Nashville Music Scene Reels from Historic Ice Storm

Venues shuttered, instruments damaged as city grappled with extended power outages

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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When a massive ice storm hit Nashville in late January, it left more than 230,000 residents without power for up to two weeks, decimating the city's music community. Venues were forced to close, musicians scrambled to protect their instruments from the freezing temperatures, and some even had gear stolen during the blackouts. The fallout from the storm is expected to be felt for months, with independent venues and freelance musicians facing an uncertain future.

Why it matters

Nashville's music industry is the backbone of the city's economy and cultural identity. The extended power outages and damage caused by the ice storm have put immense financial strain on venues, artists, and other music professionals, threatening the long-term viability of the local music scene.

The details

The ice storm caused widespread damage across Nashville, downing power lines and trees. Many music venues, particularly those off the main Broadway strip, lost power and had to close. Musicians also had to contend with protecting their instruments, which can be damaged by temperature and humidity fluctuations. Some resorted to couch-surfing or sleeping in their cold venues to keep their gear safe. Instruments were also vulnerable to theft during the blackouts, with one musician reporting the loss of nine vintage guitars. Independent venues like DRKMTTR Collective and The 5 Spot faced an existential threat, having to ask fans for emergency financial support to stay afloat.

  • The ice storm, dubbed Winter Storm Fern, hit Nashville in late January 2026.
  • Power outages lasted for up to two weeks in some areas of the city.

The players

Marty Stuart

A Country Music Hall of Famer who had to cancel his tour after slipping on the ice and fracturing his wrist.

Manuel A. Delgado

One of the family owners of Delgado Guitars, a nearly century-old guitar maker in East Nashville.

DRKMTTR Collective

A non-profit music venue in East Nashville that lost power for days and asked fans for emergency financial support to stay afloat.

The 5 Spot

An East Nashville music venue that created a "Support Pass" for concertgoers to pay for tickets or cover charges today for future entry, describing its financial situation as "pretty dire."

Jules Belmont

A Nashville musician and bandleader who noted that "smaller repairs can really add up" in addition to the cost of rescheduling canceled gigs.

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What they’re saying

“Think about it like when you wake up with a nosebleed in the winter. It dries out the wood, too.”

— Manuel A. Delgado, Co-owner, Delgado Guitars (Rolling Stone)

“Some of those instruments are old enough to qualify for AARP.”

— Joe Denim, Singer-songwriter and comedian (Rolling Stone)

“If we are traveling, I don't put instruments under the plane. I don't leave them in the van. I am used to treating them as an extension of myself.”

— Mandy Shucher, Bass player (Rolling Stone)

“The amount of work either totally lost or rescheduled for musicians and venues is so, so high because of this [storm] and we have no recourse for most of it.”

— Jules Belmont, Musician and bandleader (Rolling Stone)

“The health of these arts spaces means they are one natural disaster away from closing.”

— Olive Scibelli, Co-executive director, DRKMTTR Collective (Rolling Stone)

What’s next

As Nashville's music community continues to recover from the ice storm, venue owners and musicians will be closely watching the weather forecasts and preparing contingency plans for future extreme weather events that could threaten the city's vibrant music scene.

The takeaway

The devastating impact of the Nashville ice storm on the local music industry underscores the vulnerability of arts and cultural institutions to the growing threat of climate change. This crisis has exposed the need for greater resilience and support systems to protect the lifeblood of Nashville's economy and identity.