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Wednesday 10 August 2011

Dixieland Part 9......

After breakfast on Day 10 of our holiday we boarded the coach for a tour of Nashville.  Nashville was originally called Nashboro when the British settled there, it was renamed Nashville by the French.  

Our first stop was the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park which was built 20 years ago for Nashville's 200th birthday to complement the Tennessee State Capitol Building, which is the oldest in the country.   The land where the park is built was originally sites of industrial premises.


Within the park are 95 granite columns or Carillons in the Court of 3 Stars.   The Court of 3 Stars is a focal point of the park and the site of a 95-bell carillon representing Tennessee's musical heritage.   The 95 bells represent the citizens of Tennessee's 95 counties.   A 96th bell, known as the answer bell, is located on the grounds of the State Capitol and rings in answer to the 95 bells, symbolizing government answering to the people.   The carillons are some of the largest in the world.  they play Tennessee themed songs at the top of the hour, every hour. 





The park also houses the WW2 Memorial Park with it's huge pillars of black granite, photo etched with images from the battles of WW2.  There are also short descriptions below each photo that describe the images and their importance to Tennessee history.  




These granite pillars surround a very impressive 18,000lb black granite globe that floats and rotates on an 
1/8-inch bed of water.  





The globe is etched with markings of how a globe would have looked during WW2.  You can actually rotate the globe quite easily, it's amazing.

We passed the Centennial Park, which was built for Nashville's 100th birthday, and saw the magnificent Parthenon



which was originally built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition.

The next leg of the city tour took us to Millionnaire's Row/Franklin Road, known as the 'old money part of town', where people such as Dolly Parton, The Jacksons, The Judds, Tex Ritter, Minnie Pearl, Tanya Tucker, Martina MacBride, the owner of Crispy Creme Donut's live(d).


This is the house orginally owned by Hank and Audrey Williams which Tammy Wynette later bought and where she died.  

Leaving the fabulous houses of the famous behind. we made our way to 'Music Row' an area just to the southwest of Downtown Nashville, which is home to hundreds of businesses related to the music industry, passing the controversial Musica Statue on the way.


The statue is a bronze sculpture by Alan LeQuire,  made up of nine nude figures, male and female, in the centre of a roundabout, it was built as part of an urban renewal project for the Music Row neighbourhood.  It is controversial due to its depiction of nudity, although according to LeQuire the work is entirely tasteful and not at all sexualised.    However the figures are quite often dressed; (in this instance in yellow t-shirts) on St. Patrick's Day 2010 a local music group, the Willis Clan, clothed the statues in oversized Celtic kilts and blouses they had made for the event!   

We also got a great view of what is locally known as The Batman Building,


home to AT&T (American Telegraph Company).  The smaller building to the left of the batman building is locally referred to as R2D2. 

Driving round 'Music Row' we saw Curb Records, ASCAP, Songwriters House - where writers can take a nap, Vibe Studio,  SESAC, Heart Chart Music,  Major Bob Music, Idlehour - where Willie Nelson recorded, 16 Ton Studio, Crystal Gale's building, before reaching our destination





the famous RCA Victor Studio B, where we got off the coach, pausing for photoshoot,


before entering the iconic building where Elvis recorded for 13 years.


Elvis Hits recorded at Studio B

Other famous people who have recorded at Studio B are Skeeter Davis who recorded her famous hit 'End Of The World', which was written by Sylvia Dee (Josephine De Sylvia).   Most people think the song is about splitting up with a boyfriend but she actually wrote it when she was thirteen about her father who had just had died.     Dolly Parton recorded 'I Will Always Love You' at Studio B, she wrote the song about her split with Porter Wagner.   Roy Orbison recorded 'Only The Lonely' there too.

We were taken into the actual recording studio where all these famous people had recorded their hits and were surprised at just how small it is.


Our group in the recording studio

We even got to sit at the very piano Elvis used to tinkle on.





