Black Meetings & Tourism - Nashville - The Music Is Still Playing

Industry Briefs
Nashville - The Music Is Still Playing
The sun is shining, the magnolias are blooming and the streets are singing! That’s summer in Nashville. Record floods hit Music City in early May, but the city is recovering swiftly, the music is still playing and Nashville is open for business! Few cities can claim an identity as well-defined as that of Music City. But Nashville isn’t just where the music is played – it’s also where the music is made, and that culture of creativity makes its mark on every aspect of this vibrant city. Nashville has become a model of the American melting pot as different cultures, heritages, ideas, customs and religions come together harmoniously. It’s no secret that Nashville is recognized around the world as Music City. Known primarily as the center of country music, word is spreading that Nashville’s music history and current music scene is much more diverse. Long before the Grand Ole Opry, dating back to 1871, Nashville’s own Fisk Jubilee singers traveled the world singing spirituals, a tradition that continues today. Music City is the headquarters of the Gospel Music Association, and their Dove Awards takes place in Nashville annually. The Stellar Awards have also been broadcast from Music City for the past five years. Music artists like Donna Summer, Michael McDonald, CeCe Winans, Shannon Sanders and Darius Rucker don’t just record and create music in Nashville, they call the city home. Higher education has always played an important role in Nashville’s history and it continues to shape the future. The city boasts 17 colleges and universities including historically black colleges Fisk University, Meharry Medical College, Tennessee State University and American Baptist College. Vanderbilt University also lies in the heart of Music City and is considered one of the top 20 universities in the country. No weekend showcases Nashville’s black college traditions better than Labor Day weekend each year with the John Merritt Classic. Since 1999 Tennessee State University has honored John A. Merritt, the legendary TSU football coach who led the Tigers from 1963 - 1983. The game kicks off the football season and offers a weekend full of events. Publishing has been a mainstay in Nashville since the late 1800s. The Southern Baptist Convention, African Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist publishing houses are all located in Nashville, as is Thomas Nelson. The R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation began in 1896 by a former slave and today is under the fourth generation leadership of Dr. T.B. Boyd III. Over the past 100 years the company has flourished into an internationally recognized producer of Christian education materials. Nashville has always had a creative spirit and in that spirit the International Black Film Festival of Nashville (IBFF) was established in 2006. It is a collaboration of dedicated professionals who bring African-American and other communities together to showcase their work. This year the event will take place September 29 – October 3. As Nashville looks toward its future a new star will shine when The Museum of African American Music, Art & Culture stands as an international iconic cultural museum dedicated to the vast contributions African Americans have made in music and its rich influence on art and culture. The museum is slated to open in 2013. There’s never been a better time to plan your trip to Music City! Come enjoy the heritage and creativity! For more information visit www.visitmusiccity.com.

Industry Briefs

Nashville - The Music Is Still Playing

The sun is shining, the magnolias are blooming and the streets are singing! That’s summer in Nashville. Record floods hit Music City in early May, but the city is recovering swiftly, the music is still playing and Nashville is open for business!

Few cities can claim an identity as well-defined as that of Music City. But Nashville isn’t just where the music is played – it’s also where the music is made, and that culture of creativity makes its mark on every aspect of this vibrant city. Nashville has become a model of the American melting pot as different cultures, heritages, ideas, customs and religions come together harmoniously.

It’s no secret that Nashville is recognized around the world as Music City. Known primarily as the center of country music, word is spreading that Nashville’s music history and current music scene is much more diverse. Long before the Grand Ole Opry, dating back to 1871, Nashville’s own Fisk Jubilee singers traveled the world singing spirituals, a tradition that continues today. Music City is the headquarters of the Gospel Music Association, and their Dove Awards takes place in Nashville annually. The Stellar Awards have also been broadcast from Music City for the past five years. Music artists like Donna Summer, Michael McDonald, CeCe Winans, Shannon Sanders and Darius Rucker don’t just record and create music in Nashville, they call the city home.

Higher education has always played an important role in Nashville’s history and it continues to shape the future. The city boasts 17 colleges and universities including historically black colleges Fisk University, Meharry Medical College, Tennessee State University and American Baptist College. Vanderbilt University also lies in the heart of Music City and is considered one of the top 20 universities in the country. No weekend showcases Nashville’s black college traditions better than Labor Day weekend each year with the John Merritt Classic. Since 1999 Tennessee State University has honored John A. Merritt, the legendary TSU football coach who led the Tigers from 1963 - 1983. The game kicks off the football season and offers a weekend full of events.

Publishing has been a mainstay in Nashville since the late 1800s. The Southern Baptist Convention, African Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist publishing houses are all located in Nashville, as is Thomas Nelson. The R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation began in 1896 by a former slave and today is under the fourth generation leadership of Dr. T.B. Boyd III. Over the past 100 years the company has flourished into an internationally recognized producer of Christian education materials.

Nashville has always had a creative spirit and in that spirit the International Black Film Festival of Nashville (IBFF) was established in 2006. It is a collaboration of dedicated professionals who bring African-American and other communities together to showcase their work. This year the event will take place September 29 – October 3.

As Nashville looks toward its future a new star will shine when The Museum of African American Music, Art & Culture stands as an international iconic cultural museum dedicated to the vast contributions African Americans have made in music and its rich influence on art and culture. The museum is slated to open in 2013.

There’s never been a better time to plan your trip to Music City! Come enjoy the heritage and creativity! For more information visit www.visitmusiccity.com.