Nashville Music History Tour: Inside Music City

Join Grammy-nominated music journalist Bill DeMain on the Nashville Music City Legends Tour and discover the inside story of how Nashville became the iconic Music City. Explore decades of musical history and hear fascinating anecdotes from interviews with legendary artists like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and David Bowie.

Duration: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Hermitage Hotel - Tennessee’s only 5-star hotel, built in 1910. Guests have included Charlie Chaplin, Enrico Caruso, JFK, Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton.
What's Included
  • All applicable fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

This journey is designed for music aficionados seeking an insider’s perspective on the evolution of Nashville into the Music City.

Your hospitable advisor is Bill DeMain, a Grammy nominee and seasoned music journalist with over three decades of experience. He has made contributions to well-known publications like Rolling Stone and MOJO and serves as a Nashville correspondent for the BBC.

DeMain has engaged with a comprehensive list of pop and country music icons, including personalities like Dolly Parton, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, David Bowie, and Stevie Nicks, to name a few.

Among his other accolades, DeMain is a respected songwriter whose compositions have been performed by artists such as Marshall Crenshaw, Kim Richey, and Curtis Stigers. He also comprises half of the popular pop duo, Swan Dive. His tracks have found their way into popular television series like Sons of Anarchy and Private Practice.

As a seasoned resident of Nashville, DeMain will guide you through a riveting chronicle of music spanning several decades, cover genres from country to rock ‘n’ roll and provide a tour experience that will be a significant highlight of your Nashville visit.

Location
Union Street & Anne Dallas Dudley Boulevard
At the entrance to Legislative Plaza. Look for the guide with the cowboy hat and microphone headset.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(71 Ratings)
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R9240xwjacks
Sep 15, 2024
Nashville’s musical history brought to you live and in person! - Bill was outstanding! He’s low key, starting out slow but steady. Then he gives you so much more than you expected. A lifetime as a musician, composer, journalist and broadcaster coupled with his great story telling makes for a top class experience. Thank you, Bill!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brent_a
Sep 14, 2024
Excellent tour - Bill was knowledgeable and engaging. Steeped in music and history. We visited many iconic, and not so well known spots.
Review provided by Viator
Zestychic
Sep 7, 2024
Must-Do Tour in Nashville!! - This is a Must-Do Tour in Nashville! Bill is such an amazing story teller and guide. He provided wonderful anecdotes and information I don't think you'd find anywhere else. He's a musician, author, prankster and fun guide. He's interviewed all the greats and written for Rolling Stone. I learned so much and had a wonderful experience overall. Hats off to Bill for how he promotes Nashville musicians and their walks through this town. - Molly
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R7135gzcindyh
Aug 10, 2024
So happy we choose this tour, thank you Bill! - So happy we decided to take this tour while having out of town family here for a visit! Bill was incredibly knowledgeable and informative. His story of what he has done and who he has met in itself was amazing from the get go! He is definitely the man to tell the history. We took his recommendation and went after our tour to enjoy some music and some lunch at a true honkey tonk, Robert’s Western world. Thank you bill, my entire family, ages 10-75 all thoroughly enjoyed the tour!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mikebp3731et
Jul 27, 2024
Still the best!!!! - I've taken three other walking tours and one bus tour of Nashville over the last 10 or so years. All of them together don't equal 90 minutes with Bill DeMain. If you don't take this tour, then you haven't taken the best tour of Nashville. I've been multiple times and I always learn something new, as I did today, about the music and history and culture of the Music City. Wish I could give him 10 stars... it's that good.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kvb812
Jun 25, 2024
Great Tour! - Bill's extensive industry background laid a foundation for a great tour. He is incredibly knowledgeable about Nashville's history, both political and musical, and intertwines his own personal anecdotes to make it a memorable experience. You can tell he is truly passionate about Nashville and music, and educating others about these topics is just the cherry on top for him. You will learn more about Nashville in this two hour walking tour than any hop on/hop off tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulajean_h
Jun 23, 2024
Very Interesting!!! - Our guide was very knowledgeable and showed us some things we would never have found on our own. We went back to some of them later on our trip and they added so much more to our time in Nashville!
Review provided by Viator
Grahamt326
Jun 23, 2024
Fantastic - Bill very knowledgeable, friendly and approachable. Nicely paced, I will be recommending Bill and the Walkin’ Tour to all friends, and anyone reading this Thank you Bill
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Esieck
Jun 23, 2024
Sights, stories and laughs - Bill gives a fantastic tour. So many interesting stories and history about Nashville and the music industry. His firsthand knowledge and insights are something you will only get on this tour. I would do three days in a row with him if I could.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherrimcint
Jun 22, 2024
Awesome tour! - Such an awesome tour! Bill is an incredible tour guide and a wealth of information about the Nashville music scene. Can't recommend highly enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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