Our guide told us that Elvis used to record at the studio on Sundays, arriving at 10 p.m. and working right through the night finishing at 5 a.m. the following morning.  Apparently he liked to set the mood in the studio by having things like a Christmas Tree when he was recording Christmas albums.   As we sat there the guide told us one time Elvis had, during a recording session, asked that the lights be turned off, the guide then turned the lights off in the studio to demonstrate and we then heard Elvis singing 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'.   It was like Elvis was in the room, a very moving moment and quite eerie to know we were listening to the actual recording of such an iconic song in the very place it was recorded.    If you ever get the chance do visit Studio B and do the tour, it's absolutely fascinating.

The next stop on our itinerary was The Country Music Hall of Fame, where we saw fabulous exhibits such as Tammy Wynette's many costumes, contents of her wardrobe and jewellery and clothes and other items belonging to various country stars, past and present (see slide show below, click on View All Images if you want a closer look).




 The Gold Record Wall is magnificent


and the Rotunda, a special room designed to recognise Hall of Fame members, is amazing,


Will The Circle Be Unbroken

all the big stars are there on the wall


Elvis Presley and Minnie Pearl



Dolly Parton

The first members of the Hall Of Fame were Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams, who were inducted in 1961 and the most recent  are Bobby Braddock, Reba McEntire and Jean Shepard in 2011.   Did you know that Roy Rogers is the only person inducted two times into the Hall of Fame.  The first was with the Original Sons of the Pioneers and the second was as a solo artist.  The members plaques are placed randomly around the room because everyone recognised here is an equal.   The room is round to ensure that every Hall of Fame member has a place of equal importance.   

After seeing all there was to see we made our way down to the snack bar for a quick sandwich and drink before we had to meet the coach to take us back to the hotel where we got ready to go to the Loveless Cafe for our evening meal.   Nationally acclaimed and frequented by celebrities, world travellers and local appetites alike the Loveless was originally known as the Harpeth Valley Tea Room.   The Loveless Motel and Cafe first started serving its famous fried chicken and biscuits in 1951 when the property was purchased by Lon and Annie Loveless.  They set up picnic tables in the front yard and sold chicken from the front door to travellers driving up and down US Highway 100.   Lon Loveless ran the motel and handled the hams while hungering crowds were drawn to Annie's homemade preserves and from-scratch biscuits - one of few secret recipes that has remained unchanged to this day.   Here's what we enjoyed

Southern Fried Chicken
Smoked Turkey
Pork
Biscuits
Collard Greens
Green Beans
Pickled Cucumber
Pancakes
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Apple Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Key Lime Pie

Phew I'm stuffed just remembering what we ate and it was absolutely DEELISH!     Stuffed to bursting we headed back to Broadway where we finished off the evening with a couple of drinks in Layla's Bluegrass Bar, enjoying the fabulous music Nashville has to offer one last time before going back to our hotel to get a good night's sleep, as we had to be up early the following morning for the journey back to Atlanta, visiting Lynchburg and Chattanooga on the way. Join me for Dixieland Part 10 to find out what we saw on the last leg of our journey.

Read Dixieland Part 1 here
Read Dixieland Part 2 here
Read Dixieland Part 3 here
Read Dixieland Part 4 here
Read Dixieland Part 5 here
Read Dixieland Part 6 here
Read Dixieland Part 7 here
Read Dixieland Part 8 here

24 comments:

Valerie said...

So much to see, I'm beginning to wish we'd gone to Tennessee. Love the golden wall, the magnificence of the Parthenon, and I would have watched the rotating globe for ages.

G-Man said...

Who's Jeremy Kyle?

Akelamalu said...

You should go Valerie, you'd love it. The globe was amazing!

G-man I've emailed you a link to Jeremy Kyle.

Daryl said...

My friend Marilynn is a states attorney and works down there in one of those buildings surrounding the Capitol Mall .. did you get to go inside the Parthenon?

Akelamalu said...

No we didn't have time unfortunately Daryl.

secret agent woman said...

My older son will be at a University outside Nashville in a few weeks, so I imagine I'll be seeing a lot of the city soon!

Commander Zaius said...

Here's what we enjoyed...

Next time try some fried okra, its good stuff.

As for the collard greens, I hope they were not too salty, some cooks just don't know when to hold back.

Great pictures!

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

that is a fabulous part of this country and that meal is iconic to the region. very near podunk too! so glad you got to go!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxooxox

Ron said...

