CMT News

The building that housed RCA Victor's first permanent studio in Nashville is being demolished to provide additional parking space for an automobile dealership. The complex at 1525 McGavock St. near downtown Nashville later served as headquarters for Jim Owens Productions, the company that produced the Crook & Chase television show. Although the building was owned and operated by the United Methodist Television, Radio & Film Commission during the early '50s, RCA operated a studio there from 1954 until late 1957 when the company opened its Studio B on what was to become Music Row. Elvis Presley used the studio to record his breakthrough hit, "Heartbreak Hotel," and "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You." With Chet Atkins supervising RCA's Nashville operations, the studio was also used to record the Everly Brothers and many RCA acts, including Jim Reeves and Hank Snow. The actual studio space was divided into a control room, audio booths and editing suites after Owens leased the building in 1983.