Tennessee River & Kentucky Lake. Kentucky Lake is the 25th largest lake in the US, and the seventh largest as far as man-made lakes are concerned. It is the largest body of water between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. The lake was created by the damming of the Tennessee River at Gilbertsville in 1944. Kentucky Dam, constructed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is the longest dam in the TVA system at almost 8,500 feet.
Hurricane Mills is Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. To visit you must exit I-40 at MM 143. The story goes that Moody & Loretta went driving to check out a piece of property, got lost, and country roads led them to a beautiful white house situated above a waterfall and old grist mill. It was abandoned, so they stayed on the porch that night. Loretta said she wanted to buy it. The one catch to buying the white house on the hill was that it came with the whole town. That’s when the Lynn family became the proud owners of Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Since the late 1960s, this historic community had been the home of the late legendary country music entertainer Loretta Lynn and her family still resides there. Loretta Lynn's estate currently owns the entire historic district, except for the public cemetery.
Grinders Switch is a location just outside Centerville, Tennessee at MM 148, consists of little more than the railroad switch for which it is named. However, Grinder's Switch was also the fictional hometown of the comic character Minnie Pearl, created and portrayed at the Grand Ole Opry by comedian Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, who grew up. Sarah sometimes accompanied her father to the Grinders depot, where the local characters would hang out. This was part of her inspiration for her “Cousin Minnie Pearl” routine.
We traveled in Tennessee 99% of this drive and safely at the Nashville KOA, our last stop on this caravan and our home for the next 5 nights. This picture is when we crossed into Tennessee across the Mississippi River.
We had a great surprise... Gary & Sheryl Lalonde are here! They created this tour with Rod & Helen. Without their leadership, we would not be running this tour. We are glad that they are here for the last few days of the tour they created! After this long drive, we enjoyed some snacks and down time at the campground.
Then some of the caravanners enjoyed the cold drinks and BBQ at Papa Turney's. We found this place on an earlier rendition of this tour. Mike (Papa) Turney opened his restaurant and heart to us on a day he was closed to feed our group and play us some music. His friends, who he brought in to play for us, were Grammy award winning blues players!
Proudly serving old fashioned hickory smoked BBQ, homemade sides, and our famous Mama Turney’s pies! Papa Turney’s is a favorite stop for both locals and tourists. Embracing southern heritage doesn’t stop with the food that is served for the belly, it can also be found in the music that is played for the soul.
We have heard all kinds of music on this tour including blues, country, gospel, rock, and folk. Tonight, at this live venue we will hear some true blues!
Seriously. If you want to hear some legendary musicians you have to come to Miss Zeke's Juke Joint! Let them treat your ears while you feast on some seriously good BBQ. Hear Papa himself every Saturday. At Papa Turney's they put a little soul into their cooking and their music! We enjoyed Open Mic night on Wednesday night.
Thursday October 1st is day 148 for Charlie and I. It is day 12 for the American Mountain Music caravanners. We are taking our Nashville Bus Tour. We hopped on a bus and enjoyed a private tour of Nashville and its most historic places! Tom Russell, with Anchor Transportation, was our driver he was early and ready for a great day with us!
We headed down town to pick up our tour guide. I am not sure that we had enough seats on this bus... but we will manage! LOL
We picked up Melanie, our tour guide for every tour we have had in Nashville, in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame. We will be back here later.
Across the street from the CMHOF is the AT&T Building a 33-story office skyscraper famously nicknamed the "Batman Building" because its dark exterior and twin spires resemble the mask and ears of the comic book superhero. Architect Ron Lustig of Earl Swensson Associates clarified that the design was entirely unintentional. The spires were actually meant to represent advanced digital and telecommunications technology, but locals immediately dubbed it "The Batman Building."
Our first official stop was near the old wharf area and docks for the port of Nashville were located on the Cumberland River at the eastern end of Broadway. Second Avenue connected them to the vendor stalls on the public square. In 1875, Broadway was the setting for the first public high school in Nashville. After the turn of the 20th century, a portion of Broadway would be known as Auto Row because of the large number of car dealerships as well as tire and auto parts stores that lined the roadway.
