RCA Studio B

RCA’s roots date back to 1901 with the founding of the Victor Talking Machine Company. In 1929, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) purchased Victor, then the world's largest manufacturer of phonograph discs and the famous Victrola record player—popularized by its logo with a dog listening to a record player. This logo can be seen on the exterior of RCA Studio A, part two of this stop. RCA was the first major label to build a studio in Nashville, which opened in 1957. They hired guitarist Chet Atkins to run the studio, making him RCA's man in Music City. 

RCA Studio B is perhaps the most famous recording studio in Nashville. It was constructed in 1957 by real estate developer Dan Maddox. When Studio B first opened, it was known simply as RCA Victor Studio, because it was the only RCA recording studio in Nashville. Elvis Presley recorded more than 200 songs in this studio—more than any other in his recording career. Other RCA recording artists include the Everly Brothers, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, and Charley Pride. They contributed to the studio’s moniker, “Home of 1,000 Hits.” RCA Studio B is also called the birthplace of the “Nashville Sound” —a production style that emerged in the late 1950s that included elements of pop music and rock and roll in order to broaden the appeal of country music. 

In 1970, Chet Atkins hired Jerry Bradley, Owen Bradley’s son, to be his assistant. Bradley became head of the Nashville RCA operation in 1973. He led the organization during the "Outlaw" era, when artists including Bobby Bare, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings fought for and won greater creative control of their music from record labels. The “Outlaws” were followed by a slew of hugely successful RCA acts, including Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, and the Judds. 

Following the Mike Curb Family Foundation’s 2002 purchase of RCA Studio B, the space was leased to the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and opened to visitors as part of the museum’s educational mission. The studio’s exterior was renovated, and the interior was returned to its 1960s-era prime—known as the “temple of sound.”

RCA Records is also connected to another music industry leader, BMG, which stands for Bertelsmann Music Group. In 1985, BMG and RCA formed a joint venture. The following year, RCA was acquired by General Electric, who sold their remaining ownership in RCA Records to BMG. BMG revived the iconic RCA lightning-bolt logo, which is still used for their Nashville division. Influential artists and bands connected to BMG in the early 2000s included Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Dave Matthews Band, Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, and Khalid. 

In 2008, Sony bought out BMG for $1.2 billion. Today BMG is an international music company focused on music distribution and recording rights. In 2019, BMG moved into a new building located on Music Square South, just beyond the rear parking lot of the Quonset Hut. This tour won’t go to the new BMG facility, but if you are up for an adventure, feel free to add 742 Music Square South to your itinerary.

For the second part of this stop continue onto the next building — the one that says RCA Victor Recording Studio on the front.