Nashville: I’m a little bit country

The mecca for country music fans is the Country Music Hall of Fame. In fact even if you’re not a huge fan of “both types of music: country AND western” you may be surprised at who got their starts in this genre. But a highlight was the additional tour of Studio B, make sure you do both.

The building itself is a masterpiece, spread over 3 floors including the Hall of Fame rotunda with brass plates of inductees. Display cases house collections and memorabilia from artists your dad probably knows – or even your granddad – right up until present day (I’m looking at you Keith Urban)

They only take donations from artists and have a policy not to purchase collections. Elvis drove his car here, all pimped out in gold with a TV in the back and coat hanger for an aerial sticking out of the top. (Well, it may not be a coat hanger, but it sure looks like it). He also has a cumbersome phone back there to speak to his driver.

Elvis Presley car Nashville — Check out Elvis’s TV in the back seat

Webb Pierce car Nashville — This is Webb Pierce’s car with guns mounted on the hood, as door handles and the dashboard studded in silver dollars

Keith Urban is a current legend in Nashville and while I confess to missing the Grand Ole Opry (a bit like when I missed the Cistene Chapel in Rome) you really shouldn’t. Huge live acts perform every night.

But add on a trip to Studio B to the recording studio where Elvis taped half of his entire playlist (about 250 songs) and it’s still in use today for artists who want that old school sound.

Studio B Nashville — Roy Orbison is just one of the icons who recorded here at Studio B

Our guide made the 1 hour tour come alive playing pieces of several hits that were recorded here including Dolly Parton and the man she owes it all to, Porter Wagoner, plus clips from Charlie Pride, Chet Atkins, the Everly Brothers, Jim Reeves.