13 of the Most Haunted Places in Country Music History

Country music is rich with history, and that history comes with an occasional ghost or two.

Several songs in the genre are bone-chilling, telling tales of scorned lovers seeking vengeance or the devil himself looking for a soul to steal. There are also a few ditties about ghosts, which is fitting, given that some of the most iconic places in country music are reportedly haunted!

From music venues with permanent resident performers to hotels with guests who just won’t check out, we’ve compiled a list of the most haunted places in the history of the music we love so much.

Keep scrolling to see which places you should put on your next ghost hunt!

Related: 5 Country Start Who Swear They’ve Seen a Ghost

13. Flying Saucer – Nashville, Tenn.

Known for offering more than 80 types of beer, the Flying Saucer may have been serving up more than patrons bargained for. Although the Nashville location of this chain of bars is now closed, there’s a good chance the ghostly inhabitants are still slinging drinks.

Per Only in Your State, the bar took up residence in a very unique location when it opened: In the baggage claim area of the Union Station Railroad terminal. After the Great Train Wreck of 1918 at the nearby Dutchman’s Curve, many of those who were injured and some who were dying were taken to the station after hospitals filled up.

This could be the source of the Flying Saucer’s spooks.

Before its closing, guests reported feeling cold spots throughout the bar and the presence of unseen beings. It’s possible the spirits of those who died in the train wreck were occupying those barstools.

12. Bobby Mackey’s Music World – Wilder, Kent.

Bobby Mackey’s Music World has a saying: “Come for the Ghosts & Stay for the Music!”

The honky-tonk not only embraces its haunts, it thrives on of them. Known as one of the most haunted nightclubs in the nation, this Wilder, Ky. club was a slaughterhouse in the early 1800s.

It then became a roadhouse for travelers before being demolished at the turn of the century. After sitting vacant for some time, a new building was erected on the lot, and that served as a casino, nightclub and speakeasy.

Per the Travel Channel, the original building was allegedly cursed by a Satanic cult in the 1890s. However, a handful of deaths that happened in and around the building have led people to believe it’s haunted. Country singer Bobby Mackey bought the building in 1978 and turned it into a honky-tonk.

Visitors say they have heard phantom footsteps on the staircase, smelled the scent of roses in the basement and even witnessed a voice screaming “Get out!” Some claim they have been physically assaulted by these paranormal beings!

The original Bobby Mackey’s was torn down in early 2024. The owners have temporarily relocated to another site in Florence, Ky. until a new facility is built. Anyone else anxious to hear if the ghosts return to the new building?

11. Hermitage Hotel – Nashville, Tenn.

Hermitage Hotel is a great place for visitors to stay in Nashville, with its stunning, upscale amenities. After opening its doors in 1910, the hotel became a known hotspot for guests like the Singing Cowboy Gene Autry and several U.S. presidents.

However, as guests check in and out regularly, there are a few guests who have no plans of ever leaving.

Per U.S. Ghost Adventures, there are a few ghosts who have taken up residence at the hotel. Guests who stay in room 912 claim to have heard a crying baby in the middle of the night, while a woman in white torments the property by slamming doors, messing with the elevators and knocking drinks off the bar.

10. Shreveport Municipal Auditorium – Shreveport, La.

Home of the famed Louisiana Hayride, the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, La. is known for its ghosts. Before opening as a music venue in 1929, the basement served as the city’s morgue.

SyFy’s Ghost Hunters and Discovery’s Ghost Labs have each visited the location and documented their experiences with these paranormal beings. Of the harrowed beings that have reportedly been seen are a young girl running around the facility and even Elvis Presley. The famed singer’s career was “discovered” during one of his performances in the auditorium.

Some guests also claim they can hear a crowd cheer in the empty building and the voice of someone shouting, “Elvis has left the building.” The phrase comes from Presley’s final appearance on the Hayride radio show.

9. Union Station Nashville Yards – Nashville, Tenn.

The old Union Station was converted into a gorgeous hotel in 1986. Long before it became the Union Station Hotel, it was a buzzing train station that saw thousands of troops ship out for World War II before they were deployed overseas.

It’s also likely many country singers made their way to Music City by train and probably stopped at the station.

Legend has it that during the war, a woman named Abigail killed herself by throwing herself in front of an approaching train. Ghost City Tours says it was because she learned the love of her life had been killed in the war, and ever since then, she has haunted the building.

There are also numerous accounts of strange things happening in room 711. Guests have reported the sound of a phone ringing, flickering lights and the sound of heavy footsteps on the roof. Others have claimed an eerie feeling of being watched and unexplained temperature drops.

8. Johnny Cash Cinnamon Hill Home – Saint James, Jamaica

In the early 1970s, Johnny Cash bought a home in Jamaica known as Cinnamon Hill. The house itself was built in 1734 so it has a lot of history. Most of that history remains in the past, but some of it is still hanging around.

