America was sharply divided in the 1960s over issues such as the Vietnam War and Civil Rights. At the time, Nashville was perceived in some circles as a conservative, backwater town, removed from the main trends of popular music. Opinions would change as Nashville musicians began to influence other music scenes of the era.

Bob Dylan’s decision to record in Nashville between 1966 and 1969 inspired other non-country acts to come to the city to work. The reason they came was simple: they wanted to avail themselves of the incredible skill, creativity, and virtuosity of the city’s musicians. And they often made repeat visits. Artists with very different backgrounds overcame divisions and found common ground by playing together. Around the same time, Johnny Cash was recruiting folk and rock musicians—including Dylan—to appear on his groundbreaking network television show, the Johnny Cash Show.

Part 1

Dylan in Nashville

Part 1

Dylan in Nashville

Born Robert Zimmerman in 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota, Bob Dylan was raised in that state’s iron ore town of Hibbing. By the age of eleven he had acquired his first guitar and was listening to Grand Ole Opry radio shows and enjoying recordings by Hank Williams, Hank Snow, and other country artists.

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Part 2

Johnny Cash

Part 2

Johnny Cash

One hailed from Minnesota, the other from Arkansas. Both appeared on the bill at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. During a hotel-room jam, Johnny Cash presented Bob Dylan with a treasured Martin guitar—a symbol of respect and admiration—and their friendship was secured.

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Part 3

The Nashville Cats

Part 3

The Nashville Cats

Nashville session musicians worked together seamlessly and intuitively, and were open and enthusiastic about trying new musical ideas. They complemented the skills of the clients they worked with, and helped create classic albums of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

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Part 4

Artists That Followed

Part 4

Artists That Followed

Rock and folk acts from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Montreal, and London – including members of the Beatles – came to Nashville for the same reasons as Dylan. The musical and cultural crosspollination pointed popular music in a new direction.

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Part 5

Nashville: New Music City

Part 5

Nashville: New Music City

As the counterculture spread to Middle America, Nashville’s music scene inevitably changed. Musically adventurous local bands such as Area Code 615 became part of the city’s growing pop-rock landscape. Dylan’s lyrics influenced Kris Kristofferson and other Nashville songwriters. Working with his sons, bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs embraced the next generation and its music.

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Part 6

Today's Influences

Part 6

Today's Influences

After Dylan and Cash showed the way, acoustic instruments and country-flavored arrangements began surfacing in music made across America, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Steel guitars, fiddles, and flat-top guitars graced recordings that crossed cultural, political, regional, and social boundaries.

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