Both Southern hospitality and one of the most influential music scenes in the world come together as naturally as a heartfelt Johnny and June Carter Cash duet.
Music is a huge part of the Volunteer State’s heritage, and group-friendly destinations here make it a snap for planners to liven up agendas with a little bit of country, a little bit of rock ’n’ roll and everything in between.
From Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis to Dolly Parton’s Pigeon Forge-based Dollywood, Tennessee is internationally "note" worthy as having music attractions at every turn, and planners are encouraged to incorporate local musicians, performance venues and annual music festivals into group itineraries.
Memphis
In Memphis it’s actually near impossible to not include music in a meeting itinerary. The city’s Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley recorded his first song in 1953, is ground zero for rock ’n’ roll’s explosion onto the world stage, while soul music calls Stax home, and the blues was born on Beale Street, according to Alissa Clark, spokesperson at the Memphis CVB.
"And live music can be found any night of the week on Beale Street and local neighborhood juke joints," she says. "Quite simply, Memphis is music."
With advance notice, Clark says the CVB can help convention groups put together a tailored music program.
Graceland is one of top music sights in the destination, and it is available for off-site events complete with private evening tours of the late Elvis Presley’s mansion.
The Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum features an exhibition created by the Smithsonian Institution that chronicles the history of rock and soul music—from the field hollers of the 1930s through Sun and Stax records and Memphis’ musical heyday of the 1070s and beyond. The museum is available for private receptions, dinners and corporate functions. The Gibson Guitar Factory is located across the street, and events can be combined with tours of the facility that handcrafts some of the finest guitars in the world.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music is located at the original site of Stax Records, which launched the careers of musicians such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, the Staple Singers and Wilson Pickett.
Backbeat Tours has several packages that include stops at the city’s many music museums and elsewhere, complete with local musicians who sing selections from the city’s massive catalog of songs.
Meanwhile, the Levitt Shell (www.levittshell.org), which can accommodate up to 3,000 people, features a lineup of 50 free concerts per year and is a popular venue for private events, as is Minglewood Hall.
Nashville
Known worldwide as "Music City," Nashville is one of the two Tennessee hot spots where music is created, recorded and performed.
"From the downtown honky-tonks to the rock venues scattered throughout town to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, live music of all kinds can be heard seven days a week, 365 days a year," says Kay Witt, senior vice president of sales at the Nashville CVB.
Three of the city’s landmark music venues are available for group gatherings.
The Grand Ole Opry House is known as the home of country music, setting the stage every weekend for the famous Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running live radio show. Planners can arrange a group dinner on the stage or book an exclusive customized Opry show in the 4,400-seat theater.
Built in 1892, the Ryman Auditorium is a National Historic Landmark and a legendary Nashville music venue. The Ryman hosted the Grand Ole Opry for 31 years beginning in 1943, and legends such as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline performed on its stage. It continues to showcase renowned musicians. Group tours are offered, and the venue, including the historic stage, is available for dinners and receptions.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is an impressive tribute to the musical genre, with historic country video clips, recorded music and dynamic exhibits. The venue is also a modern architectural standout, and event space includes an 11,000-sqaure-foot glass-roofed conservatory, four theaters and a rotunda.
Meanwhile, two Nashville companies provide unique musical team-building programs that are led by Grammy award-winning musicians and focus on collaboration and creativity through songwriting: Kid Billy Music and Song Sessions.
"The Nashville CVB wants every group to have a truly authentic Music City experience, and we work closely with groups to facilitate just that," Witt says. "We work with singer/songwriters and artists to perform for groups, we organize music-themed events, and we also set meeting planners up with local music attractions that offer group events such as recording a song at the famous RCA Studio B."
Chattanooga
To punch up a meeting agenda in Chattanooga, according to Steve Genovesi, vice president of sales and marketing at the Chattanooga Area CVB, planners can hire a variety of talented local musicians, from the Chattanooga Choral Society for the Preservation of African American Song to dulcimer player Dan Landrum.
"And planners look at Chattanooga’s live music venues as a way to complement their overall stay," Genovesi adds, citing outings to Rhythm and Brews, the Tivoli Theatre and Memorial Auditorium, and Track 29, a 2,000-person venue scheduled to open in September in a historic building at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Booking a meeting during one of the city’s outdoor musical events, including June’s Riverbend Festival, is another great way to incorporate music into a group itinerary.
Smoky Mountains Region
From Southern Appalachian music in Gatlinburg to Dolly Parton’s legacy, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, provides an eclectic mix of musical offerings for groups visiting the Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains Region.
