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Nashville, Tennessee wasn’t deemed “Music City” on a whim. While its main legacy is grounded in country music, Nashville has long been a sought-after hub for aspiring and professional songwriters. The stellar quality of tunes that travel through its venues, spilling out onto its neon-lighted city streets, is unparalleled.
If you are a singer-songwriter, it’s advisable to educate yourself on the best venues that invite both professional and aspiring songwriters to grace their stages to perform well-crafted compositions in songwriter rounds and events. On the other hand, if you’re a music lover planning a trip to Music City, you’ll most surely want to hear the best songwriters it offers on any given night of the week.
We’ve prepared a guide to help you explore Nashville’s 11 best songwriter music venues alive with the strains of original songs.
1. The Bluebird Cafe
Hidden in a nondescript strip mall, The Bluebird Cafe embodies the quintessence of Nashville’s storied musical heritage, famous for its live music from renowned singer-songwriters. Notable for its ground-breaking “In the Round” format, The Bluebird Cafe has carved out a special niche as the premier songwriter music venue in Nashville and nationwide. It also became a prominent setting in countless episodes of the hit TV series “Nashville.”
For passionate listeners and aspiring musicians alike, The Bluebird Cafe provides a glimpse into the exciting world of the Nashville music scene. As part of the format on a typical night, the cafe requires patrons to purchase from the menu and dine while they watch. However, the real treat here is listening to seasoned artists blend personal storytelling with songs that range from thought-provoking to poignant to outright hilarious. While rounds can be attended at 6 pm and 9 pm most nights of the week, the Bluebird is also home to a first-rate open mic every Monday at 6 pm.
- Address: 4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 383-1461
- Email: info@bluebirdcafe.com
- Artist Booking: How to play
Check The Bluebird Cafe on Crossroads
2. Listening Room Cafe
Ready for a night on the town, Nashville-style? The Listening Room Cafe also ranks highly among popular songwriter music venues where you can experience live music performed by the writers themselves. The Listening Room Cafe hosts two live shows a night for both up-and-coming composers and number-one hit songwriters, as well as local Nashville bands and popular national acts. The Listening Room Cafe is also renowned for having some of the best acoustics of any smaller venue in Nashville.
One of the standout events at the Listening Room Cafe is the Song Suffragettes songwriter series, a Monday evening show touted as Nashville’s only all-female acoustic showcase. Over 400 women have played the show, with a fourth of these performers securing either recording or publishing deals.
- Address: 618 4th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 259-3600
- Email: info@listeningroomcafe.com
- Artist Booking: booking@listeningroomcafe.com or click here
Listen to the Song Suffragettes Featuring Tenille Arts
3. Live Oak Nashville
Known for showcasing innumerable talented Nashville songwriters, Live Oak Nashville regularly hosts events where both emerging and established songwriters perform their original works. Among its diverse catchy-themed showcases are Midtown Grind, Heavy Hitters, Living the Write Life, and Threesome Thursdays Takeover. Catering to a wide range of music tastes, this songwriter hotspot is well-attended by musicians, songwriters, and industry professionals alike, making it a great place for networking. The venue also offers a full menu featuring Southern-inspired fare, making it a great spot for a meal or a casual night out while enjoying live music.
One of the standout songwriter rounds in all of Nashville is Live Oak Nashville’s Ynot Wednesdays Songwriters Spotlight. Held at 7 pm one Wednesday a month, the round features 9 artists total in a given evening in sets of 3. As of late May, Ynot Wednesdays has found a new home at the Tin Roof Nashville, located within walking distance of its original home at 1516 Demonbreun St.
- Address: 1530 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37203
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 864-6460
- Email: info@liveoaknashville.com
- Artist Booking: booking@liveoaknashville.com
4. The Local Nashville
Geoff Reid opened the doors of The Local Nashville in 2017 to offer performers and patrons a quality venue for performing original songs. It has since become a cornerstone of Nashville’s entertainment scene, hosting a variety of events and showcases for both local and national acts. The venue reflects classic singer-songwriter vibes with valuable music memorabilia decorating the walls. Nestled in Nashville’s trendy West End neighborhood, Live music can be enjoyed seven nights a week, while The Local’s pub-inspired menu and domestic tap selection make it among the top places to create Nashville music memories.
One of the standout events at The Local is the Music Row Freak Show, an eclectic songwriter showcase that hangs its hat on the description, “WE are just a family of weirdo songwriters that get out to play on Wednesday nights.” Cool. Can I come?
- Address: 110 28th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 320-4339
- Email: info@thelocalnashville.com
- Artist Booking: booking@thelocalnashville.com or click here
Clare Cunningham Takes the Stage at Music Row Freak Show
5. Commodore Grille
The Commodore Grille, a staple in Nashville’s music scene since the early 80s, has an illustrious history, including being the home of Jerry Foster, the 1994 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. Providing some stiff competition to the famous Bluebird Cafe for talent, the venue has hosted numerous iconic artists over the years, including Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, and Prince. Originally known as Ivories Piano Lounge and later The Commodore Club, the Commodore Grille presents the best in Songwriter Rounds and Open Mic Nights.