Starting in the 1930s, Jimmy Rodgers began singing in the honky-tonks on Lower Broadway. As his fame grew, other aspiring singers and songwriters were drawn to the area. The heart of the country music scene, the four-block stretch of Broadway earned the nickname Honky-Tonk Highway, a moniker akin to Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Beale Street in Memphis. The bars and music venues launched the careers of many legendary performers. When the Grand Ole Opry moved out of the Ryman Auditorium in the 1970s, Broadway fell on hard times. About 20 years later, the reopening of the iconic music hall helped to revitalize the area.
Many of the historic commercial buildings, like the Victorian-era former Merchants Hotel, lining the street now house a variety of country western-themed shops and restaurants as well as honky-tonks. These establishments serve cold beverages and have at least one stage where artists perform all day. The music starts early and plays well into the evening. You never know when a legendary performer will sit in on an impromptu jam session as you listen to an aspiring artist.
We stopped near the iconic Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. It boasts a unique purple hue exterior that was acquired when a painter accidentally used the color. This world-famous Lower Broadway honky-tonk has launched the careers of several legendary performers including Willie Nelson. Scenes from the movie Coal Miner’s Daughter were filmed inside.
Across the street from Tootsie’s is the world-famous Nudie’s Honky-Tonk. It resides in a 100-year-old historic three-story building housing millions of dollars of rare country music memorabilia, stage costumes, multiple bars, three stages and a stunning rooftop deck featuring the best live music in Nashville. On display is iconic pop culture clothing made by renowned tailor Nudie Cohn who created costumes for Hank Williams, Gene Autry, Johnny Cash, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Roy Rogers, Elton John, and dozens of others, including Elvis Presley’s famous gold lamé suit. You’ll marvel at Nudie’s own customized Cadillac El Dorado “Nudie Mobile” which hangs on the wall and is insured for $400,000. It also includes the longest bar in Music City measuring over 100 feet embedded with nearly 10,000 silver dollars.
Around the corner, it’s not exactly da Vinci’s The Last Supper, but the mural depicting some of country music’s biggest stars, both past and present, is just as iconic! The mural appears on the wall of Legends Corner on Lower Broadway. Any country music fan worth his or her weight in salt should be able to rattle off the mural’s cast of characters, which include Tim McGraw, Loretta Lynn, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash, Keith Urban, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks. Taylor Swift's image was “retired” and replaced with Brad Paisley. It is a cool mural, because the only place all these entertainers will be together is in heaven!
A four-story mural honoring the life of US Rep. John Lewis. It honors the accomplishments of Lewis and the Freedom Riders. After Lewis died, the city passed an ordinance to rename Fifth Avenue Rep. John Lewis Way, including a historical marker in his honor. The mural, which has his famous words "good trouble" written in big yellow letters at the top, is about his time in Nashville.
Our next stop was the Ryman Auditorium. Known as the “Mother Church of Country Music,” the iconic Ryman Auditorium hosted the Grand Ole Opry for three decades. Starting life as a gospel tabernacle in 1892, turned into a top-notch concert venue featuring headline acts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
Some of the Grand Ole Opry’s most historic moments happened inside Ryman Auditorium: Hank Williams made his debut. Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Jeannie Seely, and Dolly Parton joined the Opry family. Elvis Presley made his only Opry appearance. Johnny Cash became a member, met his wife, and during one infamous show, broke all the footlights at the front of the stage.
The Opry broadcasted its last Friday show from the Ryman on March 15, 1974. George Morgan closed out the show with "Candy Kisses.” After the Opry, Johnny and June Carter Cash sang "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" on the following Grand Ole Gospel Time to end the evening. No one was crying, until Minnie Pearl started the waterworks!
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Today, the Ryman is a combination of entertainment venue and museum.
