NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In recent years, Nashville's certainly seen a boom in beautiful murals springing up around the city. Something very special's emerged in one neighborhood, and it's only become greater over the course of 12 years.
"I can express myself," said painter Scott Guion, speaking between adding paint strokes to a fence. "I sorta meditate. I can kinda get in the zone, and it just feeds me."
Fences are usually something that separates people. The work Scott has done off and on for 12 years on the fences of the Berry Hill neighborhood is something that brings people together.
"Getting to study the lives and listen to the music of the different artists out here is just fulfilling, man," he explained.
The neighborhood is, of course, full of recording studios. Scott's work all began when the owner of the House of Blues studio called him to bring a little life to the area.
"Suggested that I paint some of his favorite artists," he said. "Who's the greatest of the greats? Who are the people who built music? Who can we honor? Every once in a while he'd call me up and say, 'Hey, I built a new fence. Why don't you come to paint the new fence?'"
The fences include murals of Loretta Lynn, Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Prince, Outkast, Amy Winehouse, and Willie Nelson. Bold voice of psychedelic rock, Janis Joplin, is a mural neighbor to piano playin' pioneer of rock 'n' roll Fats Domino.
"I'm listening to their music," Scott said. "I'm watching videos. I'm learning."
After five years away from these murals, the East Iris Studios have moved in and asked Scott for a new fence.
"What a high honor to paint these giants of music," Scott said, standing in front of a new fence that now features the faces of artists including Reba McEntire, Miley Cyrus, and Carrie Underwood.
Scott's now painted about 70 famous faces in the neighborhood.
"Since I was a child, like everyone on the planet, I've loved Dolly Parton," he said. "To get to paint Dolly out here was really special and amazing. One day I got a really beautiful note from Greg Allman's widow telling me how much she enjoyed the portrait."
On Monday, Scott was adding one more.
"Led Zeppelin!" he laughed. "Yeah, I've been practicing this mural since I was in high school, drawing it on my notebook. So, hopefully, I got it down by now!"
Scott's unsure if this will be his final mural in Berry Hill. If this is it, the end of a 12-year journey, he's happy to bring people all these faces to teach a new generation of music lovers and pay tribute to the greats.
"It is really special to be given the opportunity to do that," Scott said. "It's amazing. I am just blessed."