Debi Champion’s Songwriter Nights are a highlight at the Commodore Grille, taking place on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6-10 PM. These events, in addition to the Nashville Songwriter’s Showcases with Mimmy and Anna-Lisa (Fridays, Saturdays, and Wednesdays from 7-11 pm) provide a coveted platform for both emerging and established songwriters to perform.
- Address: 2613 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 327-4707
- Email: commodoregrille@gmail.com
- Artist Booking: booking@commodoregrille.com
Watch to Discover More About the Commodore Grille
6. 3rd and Lindsley
Located just a stone’s throw from downtown Nashville, 3rd and Lindsley has been a cornerstone of Nashville’s live music scene since 1991, renowned for its exceptional acoustics and intimate atmosphere. 3rd and Lindsley is largely focused on producing concert events by famed bands and artists including Train, Wilco, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Sheryl Crow, Rodney Crowell, Patty Griffin, and Bela Fleck. However, it does host a unique daytime showcase dubbed the Backstage Nashville! Daytime Hit Songwriters Show. This series, along with another midday series running Mondays called Bluebird on 3rd, features some of Nashville’s best songwriters.
- Address: 818 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 259-9891
- Email: info@3rdandlindsley.com
- Artist Booking: booking@3rdandlindsley.com
7. Douglas Corner Country Place
Douglas Corner Country Place was founded by Mervin Louque and Rick Martin in 1987, growing over the years into one of the most sought-after songwriter music venues for Music City hitmakers. Douglas Corner has played a pivotal role in nurturing the careers of countless artists, while its stage has seen the likes of country music legends like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Trisha Yearwood.
This intimate Nashville listening room is renowned for its songwriter rounds, with one of the most popular weekly events being the “Writers Night,” held every Tuesday, where songwriters of all levels can perform their original songs. Additionally, the venue hosts “Open Mic Night” on Wednesdays.
- Address: 30 Hillenglade Dr., Nashville, TN 37027
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 649-8707
- Email: douglascorner@comcast.net
- Artist Booking: click here
8. The Row
While The Row Kitchen and Pub is noted for its Nash Beignets, Deviled Eggs, Fried Green Tomatoes, and other Southern delights, this colorful and quaint restaurant is also the setting for hour-long solo songwriter sets that run every evening from 6-11 pm, with Saturday lineups beginning at 2 pm. With 30 years under its belt, The Row has played an integral part in uniting skillful songwriters with music lovers eager to listen.
- Address: 110 Lyle Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 321-1224
- Email: info@therownashville.com
- Artist Booking: booking@therownashville.com
9. Bobby’s Idle Hour
Bobby’s Idle Hour may appear as a nondescript dive bar from the outside, but it houses some of the best Americana bands and artists South of the Mason-Dixon Line. There’s a variety of shows to choose from, but an ongoing series that affords songwriters the opportunity to wax musical before a live audience is the Wednesday Afternoon Guitar Pull, which runs from 1-5 pm. This Nashville diamond-in-the-rough definitely ranks among the must-visit songwriter music venues.
- Address: 1028 16th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 726-0446
- Email: bobbysidlehour@gmail.com
- Artist Booking: booking@bobbysidlehour.com
10. Nashville Tour Stop
Nashville Tour Stop is a premier company that hosts shows in a variety of locations, its vision being to support and elevate Music City’s finest performers and songwriters in their performing journeys, whether they be well-known or yet undiscovered. The Blue House Band Artist Nights are unique in that songwriters and performers get to take the stage backed by a professional house band. This series plays out every Monday night beginning at 7 pm at the Vinyl Lounge, located at 1414 3rd Ave South, Nashville, TN 37210.
- Address: Various Locations
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 891-4860 (Vinyl Lounge)
- Email: nashvilletourstop@gmail.com
- Artist Booking: booking@nashvilletourstop.com or click here
Check Out the Blue House Artist Night Below
11. Rascone Writers Nights
Last but certainly not least is a songwriter series that every Nashville newbie should have on their radar—Rascone Writers Nights. While it’s been hosted by Lee Rascone Sr & Lee Rascone Jr at more than one location since its inception, this Thursday in-the-round style showcase most often kicks off at 7 pm at Millenium Maxwell House.
- Address: 2025 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37228
- Contact Phone Number: (615) 259-4343
- Email: rasconewritersnights@gmail.com
- Artist Booking: booking@rasconewritersnights.com
See Twelve Notes Perform “Long Gone” at Rascone Writers Nights
*This post may contain Amazon affiliate links or affiliate links from other companies, which means The Musically Sound earns a percentage of sales from any qualifying purchases at no additional cost to the buyer. Learn more on our Private Policy page.