Musical expression has always been and remains a big part of daily life in Gatlinburg, says David Perella, director of the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism.
"Mountain music is tied to Smokies history like no other part of our culture," he says. "We consider it a part of the experience of Gatlinburg when groups are exposed to the rich traditions of mountain music."
Gatlinburg’s Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales, a summer-long street performance program entering its sixth year, highlights the city’s musical heritage free of charge. Many of the Tunes & Tales acts, Perella adds, are available for hire to perform private shows for groups and conventions.
Music is a mainstay in Pigeon Forge, and according to Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, groups take full advantage of its presence.
"One of our musical strengths is the variety available," he says, citing country, bluegrass, gospel, Broadway and patriotic entertainment. "Also, theaters are available for rentals if a meeting planner needs a professional location for his own show. Many planners book the 1,400-seat Country Tonite Theater."
And of course, most groups convening in the area include a visit to Dollywood, which has been honored with a Golden Ticket Award for having the best shows in the theme park industry, Downey says.
In Dolly Parton’s hometown of Sevierville groups often visit her statue on the courthouse lawn for a memorable photo-op.
"Sevierville is also home to several musical events throughout the year, whether it’s major concerts taking place at Smokies Stadium [www.smokiesstadiumevents.com] or top-notch bluegrass entertainment at festivals like Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass," says Scott King, director of sales at the Sevierville CVB.
"Being in the heart of Appalachian music, Sevierville is blessed with lots of talented musicians, some of whom perform for group gatherings," King adds, citing Jimbo Whaley and Monroeville.
Knoxville
Knoxville’s music scene is one of the best-kept secrets in the South, where on any given night, local clubs and theaters host an eclectic array of music, from bluegrass to reggae, according to Kim Davis, spokesperson at Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation.
"The biggest surprise to those who are new to Knoxville is the town’s healthy jazz scene," Davis says, citing the 16-piece Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, which presents monthly concerts at local clubs, and Baker Peters Steak Mansion & Jazz Club, which features performances by local jazz artists.
Planners are also encouraged to check out the circa-1928 Tennessee Theatre, refurbished and reopened in 2005, and the historic Bijou Theatre, which both double as concert and special event venues.
Davis adds another fun music venue is the stage on downtown’s Market Square, which during the spring and summer becomes home to Sundown in the City, a free outdoor concert series that groups can enjoy along with the thousands of other people it draws on Thursday nights.
Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities region, encompassing Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City, rounds out Tennessee’s rich musical heritage with an emphasis on country and bluegrass.
Bristol, according to Kimberly Leonard, marketing and sales director at the Bristol Tennessee/Virginia CVB, is the official Birthplace of Country Music, a title declared by the U.S. Congress in 1998.
"From a busker on the street corner to a local pub to a three-day music festival, Bristol has music events most nights of the week," Leonard says. "Embracing Bristol’s musical heritage is an important part of the area."
Because music is a significant part of Bristol’s fabric, in 2010 the CVB launched www.PickBristol.com to showcase the area’s vibrant live music scene, ranging from local bands performing in eateries to the symphony performing at the Paramount Center for the Arts, which is available as a meeting facility or a private performance venue for groups.
Kingsport also considers music an essential part of its community and offers a variety of musical opportunities for visiting groups to enjoy, from Symphony of the Mountains performances to live outdoor concerts by mainstream artists such as the Zac Brown Band and Alison Krauss, according to Lara Unick, director of sales at the Kingsport CVB.
"The CVB is happy to coordinate live music for your group," she says, explaining that several venues accommodate both off-site meetings and music performances, including the Bus Pit () and Stir Fry Cafe.
Downtown Kingsport, Unick adds, is the perfect location for outdoor music. Twilight Alive is one weekly concert series from May through August.
Johnson City-based East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is the only four-year university in the world with a B.A. degree program in Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music, and it houses the Archives of Appalachia, featuring an array of historical and sometimes rare recordings of Appalachian music.
"The public is welcome to visit, listen and learn at the music kiosk, located in ETSU’s B. Carroll Reece Memorial Museum and at the Archives of Appalachia," says Brenda Whitson, executive director at the Johnson City CVB.
There are a number of live music venues available in Johnson City, including the intimate and historic Down Home and Spring Street Music Hall, which both double as off-site gathering locales.
The Johnson City CVB works closely with the Friends of Olde Downtown to organize the Blue Plum Festival, an outdoor music and art festival that is held in June and spans seven blocks and multiple stages, Whitson adds.
Carolyn Blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus South.
