Carolina Tours is at it again - taking us to interesting places to explore and enjoy.  Not only did we have fun in the great state of Tennessee, we managed to miss most of Hurrican Irma's shenanigans back in South Carolina.  We visited Lynchburg, Memphis, and Nashville - hope you enjoy reading and seeing pictures of our trip.  

Lynchburg is virtually synonymous with Jack Daniel, who built a distillery here in the 1880s.  Along with the well-known distillery, Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House on Main Street has been a Lynchburg Landmark since 1908.  For 77 years, Miss Bobo won regional acclaim for her bountiful noontime meal enjoyed by guests such as Jack Daniel himself and other prominent residents.  We’re here to take in a bit of history. 

Jack Daniels Distillery is the nation’s oldest registered distillery, dating from 1866.  It all started when Jasper Newton Daniel, better known as Jack, left home in 1864 and was taken in by the Reverend Call and family.  He learned the art of whiskey-making from the preacher and an enslaved man named Nathan Green. Jack would later hire Green as his head distiller. The Jack Daniel Distillery was officially established in 1866, with Jack as the Master Distiller. 

 

The distillery was built right next to the mineral-rich Cave Spring Hollow – the limestone water is the secret ingredient.  Today, some 150 years later, the original distilling process is still maintained, and Lynchburg is still the only location that produces every single drop of this fine sipping whiskey that is enjoyed around the world.

Our tour took us to the area where maple charcoal is made and stored.  Three times each week (three times per day), pallets of hard sugar maple are stacked and burned to create smoldering embers and subsequently charcoal pellets that are used in the filtration process.  Filtering is an integral part of the process to create the perfect blend of malt, barley and rye.

 

We passed by a couple of the historic Jack Daniel’s fire trucks which brought a sense of history to the occasion – much has changed over the years of operation here. 

This small building was home to Jack Daniel’s office. This is also where pictures of the seven master distillers can be seen.   Only 7 individuals have had this title over the past 150 years! 

 

We passed through the still house to learn about how the ‘mash’ is created from the barley, rye, and malt.  We also saw the filtration process as the mash slowly drips through the charcoal fragments.  And, we had the opportunity to smell the aromas released from the large barrels as our guide briefly lifted the lid.  We could certainly taste the alcohol just from a quick smell of this iconic drink being filtered through the charcoal.  

 

The final part of the process is the barreling stage which is yet another home-grown process that makes Jack Daniel’s unique among its competitors.  The barrels help create the taste as the wood’s natural sugars add to the overall flavor. American white oak is used to create these barrels that are made in-house by expert coopers.  Jack Daniel’s whiskey enters a barrel as a completely colorless liquid – when it’s done, it has a beautiful amber because of the caramelization process inside the barrel.

 

The last stop of the tour (not counting the gift shop) is the place most were waiting for – the tasting room.  Here we had the opportunity to try five iconic flavors: Gentleman Jack, Old No.7, Single Barrel, Tennessee Honey, and Tennessee Fire. 

Our guide gave us step by step directions on the best way to experience each drink. Old No.7 is the most iconic of all Jack Daniel’s blends, but we were a bit partial to the Tennessee Honey and Tennessee Fire.   

Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the perfect place to sit down to a real home-cooked meal served family style with plenty of Southern hospitality.  True to boarding house tradition, guests sat together at large family tables headed by a gracious hostess who encouraged conversation and ensured that dishes were passed to the left.   The menu included generous helpings of fried chicken and meatloaf; six side dishes; hot cornbread; freshly brewed iced tea; a delicious chocolate dessert topped with Jack Daniel’s sauce; and a cup of hot coffee. 

 

The city of Memphis was founded in 1819 and developed as a trade and transportation center because of its flood-free location high above the Mississippi River.  Today it is known as the home of the blues – and that rock and roll guy, Elvis Presley.  Memphis is also famous for its barbecue and hosts a well-attended barbecue competition each year.

Graceland was Elvis Presley’s home, and here visitors can immerse themselves in his roots, his influences, and his artistry.  Elvis purchased Graceland (the house and grounds) for just over $100,000 in the spring of 1957.  He was 22 years old and it was Elvis' first year of super-stardom including historic network television appearances, record-breaking live performances and armloads of gold record awards.  Today Graceland is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts some 600,000 visitors annually. 

