🗳️ The TN-07 primary election results!

❓ Why Is Nashville’s Flag So Weird

Nashville’s official seal and flag are … strange. On today’s City Cast Nashville podcast, we discuss what the current one means, how it could be better, and what it would take to design a new one. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🗳️ Van Epps, Rep. Behn Win TN-07 Primaries

Voters in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District went to the polls yesterday to choose their candidates in the special election to replace former U.S. Representative Mark Green. On the Republican side, President Trump-endorsed former TN General Services commissioner Matt Van Epps handily defeated the field, while in a tighter Democratic race, State Rep. Aftyn Behn won the nomination. [Nashville Scene]

🍜 New Chapters for Two Restaurants

• Sad news, friends: After more than 30 years of business, Fido has announced plans to close on June 1, 2028. At least we have plenty of time to say goodbye to this Hillsboro Village staple. [🔐 Nashville Business Journal]
• Black Dynasty Secret Ramen House will now be operating out of Mitchell Delicatessen until it can find a permanent home. The popular ramen spot was previously located inside Bearded Iris, which closed in September. [🔐 Nashville Business Journal]

🏗️ A Defense of the East Bank Development

In response to criticism from Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Nashville’s former chief development officer Bob Mendes defended the East Bank deal he made with the Fallon Company, which includes 99 years of “guaranteed affordability” for nearly 700 housing units. [Tennessee Lookout]

• We asked the Fallon Company what was included in the East Bank deal. Here’s their response. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

The National Museum of African American Music is the only museum solely devoted to Black musical traditions and genres in the U.S. It opened on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2021. I recently visited for the first time, and really enjoyed it. Here’s why you should venture into downtown Nashville to check it out, too.

🎟️ Details

• Where: Fifth + Broadway
• Cost: $33.33 a ticket; check to see if you qualify for discounts.
• Parking: There’s a Metropolis garage directly beneath the building that partners with the museum for $22 parking. There’s also a designated Lyft pickup spot in front, which is what I used.

🎵 Learn More About African American Music

After purchasing tickets at the front desk, the museum’s first stop is the Root Theater to watch a short film exploring the history of Black music, from its African roots to the creation of jazz and rock and roll. The theater leads out into the “Rivers of Rhythm” gallery, which provides a broad overview of four centuries of Black music and features interactive stations where visitors can listen to music from different time periods, and read more. This is the central room for all the museum galleries. It’s very easy to follow along in a circle, visiting each gallery chronologically.

Galleries explore religious music, the origin of the blues, the evolution of jazz, contemporary music, and so much more. Lining the walls are numerous photographs and quotes, and there are also exhibits centering Nashville’s music history.

🎤 Create Your Own Music & Playlists

I loved all the museum’s interactive elements. A wristband you receive upon entry allows visitors to create their own playlists at numerous touch tables with thousands of songs. I had trouble getting the wristband to work at all stations, though, and sometimes had to move to a new one, or jot down the name of the artist I wanted to listen to more of instead.

Visitors can also sing along with a virtual recording of a choir, create their own songs, dance along to a music video, and record music. I was pretty impressed with how interactive the museum is — more so than other museums I’ve visited.