The historical artifacts that are housed here are priceless. Minnie Pearl still sits in the lobby here!
We climbed back on the bus and drove to the base of the hill where the Tennessee State Capitol stands today much as it did when it first opened in 1859. This structure was designed by architect William Strickland who considered it his crowning achievement. When Strickland died suddenly during construction in 1854, he was buried in the north facade of the Capitol. The cornerstone for the building was laid on July 4, 1845, and construction finished in 1859. It is one of the oldest working capitals in the US, the Tennessee State Capitol serves as home of the Tennessee General Assembly and houses the governor’s office. The building, one of 12 state capitals, does not have a dome. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
Located in the shadow of the Capitol is the Bicentennial Capitol Mall. It serves as a lasting monument to Tennessee’s Bicentennial Celebration, which was June 1, 1996. The 11-acre park shares many facets of Tennessee’s history including a 200-foot granite map of the state, a World War II Memorial, a 95-Bell Carillon, a Pathway of History, and the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains.
We made a quick stop at the Parthenon. It stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville's premier urban park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals. It was originally built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition.
It serves as a monument to what is considered the pinnacle of classical architecture. The Parthenon also serves as Nashville's art museum. The focus of the Parthenon's permanent collection is a group of 63 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists donated by James M. Cowan. Additional gallery spaces provide a venue for a variety of temporary shows and exhibits.
The bus drove us down both sides of Music row. This area is centered around 16th and 17th Avenues South (Music Square East and West). Widely considered the heart of America's country, gospel, and contemporary Christian music industries, it transformed Nashville into "Music City".
Before it became a commercial hub, the area was largely a residential neighborhood. Its musical transformation began post-World War II as radio stations and early recording outfits looked for low real estate costs and proximity to Nashville's growing entertainment scene.
In 1954, industry pioneers Owen and Harold Bradley opened a recording studio inside a Quonset Hut on 16th Avenue South, establishing the very first business on Music Row. In 957, RCA constructed an office and recording facility that became the legendary RCA Studio B. Guided by legendary producers like Chet Atkins and Owen Bradley, Studio B became the birthplace of the "Nashville Sound". This production style introduced smooth background vocals, string sections, and a polished pop-crossover edge that stripped away traditional honky-tonk grit, skyrocketing country music to a national audience.
Major labels like RCA Victor, Decca, Columbia, and Capitol Records set up shop, eventually cutting the vast majority of their country music releases right in the district. The neighborhood hosted historic recordings from definitive American icons, including Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, and Bob Dylan.
We saw a piano-playing statue in Owen Bradley Park. It is a bronze sculpture of legendary record producer Owen Bradley. Created by artist Gary Ernest Smith and dedicated in October 1999, the life-size bronze statue captures Bradley in a jubilant pose with one hand pressing the keys of a grand piano and the other raised in the air, actively conducting the musicians. The bench is designed with extra room, explicitly inviting visitors to sit next to Bradley for photos. The sheet music cast into the bronze display highlights two of his famously produced songs: "Sweet Dreams" and "Crazy".
Music Row is the historic business and recording hub where the music industry actually operates. What you find here are record labels, music publishing houses, creative offices, and hi
storic studios like RCA Studio B and the Quonset Hut (plus landmarks like the Musica statue). It is the "behind-the-doors" work that happens here, songwriting co-writes, executive meetings, and record production.
Buddy Killen Circle at the Music Row Roundabout (intersection of Division Street, Demonbreun Street, and Music Row) and this circle is home to the "naked statues." Unveiled in 2003, the Musica monument was created by local sculptor Alan LeQuire and funded by a $1.1 million gift from anonymous arts patrons.
