How Nashville Became Music City U.S.A.: 50 Years of Music Row

by Michael Kosser

How did a medium-sized Southern river town become arguably the most important music center in America? In How Nashville Became Music City, U.S.A. , we learn how a single studio in a tiny duplex house became Music Row, a ten-block area populated by hundreds of talented people whose job is to simply make music.

The book features stories from publishers, songwriters and others who help tell the evolution of this fabled center of music. It's where Elvis ushered in the commercial rock 'n' roll explosion by recording “Heartbreak Hotel ” Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, and Willie Nelson taught mainstream America to love soulful ballads, and Bob Dylan recorded three of his most important albums.

The full-length CD includes 12 recordings made in the early studios of Music Row, giving listeners a rare chance to hear the demos made by some of Nashville's most talented artists. Songs include “Bye, Bye, Love ” “Crazy ” “King of the Road ” “Walkin' After Midnight” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction

373 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive and informative look at all the people who built Nashville into the town we know today.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars - even though the author occasionally gets caught in the weeds, this is overall a fascinating read - as I write this I’ve got a big smile on my face listening to the included CD. Throughout my reading, I kept my ipad nearby playing the music the author referenced, bringing back great memories of where I was when I first heard them.

[Scarlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now, this isn't the greatest book in the world, but it is a pretty interesting (and relatively concise) history of the music industry in Nashville. It is exactly what the title says, the story of how Nashville became known as Music City, U.S.A. Kosser includes a list of the "players" at the start of the book and much of the story, especially in the later chapters, is told using their words. You don't have to be a music professional to understand the ins and outs of the business. Kosser does a great job of explaining the who, what, where, why and how. At times, he is quite frank with the reader, and helps the reader to understand why a certain this or that mattered. Dare I say it? Should be required reading for all Nashvillians.

[Alisa]

Fascinating, comprehensive history of a very unique place, and one of my favorite cities in the whole world.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

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