New & Noteworthy

Exciting new Music City experiences...

Nashville is coming to your living room this October. The new ABC show, "Nashville," that is. The TV drama centers around Rayna Jaymes, a music legend and top female vocalist for two decades, and Juliette Barnes, today's hottest country act. Rayna, played by Connie Britton, struggles with the life decisions she has to make to remain relevant in the current music industry. And Juliette (played by Hayden Panettiere) is quite ruthless and will do anything to stay on top. Family stories, label politics, and undiscovered musicians all weave themselves into the plot. And drama ensues. All with the backdrop of Music City. Go to visitmusiccity.com/nashvilleabc for more on the show, including blogs, trivia, and photos.

Artober Nashville is a month-long celebration of arts and culture in Nashville, designed to inform and inspire the community’s awareness of and participation in the array of activities during the month of October. It is held in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month, designated by Americans for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Visit artobernashville.com for more information.

Nashville’s newest attraction, The Johnny Cash Museum is opening 2013 in the heart of downtown Nashville! Officially authorized by the Estate of Johnny Cash, the museum will feature the most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world. State of the art exhibits, a museum gift store and special events make this THE Cash venue to visit.

Antique Archaeology, made famous on the hit TV show ”American Pickers,” has opened in Music City just a few blocks away from downtown Nashville. Here you will find your favorite Antique Archaeology gear, including their latest Nashville-exclusive designs, plus new picks that you may have seen on the show. Visit antiquearchaeology.com.

You may not know the name but you know the designs of Manuel. Known as “the Rhinestone Rembrandt,” he was responsible for making Johnny Cash the man in black. He crafted Elvis’ signature gold lamé suit, dressed all three Hank Williamses and designed both The Rolling Stones’ and The Grateful Dead’s notorious insignias. He has wardrobed over 90 movies and 13 television shows. Manuel's store is now open to the public Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm CST, and weekends by appointment. To plan a visit and perhaps catch a glimpse of Manual himself, visit manuelcouture.com.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a nonprofit art-exhibition center, with approximately 24,000 square feet of gallery space, dedicated to presenting the finest visual art from local, state and regional artists, as well as major U.S. and international exhibitions. Upcoming exhibits for 2012-13 include:  Carrie Mae Weems: Three Decades of Photography and Video; Boaz Vaadia Sculpture; and Brian Alfred: It’s Already the End of the World. For a complete list of exhibits, visit fristcenter.org.

Cheekwood is a 55-acre botanical garden and art museum located on the historic Cheek estate. The attraction boasts nationally recognized collections of American and contemporary painting and sculpture, a botanical garden named in the top 10 by “Southern Living” magazine and year-round, family-friendly activities. For more information, visit cheekwood.org.

Real. Country. Music. The Country Music Hall of Fame isn't just a museum; it's an experience, an exciting and entertaining destination in Nashville with something for everyone. Rhinestone costumes, seasoned instruments and tear-stained lyric sheets are only the beginning. Add interactive exhibits, films featuring today's top country names, private sessions with professional songwriters, incredible architecture along with our famous southern hospitality, and a day at the museum turns into the memories of a lifetime. Visit the Bakersfield Sound exhibit, featuring the pioneers of this raw-edged style of country music made popular by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Or delve into the world of Taylor Swift and her exhibit displaying costumes, instruments and props from her “Speak Now” world tour.  Visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

The restaurant scene has never been hotter in Music City. So hot, in fact, that The Catbird Seat was named #5 of “The Hot 10:  America’s Best New Restaurants” in the September 2012 issue of Bon Appetit magazine! But never fear, good ole southern cookin’ is here and better than ever. At The Southern Steak and Oyster, the menu combines indigenous flavors with exotic ingredients and offers an authentically southern adventure with a twist. For casual and comfort food, The Pharmacy is an old-school burger parlor and beer garden in East Nashville, featuring specialty burgers, German wurst, beer buckets, hand-crafted sodas and ice cream. Search additional restaurant listings.

While the Music City Center is most obviously about the brick-and-mortar facility to serve Nashville’s guests, it will also serve as the city’s front porch, located in the heart of downtown Nashville. It will be a gathering spot for hundreds of thousands of visitors seeing our city for the first time, just steps from the Ryman Auditorium and the Broadway honky-tonks, the musical venues that have launched thousands of careers and help generate the city’s nickname.  Set to open May of 2013. For more information, visit nashvillemusiccitycenter.com.

Adjacent to the Music City Center will lie the Omni Nashville Hotel. Due to open in the fall of 2013, this luxury hotel will be specially created to be an authentic expression of Nashville’s vibrant music culture and a one-of-a-kind experience, fully integrated with an expansion of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum® on four levels. Visit omnihotels.com for more information.


Noteworthy Favorites...

Don’t miss the CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair June 6- 9, 2013. The world’s largest country music festival delivers a full range of concert experiences. Enjoy non-stop music and autograph opportunities from favorite hit-makers in downtown Nashville. Go to cmafest.com for tickets and more information.

Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing! If there's one thing Nashville knows how to do, it's throw a party. The 2012 July 4th celebration was our biggest and brightest ever! We offered free live music, family fun and incredible fireworks. We celebrated at a NEW location this year, in a bigger space just south of Broadway at The Lawn at Riverfront Park.  2013 promises to be even bigger and better! Visit musiccityjuly4th.com.

Make plans to be a part of country music’s biggest night! The CMA Awards on November 7, 2013, is broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena. Tickets are available to the public, so don't miss seeing your favorite stars on their big night!  For more information, go to cmaawards.com.

Ring in the new year and rock out the old at Music City New Year’s Eve - Bash on Broadway! Party with thousands of your closest friends at Nashville’s New Year’s Eve party on Lower Broadway. Bring your party hats. Make some noise. Count down to the fireworks and the midnight "Music Drop®"!  Make your plans at visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve.