In 1974, the Station Inn was opened in Nashville by a group of six bluegrass pickers and singers, Red Smith, Bird Lee Smith, Jim Bornstein, Bob Fowler, Charmaine Lanham and Marty Lanham, along with Bob Fowler’s wife, Ingrid Fowler.
Roland White has been part of that original Station Inn family from it’s beginning. He was instrumental in making it a success and has been a great “ambassador”over the years.
-It was originally located near Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University. The owners themselves were the house band, providing entertainment on a regular basis, with drop-ins always welcome. J.T. would frequently sit in with them. The atmosphere was much like that of a “coffee house” and the local college students who were into bluegrass frequented the club. The Station Inn became the gathering place for bluegrass performers and fans at a time when bluegrass was gaining in popularity.
