This isn’t even the largest city in Tennessee (Memphis is). But for sheer celebrities per capita, Nashville is in a league of its own. Country music and this city are as permanently linked as cheese to the burger on a patty melt.
Spotting the stars of the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Television on the streets of Music City is a hit-or-miss activity, but you can go by the homes of a bunch of them. After spending nine hours on three guided tours, it becomes clear that the rhinestone-studded truth is out there.
The moguls of twang guard their privacy the same way you do–by not appreciating strangers who come knocking at the door. And the more famous the country stars, the more they wish to keep their home life free from fan interruption.
That said, it’s the fans who pay the mortgages. One tour guide told this story as his bus was parked on the edge of Lorrie Morgan’s cul-de-sac: “You can tell when she’s home because her black Mercedes is in the driveway. I had a group recently where this guy was kind of doubting me when I said that and then Lorrie walked out of the house,saw us and came over to say hello and have her picture taken.”
There is little way to tell when a star is at home–or even if he or she still lives there: They do tend to move about as their fortunes and relationships rise and fall. But the Nashville guided-tour companies follow these things closely and are on the prowl for up-to-date information.
The homes given a drive-by look in September–about 35 former and current residences in the course of two days–tended to be clustered around the lake area northeast of town, or to the south, in suburban Brentwood.
To the north
The easiest to find are two on Pennington Bend, a loop of the Cumberland River that’s the site of the current Grand Ole Opry, Opryland Mills shopping mall and the Opryland Hotel. It’s a must-see complex northeast of central Nashville, off Briley Parkway (Tennessee Highway 155). The area is jam-packed with eateries and assorted tourist places; it looks like the overdeveloped approaches to Pigeon Forge, Tenn. But there’s a residential area behind it on Pennington Bend Road.
Steve Hall, the puppeteer behind Shotgun Red, lives next to 2610; it’s a convenient location: Hall has the show on the General Jackson paddlewheeler that makes excursion cruises from Opryland complex. At 2731-2733, next to Pennington United Methodist Church, is the rather unimpressive current residence of Porter Wagoner.
The big concentration of stars on this side of town is out a ways on Gallatin Pike (U.S. Highway 31 East), in Hendersonville. In addition to privacy, there’s the attraction of Old Hickory Lake, formed by the Old Hickory Dam on the Cumberland.
Outbound on U.S. 31, look to your left at Old Shackle Island Road; you’ll see some stars’ touring buses parked behind A-1 Diesel. The guide said Priscilla Presley lives ahead and to the right–around Sanders Ferry Road, on one of the creeks that nowadays is an inlet of Old Hickory Lake. In a gated community on the far side of that inlet (Drakes Creek) is the home of Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys.
Gallatin Pike is renamed Main Street in downtown Hendersonville, and then becomes Johnny Cash Parkway. Note the signs for a real estate business owned by Tommy Cash, brother to the Man in Black.
Before you hit Cash country, you’ll see Country Club Drive on the right. Various turns at its end lead you to Liberty Court, the cul-de-sac where Lorrie Morgan lives.
Two stars who roosted out here early on were Conway Twitty and Johnny Cash. The late Twitty opened his estate to visitors as Twitty City; that complex is now the broadcast operation of TV evangelist Benny Hinn. Conway had “T’s” worked into his wrought-iron gates. Those letters now stand for the “T” in Hinn’s Trinity Broadcasting.
Continue east on U.S. 31 to Shutes Lane; take the first right (Devonshire) and another right on Riverchase Drive. The guide said Johnny Cash owned a lot of this choice lakefront area and sold it off bit by bit over the years. Just past 106 Riverchase, you’re at the low walls of the Johnny Cash compound.
We’re in the land of money and fame here. Merle Haggard lived across the street; Roy Clark, too. And down the way from the Cash manse is a home built for Buford Pusser (the “Walking Tall” sheriff), the former home of Roy Orbison (now allegedly owned by actress Ann-Margret) a home actress Raquel Welch supposedly occupies and the residence of Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys. Must be a popular area for rubber-necking: We saw another mini-bus and two sedans come by for photos during the two minutes our tour paused at the Cash place.
