This Tennessee Road Trip Between Nashville And Memphis Is A Music-Lover's Dream Drive

When it comes to impact on the musical culture of the United States, few places can rival Tennessee. A-listers of country, jazz, rock 'n' roll, blues, gospel, and more have emerged from this state, as have countless unsung trailblazers of the modern American music scene. An amazing way for music lovers to check out some of the Volunteer State's musical highlights is with a road trip along the Music Highway.

The Music Highway is a 200-mile stretch of Interstate 40 that begins in Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, and arguably the epicenter for the country music genre. The Music Highway's other bookend is Memphis, where early 20th-century genres like blues and jazz flourished and later helped shape the rise of rock 'n' roll in the 1950s. While you'll definitely want to spend at least a couple of days in each of these famous cities, the Music Highway also takes you to some smaller locales that are still significant to American music past and present. 

A must-see in Nashville is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Aside from displaying the names of every Hall of Fame inductee, the main exhibit takes you through the genre's evolution with interactive elements, recordings, and wall-to-wall artifacts. Access to RCA Studio B can be combined with a Country Music Hall of Fame ticket. Iconic artists like Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, and hundreds more recorded at this "Home of 1,000 Hits" since it opened in 1957. RCA Studio B is on Nashville's famous Music Row, a part of town that has long housed music publishers and record companies.

Nashville also features the National Museum of African American Music. This aspect of Tennessee culture and heritage comes alive through displays that show how gospel, blues, and jazz music gained popularity when musicians moved from rural farmlands to cities along the Mississippi River. The museum is located on Broadway, specifically on the section known as Honky Tonk Highway. Immerse yourself in Nashville's lively music scene by weaving in and out of the bars that collectively give the area its name, each with no cover charges and live performances every night. Some of Nashville's most beloved live music destinations include Jelly Roll's Goodnight Nashville and Tootsies Orchid Lounge.

Sandwiched between Nashville and Memphis is Jackson, a mid-sized, thriving Tennessee city. If you haven't heard of Carl Perkins, you've likely heard the song "Blue Suede Shoes." Perkins was the song's original author, and Jackson was his longtime home. With buildings named after him and plenty of Southern charm, Jackson honors this pioneer of the "rockabilly" genre. For more about Perkins and the region's musical connections, head to the Legends of Tennessee Music Museum housed in the Carnegie Center for Arts and History.

Even if you only visit Jackson to take a driving break during your Music Highway road trip, be sure to grab something to eat here. Tennessee's beloved food scene comprises Southern staples like fried catfish and biscuits, barbecue (especially ribs), and soul food. Jackson's multiple locally owned restaurants, like Mama D's Soul Food Family Restaurant, Baker Bros. BBQ, and Brooksie's Barn, make it the perfect place to try some of these famous cuisines. 

From Jackson, head around 30 miles west on the Music Highway to find the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center on the outskirts of Brownsville. This collection of museums shows how changing music styles reflect cultural interactions throughout U.S. history, especially genres popular among African and Anglo-American musicians. Also part of the heritage center is the Tina Turner Museum. Items are on display in the one-room schoolhouse, which Turner attended while growing up in rural Tennessee. The town holds musical events throughout the year, including some dedicated to Turner. Keep an eye on the Visit Brownsville calendar for exact dates.

In central Brownsville, you'll find a Tina Turner sculpture complete with her iconic big hair. Across the street is her old high school, which is now the Dunbar Carver Museum. It was a school for African Americans during segregation and shows what life was like for this demographic in rural Tennessee throughout the 20th century. The museum also covers civil rights efforts and famous alumni. 

Drive about 60 more miles on the Music Highway to reach Memphis. Combine this city's past and present music scenes on Beale Street. "Father of the Blues" W.C. Handy penned "Beale Street Blues" in 1916, and by the 1950s, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, and more big names spent time on this downtown promenade. Today, Beale Street's neon signs and live music help you imagine what it was like during that era. The Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum is on Beale Street, too, which shows off how important Memphis is to both genres.

Minutes from Beale Street is Sun Studio, the former home of Sun Records. Memphis local Elvis Presley recorded his first hit songs with this record label in 1954. Sun also helped launch the careers of Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and more. The recording studio is remarkably intact, and tours allow you to literally stand right where these legends once did as they made their recordings. Speaking of Presley, the ultimate exclamation point on a Music Highway road trip is a stop at his Graceland mansion. Get insights into Presley's life by touring Tennessee's most famous home and visiting the museums across the street. Items here include dozens of his iconic outfits, floor-to-ceiling gold records, and his car collection.