Felice and Boudleaux Bryant were legendary songwriters, responsible for multiple hit songs in multiple genres. But it wasn’t always easy. Like many songwriters, they struggled in their early years, writing and attempting to sell dozens of songs while living in a mobile home. Then in 1948, the song “Country Boy,” which was recorded by Little…
We have begun the task of digitizing some of the photos in our archives. We think it is absolutely fascinating to look back at old photos like these, especially if you compare them to what Gatlinburg looks like today. You could say the town has changed a little bit! While we’re at it, we are…
Jerome (Jerry) Lederer (1901-1963) was a former guest of the Historic Gatlinburg Inn. Kentuckian Lederer entered the restaurant business in Shelbyville, Kentucky in 1929. He established a chain of hamburger stands under the name White Tavern (inspired by the chain known as White Castle). World War II wiped out 10 of his 13 restaurants, however,…
Floyd Crosby checked into the Inn on June 6, 1942. Crosby was a renowned cinematographer. He had begun his career at the New York Stock Exchange, but in 1927 he left to do film work on an expedition, which launched a multi-decade career in the film industry. When he checked into the Inn in 1942,…
The city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee has quite an interesting history. Here is an abbreviated discussion of how we got where we are. The Ogle Family The Oglesby family were the first individuals to settle the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The family moved from South Carolina in the 1800’s and would later change their name to…
Whether you are a Tennessee Vols fan, or you love country music, there is an excellent chance you have heard the song Rocky Top. Recorded by countless artists, most notably the Osborne Brothers, Rocky Top is said to be the number one college football fight song of all time (USAToday). The real question to ask…
