Friday, June 18, 2010

URP, NASHVILLE, TN - PART II

Some more pics from my tour... I found this part particularly interesting - here's some info from the URP website that explains it in detail: "...Southern Plastics would eventually change its name to United Record Pressing in 1971. In addition to the numerous important records that have been pressed in this plant, United managed to create a little history on its own. When the current URP plant opened in the 1960's it was a very different time in the South, Nashville included. In the early 60's there were hardly any restaurants or hotels in Nashville that would offer their services to African Americans. With major clients like Vee Jay Records (and later Motown) predominantly run by people of color, the company in need of accommodations for their clients, created what they now call the "Motown Suite", an apartment located above the factory. The Motown Suite which is still viewable to guests touring the plant (including the Nashville Gray Line Tour); displays the same furnishings that these execs were offered including a common room with a bar, a turntable, enough seating to entertain guests, a full bathroom, a double occupancy bedroom, a kitchen equipped with an old push button stove and other novel 60's decor. URP still uses the kitchen as a meeting room, with our staff sitting at the same 60's dinette set that Motown, Vee Jay and other label executives and artists used. Another feature of historical significance is the party room, located just steps from the Motown Suite. This large room was once used as an event room and hosted record label signing parties for folks including Wayne Newton, The Cowsills and a then 16 year old Hank Williams Jr. Currently, the party room functions as a museum of Southern Plastics / United Record Pressing's historical significance along with a brief history of recorded music. The museum room still pays tribute to the party room's history by featuring some of the original furniture from its heyday."





1 comment:

scott davidson said...

Nice way to decorate your walls. I have never done that. My effort to beautify the walls in my house was to order big-sized canvas prints from wahooart.com, from images of western art. I use the same angel motifs in all of the rooms painted by different painters, such as this one by very interesting English artist Stanley Spencer, http://EN.WahooArt.com/A55A04/w.nsf/OPRA/BRUE-8LT7K6.