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    Home » Travel » Travel for Music Lovers

    Home of 1000 Hits: RCA Studio B (Nashville)

    Published: Jul 11, 2017 · Modified: May 16, 2023 · by Renée B. · This post may contain affiliate links.

    RCA Studio B is the oldest surviving recording studio in Nashville. Here, 1000 hits were brought to life and American music history was made. | The Good Hearted Woman

    RCA Studio B is the oldest surviving recording studio in Nashville. Here, 1000 hits were brought to life and American music history was made.

    Historic RCA Studio B - logo
    Jump to:
    • The Sweet Spot
    • Studio B Tour
    • 1000 Hits
    • The Elvis Steinway
    • Studio B Recording Artists
    • How to Book a Tour
    • More Travel in the US South
    • Southern Cooking & Recipes

    The Sweet Spot

    Sometimes, appearances are deceiving: that blue X is the Sweet Spot at the historic RCA Studio B - a distinct point in the universe where countless artists stood to create musical history.

    Here, 1000 hits were brought to life. Stand on this spot, close your eyes, and you can’t help but feel a little chill of excitement in the connection.

    BBlue tape X on brown linoleum floor

    Built in 1957, this unassuming little building on Nashville's famous Music Row became a cradle for what became known as the Nashville Sound. A distinct departure from the "honky-tonk" country music of the time, the Nashville Sound was characterized by smooth strings, sophisticated background vocals, and crooning lead vocals.

    Exterior of RCA Studio B

    Studio B Tour

    Tours of RCA Studio B are arranged through The Country Music Hall of Fame. When our tour group arrived, we were ushered into an anteroom lined on three sides with pictures of musicians past and present. The fourth wall was devoted to Elvis' recordings. We had plenty of time to scan the walls as our guide played recordings of a wide variety of artists and told us some interesting stories about them.

    Mr B should be a Nashville tour guide. (Seriously, Mr B should be a Nashville star, but that's another story for another day.) Anyway, he grew up on the old-timey country music, and as we looked around the room, he excitedly pointed out singers to me that I'd never even heard of and told me stories about them like they were second cousins.

    Various album covers and artist images on a wall.

    1000 Hits

    More than 35,000 songs were recorded at Studio B during the golden age of the Nashville Sound (1957 to 1977) including more than 1,000 American hits, 40 millions-selling singles, and over 200 Elvis Presley recordings. But this place is so much more than numbers, or hit records, or even Elvis. (OK, that last one is probably debatable.)

    Various album covers and artist images on a wall.

    Elvis is, of course, a big draw for many to Studio B. He recorded over 200 songs here, including Are You Lonesome Tonight, and How Great Thou Art for which he won a Grammy. (Fun fact: All three of Elvis' Grammys were awarded for Gospel recordings.)

    Elvis album cover and handwritten notation for Are You Lonesome Tonight.

    The Elvis Steinway

    This Steinway, the centerpiece of RCA Studio B's instrument collection, is known as the "Elvis Steinway Piano." It is generally considered to be Elvis' favorite piano, and was the one he used to rehearse before recording some of his greatest hits.

    The Elvis Steinway. Photo Credit: Prayltno via Flickr [CC BY 2.0]

    So many famous fingers have flown across those keys, and you can hear it being played in countless songs recorded at Studio B. (This piano is so famous that it has its very own Facebook page!) It made Mr B and I both wonder at the stories behind all those scratches and dings above the black keys.

    Close-up of Elvis Steinway keyboard. Photo Credit:  Geoff White  via Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]
    Photo Credit: Geoff White via Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

    Studio B Recording Artists

    Mr B is a diehard Elvis fan, but The Everly Brothers were my personal favorite in the amazing Studio B lineup. (Those harmonies!) One of their signature recordings, All I Have to Do is Dream, is the song Mr B and I always use to warm up when we sing together, and standing in the space where they first recorded it was deeply moving to both of us.

    The Everly Brothers playing in the studio.

    It was during our tour of Studio B that I first became fascinated with the intricate web of musical influence that reaches up from the South to weave its way into American musical history. (I'll be sharing more about this in future posts.)

    Learning about the scope and caliber of the music created in this space took my breath away. (I have to admit, that happened a lot on our Tennessee adventure.) Here's just a sampling musicians who recorded here:

    • Roy Orbision recorded two of his biggest hits, Only the Lonely and Crying.
    • Dolly Parton wrote her mega-hits Jolene and I Will Always Love You on the same day and recorded both here, as she did Coat of Many Colors, her beautiful tribute to her life in Appalachia.
    • Waylon Jennings recorded, among others, Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line, That's The Chance I'll Have To Take, and Stop The World (And Let Me Off) - years before Outlaw Country was even a flicker.
    • Charlie Pride recorded Kiss an Angel Good Morning and Is Anybody Going To San Antone here. (My Dad used to sing Charlie Pride while he mowed the lawn. Mr B sings his songs to me now.

    Studio B is still a working recording studio, and modern-day artists like Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Wynonna, and many others have followed their legendary predecessors into this amazing space. In terms of the evolution of American music, the impact of RCA Studio B and the artists who recorded there cannot be overemphasized; moreover, regardless of your musical tastes, they have unquestionably influenced the music you listen to today.

    Chairs - RCA Studio B
    If those walls could talk.

    How to Book a Tour

    If you are planning to visit Nashville, RCA Studio B needs to be on your itinerary. Tours are available for a relatively small additional fee (currently about $11) to anyone who purchases admission to The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Start to finish, the tour lasts about one hour, and transportation is included.

