By Tim O’Brien
Signs, signs, everywhere there are signs. Like most hip and creative U.S. communities, Nashville, aka Music City, has an almost embarrassing treasure of colorful and imaginative signage of all ilk and sizes.
SCA’s fall road trip, aptly entitled “A Walk Through Nashville’s Neon Canyon,” pays homage to the city’s unique five blocks along Lower Broadway. Here, unique honky-tonks thrive with an abundance of modern neon signage and live country music all day, every day.
Neon has always been used to advertise nightclubs, honky-tonks, and dive bars because it can easily be seen and recognized in the darkness during the evenings when the doors to the drinking and dancing establishments are open for business. Unique neon signage creates the visibility needed to attract potential customers who might otherwise overlook a dimly lit establishment.
An adage amongst sign makers explains the need for this type of illumination: “Where Neon Glows, Business Flows.”
Neon exudes historical relevance and nostalgic charm for the SCA sign-loving crowds. Nashville’s plethora of colorful signage allows visitors to see glass tubes filled with noble gases in a working environment, not in a static museum.
As the road trip’s organizer, I’ve included a preview of the adventure featuring my favorite neon signs, which beckon the crowds to Nashville’s Neon Canyon.
1: GARTH BROOK’S FRIENDS
The sign at Garth Brook’s Friends in Low Places is the third iteration of a 1950s sign used in this location.
2: TACO BELL CANTINA
Nashville’s Taco Bell Cantina features a colorful “guacamole” brand guitar and the chain’s famous bell.
3: SECOND FIDDLE
The colorful Second Fiddle signage features two fiddles, which are what we call violins in Music City.
4: LEGENDS CORNER
As one of the oldest local honky-tonks, the sign at Legends Corner features moving musical notes across the top and the obligatory guitar.
5: THE STAGE
Neon at The Stage has small starbursts around the edges and is the only honky-tonk that bedecks the mandator y neon guitar with a cowboy hat.
6: BETTY BOOTS
The boot store Betty Boots has one of the most recognizable neon displays, which features a lovely lady astride her guitar.
7: AJ’S GOOD TIME BAR
Alan Jackson’s AJ’s Good Time Bar has dancing notes and the singer’s likeness in neon.