Music is inextricably woven into the tapestry of Tennessee’s history.
The Volunteer State nurtured some of the greatest musical legends from all genres, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin and Dolly Parton. It’s home to some of the country’s greatest musical museums, recording studios and performance venues. And it’s still where great strides in today’s music industry are taking place. The state even has a music-themed tourism initiative called Tennessee Music Pathways, which features 300-plus markers across the state highlighting its significant music sites.
Music-loving groups can work their way across Tennessee to experience the rich rhythms it has to offer in these five destinations.
Memphis
Memphis’s musical roots cover some of the most iconic figures and pivotal movements in music history, including the beginning of new musical genres.
“Memphis is the home of the blues, soul and rock ’n’ roll,” said Jill Kilgore, senior communications manager with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “Memphis has several milestones this year, including what would’ve been Elvis Presley’s 90th birthday, but also B.B. King’s 100th birthday.”
One of the city’s top musical attractions for groups is Graceland, Elvis Presley’s estate, which was where he lived and even recorded music during the pinnacle of his fame. The estate consists of the late musician’s mansion and a museum complex, where everything from his expansive jumpsuit collection to assortment of automobiles are on display. Lovers of the King’s legacy will enjoy a group tour of the mansion and its grounds and can even extend their trip by staying overnight at the property’s hotel.
At the intersection of the city’s musical history and its Civil Rights history is Beale Street, the heart of Memphis’s Black community and the site of many blues and jazz clubs. It’s where many legendary blues musicians got their start and developed the blues genre. Just a mile away, groups can tour Sun Studio, a prominent recording studio. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is another great tour stop for groups interested in learning about the diversity in Memphis’s musical heritage.
One of the best ways to pack in all the city’s music history is with Backbeat Tours, a tour company that offers driving and walking tours for groups, some of which even feature live music on the tours themselves.
For a truly music-themed experience, groups can stay at the brand-new Central Station Hotel, a boutique, music-themed property with 123 guest rooms.
Nashville
Nashville is known as “Music City” for good reason.
“More music is written, recorded and performed in Nashville than anywhere else in the world,” Kilgore said. “People recognize the city for its contribution to country music, but what separates it is it’s as diverse as the songwriters and musicians who shaped it.”
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the best-known music-related attractions in the city. It immortalizes the genre with the world’s largest collection of country music artifacts spanning 350,000 square feet of exhibit space. It’s also home to the Taylor Swift Education Center.
A visit to the hall of fame and museum also includes a tour of RCA Studio B, as well as the opportunity for a group to record their own single.
Nashville is also the site of the National Museum of African American Music, a U.S. Civil Rights Trail site and a truly moving experience for music-loving tour groups.
“The museum is really amazing for groups,” Kilgore said. “They get an interactive wristband, go through the museum chronologically, write their own blues song, participate in a rap battle, sing with a gospel choir and learn dances by the decade. Then, when they’re done, it gives you a playlist that contains what you just experienced.”
Another one of Nashville’s most prominent musical attractions, the Grand Ole Opry, is celebrating its centennial this year. Groups can tour the Opry and the Ryman Auditorium during a VIP backstage tour, packaged together or separately.
Nashville’s musical offerings don’t stop there — groups can create a whole itinerary around its many performance venues and music-themed cafes and shops. There are also plenty of festivals to plan a trip around, including CMA Fest in the summer and Americanafest, held each September.
The Smokies
While best known for being home to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation’s most visited national park, the Smokies — comprising Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville — have their share of musical attractions for groups.
Dollywood, the amusement park owned in part by legendary singer-songwriter and musician Dolly Parton, is a must-visit attraction for all groups in Pigeon Forge. But it will especially appeal to music-loving groups because of its connection to Parton and the live music performances held throughout the park. Dollywood’s festivals are another draw for groups, from the Flowers and Food Festival to the I Will Always Love You Music Festival.
“Dollywood marks its 40th anniversary this year, and we’re excited about that,” Kilgore said. “Dolly Parton came from the Great Smoky Mountains; she was born in Sevierville. There’s a Dolly Parton statue there and a group walking tour downtown where she grew up.”
In addition to the walking tours of Sevierville, groups can visit one of the venues where Parton first performed to a paying audience as a young girl. Then known as the Pines Theatre, today it’s being converted into an entertainment venue with bowling and arcade games. It’s easily recognizable by a mural on the side featuring artists who once played there.
Also in the Smokies, a long list of dinner theaters and performance venues await groups. Dolly Parton’s Stampede and The Grand Majestic Theater are just two of many shows that regularly wow groups.
Bristol
Nashville may be “Music City,” but Bristol carries another distinction as the birthplace of country music.
“The Birthplace of Country Music Museum tells the story of Bristol’s musical roots and the 1927 Bristol Sessions,” Kilgore said. “The Bristol sessions were more than 70 performances recorded during that time period and ended up being called the ‘Big Bang of Country Music.’”
These sessions, which included the debuts of Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, are immortalized by the museum, which features 24,000 square feet of exhibit space housing photographs, memorabilia and a digital archive. It’s also known as the home of Radio Bristol, a station that broadcasts directly from the museum and streams both country and Appalachian classics, as well as contemporary music and Bristol history. Groups can choose from a variety of museum tours to check out the radio station and the country music exhibits.
Bristol also hosts the annual Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, a music festival that began in 2001, on the third weekend in September. The festival lineup typically includes more than 130 bands, which play on 20 stages in downtown Bristol. The festival attracts as many as 45,000 visitors each year.
While groups are visiting northeast Tennessee, Kilgore also recommended they check out The Down Home, a live music venue in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Chattanooga
Down in Southeastern Tennessee, near the Georgia border, Chattanooga is mostly known for its breathtaking mountain scenery. But like anywhere else in Tennessee, it’s home to plenty of entertainment venues and music festivals for groups to add onto their music-themed tours.
“Chattanooga is known as the scenic city,” Kilgore said. “And their live music scene is very diverse, with bluegrass, jazz, blues, country and everything in between.”
The Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga is an educational center and venue that lets visitors learn about the contributions of African Americans to Chattanooga, including its music scene. It’s named for the blues and jazz singer fondly remembered as the “Empress of the Blues.” The center offers guided group tours and also hosts live performances.
One of the city’s newest attractions is Songbirds, a venue for live music with an impressive array of vintage guitars on display. The venue can be found on Chattanooga’s Main Street. Other prominent venues include Tivoli Theatre, The Signal and Barking Legs Theater.
Chattanooga hosts several music festivals and events, including the brand-new World of Bluegrass event, which will debut in September and bring a convention, trade show and artist showcases to Chattanooga. More established music festivals include Riverbend Festival and Moon River Festival. The city also hosts the free Nightfall concert series, held every Friday from early May through late August.
When in Chattanooga, it’s worthwhile to take a quick detour to The Caverns, a live music venue inside a cave, located just 30 minutes outside of Chattanooga.
