Bordered by the Appalachian Mountains on the eastern part of the state and the Mississippi River on the west, the Volunteer State has played a critical role in several forms of American music — from rock and roll to blues to country. The state’s largest city — Memphis — has spawned the blues of Beale Street as well as Elvis Presley. The state capital of Nashville synonymous with country music as it hosts the Grand Ole Opry House. Sharing borders with eight states, Tennessee was the final state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War in 1861 and the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the war’s end. Its major exports are textiles, cotton, cattle and electrical power, but it is also known as the corporate headquarters for FedEx, Nissan Motor Company and AutoZone. And when it comes to rallying, nothing brings folks together like the Orange-clad Volunteer football squad of the University of Tennessee.