Glad to see The Parthenon mentioned. I've been going since a kid & still enjoy returning every few years.
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Nashville visit. Must do's?
- Thread starter pepj
- Start date
Is the musicians hall of fame the place that shares the big public parking lot with the country music hall of fame? I never can remember what it was called, but it was a really cool place. If it's the same place I'm thinking of they had the original stage from a little bar in Clarksville Tennessee that Hendrix played on when he was in the army.
Musicians Hall of Fame is in the lower level of the Municipal Auditorium .
If you go to Memphis stop by Stax/Volt museum. Its much cooler than Sun and not quite as touristy as Graceland.
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Skull's Rainbow Room in Printers Alley. It's a high end restaurant with the best porkchop I have ever had, but also have some great jazz players most nights. Plus, Printer's Alley is pretty cool and funky and just a couple blocks up from Broadway and you get to walk past the Ryman. Someone is probably gonna say East Nashville (5 points), but as someone that has lived in or around Nashville for 27 years, that area can suck it in my book.
If you are in town on a Tuesday night, this is a can't miss destination, especially if you like old school country. How Nashville's American Legion Post 82 is Keeping Honky Tonk Culture Alive Some fantastic players and it's probably the last true honky tonk in town.
East Nashville was being touted as a really great place when we were there. We decided to walk there because you can basically see it across the river and up the hill from the bottom of Broadway. End result, pure disappointment. It might be fine if you're a local there and we have similar neighborhoods here in Cleveland but, for our purposes, it did not deliver. It's almost too local, if that makes sense.
Broadway has turned into our own Bourbon St. LOTS of clubs and/or tourist traps, but for live music, I'd check out Robert's Western Wear and of course the evergreen Tootsie's.
A few blocks north on 4th Avenue is one of Pat Martin's Martin's BBQ, definitely worth the stop.
The best soul food is Swett's on 28th Avenue, period. Arnold's meat and 3 has closed.
The Musician's Hall of Fame on James Robertson is absolutely worth the price of admission, as is the Museum of Black Music (across from the Ryman Auditorium on 5th, what a delicious irony) and the Counrty Music Hall of Fame, a block over from Broadway near the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Vintage guitars are easy as leaving downtown on 8th Avenue, you come to Carter Vintage, about 10 blocks further is George Gruhn's, and finally Rumble Seat past Gruhn's, these are all within about a 5 mile stretch. Rumble Seat is mostly all electric and rock and roll, Gruhn's and Carter's everything from harp guitars to Dan Armstrongs. The best 'new' gear store is Corner Music out on Dickerson Road at Ewing, not far off I65. Downtown also is home to the Gibson Garage.
East Nashville (roughly the neighborhood on the other side of Titan stadium from downtown) and Germantown (north of downtown on the other side of the park and the Sounds stadium) are the two gentrified new cool places with lots of restaurants, shops, and Tesla and carbon bicycle types. Favorite stop is a little Italian Sandwich shop Little Hats on 4th in Germantown, and Five Points or Boombozz pizza joints in East Nashville around 5 Points. And of course we now have several Whole Foods, Trader Joes, the local organic Turnip Truck, and thank goodness Publix followed me up here from Florida. And everything from notels to the W, the JW Marriott, even a Four Seasons.
Nashville is a boom town of the first order these days. When I moved here in 1990, it was the end of the Good Old Boys days, and now we are home to the largest Kurdish community outside the middle east and you have several choices in Ethiopian restaurants, and a huge Latin community. Anybody coming here looking for HeeHaw and Cracker Barrels on every corner is in for a rude awakening. Just not gonna see someone in a Caddy convertible with steer horns and rhinestones any more.
I'm a full-time caregiver for my wife, so, as they say, we don't get out like we used to, but this is still by far my favorite place I've lived, people here are just nice.
It is, though, still a big city with some crime and a growing homeless population, so be careful here as you would in any large city. But there's a lot to do and see, and hope you have a great time.
All the Best,
JW
A few blocks north on 4th Avenue is one of Pat Martin's Martin's BBQ, definitely worth the stop.
The best soul food is Swett's on 28th Avenue, period. Arnold's meat and 3 has closed.
The Musician's Hall of Fame on James Robertson is absolutely worth the price of admission, as is the Museum of Black Music (across from the Ryman Auditorium on 5th, what a delicious irony) and the Counrty Music Hall of Fame, a block over from Broadway near the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Vintage guitars are easy as leaving downtown on 8th Avenue, you come to Carter Vintage, about 10 blocks further is George Gruhn's, and finally Rumble Seat past Gruhn's, these are all within about a 5 mile stretch. Rumble Seat is mostly all electric and rock and roll, Gruhn's and Carter's everything from harp guitars to Dan Armstrongs. The best 'new' gear store is Corner Music out on Dickerson Road at Ewing, not far off I65. Downtown also is home to the Gibson Garage.
East Nashville (roughly the neighborhood on the other side of Titan stadium from downtown) and Germantown (north of downtown on the other side of the park and the Sounds stadium) are the two gentrified new cool places with lots of restaurants, shops, and Tesla and carbon bicycle types. Favorite stop is a little Italian Sandwich shop Little Hats on 4th in Germantown, and Five Points or Boombozz pizza joints in East Nashville around 5 Points. And of course we now have several Whole Foods, Trader Joes, the local organic Turnip Truck, and thank goodness Publix followed me up here from Florida. And everything from notels to the W, the JW Marriott, even a Four Seasons.