We arrived at lunchtime, which gave us the perfect opportunity to eat at Gladys’ Diner – and to try Elvis favorite sandwich, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich (on white bread, of course).  Sounds pretty disgusting, but it really was tasty – one will be enough for a long, long time.  The diner is also a favorite hangout for Elvis impersonators who entertain all the folks busy clogging their arteries.

 

The Graceland Mansion Tour gave us a look at the personal side of Elvis Presley.  It included some of the living quarters and entertainment areas, as well as his father’s office, his trophy building, the racquetball building, and the Meditation Gardens.

The first stop inside Graceland Mansion is the foyer from where we could see Elvis' living room, dining room, the stairways and his mother's bedroom. Here in the foyer was often where special guests were received and shown to the living room, where they would await Elvis’ appearance.

Next we walked through Elvis' kitchen to his downstairs area which includes the TV room and the fabric-covered pool room.

 

The famous Jungle Room has green shag carpets, a Polynesian feel and exotic carved wood. Elvis decorated with items he found at a Memphis furniture store. This room became a family favorite and Elvis liked it in part because it reminded him of Hawaii, which he loved.

A smaller building nearby served as Vernon Presley’s business office. While it was Colonel Tom Parker who managed Elvis' career, it was Elvis' father Vernon Presley who managed his personal business. Mr. Presley oversaw all of the details of Elvis' personal finances and the management and staffing on the grounds of Graceland.

Elvis’ trophy building tells the personal story of Elvis, his family and Graceland mansion.  It contains the family tree, Elvis and Priscilla's wedding attire, Lisa's childhood toys and mementos, Elvis' keys to Graceland and other memorabilia.  

Next is Elvis’ racquetball building, which recently was restored to its 1977 condition. There is racquetball court as well as the luxurious lobby area, which features a pinball machine and a piano.

The final stop on the tour of Graceland Mansion is Meditation Garden, where Elvis and members of his family have been laid to rest. Millions of fans from around the world have come to Graceland to pay their respects to Elvis - the humanitarian, singing sensation, movie star and King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Beyond the Mansion, our tour took us to learn more about his career, his collection of cars and motorcycles, his costumes, his childhood, and more. 

Elvis loved cars and the Presley Motors Automobile Museum displays over 20 of his favorites. Highlights include his iconic Pink Cadillac, a 1975 Dino Ferrari, and a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk.   

 

Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum offers full immersion in Elvis’s musical career through hundreds of artifacts from Graceland’s endless collection.  This includes his amazing collection of gold and platinum records, his jumpsuits, posters, and other memorabilia from his movies. 

 

 

There’s more, but you’ll have to go see it for yourself.  In a huge building filled with “Elvis Discovery Exhibits, ”  you can see Icons; The Influence of Elvis Presley, Mystery Train: Celebrating Sam Phillips, Elvis’s Tupelo, Elvis at the Fairgrounds, The Marty Stuart Collection, Private Presley in the Army; the Archives Experience, Elvis Fashion, and the Graceland Soundstage.  If that’s not enough, you can check out Elvis’s airplanes parked outside. 

The Guest House at Graceland is a full-service hotel which celebrates Elvis Presley and his legacy. It is the most significant enhancement to Graceland since it opened to the public in 1982, and the largest hotel project in Memphis in over 90 years. The Guest House is located on beautifully landscaped property, just a few steps from the gates of Graceland.  This unique accommodation is inspired by the hospitality that Elvis always showed his guests. From the southern colonial exterior to the specialty suites (many designed by Priscilla Presley), every aspect of The Guest House reflects Elvis' personal style and the unique character of Graceland.

 

The whole place was surprisingly tasteful, but there is a somewhat strange Founders’ Garden out back.  The Founders’ group is billed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the ultimate Elvis fan.  Only 250 Diamond-level Founders will (for a not-so-small fee) gain exclusive lifetime access to Graceland and the Guest House at Graceland.  These lucky folks also have a niche in the Founders Wall, with a plaque for their names, as well as a lockable time capsule for keepsakes.  Don’t rush – there are plenty of spaces remaining …

Elsewhere in Memphis, the Danny Thomas/ALSAC Pavilion is on the grounds of the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  The ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities) Pavilion reflects on the cultural heritage of its benefactor, Danny Thomas. 

