In 2013 we decided to spend my spring break in Tennessee. While we spent a few days in Chattanooga, I want to focus on the two music cities of Tennessee, Nashville and Memphis. Each has a real place in music history yet are quite unique and different. Which should you visit? Well let’s look at some of the differences, and you can decide for yourself.
Nothing says country music like Nashville. However Nashville is not just about country music as we will see, but let’s start there. The first place we visited in Nashville was the Grand Ole Opry House. This is one of the iconic locations in Nashville as well as in country music. The Opry House we visited is not the original location of the Grand Ole Opry. The show was originally recorded and sent from the Ryman Auditorium which is in downtown Nashville. We went by the building but did not go inside.
We did take a tour of the Grand Old Opry, and it was quite interesting. While we are not big country music fans, we certainly know the names of many of them. Our tour took us backstage to see some of the dressing rooms as well as onstage where we saw one of the old microphones. Being a member of the Grand Old Opry is a big deal. We saw the list of all those that have become members over the years. The auditorium is quite large. Standing on stage looking out over the auditorium gives one a sense of the magnitude of being a part of this Tennessee country music community.
While there are performances at the Grand Ole Opry, the main music venues in Nashville are downtown on Broadway. Here young and upcoming musicians play along with those who have been working the crowds for many years. A walk down the street will give one a variety of musical styles. While country music dominates the scene, other genres are represented as well. Different venues support different musical genres.
For me one of the fun elements of the street are the neon signs. The street is lined with these colorful and sometimes vintage looking signs. They advertise not only music venues but restaurants as well. One could do a whole photo section of the neon signs alone.
The live music scene in Memphis is smaller than in Nashville. In fact when we went there at night to check it out, we had the feeling of, “Is that all there is?” Beale Street is the well known location of the live music venues. They say they are the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock and roll. Despite the appeal, the location seemed more limited than the area in Nashville. The night we were there it didn’t seem many people had come out. Compared to Nashville the place seemed quiet.
However Memphis has an important place in music history. That is probably most signified by Sun Studios. Sun Studios is in a rather unimposing building, but what took place inside was extremely important for music history. A number of important musicians recorded here including Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. We were able to take a tour of the studio. The tour allowed us to see some of the old equipment from the 50’s and 60’s that were used to record music. Old photos and other memorabilia showcase the importance of the studio.
Of course the big star of the studio was none other than Elvis Presley. The studio has on display the microphone that Elvis used when he recorded here. While I was not familiar with Sun Studio before arriving in Memphis, it has been interesting to see that my photo of the sign of the studio has been one of the most viewed photos on my Flickr account. Apparently there are a number of people who are familiar with Sun Studios and its importance to music history and Tennessee.
Of course the big music draw of Memphis is Elvis. People come from all over the world to see Graceland, his home in Memphis. It’s quite a production. Across the street from the house is a big shopping center type location. Here one parks, buys tickets, and can shop for everything Elvis imaginable, and some things you might not imagine. It is definitely a marketing opportunity.
The tour of his home is done in a fairly respectful manner, however. The tour goes through some of the main rooms of the home. The period style of the 60’s and 70’s is evident, and in some places it is very much over the top. There is also a room that displays many of his awards and gold records. The tour ends at the graves of Elvis and his parents and grandmother. Even if you are not a big fan of Elvis, it’s worth it to visit his home and learn something about him since he is such an iconic figure in American music. Just try to stay away from the Elvis shopping mall!
Of course Nashville and Memphis are more than just music cities. Nashville is the Tennessee state capital, and so we checked out the capital building. We also walked around Vanderbilt University since we enjoy seeing the campuses of well known universities. The architecture is always an important element on these campuses.
One other important location near Nashville is the Hermitage. This is the home of President Andrew Jackson. The tour allows you to see his mansion as well as his tomb on the property and the homes of his slaves. The museum tries to give a realistic picture of what it was like for the slaves and doesn’t shrink from telling their story. At his death Jackson appeared to own about 150 slaves. Their story is an important part of the financial success that President Jackson had after he left the presidency.
Memphis, on the other hand has its connection to the Civil Rights Movement. It was in this Tennessee city that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray. We looked out the window through which Ray fired his gun at Dr. King. We then walked across the street to the hotel where he was staying and later visited the nearby National Civil Rights Museum. The museum tells the story of many of those who fought for freedom during the Civil Rights Movement of the ’60s as well as other times.
Memphis is also on the Mississippi River, and for us it was the first time we had been up close to the river. However, if the truth be told, it was pretty boring. There is a bridge that crosses the river from Tennessee to Arkansas which we drove over and then back. There was not much to see on the river. The gray, cloudy day probably didn’t help. The best part of the area is the old trolley cars that gives one a view of the river as they run through town.
So which would you rather see, the country music venues of Nashville or the roots of rock and roll in Memphis? Are you a big Elvis fan? Does history interest you? Of course visiting both cities, as we did, is an obvious option. The drive between them is not too long. It makes a great vacation trip for a week.