Nashville is a boom town of the first order these days. When I moved here in 1990, it was the end of the Good Old Boys days, and now we are home to the largest Kurdish community outside the middle east and you have several choices in Ethiopian restaurants, and a huge Latin community. Anybody coming here looking for HeeHaw and Cracker Barrels on every corner is in for a rude awakening. Just not gonna see someone in a Caddy convertible with steer horns and rhinestones any more.
I'm a full-time caregiver for my wife, so, as they say, we don't get out like we used to, but this is still by far my favorite place I've lived, people here are just nice.
It is, though, still a big city with some crime and a growing homeless population, so be careful here as you would in any large city. But there's a lot to do and see, and hope you have a great time.
All the Best,
JW
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I went for some concert last year and had a good time. too much centered around drinking for me but i loved 3rd man records and the music stores. everyone had some interesting stuff not just fenders to bore you to death with. carter vintage and the north american guitar were very cool.
Yes of course Graceland - if you're into that whole thing, which pretty obviously, I'm not.
If OP is just driving by Memphis, he probably won't be able to hit Sun studios due to the guided tour on a schedule thing. For my money, Stax self-guided tour was waaaaay better, than Sun. Stax was a free form tour with lots and lots of goodies (ie instruments and exhibits) to look at - at my pace. And I'm more interested in their stable than Sun's. Sun was a guided tour with too many people and it was about 85% about how Elvis made it. It was cool to stand on the spot where so many pioneers recorded songs I know and it was cool to know that just the night before, Jimmy Page was doing some recording there (yes, it's still an active studio by night) but I preferred the Stax museum experience by a long shot. just my take.
Gruhn Guitars
Guitar EffectPedals.com store
Vintage King
Prince's Hot Chicken
Fat Mo's burgers
Ryman, it's simply beautiful.
Grand Ole Opry show or tour is great regardless of your favorite genres.
Oh, almost forgot, I lived there for about 7 years and have family there.
You absolutely MUST experience Merge (pronounced mur-gee). All the highways pile together like your PA cables after a gig. And all the Nash drivers rapidly swing across 4-5 lanes without looking because on the corridor between Nashville and Kingston the passing lane is on the right. So everyone "mergees" you'll see the signs on every highway.
Lots of watering holes. Good golf if you play. Oozing with talented musicians everywhere. Stay away from the Gultch unless you're on a bridal trip.
Great town. Have fun.
Guitar EffectPedals.com store
Vintage King
Prince's Hot Chicken
Fat Mo's burgers
Ryman, it's simply beautiful.
Grand Ole Opry show or tour is great regardless of your favorite genres.
Oh, almost forgot, I lived there for about 7 years and have family there.
You absolutely MUST experience Merge (pronounced mur-gee). All the highways pile together like your PA cables after a gig. And all the Nash drivers rapidly swing across 4-5 lanes without looking because on the corridor between Nashville and Kingston the passing lane is on the right. So everyone "mergees" you'll see the signs on every highway.
Lots of watering holes. Good golf if you play. Oozing with talented musicians everywhere. Stay away from the Gultch unless you're on a bridal trip.
Great town. Have fun.
Just moved to Nashville a year ago - seconding this recommendation for sure. Dee's has consistently amazing music (every night except for Tuesday nights). East Nash Grass is stacked with some of the best bluegrass musicians around, they play every Monday from 6-8.
If you have to do Lower Broadway, Robert's is an oasis for great country music (and a perfectly greasy burger) in a sea of cover bands churning out 80s/90s rock. If you can catch Joshua Hedley (Monday nights or Friday afternoons there), you won't regret it. Acme Feed & Seed (which also has great food) and AJ's are both pretty good too. As said elsewhere on this thread, it can turn into a pretty unruly place at night - especially weeknights. Lots of wild bachelorette parties and pedal taverns, so unless that's your vibe, I'd stick to daytimes or early evenings.
The American Legion Post 82 in East Nashville has Honky Tonk Tuesday every Tue. night. Usually 3 bands playing traditional country music, and lots of dancing (there's a dance lesson before the bands start if you need to learn a few steps)
Jane's Hideaway in East Nashville (they just moved there from downtown) also has some of the best music in town and the food is killer. Also right next to Dino's which is a classic late night burger bar.
Also adding Fanny's House of Music to the list of music stores to check out. It's a great little spot in East Nashville - you won't find your $50k and up guitars here like you will at Carter, but it's a great spot to find some cool and unique off the wall instruments and toys.
Bluesman Vintage is located just south. I've never been, but I certainly dig their stuff. I'm planning a purchase here soon and may visit to pick it up (I'm in Pensacola).
go to Arnold's meat and 3 for lunch and then walk next door over to Carters and drool over their collection of vintage guitars and basses.
Someone mentioned burgers. If you want a good burger, Brown's Diner near Hillsboro Village just past Vanderbilt campus is top notch. Also Gabby's Burgers and fries near the fairgrounds. There used to be a place called Roteirs on Elliston near Exit/In, but sadly they closed after I don't know how many decades in 2020.
Visit the Parthenon and the original Ryman auditorium. Can't leave Nashville without seeing those. Though obviously as a musician you've already got Music Row on your itinerary.
So wondering, JW, Did youi ever attend any concerts at what was in the mid 70s the outdoor Nashville Speedway?
This. It's the final stand for old school Nashville music, there's no telling who might show up.
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