It is recognized as the largest bronze figure group in the US. The installation consists of nine oversized, multi-ethnic nude figures that appear to be dynamically dancing. Five figures are anchored at the base on large natural limestone boulders, while four float up into the center. The apex features a female figure holding a tambourine. Dubbed "The Naked People" by locals, the statue initially sparked heavy public debate regarding its nudity. Over the years, it has become a beloved landmark often targeted by lighthearted public pranks. Local groups and sports fans frequently dress the statues in oversized thematic outfits, such as Scottish kilts or Nashville Predators hockey jerseys. Sculptor Alan LeQuire used live models to represent multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds to symbolize Nashville's cultural and ethnic diversity. The statues include 2 Caucasian women, 1 Caucasian man, 1 African-American man, 1 African-American woman, 1 Asian-American woman, 1 Hispanic man, 1 Hispanic woman, and 1 Native American man,
Our final stop was the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Some call it the “Smithsonian of Country Music.” It is celebrated for its broad cultural impact, educational mission, and unrivaled collection of historically important artifacts related to country music.
We usually eat at a BBQ spot in Nashville. But past evaluations indicated that we served them too much BBQ. So, we worked on getting a meal at one of the honky-tonks on Broadway, but were unsuccessful.
So, we set up a private lunch buffet here on the 4th floor in the Grand Foyer of the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was perfect! A sun-drenched, open architectural space connected directly to the CMA Theater.
It was a great meal with plenty to eat! the striking 'Spirit of Nashville' sculpture by artist Dale Kennington watched over us as we ate! This amazing piece beautifully represents the city's deep musical roots with its unique, whimsical style and the prominent guitar. Debbie Carroll is really enjoying the art and atmosphere during yur visit to Nashville!
The Country Music Hall of Fame first opened in 1967 in Nashville’s Music Row. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum launched its current downtown location in 2001. In 2014, the Museum unveiled a $100 million expansion that doubled its footprint.
The Museum now encompasses 350,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, archival storage, retail stores, and event space. In addition, the Museum offers the Taylor Swift Education Center for students, teachers, and families, and dedicated performance spaces in the CMA Theater and Ford Theater, both of which regularly host nationally recognized live music and cultural events.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum collects, preserves, and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is among the most-visited history museums in the US.
My favorite part is what I call "the circle room." it is actually the Hall of Fame Rotunda. The 5,300-square-foot, 70-foot-tall round room features southern yellow pine floors, clerestory windows, and the title of the Carter Family song “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” encircling the room from above.
This a round, multi-floor space that houses the bronze plaques of all inducted members. These individual bronze likenesses and plaques are for every inducted member.
They are mounted around the walls, starting from the first class in 1961 through the present day. I picked this bronze to highlight. Bob McDill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on October 22, 2023, as the 151st member of the institution. He maintained a strict 9-to-5 schedule on Music Row, aiming to write one song a week as a songwriter. He wrote or co-wrote over 30 number-one country hits, including “Amanda” (Waylon Jennings / Don Williams), “Good Ole Boys Like Me” (Don Williams), “Don’t Close Your Eyes” (Keith Whitley), “Song of the South” (Alabama), and “Gone Country” (Alan Jackson). He retired from song writing in 2000. In 2017, he donated his extensive career archives and life's work to the Country Music Hall of Fame museum.
The rotunda showcases the massive, permanent mural The Sources of Country Music (1973–1975) by artist Thomas Hart Benton. The colorful work depicts 17 nearly life-sized figures representing the folk and cultural roots of country music, including a gospel choir, mountain dulcimer players, fiddlers and square dancers, a Black banjoist, a railroad train, a riverboat, and a guitar-playing singing cowboy modeled after Tex Ritter. Benton finished painting the mural in his Kansas City studio and died shortly after of heart failure on January 19, 1975, while reviewing the completed work.
The KOA has music at the campground, almost every night. Tonight, is a duo we have seen here before, Emberland. We ordered some pizza and enjoyed dinner at the pool where Emberland was playing.
Many of the caravanners were enjoying the music too!
I asked Emberland to play their original "Look for the Light." Check it out on all major music streaming platforms. It is on my motivational playlist every morning!
Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures.
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