Music, Bourbon and Beautiful American girls

Gateway to the south.

The city from the REM and B -52's groups is a student city at the many music sites, mostly. In June, don't miss Athfest, which gathers nearly 200 groups and thousands of spectators each year. It takes 1 hour 30 from Atlanta.

As the gateway of the Appalachians, it is a university city where Old Time music and bluegrass are honoured. It takes you 2 hours and 40 from Athens. Note that halfway between Athens and Asheville, you can stop at Greenville (SC). The city has discovered an artistic vocation (and therefore musical) there are just few but we are sure to find a good place or listen to music. Car fans, though they are German and not American, can visit the impressive BMW Zentrum in to Greer (10 miles). It is in the nearby factory that the famous X models are manufactured for the world market.

On the other side of the Appalachians, Sevierville is the city where Dolly Boss was born, the great artist of the country and benefactor of the region. Its amusement park, Dollywood (Pigeon Foge), offers numerous entertainment related to the country, bluegrass, Southern Gospel and Rock'n'roll. Its takes 2 hours from Asheville, via Cherokee and the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

On the road to Lexington, stop at Mount Vernon-Renfro Valley (KY), its Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum is dedicated only to Kentucky artists. This museum is adjacent to the Renfro Valley Entertainement Center, where country, gospel and bluegrass concerts takes place all year long. It takes 2 hours and 15 from Sevierville.

Lexington, the "capital" of horse, is located in the middle of the Bluegrass Region, where the bluegrass music was born, but also at the beginning of the Bourbon Trail. The latter is not a marked route on your road, but a set of Bourbon distilleries (7 in 2014) affiliated to the same association and scattered between Lexington and Louisville. However, the actual number of distilleries in the state is much more important, and almost all of them are open to tasting. Lexington is highly advisable for the visit, particularly in June, at the Festival of the Bluegrass Country, the oldest Bluegrass festival in Kentucky. It takes 3 hours from Sevierville.

Louisville, like Lexington, is primarily a large city (the most populated in Kentucky) which lies west of Bourbon Trail and the Bluegrass Region. In addition to its Urban Bourbon Trail (a variant of Bourbon Trail adapted to the city), Louisville houses a tourist area where live concerts are organised regularly: The 4th Street Live. 

In addition to the city's interest in terms of culinary and artistic matters, and where the largest horse race in the United States (Kentucky Derby in May) is organized each year, one night on the spot will ensure you have an excellent musical evening. It takes 1 hour and 15 from Lexington.

Here you will find the National Corvette Museum, as well as the only production facility that can be visited. It is a must for all those who are indifferent to this model whose first copy dates back to 1953. It takes 1 hour and 45 from Louisville.

The largest centre of the country Music and Music industry in the United States. Priority visits: Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Johnny Cash Museum, Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry House. It takes 1 hour from Bowling Green.

Continue the visit to Nashville.

Priority visits: Fame Recording studios where many great voices of soul music and R&B have recorded; Alabama Music Hall of Fame, the birth house of W.C. Handy, considered as the father of the blues. It takes 2 hours and 20 from Nashville.

The city where the blues and rockn'roll meet. Priority visits: Beale Street, Gibson Guitar Factory, Saint Blues Guitar Workshop, Stax Museum, Memphis Rock'n'Soul Museum, Sun Studio, W.C Handy House Museum, and, of course, Graceland. It takes you 2 hours and 30 from Muscle Shoals.

Continue the visit of Memphis.

From Memphis, Highway 61, or Blues Highway will be your guide wire to New Orleans. On the road, stop Clarksdale to visit the Delta Blues Museum. South of Clarksdale, spend the rest of the day to visit the area of the Cleveland-Greenwood-Greenville triangle. Priority visits: east of Cleveland, Dockery Farm in Greenwood, one of the (many) tombs of the mythical Robert Johnson in Indianola, the BB King Museum. Before you reach Greenville, where you can book a hotel for the night, make a stop to Leland. Visit the Highway 61 Blues Museum. In the evening, you will have the choice between the Ebony Club of BB King in Indianola or, if open (only Thursday evening), Po' Monkey in Merigold. Beware: It takes 50-minute drive from Greenville to Merigold. It takes a minimum of 2 hours between Memphis and Greenville. This time is very approximate because of the numerous stops or detours you will have to make on the Blues Highway.

The capital of Mississippi is no longer in the Delta Region or the Blues Highway, but the blues is well present. You can listen to excellent groups in several famous addresses. It is 2 hour-drive from Greenville.

The largest city in Louisiana is known as the birthplace of jazz, and you'll have no difficulties finding where to listen to good music in the evening. If you want to go even further, allow a few extra days to go to Cajun Country: the zydeco is king! It takes 2 hour and 40 from Jackson.

Continue the visit of Nola.

Jimmie Rodgers, native of the city, was one of the pioneers of the country music. Its museum is located in Highland Park, northwest of the city centre. His tomb is at the cemetery of the city. It takes 2 hours 50 from New Orleans.

The capital of Alabama, often cited for its links with the history of the civil rights of Black Americans, is also the birthplace of Hank Williams, another icon of the country music. His museum is located in the city centre. His memorial can also be visited at the city cemetery. It takes 2 hours 40 from Meridian.

It takes 2 hours and 20 minutes from Montgomery.