I had a great and relaxing Spring Break from classes. On our first weekend off, my friend and I took a road trip to Nashville to see the sights and experience the southern, country culture. We visited a number of attractions including the Country Music Hall of Fame (CMHOF).
While at the CMHOF, there was an exhibit on Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. The exhibit explained the impact Dylan and Cash had on Nashville in the 1960s. When Bob Dylan arrived in Nashville in 1966 to record his album, he served as a catalyst for other musicians to visit. Through his friendship with Johnny Cash, many musicians visited Nashville to record their albums or to sing on Cash’s network TV show, The Johnny Cash Show. With so many musicians visiting Nashville, it quickly earned the nickname Music City and remains a focal scene for music stars today.
Since we just started the quarter yesterday, I am fascinated by the Understanding and Leveraging Networks course we are taking. In applying what I learned in class, Dylan and Cash had an extensive network of friends and colleagues in the music business. Due to their popularity, they had a magnetic effect to draw music professionals to visit Nashville.
After reflecting on this, it’s shown me the value that a large social network can have. We should never underestimate power of networks or the influence we can have on others. I look forward to this quarter and learning how we can improve and leverage our social networks like how Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash did for Nashville in the 1960s.