It might not have its’ roots in Sevier County, starting in Nashville some sixty-two years ago, but if you’re a true Country Music fan, you just can’t visit Pigeon Forge without a visit to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.
The company, which was founded by its legendary namesake in 1947 as a way to help Country Music fans find their favorite records, has expanded over the years from its two locations in Music City to Pigeon Forge, and also at the famous Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas.
If you’re looking for anything from Roy Acuff to Faron Young (and all points in between), you need to stop by this legendary store. Their selection is mind-boggling. Be prepared to take it all in, however. There are plenty of times that I have left the store, got about two or three miles down the road, and realized that I didn’t look for this artist or that artist.
Two of the most unique aspects of the Ernest Tubb Record Shops’ selection are the box sets that they carry. Bear Family Records, a company based in Germany, has released many multi-disc packages of artist such as Connie Smith, Buck Owens, and of course, Ernest Tubb. (It would stand to reason, would it not?)
One of the most incredible packages they have at Ernest Tubb is a sixteen-CD, 446-cut box containing nearly everything that Jim Reeves ever recorded. Keep in mind, these sets aren’t for the faint at heart—or price, either. However, they do have hundreds of CD’s priced at $9.98 or lower, offering Country Music fans of all budgets a chance to enjoy the music.
The store also carries an unusual amount of vinyl. Believe it or not, some record companies still release records—although in limited amounts. Recent releases by George Strait, Sugarland, Jamey Johnson, and Lee Ann Womack can all be found in the recorded form that many still believe sounds best today. But…there’s more, one can also find a great deal of vintage vinyl from acts such as Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, and Ernest Tubb. There must be a reason his records are here in great abundance!
The store is a jewel for those that consider themselves to be fans of Country Music. Whether your tastes are for today’s hottest acts like Trace Adkins or Rascal Flatts or legends like Eddy Arnold or Patsy Cline, you will find what you are looking for here.
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Quick Sidenote…Recently came across this awesome website: Top-Country-Songs.com. From today’s latest releases to the early days of Country Western, this definitive guide has got to be one of the best country music resources on the web.
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Their employees are all very friendly, and very knowledgeable about the music they sell. Sometimes, you can give them a few lines from a song, and they will know exactly what you are looking for…and what album it is on. That’s called service, my friends, and you’ll find it waiting on you at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.