Bandshell and James Robertson Statue

Hi, I’m Canesha Conger—a Tennessee native and cultural ambassador for Nashville Sites. I serve in the Office of External Engagement at Belmont University and coordinate the Fisk-Belmont Social Justice Collaborative. This stop is part of the Nashville Sites walking tour. To explore more stories, take the full tour on NashvilleSites.org.

Now, let me tell you about the original spot for music in Centennial Park.

Look to your right and locate the concrete amphitheater. This is the Centennial Park Bandshell, built in 1926. Over the decades, it has welcomed performers from nearly every genre. Sure, country legends like Patsy Cline, Roy Acuff, and Brenda Lee played here, but there are other names you might recognize.

Remember Pat Boone? Known for his smooth voice and crossover pop success in the 1960s, Boone was born and raised in Nashville and graduated from David Lipscomb Academy and Lipscomb University. Of course, everyone knows the name Bruce Springsteen, nicknamed the “Working Man’s Poet.” He performed here with his band “Steel Mill,” when he was only 20-years-old.

Another significant moment came in 1976, when Kay George Roberts, a Nashville native and graduate of Fisk and Yale, conducted the Nashville Symphony here. She later became the first Black woman in the U.S. to earn a doctorate in orchestral conducting—marking a milestone in both music and civil rights. If you want to hear more about Fisk and Music City, take our Music in Music City North tour.

So, one more story—this time about the King of Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffett. Not only did he perform here in 1970, but decades later, a surprising discovery added to his Nashville story. Country artist Martina McBride and her husband, John, purchased a studio once owned by producer Buzz Cason. While cleaning it out, they found over 100 forgotten demo tapes—early songs Buffett had recorded in 1969 while working with Cason in Nashville. These became the basis for his album Buried Treasure Vol. One, released in 2017.

More recently, the Bandshell has hosted the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Big Band Dances, and other community events.

Now turn to your left. In front of you stands the James Robertson Monument, dedicated to one of Nashville’s founders. Robertson arrived in 1779 and helped to establish Fort Nashborough.

The monument’s origin is uncertain. Some say the granite came from Barre, Vermont; others from Stone Mountain, Georgia. Legend says the top broke during shipment and was later found near Lake Watauga. After the 1897 Exposition, the damaged obelisk was installed here. To learn more, read the four plaques—or explore related tours on Nashville Sites, including Early History, Early Black Life and Culture, and Indigenous Peoples and Archaeology.

The Bandshell and the Robertson monument offer two views of Nashville’s history: one focused on civic memory, the other on creative expression. You’ll see these themes again on the tour.

Listen to the next stop as you walk along the path next to Lake Watauga. Follow the path directly in front of the Robertson monument and press play when you are ready to begin. This is the Centennial Park Walking Trail, a one-mile loop around the park. The first part of the stop is about the Centennial Sportsplex, which you’ll see across the street from the park. Stop when you reach the north end of the lake, just before the trail curves to the left.