    More Travel in the US South

    • Top 8 Nashville Things to Do for Music Lovers {+ Tips for Travelers} | The Good Hearted Woman
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    • Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum at Elvis Presley's Memphis Entertainment Complex | The Good Hearted Woman
      Elvis Presley's Memphis Entertainment Complex
    See more The South →

    Southern Cooking & Recipes

    Here on The Good Hearted Woman, the trips we share always result in new recipes, and the South does not disappoint! (Have you tried Nashville Hot Chicken? It's amazing! Our step-by-step recipe makes it easy to make at home!)

    • Fried green tomatoes stacked ona white plate, garnished with small slices of raw green tomatoes.
      Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes
    • Peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream in a dessert bowl, with a pan of cobbler in the background.
      Easy Southern Peach Cobbler
    • Fried chicken quarter on a slice of white bread, topped with a pickle, served in a brown paper lines basket.
      Hattie B's Nashville Hot Chicken (Step-by-Step)
    • Triple layer coconut cake on a glass pedestal cake stand, with one slice cut and on a plate below.
      Southern Coconut Layer Cake (from Scratch)

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    Thank you for visiting the Good Hearted Woman. Remember to bookmark this site, and come back soon!

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is self-taught home chef with a penchant for creating healthy(ish) comfort food recipes, and adapting vintage recipes for the 21st century cook. In her spare time, she writes unfinished novels and songs about cowboys.

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    1. James Quinn says

      March 13, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Wooh, that's history right there!. Most of the music recording studios are an inspiration. its where everything began.

      Reply
    2. Erika Sears says

      July 14, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      I love knowing the history of a place and I will have to keep this in mind next time Im in Nashville

      Reply
    3. Courtney says

      July 13, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Omg how cool!!! I bet you had one epic time!!! I just love visiting places like this since they hold so many neat stories!!!

      Reply
    4. Jean says

      July 13, 2017 at 11:26 am

      This sounds like a truly amazing place to visit as a music fan. I've never been to Nashville but if I do get to visit, I'll be sure to put this tour on my itinerary.

      Reply
    5. Anvita says

      July 12, 2017 at 8:52 pm

      Seems like I somehow missed this tour when I lived in Nashville. Would have loved it. Those notes give me goosebumps

      Reply
    6. Carolyn says

      July 12, 2017 at 8:06 pm

      It seems like so many of my friends are doing girls trips to Nashville. I need to plan one and definitely put this on my places to see.

      Reply
    7. Blythe Alpern says

      July 12, 2017 at 5:30 pm

      I would love to visit RCA Studio. It's always so fascinating to visit places where great music was created. I can only imagine the energy the studio gives off.

      Reply
    8. Krystal // The Krystal Diaries says

      July 12, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      So much music history! I have to make a trip there.

      Reply
    9. Alison | So Chic Life says

      July 12, 2017 at 4:37 pm

      What a great tour! We just visited the Grammy Museum in Cleveland, MS and it was a similar experience. So many great artists recognized. I'm dying to get to Nashville - will have to put this on our must-do list!

      Reply
    10. Shannon Gurnee says

      July 12, 2017 at 4:34 pm

      This looks like an awesome experience! I would love to visit Nashville someday! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    11. Dawn McAlexander says

      July 12, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      That would be so cool to see! I used to work at a country music radio station, and we played a lot of Nashville Sound music. I could appreciate this.

      Reply
    12. TColeman says

      July 12, 2017 at 11:36 am

      This would be really cool! It's amazing that there were so many hits that have come through there.

      Reply
    13. Kim says

      July 12, 2017 at 6:37 am

      Wow! To be where music legends stood would be an amazing experience. I live so close to Nashville. I need to make a trip.

      Reply
    14. Rhian Westbury says

      July 12, 2017 at 3:50 am

      Wow I didn't know how many artists recorded here, I love the Everly Brothers too as unchained melody was one of my grandpa's favourite songs. I'd love to visit here one day x

      Reply
    15. Angela Tolsma says

      July 12, 2017 at 3:20 am

      I love that you explain the history of the blue x! That piano is so pretty, I love pianos and their history is so interesting. What a great tour!

      Reply
    16. Kirsten says

      July 11, 2017 at 10:24 pm

      Wow! What an amazing place to visit with so much history! I have a friend who just LOVES Elvis- I am sure she would be so thrilled to be where he was recording her favorite songs of his!

      Reply
    17. Create/Enjoy says

      July 11, 2017 at 8:02 pm

      That is so cool! Sounds like a great tour! We would love to go to Nashville sometime!

      Reply
    18. Pech says

      July 11, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      What a fun place to visit - it's hard to believe all those greats were right there, just a couple decades ago, looking at those same walls. It must have been even more great for you with your personal tour guide telling you all these stories revealing fun trivia about the musicians and also about Mr B himself in telling those tales!

      Reply
    19. Kansas Bonanno says

      July 11, 2017 at 2:39 pm

      What a beautiful piece of history! The studio is really amazing and can tell so many stories from the past.

      Reply
    20. Tamara Belgard says

      July 11, 2017 at 1:11 pm

      What an amazing story, I love this!

      Reply
    21. Melissa Chapman says

      July 11, 2017 at 11:42 am

      That studio is so iconic if I ever get to Nashville it is a must see for me and I will make my kids come too. There were so many great people who stood on that x, so I will too.

      Reply
    22. robin rue says

      July 11, 2017 at 10:54 am

      I got married by Elvis 🙂 No really...in Vegas. I would love to check out this studio someday. What an awesome piece of history.

      Reply

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