What’s playing in Nashville

Nashville began in 1779 as a Wild West town and, within one hundred years, became the ‘Athens of the South,’ with its very own Parthenon and statue of the Greek Goddess Athena. Nashville has reinvented itself, though, to become
Music City.

That doesn’t mean that Nashville is only for Country music fans, though. Many
forms of music now dominate the tourism industry and play a big part in
Nashville’s image overseas as the Country Music Capital of the World. And for good reason – the city has spawned or been part of the development of
many types of music, including Country, Blues and R&B. Let’s take a look at
what’s developing in this Middle Tennessee town.

What’s Playing In Music City
The new Nashville Symphony Hall is making its home at the Schermerhorn
Symphony Center, which will open in September. The $120 million center is a
‘building within a building.’ The entire performance space is surrounded by a
two-inch isolation joint that prevents sound from getting in from the outside.
Also, the building’s windows are specially designed to let in light but not sound.
The $120 million price tag includes a $2.5 million pipe organ.

Opening this spring, the Musicians’ Hall of Fame will be the first museum and
Hall of Fame honoring the musician. The 30,000-square-foot facility will recognize musicians of all genres and feature artifacts
from legendary sessions. The space will also contain a gift shop, a
mini-theatre for film screenings, a 5,000- square-foot performance hall, a functioning recording studio that will be part of the museum tour and a school of
music that offers lessons to students of all ages and abilities.
Located on Music Valley Drive just across from the Gaylord Opryland
Resort, the legendary Nashville Palace reopened in early 2006. It offers Opry
Lunches that showcase the legendary stars who helped make Nashville the
Music City that it is today. The venue also offers nightly showcases with the rising stars of Nashville and features both a lunch and dinner menu. The venue is
open seven days a week, with live music everyday. From time to time, you can also find some of radio’s hottest singers gracing the stage.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s new Ray Charles exhibit,
which has been named one of the top twenty events by the Southeast Tourism
Society, has been going strong since March and will remain open through
December 31, 2007. The exhibit will provide an overview of Charles’ career, focusing on his country music influences and his contributions to the growth and ennoblement of the genre. From the earliest known photograph of Charles through his final televised performance, the media-rich exhibit honors
Charles as ‘one of the most revered and recognized musicians in the world.’
Gaylord Opryland Hotels has brand new experiences for overnight groups starting
July 2006. A tour held in Jack Daniel’s Saloon will show the history and process
of making bourbon, and includes a lesson on how to make a bourbon cake and a gift package at the end of the tour which includes a Petterpatch Tipsy Cake, a
recipe for bourbon cake and a CD featuring Bluegrass music.

They also have another tour packaged for groups who overnight at the resort:
Opry Legends. In addition to a Grand Ole Opry CD and commemorative Christmas
ornament, one of the many Grand Ole Opry legends or members will greet the
coach upon arrival to the hotel. They also offer a personalized tour by “Minnie Pearl” at the Opry Museum and a backstage tour of the Opryhouse when performances are not going on. The tour also includes lunch.

The Nashville International Airport (BNA) will break ground this month on a
$35 million terminal renovation project, to be carried out in three phases over a
three-year period. Included in the project  will be: reconfigured and reconstructed  restaurants, concessions and restrooms, including the addition of more restrooms; a consolidated, artfully decorated security checkpoint; skylights to add volume and light, providing numerous opportunities to showcase music, art and amenities; and color accents, mosaic sculptures and colorfully articulated chrome and lacquered woods interspersed strategically throughout the facility.

The Tennessee State Museum is home to Old Glory through November 26 in an exhibit titled, “Old Glory: An American Treasure Comes Home.” The flag was atop a nineteenth-century ship before being hidden inside a quilt here in Nashville during the Civil War. After spending a good bit of the last century at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., Old Glory is back in Nashville, on loan for eight months.

“Old Glory: An American Treasure Comes Home” showcases the 10’x17’ flag, which was presented to Massachusetts sea captain William Driver by his family before he set sail around the world in the early 1830s. The Union supporter had it sewn inside a quilt for fear that the Rebels would burn it.

NashTrash Tours dishes out the dirt on the city’s favorite polyester, sequined country music legends. The tour is led by the infamous Jugg Sisters and takes groups through the city. If you’re lookin’ to see the country stars’ homes, you’ll have to call the competition. But if you’re more interested in the “lowlights”
of Music City with some great entertainment to boot, this tour is not to be missed.

Nashville, like many great Southern cities, has its share of ghosts. The Haunted Downtown Nashville Tour starts at Hermitage Hotel, itself a hot spot for paranormal Nashville, like many great Southern cities, has its share of ghosts. The Haunted Downtown Nashville Tour starts at Hermitage Hotel, itself a hot spot for paranormal activity, and winds itself through the streets, answering
questions like ‘Who is buried in the walls of Tennessee’s State Capitol?’ and ‘Who was murdered in Printers Alley?’ Make sure travelers take comfortable walking shoes on this leisurely paced 90-minute walking tour.

Clarksville, 45 miles from Nashville, is a great day trip for your group, and a welcome for those craving a quiet retreat. Clarksville’s Dunbar Cave State Natural Area is open every day from 8 a.m. until sunset. Periodic programs are conducted by the park staff, along with guided tours of the cave and slide
shows. The park also offers picnic tables, hiking trails, and fishing.

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Courtesy of leisuregrouptravel