Tennessee is holy ground for American music, from the Grand Ole Opry to the studios of Memphis. These songs name the state, its cities and its rivers, and most of them sound like home to someone.
Updated 2026
Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton 2015
A slow-burning soul-country ballad that became a modern standard.
Rocky Top by The Osborne Brothers 1967
A breakneck bluegrass ode that doubles as a state anthem.
Tennessee Waltz by Patti Page 1950
A waltz about losing a love on the dance floor, sung the world over.
Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn 1991
A pilgrim's tour of Beale Street, Graceland and the ghosts in between.
Memphis, Tennessee by Chuck Berry 1959
A phone call to a city, with a twist you do not see coming.
Graceland by Paul Simon 1986
A road trip to Memphis that turns into a search for grace.
Nashville Cats by The Lovin' Spoonful 1966
A tip of the hat to the session players who built the sound.
Chattanooga Choo Choo by Glenn Miller 1941
A swing-era ride straight to the heart of the state.
Smoky Mountain Rain by Ronnie Milsap 1980
Searching the East Tennessee hills for a love who left.
Last Train to Clarksville by The Monkees 1966
A jangly plea to meet before a soldier has to ship out.
Tennessee Flat Top Box by Johnny Cash 1961
A young guitar picker who turns a small town into a star.
Tennessee by Arrested Development 1992
A hip-hop search for roots and meaning in the family's home state.