Record Companies on Nashville's Music Row

Though I initially came to Nashville for a pilgrimage to music landmarks, Music Row wasn’t originally on my itinerary. Only while mapping out my route did I notice this historic district. Luckily, Nashville is compact, so I had time to explore. A street sign here reads: "The first studio on Music Row was Quonset Hut, established by Owen Bradley in 1955. In 1957, Chet Atkins opened RCA Studio B at the corner of 17th & Hawkins Street. Soon after, Columbia, Epic, Decca, Warner Bros., Capitol, and Curb Records set up offices here." But what happened next? Quonset Hut Studio was later acquired by Columbia, where Johnny Cash recorded "Ring of Fire." RCA Studio B, birthplace of the "Nashville Sound," produced 60% of Billboard’s country chart hits before closing in 1977. Elvis, Dolly Parton, and countless legends recorded here. Today, it’s owned by the Country Music Hall of Fame. Columbia (now under Sony) remains legendary—Bob Dylan recorded Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, and Nashville Skyline in Studio A. Studio B now belongs to Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business. Epic (also part of Sony) relocated nearby in The Gulch district. Decca & Capitol were absorbed by Universal Music Group, now headquartered south of downtown. Warner Bros. survived decades of mergers to remain one of the "Big Three" record labels (alongside Sony & Universal). Curb Records still thrives, specializing in country music. Belmont’s music school is named after its founder, Mike Curb. … It’s surreal to realize how many songs in my playlist were born on this unassuming street. Beneath its quiet surface, Music Row has witnessed the seismic shifts of the music industry. #Nashville #NashvilleTravel #RecordLabels