Tennessee is conventionally divided by its people into three culturally distinct grand borders —East, Middle, and West Tennessee. The Tennessee River is generally regarded as the dividing line between Middle and West Tennessee.

The modern capital is Nashville, though Knoxville, Kingston, and Murfreesboro have all functioned as state capitals. Memphis has the largest population of any city in the state, but Nashville has a bigger metropolitan area.

Tennessee is a state that thrives on achievement. Great music and U.S. Presidents are its gifts to America.

Three U.S. Presidents were proud sons of Tennessee-- Andrew Jackson (1829-37), James K. Polk (1845-49), and Andrew Johnson (1865-69). Other historical Tennessee natives include Davy Crockett, cavalry officer Nathan Bedford Forrest, World War I hero Alvin York, and Cordell Hull (secretary of state under Franklin D. Roosevelt).

This is how much current musical genres owe to Tennessee: The Negro spiritual which became the core of other kinds of black music was presented to the world by The Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville with their triumphant concert tours.

Since then, the state, particularly Nashville became the hub of country, blues, and its offspring rock n roll. Other well-known. Other Tennessee musical icons include Memphis musician W. C. Handy ("Father of the Blues"), Chattanooga’s Bessie Smith (Empress of the Blues) and Elvis Presley ("King of Rock 'n' Roll").

Nashville's Grand Ole Opry is the longest uninterrupted live radio program in the globe. It has been on air since 1925.

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