Knoxville, Tennessee

Everything Knoxville is known for

71 songs mention this city 107 artists from here

Knoxville, Tennessee, nestled between the Cumberland Plateau and the Great Smoky Mountains, boasts a rich and surprising musical heritage. Often called the "Cradle of Country Music," the city played a significant role in nurturing the early careers of major figures in country and early rock and roll. Our collection features 106 artists who call Knoxville home, including blues artist Jack D. Johnson and metal band 10 Years. The city is also mentioned in 43 songs, such as "Rocky Top" by the Osborne Brothers and "Knoxville Courthouse Blues" by Hank Williams Jr.

Music in Knoxville

Songs About Knoxville

Rocky Top

Osborne Brothers

100%

Knoxville Courthouse Blues

Hank Williams Jr.

97%

"I'm sittin' in Knoxville courthouse"

Waitin’ On a Woman

Brad Paisley

96%

"Sittin' on a bench at West Town Mall"

Just To Say We Did

Kenny Chesney

95%

"Drove from Knoxville to Myrtle Beach"

Memphis

The Milk Carton Kids

93%

"Now the sun goes down over Dolly Parton bridge"

Knoxville Girl

The Fox Hunt

83%

"Knoxville Girl"

Tiger Prince of Knoxville

Adeem the Artist

82%

"Now I’m the Tiger Prince of Knoxville"

Knoxville Blues

Hackensaw Boys

81%

"TITLE"

Another Night In Knoxville

Kip Moore

81%

"Another night in Knoxville"

Knoxville Girl

The Louvin Brothers

81%

"I met a little girl in Knoxville, a town we all know well"

Knoxville Foxhole

The Brothers Comatose

80%

"Knoxville foxhole take me away"

Knoxville Girl

The Outlaws

79%

"Go down, go down Knoxville girl"

Knoxville Girl (Re-Recorded)

Jimmy Martin

79%

"Knoxville Girl"

knoxville

the worley boys

77%

Take Me Back to Texas

David Grissom

55%

"Somehow I worked my way across to Knoxville"

A Duffel, a Grip, and My D35

Pony Bradshaw

55%

"I'm headed back to Knoxville town"

Ballad of Thunder Road

Robert Mitchum

55%

"Blazing right through Knoxville, out on Kingston Pike"

Bootlegger's Boy

Old Crow Medicine Show

55%

"Into Knoxville Town"

Feelin’ Better

Hank Williams Jr.

54%

"knocked 'em out of Knoxville"

Orange and White

Conner Smith

53%

"In the mornin', me and Knoxville are gonna miss ya"

Showing top 20 of 71 songs

Artists From Knoxville

Showing top 20 of 107 artists

Rivers & Roads in Song near Knoxville

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Knoxville.

U.S. Route 441 3 songs Highway I 40 20 songs Tennessee River 13 songs

History of Knoxville

The Golden Sunsphere RoadyGoat

Knoxville's skyline is crowned by a giant gold ball on a stick, and locals wouldn't have it any other way. The Sunsphere is a 266-foot steel tower topped with a five-story golden globe, built as the symbol of the 1982 World's Fair, officially the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, themed 'Energy Turns the World.' The fair drew more than 11 million visitors to a 70-acre site between downtown and the University of Tennessee. Those gleaming panes really are gilded: each window holds a film of 24-karat gold dust. When the fair ended, almost everything was torn down, but the Sunsphere and the amphitheater stayed, and the grounds became World's Fair Park. Today you can ride up to the observation deck for a 360-degree view of the Tennessee River, the UT campus, and the Smokies beyond. One bold gold globe outlived the whole world's fair around it.

