City Description
Arguably the most transformed City in our nation, Nashville has evolved from a 1700's French and Indian trading post-to a Civil War battleground-to a cotton industry heavyweight-to its present designation as the world's Country Western Music Capital. Most influential in this latest makeover has been the creation and fabulous success of The Grand Ole Opry.
Introduced into homes across the country in 1925 as a live-music radio broadcast, The Grand Ole Opry soon attracted admirers to its studio. As the number of gatherers grew, programmers agreed to allow this audience inside. However, an ever increasing gaggle of fascinated fans continued to mob the production and its performers, even after the program began charging 25 cents a head. This surging popularity forced the studio to find larger broadcast venues, until 1974 when the performance finally landed a permanent home in the 4,400 seat Grand Ole Opry House. As the longest running radio program in history, Grand Ole Opry broadcasts can be heard at opry.com and on the Great American Country (GAC) Television network.
Pulling away from its industrial roots and refashioning itself as a champion for the creative arts, Music City U.S.A. bursts with business and tourist appeal. Nashville's Second Avenue and Church Street come alive with dance clubs, cultural galleries, entertaining restaurants and live performance stages. Downtown's performing arts centers are consistently packed with visitors and locals. And, in what some consider the true measure of a city's success, Tennessee's capital has imported both NFL (Titans) and NHL (Predators) franchises.
Nashville is a prime example that change is a good thing.
