NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville's iconic Jefferson Street Jazz and Blues Festival returned for the 23rd year!
The festival was hosted at Tennessee State University and featured a lineup of R&B and Jazz artists.
Founder of the festival Sharon Hurt, said the history of Music City was greatly shaped by the contribution of Black artists that frequented Jefferson Street before Nashville desegregated.
At one point, the area was one of the best-known districts of jazz and blues in the country.
She said she started the festival decades ago, to celebrate the spirit of Jefferson Street.
"So many people were afraid to come to Jefferson Street. You know, the interstate, had come and it had wiped out so many of the businesses and the residents. So, finding a way to bring the community back together and unify us. And you know music is a universal language," she said.
Hurt said she hopes the festival sticks around for many more years to come.
