Ten Reasons War Memorial Auditorium Rocks an Incredible Concert Experience: (from Kaleidoscope Media/Michelle Lorge)

1. Hundreds of celebrity artists have performed at War Memorial Auditorium (WMA), including Ray Charles, KISS, David Bowie, Willie Nelson, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, R.E.M., The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, Jason Mraz, The Eagles and more.
2. War Memorial Auditorium was the performance home for the Nashville Symphony (1925-1980) and the Grand Ole Opry (1939–1943).
3. While at WMA, the Opry inducted Minnie Pearl, Bill Monroe and Ernest Tubb into the Grand Ole Opry membership.
4. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy all gave speeches on the steps of War Memorial Auditorium.
5. War Memorial Auditorium was designed by Nashville architect Edward E. Dougherty. When the venue was dedicated in 1925, it was given the Gold Medal Award, the highest honor bestowed by the American Institute of Architecture.
6. Superstars Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers latest collaboration, “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” was filmed at WMA. The music video recently debuted on Good Morning America; watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTmi6v0Sy2s. Jewel’s music video, “Satisfied,” was also filmed at WMA and showcases the venue’s intimate and exquisite stage that has served as a platform for many legendary artists.
7. War Memorial Auditorium’s front steps served as the location for several Tennessee inaugural ceremonies, including Governor Winfield C. Dunn, Governor Buford Ellington, Governor Frank Clement and Governor Hill McAlister.
8. War Memorial Auditorium currently hosts an in-house acoustic series called “The Attic Sessions” in an eclectic, private room in the upper level. Each session gives fans access to intimate interviews and stripped-down performances from some of Nashville’s best up-and-coming artists (www.theatticsessions.com).
9. Motion picture “The Identical,” produced by award-winning director Dustin Marcellino, was shot at War Memorial Auditorium and features celebrities Ashley Judd, Seth Green, Ray Liotta, Joe Pantoliano and more. The film is set to hit theaters nationwide soon. Fans can watch the trailer online atwww.theidenticalmovie.com.
10. War Memorial Auditorium was originally built to honor the 3,400 Tennesseans who died in World War I (1914-1918). A central courtyard surrounded by Doric columns features tablets inscribed with their names.

War Memorial Auditorium: An Iconic Venue with Killer Sound
War Memorial Auditorium has an unparalleled history of music, politics and the arts. Once home to the Nashville Symphony (1925-1980) and the Grand Ole Opry (1939-1943), this storied concert hall remains a significant landmark for live concerts, recordings and broadcasts. Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium has rocked audiences for years, bringing performances by legendary music artists from Ray Charles, Roy Acuff and Elvis Costello to Hollywood starlets and presidential candidates Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson and John F. Kennedy, who gave speeches on the courtyard steps.

Since its dedication in 1925 to its 2013 reinvention, War Memorial Auditorium has earned a stellar reputation with artists and audiences for its world-class acoustics; open floor and seated configurations; and charming neoclassical aesthetic. Recognized for its distinctive architectural design, War Memorial Auditorium was originally built to honor the 3,400 Tennesseans who died in World War I (1914-1918), and the venue’s emblem, designed by renowned American sculptor and Tennessee Native Belle Kinney, is carefully crafted after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, signifying victory after the war.