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Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum -

Inaugurated in 1967, Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the world's largest repository of country music artifacts. It serves as a great introduction to the city's incredible music scene.

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Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum -

The museum's extensive collection includes nearly 500 musical instruments and more than 1,900 items of stage wear, personal clothing, and accessories, among other items. (Photo: Flickr/CC0 1.0)

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The Country Music Hall of Fame -

Membership to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the highest honor a country music professional can receive, is extended to performers, songwriters, broadcasters, musicians, and executives in recognition of their contributions. One of the first inductees was Hank Williams, in 1961. Interestingly, 2020 inductees include Hank Williams Jr. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

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Jimmie Rodgers (1897–1933) -

Widely regarded as the "Father of Country Music," singer-songwriter and musician Jimmie Rodgers was responsible for some of country music's earliest recordings, as far back as 1927 in fact. He was one of the first country music stars to be enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

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Fisk Jubilee Singers -

In 1871 the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a African-American a cappella ensemble consisting of students from Fisk University, helped put Nashville on the map as a global music center by becoming the first around-the-world tour by a musical act. They even sang for Queen Victoria during a tour of Great Britain and Europe in 1873. The Jubilee Singers continue to perform today as a touring ensemble of Fisk University students.

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The Carter Family -

The traditional American folk music group the Carter Family recorded between 1927 and 1956. The original line up (pictured) comprised Sarah Carter, her husband A.P. Carter, and her sister-in-law Maybelle Carter. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop, and rock musicians, as well as on the US folk revival of the 1960s. The group regularly performed with Chet Atkins at the Grand Ole Opry.

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Ryman Auditorium -

The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The Grand Ole Opry was founded on November 28, 1925 as a one-hour "barn dance," which was broadcast by radio.

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Grand Ole Opry -

As the Opry developed in importance, so did the city of Nashville, which eventually became America's "country music capital." Pictured is the venue's famous auditorium and stage, where many famous names performed. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Johnny Cash (1932–2003) -

Pictured: country singer Johnny Cash and his band the Tennessee Two on stage at the Grand Ole Opry in 1956. Much later, most episodes of the ABC variety series 'The Johnny Cash Show' were recorded at the auditorium and broadcast between June 1969 and March 1971.

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Bluegrass legends -

Pictured: bluegrass guitarist Lester Flatt (right) and banjo picker Earl Scruggs (left) perform with the Foggy Mountain Boys at the Grand Ole Opry in 1960.

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Elvis in Nashville -

Elvis Presley was a familiar figure in Nashville. He's pictured here in 1961 as a guest of a joint session of the Tennessee Assembly. Governor Buford Ellington, between screams from female fans, made Elvis an honorary Colonel on his staff.

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Music City Walk of Fame -

The Music City Walk of Fame honors significant contributors to Nashville's musical heritage and achievements in the music industry. Rather like in Hollywood, each honoree is commemorated with a star embedded on a sidewalk. You can admire the stars in the city's Walk of Fame Park. Pictured is country music legend Dolly Parton being inducted in November 2009.

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The Bluebird Cafe -

Nashville's famous Bluebird Cafe  showcases budding songwriters performing their original music in an intimate "in the round" setting. Audience interaction is encouraged as the performers share stories of the inspiration behind their songs. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Schermerhorn Symphony Center -

Nashville's eclectic music scene caters for all tastes, including those with a love for classical music. The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is home to the Nashville Symphony, which dates back to 1946. Concerts are held throughout the year and have previously showcased works by Mahler and Shostakovich.

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RCA Studio B -

Nashville's RCA music recording studios serve as veritable pilgrim sites for contemporary music lovers. The equipment in the recording studios and mixing booth represent the studio's heyday from 1957 to 1977. Visitors are usually fascinated by the three-track mixing machine (pictured) that recorded most of the studio's hits.

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RCA Studio B -

Beyond the countless recordings made by legendary music artists here, Elvis Presley is known to have made more than 200 song recordings at this location. A wall in the studio displays Presley's hit singles that were recorded at Studio B.

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'Nashville' (1975) -

'Nashville' is Robert Altman's satirical take on the city's country and gospel music scene, and takes place against a political backdrop. The movie garnered numerous accolades, including several Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

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Nashville sound -

Musician, songwriter, and record producer Chet Atkins (pictured) is credited along with a select band of staff at RCA Victor, Columbia Records, and Decca Records with pioneering the "Nashville sound." They invented the form by replacing elements of the popular honky tonk style (all fiddles and steel guitar) with "smooth" elements from 1950's pop music (string sections, background vocals, crooning lead vocals, etc).

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Jim Reeves -

Jim Reeves became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville sound. In fact, the term "Nashville sound" was first mentioned in an article about Jim Reeves in 1958 in the Music Reporter.

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Music Row -

The historic Nashville district known as Music Row is home to numerous businesses related to music, predominantly the country music, gospel music, and contemporary Christian music industries. RCA's famed Studio B and Studio A facility is located here. Pictured is a view of the offices and studios of Capitol Records in October 1965.

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Broadway -

The city's busy and bright Broadway is a major downtown thoroughfare renowned for its collection of honky-tonk bars and live country music venues. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Broadway -

Legends Corner is one of many country and western music clubs and bars found on Broadway. The venue is known for an interior decorated with dozens of album covers.

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Tootsie's Orchid Lounge -

With four stages and three bars spread across three floors, lilac-colored Tootsie's Orchid Lounge is arguably the best-known honky-tonk on Broadway. Famous stars that have performed here include Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash.

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Tribute to a legendary venue -

In fact, such is the legendary status enjoyed by Tootsie's Orchid Lounge that its 50th anniversary back in 2010 was celebrated with a concert at Ryman Auditorium (the former Grand Old Opry).  Kris Kristofferson (pictured) was among the guest performers.

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Grand Ole Opry House -

The Ryman Auditorium still hosts occasional concerts as the original Grand Ole Opry venue. But Nashville also has the Grand Ole Opry House (pictured), which hosted its first show on March 16, 1974, one day after the closure of the Ryman Auditorium. Concerts today are still recorded and the Grand Ole Opry remains the longest-running radio broadcast in US history.

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Little Jimmy Dickens (1920–2015) -

To carry on the tradition of the show's run at the Ryman, a six-foot (1.8 m) circle of oak was cut from the corner of the Ryman's stage and inlaid into center stage at the new venue. Pictured is Little Jimmy Dickens, at the time the second-oldest living Opry member, at Opry House in 2004. He's standing center stage on the circle of wood. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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CMA Music Festival -

The annual CMA Music Festival hosted in Nashville is a four-day music festival centered on country music. The event, which started back in 1972 as the Fan Fair, draws country music fans from across the United States. Pictured is Maren Morris performing at the 2019 event.

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Cruising with General Jackson -

The General Jackson is a showboat based out of a dock near the Grand Old Oprey on Nashville's Cumberland River. Most cruises feature country music shows, though variety musicals and gospel music are also featured.

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Music-themed murals -

Don't miss Nashville's artistic tribute to its musical heritage. The city is renowned for its street art, with murals often depicting country music stars. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Sources: (Tennessean) (Britannica)

See also: Surprising facts about popular song lyrics

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