 

The building, often referred to as the Danny Thomas Chapel, features terrazzo flooring, a brilliant cupola and arched panels transcribed with Arabic calligraphy.  Exhibits detail the hospital’s history and Danny Thomas’ show business career and humanitarian works.  Thomas and his wife are buried in the adjoining memorial garden. 

The Bass Pro Shop Pyramid is just what its name implies – a big ole pyramid that houses the local Bass Pro Shop.  The Bass Pro Shop features and 84,000-gallon alligator swamp, a duck aviary, a waterfowl museum, a bowling alley, and the Big Cypress Lodge.  Also inside the pyramid is the world’s tallest freestanding elevator, which carried us 28 stories to the top of the Pyramid, where there is a glass observation deck and a restaurant.  Nice view of the Mississippi River and the Dolly Parton Bridge. 

 

 

Beale Street was built on memories – good and bad.  Its heyday was in the roaring 20′s, when it took on a carnival atmosphere. The booming nightclubs, theaters, restaurants, stores, pawnshops and hot music thrived alongside gambling, drinking, prostitution, murder and voodoo. By mid-evening, the street would be packed.

Urban redevelopment in the 1970s nearly erased Beale Street, but today there are many clubs that reflect its history.  There’s plenty from which to choose:  B.B. King’s Blues Club, Rum Boogie Café, Silky O’Sullivan’s, and the Jerry Lee Lewis Café and Honky Tonk.

It’s also a fine place to try smoky, slow-cooked barbecue for which Memphis is famous.  We tried the Blues City Café for the traditional combo of ribs, baked beans and cole slaw.

The Peabody Hotel is another Memphis landmark, one of the city’s most posh hotels.  It’s a good place to catch a carriage ride around town and a wonderful place to find sinfully delicious pastries. 

In spite of its many virtues, the hotel is probably best known for its resident ducks.  Each day at 11 am, the ducks take an elevator from their rooftop palace to the lobby, waddle across a red carpet to a marble fountain and float for 6 hours before repeating the process in reverse.  

 

Nashville was founded on Christmas Eve 1779 on the banks of the Cumberland River.  Two teams of pioneers led by James Robertson and Captain John Donelson set out from the Carolinas to found the new city.  These early settlers celebrated in the late 1700s with fiddle tunes and dancing.  Nashville’s first celebrity, the noted frontiersman and Congressman, Davy Crockett was known for his colorful stories and fiddle playing.  Nashville grew to become a national center for music publishing and today it’s known as “Music City.”

The Grand Old Opry began as a simple radio broadcast in 1925 and today is a live entertainment phenomenon. Dedicated to honoring country music’s rich history and dynamic present, the Grand Ole Opry showcases a mix of country legends and the contemporary chart-toppers who have followed in their footsteps. The Opry is world-famous for creating a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience for audiences of all ages. 

 

It’s been called the “home of American music” and “country’s most famous stage.” Every year, hundreds of thousands of people come from across town or around the world to the Grand Ole Opry to see the show live.   The show features a line-up of new stars, superstars, and legends of country music in each performance. Unlike a typical concert, the Opry presents eight or more artists on each show, giving the audience a sample of each artist's musical style. 

 

 
Tonight’s show featured four segments, hosted by familiar faces - Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith, Riders in the Sky, and Bill Anderson.   They each introduced other acts – singles, groups, bluegrass, country, even the Opry Square Dancers.  It was sure enough fun!

 

The Gaylord Opryland Resort claims to be the best of Nashville under one roof.  No doubt that it is big and appears to have something for every taste – there are nine acres of lush atrium gardens, winding rivers, pathways, waterfalls, dancing fountains, unique dining choices, and poolside fun to live music and other entertainment.  Best of all, it’s just a short walk away from the Grand Ole Opry.

 

There’s enough to do and see in and around Opryland Resort to keep folks occupied for days, but we were fortunate to have an excellent guide to show around the rest of Music City. 

For starters, the downtown skyline is pretty impressive.  This view is from the Cumberland River Pedestrian Bridge, next to the Nissan Stadium (home of the Tennessee Titans).   That tallest building is known locally as the Batman Building.  There is a walking path along both sides of the river, where we also got a look at the old paddle-wheeler, General Jackson.

