Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Summary

Airport Rating ****
Reception of locals ***
Cost: £££££

• The largest city in Tennessee and one of the fastest growing cities in the United States
• Very lively, very energetic, and very youthful with a lot of hen / bachelorette parties throughout the day
• No big issues as a Sikh in the city or at the airport - but the city is quite expensive 
• Main Sights: Country Music Hall of Fame, Broadway, John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, the Gulch

The Music City

The American South has always intrigued me. There is something about this country within a country that feels alien, a bit of a throwback. But it's never been at the top of my list because the south is also associated with racism and insularity. It's a little like Eastern Europe for me - even though it fascinates me - it isn't a place I've really wanted to visit.

But having spent a few years in Washington DC, the desire to visit the south has only become stronger, and this year I finally decided to take step into Tennessee and visit its most famous city.

The city's history dates back to 1779, but its importance as a commercial centre grew after the American Civil War when it became a centre for the railroad industry. Today, the city has a population of around 2 million, the largest in the state, and it is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. I could feel this magnetism from the start, my first two taxi drivers from immigrants from Latin America and both mentioned Nashville as a goal for them to move to.

It is music that the city is most famous for now. Nashville’s association with music began in the 19th century, but it earned its nickname as "Music City" in the early 20th century. The establishment of the Grand Ole Opry in 1925, a weekly country music stage concert, played a pivotal role in shaping Nashville's musical identity. The Opry, originally a radio show, became a cultural phenomenon and attracted musicians from across the country. It showcased a variety of music styles, but it was country music that became synonymous with Nashville with major recording studios, record labels, and publishing houses headquartered there.

In recent years, Nashville has experienced rapid growth and diversification and while music remains a central part of its identity, the city has also become known for its healthcare, education, and tourism industries. The healthcare industry is particularly significant, with Nashville being a major centre for healthcare management, home to over 300 healthcare companies, including Hospital Corporation of America, one of the largest private operators of health care facilities in the world. Additionally, the city's educational institutions, such as Vanderbilt University, are nationally famous.

The economy is one thing, and food is another. Nashville is famous for its southern food, although it isn’t the best place in the world if you are vegetarian. If you eat meat, the city has incredible barbecue food and hot chicken - the latter is something Nashville is particularly famous for.

Welcome to the South

The airport in Nashville is efficient and a decent size - nothing like Denver’s huge Illuminati airport (which I wrote about in my last article) - but very well laid out and it has live music in its open spaces which I thought was very cool.

Given its location and the popularity of Nashville, it is one of the busiest airports in the country, handling over 18 million passengers annually. I had no issues as a Sikh flying into Nashville or going through security on my way out. The only slight frustration was getting out of the airport. Public transport isn’t such a big thing and the queue for taxis was insanely long — I waited almost an hour for mine to arrive and the lack of alternatives meant getting into the city wasn’t cheap either.

Broadway

Without a doubt the beating heart of Nashville is Broadway, a long street that cuts through the centre of the city. Spanning several blocks through downtown Nashville, Broadway is the epicentre of the city's renowned nightlife, culture, and musical heritage. It doesn't matter whether you visit during the day or the night, Broadway is always heaving.

Broadway’s origins date back to the early 19th century when it was a dirt road used by traders and travellers passing through Nashville. As the city grew, so did Broadway, evolving into a commercial district by the late 1800s. In the early 20th century, Broadway began to develop its reputation as a hub for live music. The nearby Ryman Auditorium, known as the "Mother Church of Country Music," opened in 1892 and became the home of the Grand Ole Opry in 1943. This proximity to the Ryman attracted musicians, performers, and fans to Broadway, solidifying its connection to Nashville’s burgeoning music scene.

As the 20th century progressed, Broadway continued to grow in prominence, with lively bars and clubs, and live bands playing throughout the day and night. Today, Lower Broadway is famously known as the "Honky-Tonk Highway." It is lined with honky-tonks (which are cheap bars playing country music), each with its own unique character but all united by the common thread of live music. These bars have no entrance fee, which means that people tend to hop between the different honky-tonks.