When Aluminum Cost More Than Gold RoadyGoat

1855

The metal this town was built on was once a treasure more precious than gold. In the mid-eighteen hundreds aluminum was so hard to refine that it traded like a jewel. The story goes that Emperor Napoleon the Third of France served his most honored guests with aluminum forks and spoons, while lesser visitors had to make do with mere gold. Across the ocean in eighteen eighty-four, builders capped the brand-new Washington Monument with a small pyramid of solid aluminum, chosen partly as a showpiece of a metal then valued like silver. It was the largest single piece of aluminum anyone had ever cast. A few decades later that same once-priceless metal would be smelted by the ton, in an entire Tennessee town named for the company that made it.

12.1 mi away

Everywhere in the Ground, Never Just Lying Around RoadyGoat

Here's the paradox at the heart of this town. Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the entire Earth's crust. It makes up about eight percent of the ground under your tires, more than any other metal there is. And yet you will never dig up a nugget of pure aluminum, not once, anywhere on the planet. The reason is that aluminum is fiercely reactive. It grabs onto oxygen so hard that in nature it stays permanently locked inside rock and ore, mostly a reddish stone called bauxite. That same reactivity is why aluminum doesn't rust away. The instant it meets air it grows a thin, tough skin of oxide that seals and even self-heals when scratched. To get the shiny metal, you have to rip it out of its oxide by force, which is exactly the work that built Alcoa.

12.1 mi away

Oak Ridge - Manhattan Project National Historical Park

1942

One of three secret cities built for the Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge enriched the uranium used in the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945.

19.8 mi away

Things to Do in Knoxville

historical 24.7 mi away

Dollywood

Dolly Parton's theme park in the Smoky Mountains. Southern food roller coasters and pure Dolly.

quirky

Mountain Dew Birthplace

The neon-green soda was invented in Knoxville TN in 1940 as a whiskey mixer.

