Music City USA - Nashville, Tennessee

If Nashville, Tennessee is known for one thing, it's music. Although the city's name may be synonymous with the country genre, this vibrant Tennessee town also has its own Symphony Orchestra, is home to the Nashville Opera, has an established and thriving jazz scene, and is a hotbed for indie-rock and pop.

However, wherever you go in this exciting southern metropolis, you're never too far from the melodic strains of a country tune, and it is without doubt the defining feature of what has become known simply as, 'Music City'.

The world famous Grand Ole Opry was born here back in the 1920s, and served as the platform for generations of rising country performers. With its pioneering live radio broadcasts, the Opry introduced scores of country and bluegrass artists to a wider audience, and pretty much cemented Nashville's reputation as the home of the country style. Among those to have tread the hallowed boards of the Grand Ole Opry are such greats as the Carter Family, Flatt & Scruggs, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. There have also been a few controversies along the way. Both Hank Williams and Johnny Cash were banned from the Opry's stage for, let's say, behavioral reasons, and a young Elvis Presley was famously told by the management to give up singing and go back to driving a truck. Despite these hiccups, the Opry has remained at the forefront of the music scene in Nashville, and is still going strong today—making it the longest-running radio show in history.

While the Opry represents the traditional country scene in Nashville, there are scores of other venues dotted around the city where live music of all kinds can be enjoyed throughout the week. From huge arenas that host big name acts, to intimate grassroots music cafés where up-and-coming artists learn their trade, this exciting city offers a stunning range of aural treats for a wide range of music lovers.

As well as being a hub for live music, Nashville also supports a huge industry connected directly to the music scene. Second only to New York as a center of music production, the city is home to countless record labels, and all of the major companies have significant presence in the town. According to a 2006 study, almost 20,000 people were directly employed in the music industry in Nashville, making it the city's second largest industry, after health care.

And, just like the great city of Nashville itself, the music scene here is in a state of constant change and modernization, but it never forgets its pioneers, its unique heritage or its history.

In addition to a great music culture, the Nashville real estate market also offers a high quality of life, numerous job opportunities, and recreation. To find a home in Nashville, call (615) 361 6641 or search our Nashville MLS listings.