​Within the first few minutes of hitting Broadway, I really began to understand the nature of the city. No matter what time there always seem to be hen parties - groups on groups of them. Remarkably, there were no stag parties, and throughout the whole long weekend that I was there, there were significantly more women than men - which is super odd for what I quickly realised was a complete party town.  And hen parties mean outrageous costumes, and buses, cars, and even tractors of hens going up and down the famous stretch of road from the middle of the day to late at night.

As day turns to night, parts of Broadway become pedestrianised and it becomes a little bit like one big party in the outdoors. On the sides of the street each bar or shop is lit up by bright neon signs. Many of the honky-tonks are owned or associated with famous artists and their names are prominently displayed on the entrances. Some have open windows and doors where you can see bands playing not only to the bar inside, but also the people on the street. Others have balconies that overlook Broadway. In between the honky-tonks are late night shops selling cowboy boots and hats - and a lot of people seem to wear them in and around Nashville.

It was here were Hawk Tuah girl first became famous. And it is here where I saw Jas Billan, the British born Panjabi social media personality who was interviewing random groups of people trying to find the next famous person. I gave him a quick hello and exchanged some words. It was weird to see another Panjabi Sikh in Nashville doing such a prominent thing after not seeing any throughout the rest my time here.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

If Broadway is the beating heart, then the soul of Nashville is ​the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It is an iconic institution built around the Hall of Fame which has become one of Nashville’s premier attractions.

The idea for a Country Music Hall of Fame was first conceived in the early 1960s by the Country Music Association, an organisation formed to promote country music. The physical museum was established in 1967 and was a modest structure, but it quickly became one of the most famous attractions in the city and so the museum got to upgrade its facilities. 

It moved to its current location in 2001 and it's an absolutely huge building. The sweeping, curved exterior of the museum is supposed to represent the lines of a musical instrument, while the tower resembles the frets of a guitar. Inside, there are exhibition spaces, educational facilities and a whole lot more making this more than just a museum. 

It contains one of the most comprehensive collections of country music artefacts in the world. Its extensive archives include recordings, photographs, manuscripts, instruments, stage costumes, and personal memorabilia from some of the genre’s most iconic artists. I knew a handful of artists, the most obvious one being Taylor Swift who’s artifacts and belongings seemed to be particularly popular (there’s even a Taylor Swift Education Center).

I’m really not one for country music. It’s never been something that has appealed to me. I don’t hate it, I’m just indifferent to it. There are a handful of songs that I enjoy and a couple of artists too - mostly modern. But on the whole it’s not really for me. Perhaps if I were more into country music I might have got more out of my visit.

I joined during the middle of the day during a bank holiday weekend and there was a decent queue although there wasn't too much of a wait. Tickets aren’t cheap given its popularity.

That’s not to say I disliked it. I enjoyed the scale of the place as well as the large collection of records. A car belonging to Elvis Presley was particularly cool. I also liked  the Hall of Fame Rotunda where the plaques of the Hall of Fame inductees are displayed. This circular room, with its high ceiling is designed to honour the genre’s most revered figures. The Rotunda’s walls are lined with bronze plaques bearing the names and likenesses of each inductee, arranged in alphabetical order rather than by the year of induction. But my like here was more to do with the architecture than the content.

The Gulch

The area around Broadway can become pretty intense, but the city is walkable, unless you catch it on a bilsteringly hot day - as I did - which meant getting a lot of Ubers. ​One of these Ubers took me to the Gulch, Nashville's "cool" neighbourhood.

Much like Shoreditch and Digbeth in England, the Gulch has transformed from an industrial wasteland into an artsy area with a bohemian vibe. The area got its name from the natural depression or "gulch" that ran through it, making it an ideal location for railroads and warehouses. During this period, The Gulch played a vital part in the city's infrastructure but during the 20th century there was a large period of decline and by the mid-20th century, The Gulch had become a largely abandoned industrial zone, with dilapidated buildings and overgrown lots dominating the landscape. 

