So what’s Nashville got that Oklahoma doesn’t?

The Gaylord family name is well-known to Oklahomans in connection with a certain newspaper. But to the folks in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord is the name of the entertainment company that is the area’s 10th-largest employer, as the owners of the Grand Ole Opry.

Many Oklahomans are also familiar with the names of a list of top-selling country and western music stars who hail from the Sooner State – Reba McIntire, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and many more. Yet, those stars are making money hand over fist for music companies that are not located in Oklahoma, but in Nashville.

So what’s Nashville got that Oklahoma doesn’t? That’s what state Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Oklahoma City, wants to know. McDaniel, who serves on House subcommittees focused on tourism, arts and culture, has proposed an interim study to find out.

McDaniel’s study request asks what incentives Nashville and other cities offer to attract musicians, and how does Oklahoma rank in the economic impact of its music industry.


Read more in the Oklahoma newspaper Journal Record