How Nashville Became Music City

How Nashville Became Music City
By K. Lively

So why is Nashville called "Music City, USA?" It seems like a rather bold statement to claim all of music for one area of the country, especially when the roots of various styles may be found all over. One might think other cities should vie for the title: New York City for its bustling live music scenes and studios, Seattle for the many bands who influenced the last few decades of rock, or Detroit for giving us the Motown sound. Why Nashville?

For more than two centuries, music has shaped the history of Nashville, Tennessee, and in return Nashville gave the world the gift of many a talented singer and songwriter. Today, Music City still attracts not only visitors with a song in their hearts, but also thousands of songwriters, musicians, singers, producers and engineers hoping to make a break in the industry. Not everybody who comes to town is as famous as an Elvis or Dolly, but there have been people involved in helping Nashville earn the moniker of Music City, USA.

Did you know...

Music City has hosted some of the biggest names in the industry? Elvis, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Kansas, REM, Matchbox 20, Jimmy Buffett, and Neil Young are just a few of the performers who have recorded their biggest hits in Nashville studios.

One of the last vinyl record manufacturers is based in Nashville. United Record has been open since 1949 and has pressed millions of records for artists like Elvis Presley, Lionel Richie, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and N’Sync.

When Jimi Hendrix was starting out, he played many Nashville clubs in the Jefferson Street district.

In 1941, Nashville was granted the first FM-broadcasting license in the United States and Music City became the first to enjoy static-free radio.

Nashville's history is filled with numerous stories of music and the artists who inspired and created classic songs enjoyed all over the world. When you visit Nashville this year for your vacation, pay close attention to everything around you. You just may be witnessing music history in Music City.

K. Lively assists the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau with promoting Nashville as Music City, USA, the ideal travel destination for music lovers and anyone interested in summer fun, sunshine, and great food.

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Cowboy Capital of the World - Bandera, Texas

Bandera, Texas: Cowboy Capital of the World
By Paris Permenter

Wanna be a cowboy? That's an easy order to fill in Bandera, Texas, nicknamed "The Cowboy Capital of the World." In this community, located 50 miles northwest of San Antonio on TX 16, you can’t toss a horseshoe without hitting a dude ranch, rodeo ground, western wear store, or dance hall.

Bandera’s Western heritage is a big draw to today’s travelers but its roots date back to the founding days of Texas. Bandera Pass, located twelve miles north on TX 173, was first the site of numerous battles between the Spanish conquistadors and both Apache and Comanche Indians. According to one local legend, a flag (or bandera in Spanish) was placed here to mark the border between the forces.

Today the Wild West atmosphere lives on both in town and in the surrounding dude ranches. Whether you’d like to "cowboy up" for a few days at a dude ranch or just grab some boots and dance to Western tunes along Main Street, Bandera has plenty of opportunities to get in touch with your inner cowboy.

Dude Ranches: Bandera is well known for its many dude ranches, the perfect way for you and your family to experience life as a cowboy for a few days. Properties like the Flying L Guest Ranch, the Mayan Ranch, Dixie Dude Ranch, and Twin Elm Guest Ranch will keep you busy with horseback rides, hayrides, fishing, cookouts, and more. You don’t have to have any previous riding experience to enjoy the ranches. Typically the guest rates include three meals a day as well as Western entertainment and even supervised kids' programs. During the peak summer months, expect a minimum stay at many ranches.

Rodeos: Bandera is also synonymous with rodeos. One favorite held every Tuesday and Friday through the summer is at the Twin Elm Guest Ranch. For professional action, check out the Cowboy Capital PRCA Rodeo, held in May.

Honky Tonks: Another city might call them nightclubs, but there's nothing fancy about Bandera; this town proudly calls their downtown bars honky tonks. Live country music can be found most nights. One of the best known is Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar. Don’t miss the sawdust-covered floor (to encourage plenty of boot-scootin’). Also on Main Street, the Cabaret Dancehall has shook to the sounds of country music for seven decades and often hosts many big name acts.

Cowboys on Main: During the warm weather months, downtown Bandera is transformed with a Saturday event called Cowboys on Main. Scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. right on Main Street, the event features horseback riding cowboys, storytellers, trick ropers, musicians, and a lot more. The event is sponsored by the Frontier Times Museum’s Living History Project. Save some time for a sop at the Frontier Times Museum. The museum dates back to 1927 and is a good place to learn more about Bandera's early days through cowboy paraphernalia, Native American arrowheads, and prehistoric artifacts.

For more information on vacationing in Bandera, call the Bandera Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800.364.3833 or 830.796.3045.

Paris Permenter and John Bigley are Texas guidebook authors and the editors of
TexasTripper.com Travel Guide, an online guide to vacationing in Texas.

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