Back on U.S. 31, backtrack a little toward Hendersonville and turn north on Saundersville Road. Continue under the Tennessee Highway 386 overpass and you’ll eventually get to 175 Saundersville Road–where William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys lives. Near his driveway, visible from the rural highway, is a tree with Golden’s bearded likeness carved into the trunk. The guide said the house is of Civil War vintage–and that the singer found a cache of Confederate gold hidden in a wall.
Much newer, larger and more swanky is the estate of Reba McEntire, which is a ways out of town.
U.S. 31 East is retitled Main Street in the next burb, Gallatin. Turn right on Tennessee Highway 109 and head south. Cross Old Hickory Lake into Wilson County and slow down. All the white-fenced pasturage on the left is McEntire’s. The first access road on your left is Cherokee Dock; turn there and you’ll see several white buildings on your left. Her estate is centered on the three-story colonial set back from the road. One set of ornate gates is at 175; another pair is at 255.
The horse paddocks seem to stretch endlessly. The look is “Gone With the Wind.”
Tracy Lawrence, on the other hand, likes his life a little more rustic. Keep going on Tennessee 109 South to U.S. Highway 70; turn right and take U.S. 70 West (it’s also called Lebanon Pike) to Cooks United Methodist Church. On the left you’ll see Bass Lane; make a left there and drive to the end. His place is at the end, on the right. It’s a nice enough ranch in the country and is on a heavily wooded lot, but there are railroad tracks not too far off to the south, and a string of large power towers runs behind the property.
To the south
Country stars living south of downtown Nashville can easily zip into town or over to the airport on Interstate Highway 65; many live off U.S. Highway 31, which runs along I-65 in the suburbs of Oak Hill and Brentwood.
Get on U.S. 31 (Franklin Pike) just south of the intersection of I-65 and Interstate Highway 440. Continue south.
Follow the signs (or street-map directions) to the Governor’s Mansion, off U.S. 31 around Curtiswood Lane. The home of the late Minnie Pearl is right next door.
Drive south on U.S. 31 through this well-heeled area. You’ll pass mansions that once were the homes of Webb Pierce and Ray Stevens. (Ronnie Milsap later owned Stevens’ place; southbound, it’s on the right side of the pike–look for a brick wall.) Across the road is another place Webb Pierce had; guides noted it had the “second guitar-shaped swimming pool in Nashville.” George Jones and Tammy Wynette lived on Franklin Pike during their stormy marriage–twice.
According to one guide, the house at 4409 belongs to Martina McBride.
Down a bit farther, on your right near Tyne Boulevard, is where Wynette and husband George Richie resided when she died. And if tragedy is your thing, cross Hogan Road and look at the fields to your left: That’s where Jim Reeves died in a 1964 plane crash.
A sign lets you know when you cross into Williamson County and the affluent suburb of Brentwood. This county has the highest per capita income in the Volunteer State.
On the right is Brentwood United Methodist Church, whose members included Eddie Arnold and Minnie Pearl (she donated the pipe organ; her funeral was held there). Nearby is First Presbyterian, which Tex Ritter attended, and John Overton High School, whose graduates included Pam Tillis, John Ritter and the children of Hank Williams Jr.
Hang a right on Fountainhead Drive; make a left on Stewart Lane. The place we saw with the bass boat in the driveway (910) was identified as belonging to Bryan White. Keep going south on Stewart Lane; make a right on Heathrow Hills Drive and you’re in Kix Brooks’ neighborhood (one guide said his home is behind the place that used to belong to Faith Hill).
Go back to Stewart Lane, make a right and follow the turn as the street becomes West Concord Lane. Turn at Brentwood Lane: It’s where Little Jimmy Dickens lives. The home is easy to spot–his name is on the streetside mailbox, on a guitar-decorated pole.
Head north on three-block Brentwood; you’ll reach Jackson Lane, which leads to U.S. 31/Franklin Pike. Make a right and drive a block to Concord Road (Tennessee Highway 253), a busy road you can take east over I-65.
Turn right at Tennessee Highway 252/Wilson Pike. Just past the small commercial development, look to your right for a red-brick ranch with a four-door garage. It’s home to Lorianne Crook and hubby Jim Owens.
Backtrack to Concord Road and continue east; turn right at Crockett Road and keep an eye on the high ground to your right.
The fence separates you from the white buildings on the Dolly Parton property. The house is set back from the road; slow down in front of the gates, then look up the driveway to get a glimpse of her house.
