The 11 Best Things To Do In Nashville

When I told everyone that my family was taking a vacation to Nashville, everyone thought I was a loon. Nashville? How was I supposed to relax in a sleezy dirty city like Nashville? Are you kidding, for any of us audiophiles, Nashville is like the L'ouvre of music history. In fact if you throw in Memphis, the state of Tennesee may be the most significant musical state in the country. The number of pivotal rock albums that were recorded in Nashville number in the 1000s. Everyone from Bob Dylan to the White Stripes has recorded in Nashville at one time or another. It's not just about country music, although there's a lot of that going on. If anyone's looking for an off centre vacation with a musical theme then here are:

The 11 Best Things To Do In Nashville:

1. Country Music Hall of Fame - one of the best music museums I've ever been in
2. Grand Ole Opry - if you can see a show, do so at all costs
3. Musicians Hall of Fame - a museum dedicated to the great session musicians like the Funk Brothers, A-Team, and the Wrecking Crew. Absolutely fantastic.
4. The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's Home - sure he wasn't in a band but when he was in the White House, he used to party like a rock star.
5. Grand Ole Opry Museum - right off to the side of the Opry, highlights many of the legendary performers of the past and present.
6. Wildhorse Saloon - it's a super touristy honky tonk bar, but it's still a great time.
7. Nashville Palace - this honky tonk bar is off the beaten path but the entertainment is quite excellent. Worth stopping in for a beer. And it's next door to the Willie Nelson and Dukes of Hazzard museums.
8. The General Jackson Showboat - Ride an old-fashioned paddle boat while listening to great southern music. It doesn't get much better than this.
9. Downtown - Honky Tonk Bars coming out your ears. It'll be hard NOT find a good.
10. Willie Nelson Museum - It's not great. But it's a lot like Willie. Rough, unique, and off the beaten path.
11. The Loveless Cafe - It's a bit of a drive from downtown Nashville but the place has a lot of history worth seeing and some great food to boot.

Here are some great songs recorded in Nashville:

1. Bob Dylan - The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest (from John Wesley Harding)
2. Frank Black - I Burn Today (From Honeycomb)
3. Ryan Adams - Shakedown on 9th Street (From Heartbreaker)