Everything Near Knoxville

45 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

The Golden Sunsphere
Knoxville's skyline is crowned by a giant gold ball on a stick, and locals wouldn't have it any other way. The Sunsphere is a 266-foot steel tower topped with a five-story golden globe, built as the symbol of the 1982…
Knoxville, TN · Local history
Knoxville, Tennessee, a city nestled in the Valley and Ridge Province, hums with a quiet energy. The oak-hickory forests surrounding the city seem to stand sentinel as reminders of the past. Long before it was named for…
Mountain Dew Birthplace · Things to Do
The neon-green soda was invented in Knoxville TN in 1940 as a whiskey mixer.
Tennessee Theatre · 0.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Step back in time at this opulent 1928 movie palace, once Knoxville's first skyscraper, and imagine the roaring twenties. The Tennessee Theatre opened its doors in 1928 in the Burwell Building. The Burwell Building…
James Park House · 0.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine walking in the footsteps of Tennessee's first governor—the James Park House connects you to that early history! The foundation was laid in the 1790s by none other than John Sevier himself. Fast forward to 1812,…
Old Customs House (Knoxville, Tennessee) · 0.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This isn't just another pretty building; it's Knoxville's first ever federal building, completed in 1874! It served as both a Customs House and a Post Office. For nearly 60 years, this building was the hub of federal…
Knox County Courthouse (Tennessee) · 0.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine the weight of history held within these walls – the Knox County Courthouse has been a silent witness to over a century of Knoxville's story. Built in 1886, this grand building served as the main courthouse for…
Bijou Theatre (Knoxville, Tennessee) · 0.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here – you're looking at a place that's seen it all: the Bijou Theatre. Originally built in 1909 as part of the Lamar House Hotel, this theater has had a wild ride. The Lamar House Hotel itself has even older…
William Blount Mansion · 0.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over! You're about to see the birthplace of Tennessee's government. This is Blount Mansion, home to William Blount, the only governor the Southwest Territory ever had. Blount, a signer of the U.S. Constitution,…
Knoxville station (Louisville and Nashville Railroad) · 0.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine bustling crowds, steam hissing, and the echoing whistle of a locomotive. This grand train station, built in 1905, once connected Knoxville to the rest of the country. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad built…
The Holston · 0.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Hold on, look to your left. See that stately old high-rise? Once the tallest building in Knoxville, it was originally the Holston National Bank headquarters. Founded in 1890, the Holston National Bank had become one of…
Market Square, Knoxville · 0.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Step back in time to the heart of Knoxville, where Market Square has been the city's vibrant pulse for over a century. This isn't just a pretty pedestrian mall; it's a living testament to Knoxville's enduring spirit.…
Gay Street (Knoxville) · 0.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
For over 200 years, this street has been the heart of Knoxville's downtown. Originally part of Charles McClung's 1791 plan for Knoxville, Gay Street quickly became the city's main hub. It was *the* place for business…
Fort Sanders, Knoxville · 0.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This quiet Knoxville neighborhood was once the scene of a desperate, bloody battle that determined the fate of the city. In November 1863, Confederate General James Longstreet launched a surprise attack on Fort Sanders,…
Southern Terminal (Knoxville, Tennessee) · 0.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine this spot in Knoxville buzzing with activity, a gateway to adventure and opportunity during the golden age of train travel. This is the Southern Terminal, built in 1903 by the Southern Railway. It was designed…
Jackson Avenue Warehouse District · 0.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
These aren't just old buildings; this is where Knoxville did business back in the day. This is the Jackson Avenue Warehouse District, and back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, this area was the heart of Knoxville's…
Old City, Knoxville · 0.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here for a minute; this area, now known as the Old City, has some stories to tell. Back in the mid-1800s, before the Civil War, this wasn't the trendy spot it is today. The arrival of the railroad in the 1850s…
Fire Station No. 5 (Knoxville, Tennessee) · 0.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a minute! This isn't just *any* fire station – it's Knoxville's oldest, still serving the community since 1909. Back then, Mechanicsville was a growing area, and the city needed a dedicated firehouse. This…
Knoxville National Cemetery · 1.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This quiet field of honor whispers tales of a nation divided. Knoxville National Cemetery, established in 1863 during the Civil War, became the final resting place for Union soldiers who fought and died in East…
University of Tennessee Agriculture Farm Mound · 1.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Did you know you're driving near a silent witness to Knoxville's ancient past? This unassuming mound on the UT Ag campus isn't just a hill; it's a burial mound built by people of the Woodland period. Archaeologists…
General John T. Wilder House · 1.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine a Union General relaxing in this very spot after years of fighting in the Civil War. This is the General John T. Wilder House. General Wilder, a leader in the Union Army's 17th Indiana Volunteers, also known as…
Westwood (Knoxville, Tennessee) · 1.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder what Victorian life was like in Knoxville? You're just a stone's throw from Westwood, a beautiful house built in 1890 that gives you a glimpse. John Lutz, and his wife, the artist Adelia Armstrong Lutz,…