Continue west on Crockett Road, which ends at Tennessee 252/Wilson Pike. Turn left and drive to Tennessee Highway 441/Cox Pike. Head west on Cox Pike to U.S. 31/Franklin Pike. (Along the way, you’ll pass a Barnes & Noble on your left; the big cross-country tour buses behind it belong to Tanya Tucker.)
Turn left on U.S. 31 and continue to Berrys Chapel Road. Turn right there. You’ll pass the sprawling farm/estate of Tom T. Hall.
Follow Berrys Chapel Road northwest; it ends at Hillsboro Pike. Turn right and take Hillsboro Pike north to Moran Road. You’ll see Sweet Briar, the 40-room, $11.2 million estate of Alan Jackson. (Yes, he has his own landing strip there.) Two mansions ahead, on the left, is where Gary Chapman parks his hat.
Moran Road ends at Old Natchez Trace; turn right there and go to Sneed Road; turn right on Sneed Road and go to Vaughan Road; turn left onto Vaughan and take it north to Old Hickory Boulevard; turn right there and you’ll pass Ronnie Dunn’s place, at Chickering Road (2200 block).
So much for homes. How many stars were seen riding their John Deeres or getting into their limos? Not a one. The tours just provided a look at where a handful of the famous live. And apparently they’re all living quite well.
You can’t expect these folks to be tending the home front even if their craft does tie them to Music City. The paychecks of country stars–more than other popular entertainers’–are tied to touring: Fair, nightclub and amphitheater gigs that pay a hefty portion of the bills.
Its quite possible that the guides driving the tour vans see these mansions more frequently than their owners do.
HERE’S WHERE TO FIND THE TOURS
Here’s the basic information on tours. The first two cover much the same turf.
Tour: Homes of the Stars operated by Gray Line Tours.
Visited: Star homes on the south and west side; Music Row (near west side). Three-hour tour included a 20-minute rest stop on the south side.
Cost: $21 per person.
Details: Gray Line will pick you up at your “centrally located Nashville hotels and motels.” If staying elsewhere, the bus will pick you up downtown at the boot in front of the Hard Rock Cafe (2nd Avenue and Broadway) or at the Gray Line office out on Music Valley Drive (near Opryland). Tours at 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily. Details: 800-251-1864. Information via Internet: www.grayline.com.
Tour: Grand Ole Nashville operated by Grand Ole Opry Tours (Gaylord Entertainment).
Visited: Star homes on the south side; Music Row and various historic sites. Tours daily at 9 and 10 a.m. and 1 and 2 p.m. Includes a 20-minute stop/self-guided tour at the Ryman Auditorium, also owned by Gaylord (no Ryman stops on 1 and 2 p.m. Saturday tours, due to Ryman matinees).
Cost: $24.34 per person.
Details: Tours from the Opryland Hotel. Call 615-889-9490. Information via Internet brochure (you can download): www.oprylandhotelnashville.com/goot.pdf.
Tour: Country Legends operated by Grand Ole Opry Tours (Gaylord Entertainment).
Visited: Star homes on the northeast side.
Cost: $22.72 per person.
Details: Tours from the Opryland Hotel. Call 615-889-9490. Information via Internet (brochure you can download): www.oprylandhotelnashville.com/goot.pdf.
Other tours:
Gray Line also has a Discover Nashville tour that visits four or five star homes on the south side, the Ryman and Country Music Hall of Fame. Grand Ole Opry Tours also has a Music Country tour that takes in homes of the stars on the south side. Both GOOT and Gray Line offer tours of the Grand Ole Opry, etc.
Tootsie’s Country Music Nashville Tour, offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily from Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, downtown at 422 Broadway. Includes homes of stars on the south side, plus a stop at Country Music Hall of Fame (admission included). Begins/ends at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a famous, small (and utterly dumpy) tavern downtown on Broadway where tomorrow’s country stars (and would-be stars) perform throughout the day and night. Cost: $25. Details: 615-244-2999.
Nash Trash Tours. Visits historic places downtown and Music Row; stops at the Ryman (admission not included). They don’t do the star houses, but the guides are the Jugg Sisters–a comedy duo with a musical routine. Tours offered at 10:30 a.m. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Call two weeks ahead of time–the tours fill up early. Cost: $23.82. Details: 615-226-7300.
— J.B.