The Ryman Auditorium isn’t just another music venue - this is the exact spot where bluegrass was born, where Johnny Cash met June Carter, and where country music found an audience beyond its own back porch.  The building was constructed in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle.  Its name was later changed to honor its builder (Thomas Ryman) and by the early 1920’s it was known as the Carnegie of the South, hosting traveling acts including John Philip Sousa, Roy Rogers, Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Katharine Hepburn, Bob Hope, and Mae West. 

 

The Grand Ole Opry put down roots here in 1943, and the Ryman became known as the Mother Church of Country Music.  Live radio and TV brought the likes of Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Minnie Pearl, Patsy Cline, Roy Acuff, and Little Jimmy Dickens to the stage and into living rooms around the country for thirty one years.  The Opry changed venues in the early 1970’s; the building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001.

The nearby Country Music Hall of Fame is the pinnacle of the country music industry, considered the “Smithsonian of country music.”  Election to the Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor and dates back to 1961, when Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, and Hank Williams became the first members to be inducted.  Much of the building is devoted to a chronological look at country music history; the museum’s collection includes over 2 million artifacts.

Broadway is downtown’s main strip.  It has nightclubs and honky-tonks that stay open until the early hours of the morning.  We were there on a Sunday afternoon, and there was no shortage of visitors wandering in and out of different venues to hear hopeful up-and-coming country and bluegrass stars of tomorrow.  Some of these folks looked vaguely familiar …

 

One of Broadway’s landmarks is Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop. Opening in 1947, the country star opened the shop and it is still serving locals and visitors to this day.

Across the street is Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, a Nashville institution since 1960.  Tootsie herself was a singer / comedienne with "Big Jeff & The Radio Playboys."  Her night club provided a stage for many young performers as well as established stars.  Famous early customers included Kris Kristofferson, Faron Young, Willie Nelson, Tom T. Hall, Hank Cochran, Mel Tillis, Roger Miller, Webb Pierce, Waylon Jennings, and Patsy Cline. 

It was said that Tootsie had a cigar box behind the counter; it was full of IOU’s from when she had given drinks and food to hungry pickers and writers. At each years end, a bunch of Opry Performers would take all the IOUs and pay Tootsie so she wouldn’t lose the money.  Tootsie was buried in an orchid gown, with an orchid placed in the orchid-colored casket, so she could take her favorite flower with her to heaven. Connie Smith sang some of Tootsie’s favorite hymns at the funeral.

Down on Music Row, historic RCA Studio B was once the recording home of popular music titans such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and the Everly Brothers.  Other hit makers in Studio B have included Eddy Arnold, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare, Dolly Parton, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson, and Floyd Cramer.

The Bicentennial Capitol Mall was opened in 1996 to commemorate Tennessee statehood.   The park contains waterfalls, an amphitheater, and a walkthrough map to Tennessee history and geography.  Another familiar looking visitor wandered past us – our guide thought he was a refugee from the Comic-Con downtown. 

The State Capitol stands at one edge of the park.  It’s undergoing renovation, so it’s hard to appreciate what it looks like without scaffolding all over it. 

Centennial Park is Nashville's premier urban park, and its centerpiece is a recreation of the Parthenon and its 42-foot statue of the goddess Athena.  Both are full- scale replicas of the Athenian originals.  Originally built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition, this replica serves as a monument to what is considered the pinnacle of classical architecture. The plaster replicas of the Parthenon Marbles are direct casts of the original sculptures, which adorned the pediments of the Athenian Parthenon dating back to 438 B.C. The originals of these fragments are housed in the British Museum in London (where else?).

On the way home, we took a mini-detour to Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, home of Bush’s Beans.   This is the place where is all began and where visitors can trace the values and events that made Bush’s Best what it is today.  It’s all housed in the original A.J. Bush & Company general store, founded in 1897.  We spent most of our time in the café (enjoying a delicious home-style lunch), but we also enjoyed the entertaining video and the self-guided tour to learn all about beans.  Chestnut Hill is not far from Pigeon Forge; if you are ever up that way, it’s worth a visit - especially if you get to see Duke.