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Wednesday, November 11, 2026Nov 11

Growing music scene eyed as next big thing in Chattanooga

Ben Rector performs at Track 29. Photo by Amy Kenyon Photography
Ben Rector performs at Track 29. Photo by Amy Kenyon Photography Ben Rector performs at Track 29. Photo by Amy Kenyon Photography

Music growth in notes and numbers

* 34 – Number of musical venues* 45 – Number of restaurants offering live music* 16 – Regularly offer live music, 16 music-focused festivals, and 16 other festivals and events that have music as a secondary focus.

Hot Tickets

A sampling of upcoming concerts in Chattanooga:01/14: Gregg Allman (Tivoli Theatre)01/19: Missy Raines & the New Hip (Barking Legs Theater)01/21: Lera Lynn: (The Camp House)01/28: Tedeschi Trucks Band (Tivoli Theatre)02/17: Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ (Revelry Room)03/04: Margo Price (Revelry Room)03/11: Get the Led Out (Track 29)03/16: Son Volt (Revelry Room)05/07: Brian Wilson (Tivoli Theatre)

Here’s a little-known fact: the Glenn Miller Orchestra’s swing classic “Chattanooga Choo Choo” was America’s first gold record, signifying sales of 1 million copies. Now, 75 years after the mega-hit became the most popular song in the land, Chattanooga is trying to strike musical gold once again.

The seeds have been planted for a citywide musical revolution which is expected to bear fruit in 2017.

Much of the city’s next-level tourism push is based on a burgeoning music scene that, along with outdoor tourism, is helping transform the Scenic City into a multi-faceted entertainment hub. No longer just a family-vacation destination, the city has begun to attract music fans to an ever-growing list of venues and events.