Waukon High School Music Department travels to Memphis and Nashville, TN

The Waukon High School Music Department recently took 19 students on a trip to Memphis and Nashville, TN over the school district’s recent spring break from March 24-28. Students were able to learn about and experience American musical history from its roots in blue grass, country and soul music (with some of their activities pictured in the surrounding photos).

The students left by chartered bus Thursday, March 24. When they arrived in Memphis late Thursday evening, their first stop was to the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid, a pyramid-shaped store that was once an event center and sporting arena. The pyramid is so large that it is considered the sixth largest pyramid in the world.

The following day, the student visited the iconic Graceland, home to Elvis Presley. While there, the students were able to tour his home. On the grounds, students also had the opportunity to see his car collection, his unique concert attire, or the numerous awards he received over his career. The group went on to visit the Rock and Soul Museum and Beale Street in downtown Memphis before attending a Broadway production of the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical “Cats.”

Saturday morning, the students were up early and headed to Nashville. After a quick tour of Broadway Street in downtown Nashville, students were treated to lunch and line dancing lessons at the Wild Horse Saloon. They then toured the Country Music Museum and Hall of Fame before attending a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.

During the final day of their trip, the students visited the Grand Meade Plantation and the Hermitage - former President Andrew Jackson’s home estate, and the Ryman Auditorium, which is famous for once hosting the Grand Ole Opry before it outgrew that location. For its final stop of the day, the group visited Cooter’s Garage, which is a museum to the iconic TV show “Dukes of Hazzard.” The students finished the day eating at Paula Deen’s restaurant in Nashville.

Allamakee Community School District music directors Jo Ann Sherman and Sarah Bieber led the students on the trip. The directors were assisted by chaperons Tami Gebel, Michele Huinker, Laurel Gulla and Teresa Wiemerslage. These adults would like to express their appreciation to the Allamakee Music Boosters for sponsoring the trip and to the Allamakee Community School District for permitting the students to have the opportunity to travel together as a group.

“We have taken many trips in the years since I have been teaching in Waukon. I’m so grateful for the continued support from our booster club and the school district to allow us to continue to take our students to these iconic locations,” stated band director Jo Ann Sherman.