WOW WHEEEEE....these are wonderful photos!

*applauding*

Especially loved the shots of the batman building, the globe, and of course....you sitting at the piano that Elvis once played. OMG...that must have been such a cool feeling!

As always, m'dear....I thoroughly enjoy your guided tours to places you've traveled. Honestly, you truly have a gift for allowing us to feel like we are there!

I look forward to part 10! Have a fab day.....X

Shrinky said...

You look perfectly at home seated at that piano. I love the giant guitar (smile). Ahhhh, what wonderful memories you and yours have laid down, I truly am very envious!

(I hate to admit it, but I am a closet Jeremy Kyle fan - it is so reassuring to know my family is nowhere near as dysfunctional as I first once thought..)

Cloudia said...

Nashboro

How COOL!



Aloha from Waikiki;


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Akelamalu said...

I hope you and your son enjoy Nashville as much as we did SAW x

The collard greens were lovely Beach and I've had okra here in a curry, I suppose it's different fried though.

We were told the meal was typical of the area Bee which is why we wanted to try it. It was delicious.

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the photos and the narrative Ron, I love sharing my travels. :)

Oh yes Shrinky we are laying down some fabulous memories, one reason why I enjoy blogging about our travels so I can look back on them. I watch Jeremy Kyle occasionally shaking my head but it's like a car crash isn't it you can't not watch it?

Nashboro(ville) was cool Cloudia!

Dumdad said...

Another great guided tour. Incidentally, what are collard greens? I've heard the phrase before but don't know if I've eaten them or not!

Akelamalu said...

Thanks Dumdad, glad you enjoyed the tour. I think collard greens are like cabbage but maybe one of my 'southern' readers will enlighten us. :)

Maude Lynn said...

This sounds like so much fun!

katie eggeman said...

As usual I am enjoying your vacation. Do you enjoy country music? I am sure you must to have made this particular trip. Great pictures as usual.

Linda said...

Just finished reading this post along with Dixieland Part 8 both of which I paid particular attention to as I'll be going to Nashville myself in September. My cousin goes to the International Bluegrass Music Association Conference every year in Nashville and she's asked me to accompany her this year. Having never been to Nashville I'm quite looking forward to it - especially after reading both of your posts and seeing all of the fun things to do!

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to the Grand Ole Opry but that's okay as I've got plans to take a bus tour to a couple other places close by while Amy does her Conference stuff. Touring the downtown area is definitely on the list! Maybe I could even find a nice pair of cowboy boots like you did, too!

tony said...

I Love especially the Musica Statue! It would look good in Hebden Bridge!!But is that a roundabout its in the middle of? Not many of them in The States?

eastcoastlife said...

I intend to visit Nashville too when I go for a vacation with my son end of the year. Thanks for the info, I have taken notes from your posts. :)

Akelamalu said...

It was Mama Zen, it was!

I adore country music BankerChick!

Oh you're going to love Nashville Linda! I can't wait to read all about YOUR visit. :)

Yes the Musica statue is in the middle of the roundabout Tony and I think that was the only roundabout we saw during our tour!

I'm sure you will enjoy Nashville as much as we did EastCoastLife. :)

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Just catching up to your Dixieland Journey Parts 8 & 9 - I've had my nose to the grindstone, Akelamalu, working on my book. I lift my head up and can't believe a few weeks have zoomed by already.

SO excited for your trip to both Grand Ole Opry's - both of us managed to visit the theatres we've dreamed about all our lives! How cool is that?

Really enjoyed the peek at the RCA recording studio. I can't tell you how wonderful your entire Dixieland series has been. I've seen lots of wonderful things through this blog that I had no idea were even there.

Lorraine said...

Wow and wow again. Not a word I like usually, but how I would love to go there - lucky you and what a super time. Love all the pics. too. You are so good at doing that and showing us everything so well to make it interesting. Thanks for sharing..

nitebyrd said...

You definitely took in a whole bunch of "The South" including some delicious food!

Akelamalu said...

I'm so pleased you are enjoying these posts Julia, thankyou.x

Oh thankyou Lorraine, I love writing about our trips but it makes it so much more worthwhile when people say they've enjoyed it.

We certainly did Nitebyrd LOL