All activities / Music at the Source / Nashville
Music at the Source in NashvilleUS
Tennessee's capital and America's undisputed country music hub, home to Music Row, the Grand Ole Opry, the Bluebird Cafe, and a dense community of working songwriters.
Why here
Nashville is where country and Americana songwriting is practised professionally — Music Row studios, the Bluebird Cafe's writers-in-the-round format, and a community of working songwriters who treat the craft as a discipline. It is possible to sit in a workshop, co-write with a stranger, and walk into a honky-tonk to hear the results performed the same evening.
Best months
Year-round destination — the music never stops. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the most comfortable seasons. CMA Music Festival in June is the flagship country event, transforming the city. Summer is hot and crowded but the scene is always active. Winter is mild compared to northern cities.
Getting there & around
Nashville International Airport is well connected from most US cities and has growing international service. Downtown and the Gulch are walkable; East Nashville (where the indie Americana scene lives) is a short rideshare. Rental cars useful for Music Row and outlying venues. Very tourist-friendly infrastructure.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
GuideThe authoritative institution on country music's history and craft, combining a museum with one of Nashville's most valuable experiences: guided tours of Historic RCA Studio B on Music Row — the room where Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, and hundreds of others recorded. Tours depart from the museum daily and include a live demonstration of the room's acoustics.
Nashville Songwriters Association International
SchoolThe world's largest not-for-profit organisation for songwriters, NSAI has operated out of Nashville since 1967. Its Thursday Night Workshops at 1710 Roy Acuff Place cycle through song feedback sessions, publisher pitches, and guest speaker events featuring working Music Row professionals. Open to non-members for up to two visits before joining. The most direct entry point into Nashville's professional songwriting culture.