As soon as you touch down in Nashville, you can feel the city’s musical heritage. As we waited for our cases on the baggage carousel, you couldn’t ignore the guitars behind glass, making it feel more like a Hard Rock Café than an airport. Sure enough, among us were several people with instruments on their backs, perhaps looking to fulfil their musical ambitions. As the late great Dolly Parton sang: “Down on Music Row. If you want to be a star. That’s where you’ve got to go.” However, TPi’s interest in the city has less to do with the musicians working their way up Lower Broadway and more to do with the rise of technical production and supply companies taking residency.
Thanks to its long history of nurturing musical talent, particularly within country music, Nashville has always had a strong foundation of local suppliers and production crews. Many freelancers have built their careers around the ‘weekend warrior’ touring circuit, in addition to several music and arts festivals taking place across the city.
However, the landscape is changing. International rental houses and manufacturers have established a growing presence in the city, with major industry players following suit.
In 2023, AEG relocated its regional office to Nashville. Over the past five years, it seems barely a week has gone by without another press release hitting our desk from a company either establishing a base in the city or significantly expanding its existing footprint.
With so much activity, it was time to head to Music City to speak with the people behind the industry’s growing presence, learn what is drawing these companies to Nashville, and explore how Tennessee’s state capital is becoming one of the most important production hubs in the US…
Read the full story in TPi #296…
Words: Stew Hume
Photos: Tanner Boriack (Skyline photo) and TPi.
