re: 5 of the top 10 music cities in the nation are all within SEC territory

East, TN, Knoxville, and the smaller cities nearby in KY and VA deserve the credit NOT Nashville. Bluegrass and country were born in East, TN with credit being due to our kin in SW Virginia and Eastern, Kentucky.

The state of Tennessee deemed Maynardville, TN (namechecked by Tarantino in Inglorious Bastards) "The Cradle of Country Music." When you look at Union County (which borders Knox and is where Maynardville is located) it is where Roy Acuff, Carl Smith, Chet Atkins, Kenny Chesney, and Florence Reese (to name a few) are all from. It's also namechecked in "The Ballad of Thunderoad."

What's remarkable is that the entire county is less than 20,000 people and was even smaller when Roy Acuff, Carl Smith, Chet Atkins, and Florence Reese were around. Even more remarkable is that you can't throw a rock without hitting people just as talented there, even today. I went to a political gig there and the music was amazing, and I've never been a fan of country and bluegrass but I was blown away by how good they were -and it was just locals having fun.

Nashville, otoh, is where those in the East went to have their music produced. But much like Dolly and all those I listed from one tiny county, it was born in the East with the help of our neighbors in KY and VA. But these things never give credit to small places.