Words by Richard Jones
There is a non-stop soundtrack echoing through Nashville’s vibrant streets and walking from bar to bar on the neon-drenched Broadway felt like being inside a huge open-air concert. However, two days into our trip to the Tennessee capital, news broke that the Queen of Country, Dolly Parton, had passed away at the age of 80.
Would this mean that the place which the American and international treasure is most associated would go into mourning and Music City USA would be temporarily plunged into silence?
On the contrary, Nashville’s residents and the thousands of visiting tourists came together to pay their respects and celebrate the life and legacy of the legendary performer and philanthropist.
Even before her death, images of the ‘Dreamer in Chief’ were everywhere and the sound of her iconic songs rung through the streets of Nashville.
Following her death, fans gathered to lay flowers at her plaque on the Music City Walk of Fame, Nashville’s landmarks were lit up in her honour, and Mother Nature even got in on the act, lighting up the sky in Dolly pink at sunrise and sunset.
Although she sadly won’t be around to see the opening of her new Songteller Hotel, the established and emerging performers at the Listening Room Cafe and the Grand Ole Opry’s Opry100 shows which we attended, did her proud.
Music City’s main attraction is undoubtably Broadway, the world-famous ‘Honky Tonk Highway’, often likened to a country version of the Las Vegas Strip.
Live music pours from the doorways of this entertainment mecca from 10am each morning until the early hours, while the neon lights glow, even in the daytime.
Dipping in and out of the bars co-owned by music superstars Jelly Roll, Kid Rock, Eric Church, Justin Timberlake and Jon Bon Jovi, as well as the city’s oldest honky-tonk, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, which Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline and Waylon Jennings used as an unofficial green room, my wife Rachel and I were swept up by it all.
We flew into Nashville from Manchester via Dublin with Aer Lingus. And although it was a long journey, we began our travel day refreshed after a night at the brand-new Dakota Hotel Manchester Airport.
Then, as soon as we touched down in Nashville (the airport is being renamed in Dolly’s honour), we heard all manner of musical genres, from country, Americana and pop, to rock, classical and blues.
Then, once we were in the Downtown area, our excitement was ramped up to 11.
Even off Broadway, there are live performers at the speakeasies, lounges and bars on the cobblestone pathways around Printer’s Alley. The Urban Cowboy Bar in particular is well worth a visit.
Some of the pedestrian crossings are shaped like piano keys, and we even ‘paid’ for morning coffee at our lodgings, The Untitled Hotel Nashville on Bankers Alley, with plectrum-shaped tokens.
Of course, it’s country and western music that dominates the Tennessee sound waves, and although Rachel and I weren’t fully signed-up fans beforehand, we were instantly converted.
During the days, we visited to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which has a Dolly-themed display, and country music’s ‘Mother Church’, the breath-taking Ryman Auditorium, where she first performed at the Grand Ole Opry, aged just 13.
People say music is the food of love, but Nashville’s actual culinary scene is also taking off.
Rachel and I enjoyed breakfast at the hugely popular Butter Milk Ranch in the trendy 12South neighbourhood, as well as a delightful lunch at French brasserie Pastis in the upcoming Westwood-Houston area.
You can’t visit Music City without trying some crispy Nashville hot chicken, and we pulled up stools to much down on wings and tenders at the world-famous Hattie B’s on Broadway.
We also had a signature G&D burger and Faroe Island salmon in Gray and Dudley – The Untitled Hotel’s eatery and bar – while at Husk on Rutledge Street, we were treated to heritage pork and Mississippi catfish, as well as a seasonal plate of southern vegetables grown in the garden next to our table.
However, the culinary highlight of the week was in the hip and edgy Gulch neighbourhood, home to Kelsey Montague’s famous #WhatLiftsYou motivational angel wings mural and the base for the second half of our trip, The Thompson Nashville, by Hyatt.
At Luogo, executive chef Anthony Scotto has brought a taste of NYC to Nashville.
His staff, including assistant manager Josh and our server Simran, brought out a selection of delicious upscale Italian appetisers and entrées for us to sample, with the potato and zucchini chips with gorgonzola, spaghetti alle vongole and pan-seared branzino among the many highlights.
As well as being a thriving culinary destination, Nashville also has a flourishing art scene and a storied history.
After checking into The Untitled Hotel, we were given a tour of the building’s galleries by curator Anna McKeown, and stopped off at the Frist Art Museum to view the rotating exhibitions, which includes paintings by Pollock, Picasso and Dali.
We also spent a morning at Belle Meade plantation, hearing all about the history of the estate, which has links back to horse racing in Doncaster, and indulging in wine-and-food pairings with the entertaining sommelier.
For those partial to a dram of whiskey, one of the stops on the hop-on-hop-off Old Town Trolley Tour is the Nelson’s Green Briar Distillery on Clinton Street, which also offers tours and tastings.
The Opry Mills premium shopping outlet is just a short ride from Downtown, and for more musical-themed entertainment – and photo ops – there is a branch of Madame Tussaud’s with waxwork models of Elvis, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, as well as iconic country stars.
Sport is also big business in Nashville. The Tennessee Titans’ new Nissan Stadium has been chosen to host the 2030 Super Bowl, while the multi-purpose Bridgestone Arena has recently hosted gigs by Tate McRae, Tame Impala and Sabrina Carpenter, and is home to the Nashville Predators NHL franchise.
On our final night in Nashville, Rachel and I headed back down to Broadway, and two days on from Dolly’s passing, bubbles were drifting from the rooftop bars onto the street below, while almost all the musicians in the honky-tonks began their sets with versions of 9 to 5, Here You Come Again, Jolene, Coat of Many Colors or Islands in the Stream.
The rags-to-rhinestones story of the Queen of Country, who grew up on the banks of the Little Pigeon River, has inspired millions of people around the world, including my two daughters, who received monthly books from the Smoky Mountain superstar as part of her Imagination Library initiative when they were toddlers.
Another small part of Dolly’s incredible legacy is the growing popularity of her adopted home city, Nashville, which will host the star-studded ‘party of a lifetime’ DollyFest, along with London, in her memory in 2027.
Even when her death was announced, the music didn’t stop – quite fitting for the self-depreciating star, who once said:
“I hope to fall dead in the middle of some great event or some great song I’m singing. Then they’ll say, ‘Oh well, she went happy and doing what she loves.”
To paraphrase one of her signature hits, the people of Music City USA will always love Dolly. And, although I’ve only visited once (so far), I’m certain that I will always love Nashville.
Factbox
Richard Jones and his wife Rachel were guests of Visit Nashville TN, the official tourism organisation for Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, head to visitmusiccity.com.
Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies four times per week from Dublin to Nashville, with return fares from £671. The airline also offers connecting flights to Dublin from all major UK airports, including Manchester.
The brand-new Dakota Manchester Airport is the first luxury hotel at the airport and offers the Eat, Sleep, Dakota package, including valet parking, a hotel stay, chauffeur-driven transport to the terminal, and an allocation towards dinner at The Grill and an à la carte breakfast. Go to dakotahotels.co.uk/manchester-airport/.