The transformation of the neighbourhood began in the early 2000s built on the promise of sustainable development for environmentally conscious people. Today, The Gulch is a a beautiful neighbourhood filled with large warehouses that have been converted in flats, bars, and restaurants. The streets are dotted with street art with the "Wings" mural by Kelsey Montague becoming one of the most Instagrammed spots in Nashville. During my walk through the area, there were a crowd of people waiting to have their photos taken. 

It's quite spread out and much less intense than Broadway and definitely worth a visit if you have the time.

A bridge worthy of the city

I spent a lot of time walking around the city and really enjoyed the cityscape. From unique skyscrapers to modern museums, and plenty of rooftops to see the vistas.

One of my favourite places is very close to Broadway and it is the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, named after the late John Seigenthaler, a revered journalist, civil rights advocate, and prominent figure in Nashville’s history. The bridge was first built in 1909 and over the following century played a key role in ferrying workers from the suburbs to the city. By the 1990s, the bridge was badly outdated, but rather than demolishing it, the bridge was repurposed for pedestrian use. 

Today it's an important landmark in the city. The bridge’s design features a series of arches that span the Cumberland River underneath, with large steel trusses that give it a distinctive, industrial aesthetic. At night, the bridge is illuminated by a series of lights that accentuate its structural features, creating a stunning visual display that can be seen from various points around the city.

I visited during the night and the views were gorgeous. You can see the city, Broadway, the Nissan Stadium, and of course the river below. A busker was singing beautiful songs on his guitar and the even lights turning on the city looked incredible - especially as the sun was setting. It's definitely one of the more beautiful bridges that I have visited and even though it might not have the fame of Golden Gate Bridge, or the intricacy of Tower Bridge - there is something very aesthetic about the industrial design and its relative simplicity.

Gurdwara in Nashville

Perhaps that most surprising thing about Nashville is that it has a Gurdwara. The only Sikh I saw during my entire weekend was the YouTuber conducting his interviews on Broadway and he is also from England. But when I got there and started checking on my maps I saw one several miles outside the city centre. I called a number I found online, and even though there were no programs, the person answering the phone said he would leave a gate open so that I could visit.

The taxi ride from the city centre wasn't cheap but it was worth the money. I as driven by a Chilean immigrant who couldn't speak any English - so it was a great chance to practice my Spanish and I enjoyed the conversation a lot.

After about 20 minutes of driving, I arrived at big gates at the bottom of a small hill with Khandeh on either side. The taxi drove up the short winding road and into a small car park. I walked outside to see two buildings, one the left was a closed building that had a sign stating it was the langar hall, while the other building - a small single story construction - looked like a mobile classroom but it contained the darbar hall.

Inside there were small signs showing a small but active community that dates back to the late 1970s. From these signs I learned that there are about 40 Sikh families in the area, and that the Gurdwara was built in 2003 and on an average Sunday holds about 60 people. 

The darbar hall is very small but beautifully decorated and I can only imagine how nice it must be with paath or kirtan being conducted. I saw there for about 30 minutes meditating but also taking the time to admire the dedication of this small community. I spent about an hour in total in the gurdwara complex and didn't come across a single person - not even the one that answered the phone earlier in the day.

​Eventually a taxi came and picked me up, and I had another Spanish conversation with another non-English speak on the way back

Would I recommend visiting Nashville?

It really depends what you like. I enjoyed it - and I know if I had visited in my early to mid-20s I might have thought this was paradise. That being said, it just felt so uniquely different to me. The food, the culture, the all day - all night partying - it's something to experience.

And no, I do not like to advertise alcohol or bars or clubs on this blog, but you don't have to drink if you come to Nashville - but I'll admit, without the music bars and honky-tonks - what's left isn't much. So it really depends on your likes and dislikes.

As a Sikh I had absolutely no issues - either at the airport or the city. Don't get me wrong, the city is very white, with a decent black population, but not too many brown folks. But everyone seemed friendly enough - and even if they didn't like it - no one really stared or said anything rude. It just seemed like a whole bunch of people having a good time.

It won't be a city for everyone - but I enjoyed Nashville.