The cover of Hobbs' 2017 book
Updated 3 p.m. with funeral details
John A. Hobbs, who might be considered the father of Music Valley, died Wednesday. He was 91.
Hobbs, born in Nashville Feb. 11, 1928, joined the Merchant Marines at 15 and served through the end of World War II, his last posting on one of the first two ships to sail into Tokyo Bay ahead of the surrender of Japan.
Returning to Nashville after VJ Day, Hobbs worked construction before starting his own firm in 1957.
Starting in 1969 with Fiddler's Inn, Hobbs and his partners began opening businesses on the old Rudy Farms site, in what we now call Music Valley. This was some six years before the Opryland Hotel opened. In 1977, teaming up with the legendary Jerry Reed, Hobbs opened the Nashville Palace, which, over the years, provided starts for Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Lorrie Morgan and Ricky Van Shelton, among others (Travis Tritt washed dishes; Third Man Records honky-tonker Joshua Headley played there, as well). Hobbs and his partners opened more than two dozen businesses in the Valley, including hotels, restaurants and a wax museum
Hobbs sold the Palace in 2003 (his grandson, Barrett Hobbs, brought it back into the family, purchasing the Palace in 2016) and opened John A's Little Palace in 2005. It was built to his exact specifications, including a semi-private corner where John A.would hold court with his old friends, including former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda and Major League Baseball umpire Joe West (Country Joe has been known to take the stage to sing Merle Haggard songs from time to time).
In 2007, Hobbs began the monthly political breakfast on the last Saturday of every month. The breakfast is now a standard stop for anyone — particularly Democrats — running for office, thinking about running for office, considering possibly running for office or fixing to sit down to ponder what running for office would be like.
Though popular with Dems, an occasional Republican will make their way into the fray at John A.'s. Former U.S. Rep. Diane Black made a surprising visit during her ultimately unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, for example.
A devout Catholic, Hobbs frequently raised money for the Diocese of Nashville and charities.
"Johnny Hobbs served our nation and our city well during his long, proud life," Mayor David Briley said in a statement. "He was a pioneer of the Music Valley area with his hotels, restaurants and museums, and John A’s remains a hub of Nashville’s political scene to this day. We will miss him."
Former Nashville Post reporter and Bredesen staffer Ken Whitehouse said Hobbs came back to Nashville after the war, saw an opportunity and "took it."
"He didn't take it for himself, though," says Whitehouse. "His vision gave everyone from Randy Travis to tomorrow's country stars their start in this town. John A. Hobbs and the Hobbs family are essentially involved in the life of the city for the better. From downtown to Music Valley, they have worked across party lines to make Music City what it is today."
A funeral mass for Hobbs will be Tuesday, June 18 at 11 a.m. at Church of the Holy Rosary at 192 Graylynn Drive. Visitation will be 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church.