The house is now a tourist attraction, with both Cash and ghost fans alike roaming its rooms. The Association of Paranormal Study says the estate and its neighboring home, Rose Hall, is haunted by the White Witch. This spirit is that of Annie Palmer, who lived at Rose Hall in the 1800s.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Cash wrote a song about her called “The Ballad of Annie Palmer.” The country singer also claims he encountered spirits in his own home.

7. RCA Victor Recording Studios – Nashville, Tenn.

The RCA Victor Recording Studios is said to be the “birthplace of the Nashville Sound.” Many legends have recorded within these walls, including Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, among others. And, rumor has it, Presley’s voice is still recording within those walls.

Those who have experienced the King’s presence say it has come whenever his name is mentioned. Strange things happen like lights blowing out or unexplained noises ringing out over the PA system. Others have reported furniture moving or Elvis himself appearing in the building.

Although the studios are not operational any longer, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum offers tours to country music enthusiasts.

6. Loretta Lynn’s Ranch – Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

Loretta Lynn’s historic home and sprawling acreage is now a place of musical history, with a museum and tours of the property. It’s a place to camp out and enjoy unique events like Chuckwagon Races and music festivals.

Among its 350,000 yearly guests are those who are hoping to experience the paranormal while visiting Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. According to the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, Lynn herself experienced strange things on the property shortly after she and her husband bought it. She claims to have seen a woman on her balcony crying.

Others throughout Hurricane Mills, Tenn., where Lynn’s home stands, have seen ghosts of soldiers who died and were buried on the grounds. The “brown room” is the most haunted spot in the house. Lynn says her son took a nap in that room and woke up when he felt someone tugging at his boots. He looked down and saw a ghostly soldier trying to remove his shoes.

It doesn’t sound like any of the ghosts were unfriendly or volatile.

5. Ernest Tubb Record Shop – Nashville, Tenn.

Long before country singer Ernest Tubb opened his record shop in the 1940s, the building which houses his shop was used for many purposes. Since the Civil War, many businesses have occupied the space.

Visitors and employees of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop have experienced strange things within those walls. Some have reported feelings of being pushed or touched, while others say they have noticed unexplained electrical issues or eerie sounds throughout the property. While Civil War soldiers are often accused of doing the haunting, there are those who believe it’s deceased country singers, as songs from various artists play when their names are mentioned.

Although it has been temporarily closed since 2022, the venue announced this summer that it will be reopening. The shop will undergo some renovations, which will be overseen by Tubb’s grandson, Dale, and the Nashville Historic Commission.

4. The Gaylord Opryland Resort – Nashville, Tenn.

Known as one of the most luxurious hotels in Nashville, the Gaylord Opryland Resort is also filled with ghostly guests. Most encounters have come with a spirit known as the “Lady in Black.”

Ghost City Tours reports this woman is Mrs. McGavock. Her family used to own 1,100 acres of land in Nashville, and a good chunk of that is where the resort sits. Employees and guests have come face to face with McGavock, who is dressed in a long black dress that was common during the 1800s.

Other paranormal activity reported by guests includes the sound of someone running on the roof, a chilling breath on their necks and feeling a heavy weight on top of them.

3. Elvis Presley’s Graceland Mansion – Memphis, Tenn.

Graceland: The home of Elvis Presley and, evidently, still the home of Elvis Presley. The house and property operates like a museum these days, with visitors roaming the rooms and grounds of the King of Rock & Roll’s home. Several eerie experiences have been shared online, which has led many to believe that Presley has not left the building.

Many agree there is a force or a spirit in and around Graceland. It’s not a hostile presence, but one that feels almost melancholy. Guests have reported seeing Presley’s likeness at the top of the staircase and in reflections around the house. Some say there is definitely a presence around the singer’s gravesite, which is on the property.

2. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge – Nashville, Tenn.

One of the most iconic watering holes in Nashville is Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. While many guests are seen every single day in the bar, some guests aren’t so seen, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

Given this joint shares an alley with the “haunted” Ryman Auditorium, it’s not surprising to hear that one of the Ryman’s ghouls may be wtting his whistle at Tootsie’s.

The ghost of Hank Williams is rumored to be a regular at the bar, according to Ghost City Tours. Although he died several years before Tootsie’s opened, he has been spotted and even photographed in the venue.

The bar’s owner, Tootsie Bess, has also been seen on site. Many claim they hear her tapping during live performances. Bess was known to give struggling musicians a chance to play at her bar over the years.

1. Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.

Nashville embraces the fact that the Ryman Auditorium is haunted so much, they offer Haunted History Tours. These give fans a chance to walk the 131-year-old building, saunter across the heralded stage and even go underneath it!

Nashville Ghosts reports that the building, which used to house the Grand Ole Opry, is haunted because of the Grand Ole Opry curse. This stems from the fact that many people associated with the famed organization died tragic deaths during the building’s Opry hayday, including Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline.

As for who haunts the building? Rumor has it that the ghost of Hank Williams roams the Mother Church, while the voice of Cline can be heard in the hallways. A mysterious confederate soldier known as “The Gray Man” can be spotted in the balcony during rehearsals and performances.