Tennessee, of which I am a native, has always been a musical state. Memphis has the Blues. Nashville has Country. The mountains have Appalachian Folk. It’s definitely a variety, and when it is thrown all together it turns into Rock ‘n Roll. As a historian who likes music, I have noticed a lot of songs about Tennessee. They either have the state in their names or as their subject.
Since I first heard a Tennessee song, I have wondered how many pieces of music are about this state. Yes, I was a weird kid. I still haven’t figured out all of the Tennessee songs, but I have collected a few on my iPod. To figure out what is there, I am putting the Tennessee playlist on shuffle and letting them fly.
“Roane County Prison” by Bill Monroe
“Nashville Jumps” by Cecil Grant
“Lebanon, Tennessee” by Ron Sexsmith
“Tennessee Waltz” by Jimmy Martin
“Tennessee Flat Top Box” by Johnny Cash
“Memphis Exorcism” by Squirrel Nut Zippers
“My Little Home in Tennessee” by Mac Wiseman
“Gene Nobles’ Boogie” by Richard Armstrong
“Rocky Top” by The Osbourne Brothers
“Tennessee Babe” by Dimitri Tiomkin
“My Little Girl in Tennessee” by Flatt and Scruggs
“East Tennessee Blues” by Tommy Jackson
“L&N Special” by Christine Kittrell
“Knoxville Girl” by Log Cabin Boys
“16th Avenue” by Lacy J. Dalton
“Team of Destiny” by Kenny Chesney
“Tennessee Whiskey” by David Allan Coe
Most of these songs are part of the Country genre, but a few come from the “Night Train to Nashville” album, which chronicles the history of Nashville’s R&B scene. If you want to hear some good Nashville music that is not Country, then you should check it out.
I will finish with a bit of Nashville trivia. When Jimi Hendrix was stationed at Fort Campbell, he played in the nightclubs along Jefferson Street. This is where he honed the guitar skills that would make him famous.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 
Silver Jews – Tennessee
Pixies – Letter to Memphis
Ike and Tina – Nutbush City Limits
Pavement – Strings of Nashville
😉
That didn’t take long. I knew I could count on you.
Heh, this one was EASY. 🙂
You should add “Tennessee” by Arrested Development and “Tennessee Bwoyz” by Grits…and to totally change directions from my hip shakin’ selections (and if it’s not too early) “Tender Tennessee Christmas” by Amy Grant.
It could be a little early for a Christmas suggestion. I have Arrested Development. They just didn’t get shuffled through.
Yeah…I live in Christmas six months out of the year. Hazard of my vocation.
I’m sorry.
Some musical references to Tennessee from my collection
A Boy From Texas A Girl From Tennessee – Gene Autry
Tennessee – Gillian Welch
Tennessee Stud – The Little Willies
Goin’ Down To Memphis – John Martyn
Walking In Memphis – Marc Cohn
Big Train (From Memphis) – John Fogerty
Those are all good ones. Thanks for the list. Marc Cohn played around here not long ago.