Curb Word Entertainment

Now, that you’ve turned and are facing the other side of Music Square West, you’ll have a great view of the Curb Word Records building. Yup, it’s the same Mike Curb who owns RCA Studio B—and more buildings on Music Row that we’ll get to as we go.

This building was first built for Capitol Records—which is why it kinda looks like the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Actually, Capitol Records never moved into this building. Real estate can be a tricky venture.

Word Records started in Waco, Texas in 1950. There were some sales to various companies but along the way Warner Brothers Records bought 80 percent. Then, in 2016, Curb bought out Warner Brothers.

Did you know that Nashville is sometimes called the “Buckle of the Bible Belt”? This is because Nashville has a long, rich history of churches and gospel music—the earliest book published in Nashville was the “Western Harmony” gospel songbook in 1824 and the Fisk Jubilee Singers first began singing and touring in 1871—just after the Civil War.

Nashville is not only the Capital of Country Music, it is the Capital of Contemporary Christian Music—which is mostly a pop/rock music with gospel lyrics. It covers a wide variety of music and Nashville musicians don’t just play country—they can play all kinds.

Some of the important Christian artists connected to Word/Curb are Natalie Grant, For King and Country, Amy Grant, and We Are Messengers.

Curb Records has a long history too and some of the artists on that label include Tim McGraw, Lyle Lovett, the Judds, Wynonna, Sawyer Brown, Jo Dee Messina, LeAnn Rimes, Hank Williams Jr., Ray Stevens, Lee Brice, and Rodney Atkins. 

Well, you’ve been standing a bit too long so let’s get some oxygen in your system and walk down the sidewalk a few steps until we’re in front of the RCA Building on your left. Look for their logo with the lightning bolt and Nipper the dog and a record player.