petition-save-ernest-tubb-record-shop-has-already-received-16000-signatures

Petition to Save Ernest Tubb Record Shop Has Received Over 16,000 Signatures

The Ernest Tubb Record Shop has been a fixture in Nashville for over 70 years. The late great Ernest Tubb opened the store in 1947. Four years later, he relocated the business to its current location – 417 Broadway. However, it is so much more than a record store. As the home of the Midnite Jamboree radio show and an intimate venue for country stars to play, it is a living breathing piece of country music history. Earlier this month, the store’s owners announced that they would be selling the business and the real estate. This sent shockwaves through Nashville as well as the country music world at large. Now, a petition to save the shop is rapidly gaining momentum.

At a Glance

  • The Ernest Tubb Record Shop is set to close this spring.
  • Tubb’s great-great-nephew Colton Gibson launched a petition to save the store.
  • The petition currently has 16,026 signatures.

Country Fans Hope to Save the Ernest Tubb Record Shop

Nashville is steeped in country music history. If the venues, restaurants, and other establishments in Music City could talk, they’d tell the story of the genre and culture that grew and flourished there. However, the face of Nashville is changing. Some would say that the city is losing its grasp on what made it special. In recent years, celebrity-themed bars and other tourist attractions have started to pop up across the city. Many country music fans fear that something like that will replace the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.

Currently, more than 16,000 people have signed Colton Gibson’s petition to save the Ernest Tubb Record Shop. Dozens of people also left comments stating their reasons for signing the petition. One common thread ties them together. They’re not fighting to preserve a record store and venue. They’re hoping to save a piece of history.

Many locals chimed in about how important the Ernest Tubb Record Shop is to Nashville and country music. Most of them called the shop a historic landmark. One local wrote, “Lower Broadway is being destroyed with all the six-floor cookie-cutter bars owned by country artists. Save the [honky tonks] and historic venues!”

However, it isn’t just locals who want to save the Ernest Tubb Record Shop. For instance, one Michigan resident stated that his visits to the shop have been highlights of his trips to Music City.

It is clear that the business at 417 Broadway is much more than a place to buy music and memorabilia and its loss will be felt deeply by those who respect the deep history of country music.

The Midnite Jamboree

The Midnite Jamboree is one of the longest-running radio programs in history. Starting in May of 1947, country stars would finish performing at the Grand Ole Opry, walk across the street to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, and play a longer set.

Stars like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Garth Brooks, and countless others have graced the small stage at the record shop over the years, further contributing to its historical importance. Now, it seems that this piece of country music history will fall to the wayside.

If you feel moved to do so, head over to the petition, sign it, and share your memories of the iconic Ernest Tubb Record Shop.