Tally Ho Tavern
I took myself down to the Tally-Ho Tavern to buy me a bottle of beer
Kris Kristofferson – The Silver Tongued Devil & I
I sat me down by a tender young maiden whose eyes were as dark as her hair
And as I was searchin’ from bottle to bottle for somethin’ unfoolish to say
That silver tongued devil just slipped from the shadows and smilingly stole her away
Steve Rutsch provided the photograph of this Historical site. He added some thoughts.
This is a photo of the Tally Ho Tavern. It was the Country Corner at that time. Sadly, long gone and no marker to indicate the sight. I took a very similar picture in 1973 when visitingNashvi lle.
Peter Cooper from the Tennessean weighed in.
On Music Row, they destroyed the Tally Ho Tavern where Kris Kristofferson tended bar, and the Combine Music Publishing building where so many enduring classics were written. Most historic spots here are gone or changed beyond recognition.
https://eu.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/peter-cooper/2014/08/01/real-deal-save-music-row-movement/13387815/
The Tally Ho Tavern lives on in Kris’ songs, and in the hearts of his fans. It’s the place where he battled his demons, traded his early right to a traditional family life to chase his dreams, and waited for the bar to open on a Sunday. He drowned his sorrows and conversed with the man in the mirror, and that old man at the bar.
The result was music History. Kris heavyweight debut and follow up albums made music history. The 1970s changed the perception of country music forver.
I have long been a kristofferson fan. While visiting a family member over dinner one night he began to reminisce about courting his now wife back in the sixties. He mentioned that he had taken her to the Tally Ho Tavern where kris had been bartender and my ears immediately perked up. I couldn’t believe there was actually a place and a time when kris had been a bartender there.
Made my night!!
Hello, Gina – Wow! That would have blown me right off my seat and right over the table 🙂 What a small, delightful & quite miraculous world we live in! I’ll certainly share your story with other Kris fans. Lovely to hear from you, & best regards, Donna
Kris kristofferson has been my absolute favorite since I was about 12 years old. That was the first time I saw him on the country music awards. It must have been 1970. I am now 63 years old and to me there is no one who will ever come close to his music. I love him and his singing. Sharon caudill
Thanks for sharing, Sharon. Kris has some amazing fans, many are lifelong. I think you either “get” Kris, or you don’t. I am with you – Best regards, Donna
I used to go to a bar up on music row called the Country Corner.
I heard Kristofferson tended bar there for a woman named Glenda.
Tally Ho Tavern doesn’t sound like anything I ever saw up on Music Row.
I think he made up the name for the alliterative effect.
John C. Anderson
one who walked the streets of Music row
year ago.
Hi John, thanks for the contact. I’ll ask Chris Gantry about this in case he can add some insight 🙂
Regards,
Donna
The Tally Ho Tavern became the Country Corner by 1974