Hattie Louise "Tootsie" Bess Honored

THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM WILL BE HONORING LEWIS COUNTY NATIVE, HATTIE LOUISE “TOOTSIE” BESS, WITH THE UNVEILING OF A "TENNESSEE MUSIC PATHWAYS" MARKER ON WEDNESDAY. THE EVENT WILL BEGIN AT 11:30 ON THE CORNER OF MAIN STREET AND MAPLE STREET IN DOWNTOWN HOHENWALD.  TOOTSIE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LEWIS COUNTY, THEN LATER MOVED TO NASHVILLE WHERE SHE BECAME THE PROPRIETOR OF THE WORLD FAMOUS "TOOTSIE’S ORCHID LOUNGE" FROM 1960 TO 1978. DURING THAT TIME, TOOTSIE BECAME FAMOUS IN THE WORLD OF COUNTRY MUSIC BY OFFERING SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE THOUSANDS OF SINGERS, SONGWRITERS AND MUSICIANS WHO VISITED HER CLUB, WHICH WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE ALLY TO THE BACKSTAGE ENTRANCE OF THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM.

TOOTSIE PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 18, 1978. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO VISIT MUSIC CITY DOT COM.

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