Vintage “Nudie Suits” and Country Music Artifacts are the Backdrop of New Broadway Venue, Nudie’s Ho
$10-million-dollar establishment to start renovations this month and is expected to open this summer
Nashville, Tenn. - Johnny Cash Museum Founder, Bill Miller, is continuing the revitalization of downtown Nashville and is set to open a unique concept venue on Broadway, themed after world famous Country music tailor, Nudie Cohn. The three-floor, 12,000-square-foot venue, Nudie’s Honky Tonk will be decorated with priceless vintage “Nudie Suits,” including articles once belonging to stars ranging from Johnny Cash to Hank Williams, Sr. Venue walls will be lined with a collection of rare instruments and country music artifacts and memorabilia.
Throughout the venue, there will be three stages showcasing live music and several bars, one of which will be the longest bar in Nashville; well over 100 feet long. The honky-tonk will also have a full menu featuring Southern style comfort food.
Bill Miller commented about the concept, saying "Nudie Cohn is to country music what Edith Head and Bob Mackie are to Hollywood: legendary and definitive. His artistry went beyond the country genre. Everyone from Hank Williams, Sr. to Elton John and Bob Dylan to Johnny Cash wore Nudie. We will showcase his absolute mastery as the true king of rhinestone cowboy couture. Nudie's Honky Tonk will be a shrine to country music history and will feature live music, food and drink in a fun, and energetic museum-quality setting."
Cohn’s granddaughter Jamie Nudie added, "I'm thrilled to be working with Bill. My Grandparents would be so excited knowing their artistry will now be on display in Music City for so many people to enjoy! It's been my mission and pleasure keeping the Nudie legacy alive. I have always said for years I want our younger generation to be educated on the Nudie story. Like Nudie they can come from nothing, work hard, be creative, and live their own version of the American Dream."
Nudie Cohn was a Ukrainian-born American tailor. He designed decorative rhinestone-covered suits, known popularly as "Nudie Suits," and other elaborate outfits for some of the most famous celebrities of his era, including Gene Autry, Johnny Cash, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Robert Redford, Porter Wagnor, John Wayne and so many more. His suits were iconic.
Cohn was equally famous for his garishly decorated automobiles. Between 1950 and 1975 he customized 18 vehicles, mostly white Pontiac Bonneville convertibles, with silver-dollar-studded dashboards, pistol door handles and gearshifts, extended rear bumpers, and enormous longhorn steer horn hood ornaments. They were nicknamed "Nudie Mobiles", and the nine surviving cars have become valued collector's items. One of the “Nudie Mobiles,” Cohn’s personal Cadillac El Dorado, which is valued at $400,000, will be suspended on the honky-tonk’s interior entrance wall.
In addition to Nudie’s Honky Tonk, Miller owns and operates the Johnny Cash Museum, which is located at 119 Third Ave. Since opening on April 26, 2013, the museum has received widespread international attention. In March 2016, the museum revealed an expansion featuring new, interactive exhibit space. The Cash museum is roughly two blocks from the new venue.
"I'm big on Nashville,” Miller continues. “We've purchased two significant buildings on lower Broadway in 18 months. We're not done with acquisitions. Nashville and the tourists who come here deserve more world-class establishments. There's a bit of a void downtown, and we're committed to helping fill that void.
The $10-million-dollar establishment will start renovations this month and is expected to open this summer. Formerly known as the Lawrence Records Building, Nudie’s Honky Tonk is located at 409 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. Bill Miller acquired the building in February 2016.
