Landmark West End Hotel Celebrates 50 Years of Music and Memories

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The Holiday Inn® Nashville-Vanderbilt will celebrate 50 years of music and memories in 2019.  Kicking off this month and continuing through April of 2019, the anniversary is being commemorated with stories from songwriters, past and current hotel employees, musicians, and Vanderbilt alumni highlighting some of their favorite memories. The celebration will culminate with a reception on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

 

“This hotel has always been a popular entertainment landmark in Nashville,” says Thom Druffel, General Manager for Holiday Inn® Nashville-Vanderbilt. “We have hosted some big names in the entertainment industry in our hotel, and some of the best songwriters in the country got their start right here in our bar, The Commodore Grille. We are looking forward to celebrating some of that history over the next several months.”

 

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Hippodrome, a roller-skating rink and major event space, stood on the land where the Holiday Inn is today. The land was purchased in 1968 by Edwin B. Raskin, Alven Ghertner and Alfred Finklestein, and in 1969, the Holiday Inn® Nashville-Vanderbilt officially opened its doors.

 

Holiday Inn® Nashville-Vanderbilt was one of the first full-service hotels in Nashville, so patrons included many touring acts passing through, such as Prince, KISS, several members of Elvis’ family, Kenny Rogers, Motley Crue, and members of the Charlie Daniels Band. Founder of Holiday Inn, Kemmons Wilson, visited frequently in those early years and the hotel was one of the brand’s most successful.  During the disco craze of the late 1970s to mid-1980s, lines wrapped around the building to get into the hotel’s disco lounge, originally known as The Commodore Lounge.

 

Today, The Commodore Grille has become known for hosting top songwriter talent during its Songwriters’ Nights at The Commodore Grille.  Created and coordinated by Debi Champion, songwriters come from all over the world for a chance to share their original songs; the current waiting list to play at The Commodore Grille is 4 months.  Singer-songwriters Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill, and Faith Hill are just a few of the international names who played at The Commodore Grille early in their careers.

 

If you have fond memories or photos of the hotel over its history, the Holiday Inn® Nashville-Vanderbilt would love to hear from you. Contact Bekah Hutsenpiller at Bekah.Hutsenpiller@ihg.com.

 

Located on West End, next to Vanderbilt University and across from Centennial Park and the full-size Parthenon replica, the Holiday Inn® Nashville-Vanderbilt is a convenient, full-service hotel in Music City. Free WiFi, a 24-hour business center and flexible meeting spaces are sure to accommodate business needs for individuals and groups. Free shuttle service is offered within two and one-half miles of hotel, including the Music City Center, downtown Nashville and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

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