Ivan Racheff House · 2.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder what happens when a successful businessman decides to make a house his personal statement? You're about to find out! The Ivan Racheff House started as a simple residence in 1902. But when Ivan Racheff,…
Ramsey House (Knox County, Tennessee) · 5.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Look out your window! You're approaching a stunning glimpse into Tennessee's frontier past. This isn't just an old house; it's a testament to ambition and early American craftsmanship. Built in 1797, the Ramsey House,…
Savage House and Garden · 5.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine escaping the hustle of early 1900s Knoxville in your own private garden oasis. That was the dream Arthur Savage realized here. Arthur Savage, an English immigrant, made his fortune manufacturing marble-cutting…
Airplane Service Station · 7.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Get ready to taxi down memory lane! This isn't just any old gas station; it's a 1930s airplane, grounded right here in Powell, Tennessee. Brothers Elmer and Henry Nickle built this quirky landmark back in 1930. Their…
Alexander McMillan House · 9.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine staking your claim on the Tennessee frontier. That's exactly what Alexander McMillan did when he built this house back in 1785. Alexander McMillan arrived here in 1783, snapping up land thanks to North…
Statesview · 9.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine living in Knoxville in the early 1800s! This area near Statesview offers a glimpse into that time. Originally built around 1805 by architect Thomas Hope, Statesview was the home of Charles McClung, a surveyor.…
Sam Houston Schoolhouse · 11.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here for a second – you're looking at a place where legends begin. This unassuming little schoolhouse is where Sam Houston, yes, *that* Sam Houston, got his start as a teacher. Before he was a general, a…
When Aluminum Cost More Than Gold · 12.1 mi
The metal this town was built on was once a treasure more precious than gold. In the mid-eighteen hundreds aluminum was so hard to refine that it traded like a jewel. The story goes that Emperor Napoleon the Third of…
Everywhere in the Ground, Never Just Lying Around · 12.1 mi
Here's the paradox at the heart of this town. Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the entire Earth's crust. It makes up about eight percent of the ground under your tires, more than any other metal there is. And yet…
The Town That's Literally an Acronym · 12.2 mi
Most towns are named for a person, a river, or a hometown left behind. Alcoa, Tennessee is named for a spelling trick. ALCOA stands for the ALuminum COmpany of America, and starting around 1919 that company built this…
Your Can Could Be Back in 60 Days · 12.3 mi
Making aluminum from raw ore is brutally power-hungry, the whole reason this town sits beside dammed rivers. But there's a shortcut, and it borders on magic. Melting down an old aluminum can to make a new one uses only…
Two 22-Year-Olds, Same Year, Same Idea · 12.4 mi
Aluminum went from priceless to pocket change because of two young men who never met. In eighteen eighty-six, an American named Charles Hall and a Frenchman named Paul Heroult independently cracked the same problem in…
Millennium Manor · 12.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This house took nearly a decade to build, starting in 1937! It's called Millennium Manor, and it's right here in Alcoa. William Andrew Nicholson and his wife, Fair, moved here from Georgia, and William got a job at the…
Maryville, Tennessee: Where Dave Ramsey Was Born · 14.4 mi
Financial author and radio host Dave Ramsey was born in Maryville, Tennessee, on September 3, 1960 (he was raised in the Antioch area of Nashville). After building a leveraged real-estate portfolio in his twenties, he…
Wheatlands (Sevierville, Tennessee) · 14.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine a time when wheat fields stretched as far as the eye could see right here, giving this place its name: Wheatlands. This was once a bustling plantation, a testament to early Tennessee agriculture. Wheatlands…
Avery Russell House · 14.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a minute and imagine weary travelers seeking rest at what was once Campbell's Station Inn. This beautiful Federal-style house, now known as the Avery Russell House, started its life around 1835 as an inn…
Brabson's Ferry Plantation · 15.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This unassuming spot was once the heart of a plantation that rivaled those of the Deep South. John Brabson II bought the ferry here in 1798, and for decades, he steadily grew his land holdings around it. By 1860,…
Norris, Tennessee · 18.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here a sec, because this unassuming town of Norris, Tennessee, has a fascinating backstory tied to one of the most ambitious projects in American history. Back in 1933, during the Great Depression, the…
Alexander Inn · 18.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a second! This unassuming building, the Alexander Inn, played a surprisingly important role in world history. During World War II, Oak Ridge was built from scratch as part of the top-secret Manhattan…
Oak Ridge Historic District · 19.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Welcome to Oak Ridge, a place that vanished from maps and then reappeared with a secret. During World War II, this entire town was constructed in secrecy as part of the Manhattan Project, the top-secret effort to…
Clover Hill Mill · 19.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Step back in time at this gristmill, a rare survivor from the hundreds that once dotted East Tennessee. By 1849, a gristmill had been established here, around which the community of Clover Hill developed. The community…
Clinton Engineer Works · 19.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Believe it or not, this unassuming area played a crucial role in ending World War II. The Clinton Engineer Works, or CEW, was the super-secret production facility for the Manhattan Project. During the war, starting in…
Oak Ridge - Manhattan Project National Historical Park · 19.8 mi · Historical Marker
One of three secret cities built for the Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge enriched the uranium used in the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945.

Explore Knoxville on the Map

All music from Tennessee → · Browse more cities