Most of the credit for Nashville becoming Music City belongs, oddly enough, to an insurance company. In 1925, the National Life and Accident Insurance Company had the ingenious idea of launching a radio station in Nashville to promote its business. They called it WSM for their company motto “We Shield Millions” and they mostly played classical and easy-listening “dinner” music.
But Saturday nights were reserved for the WSM Barn Dance, an evening of live (and lively) country music. How did nashville become music city.
Who first called Nashville Music City?
Finally, we come to the year 1950 when Nashville was officially dubbed Music City USA by WSM’s announcer at the time, David Cobb; the name stuck, and that’s how we see the city today.
How did Nashville become so popular?
Nashville quickly grew because of its prime location, accessibility as a river port, and its later status as a major railroad center. In 1806, Nashville was incorporated as a city and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee.
Why is Nashville known for music?
Nashville is nicknamed Music City for good reason. It’s regarded as the birthplace of country music, but it’s truly a home for all genres, including Bluegrass, Rock, Blues, Indie Rock, and more.
Is Nashville the music capital of the world?
Today, Nashville is one of the first places serious musicians consider moving to if they want to make it big. As a result, it has become known as the “Songwriting Capital of the World” and remains known as the Music City to most of those throughout the world.
Who gave Nashville the name Music City?
So what about that nickname? Well “the Music City” name comes from a highly unlikely source: Queen Victoria, herself.
Who coined Music City USA?
The Fisk Jubilee singers from Nashville’s Fisk University and Queen Victoria most often get the credit for the city’s nickname.
What was Nashville originally called?
They named the settlement Nashborough for General Francis Nash of North Carolina. In 1784 Nashborough was changed to Nashville, probably as a result of anti-British sentiments following the Revolutionary War. By the early 1800s Nashville was growing rapidly. In 1796 Tennessee had become the sixteenth state.
What made Nashville so popular?
Nashville is the hometown of country music and the birthplace of bluegrass, with roots in R&B, and a thriving pop and rock scene. Visitors flock to the city year-round to listen to live music in the honky-tonks [A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano (tack piano) used to play such music] of Broadway and to see the famous recording studios on Music Row.
How did nashville become music city, The Barn Dance broadcast was so popular in Nashville that people would come downtown every Saturday night and crowd outside the WSM station to catch a glimpse of the musicians. WSM soon built an auditorium to accommodate the audience and in 1927 changed the weekly program’s name to the Grand Ole Opry.
