Tone Central Station owners Jamie Jackson (left) and Todd "Toddzilla" Austin.
On Nov. 2, Jamie Jackson and Todd “Toddzilla” Austin celebrated the grand opening of their new store Tone Central Station in Nashville, Tennessee. This new venture brings together decades of experience and a commitment to empowering musicians of all levels. Jackson has more than 20 years of experience in music retail and managed multiple Sam Ash Music locations, while Austin brings over 30 years of experience and a unique charisma to the partnership.
While Nashville is known “Music City” and has no shortage of resources for aspiring and professional musicians, Tone Central Station sets itself apart by serving as more than just a music store — it’s a community resource. Musicians of every level, from seasoned pros to beginners, are welcomed into an environment designed to foster creativity, exploration and connection.
“We want a place that’s a sanctuary for musicians,” Austin said. “Jamie and I have extensive experience in music retail. We’ve got over 50 years worth of experience between us, so we spent a lot of time in music stores, and we wanted to create something that was unique. It’s a different take on your typical music store.”
For Austin and Jackson, the closure of the Sam Ash Nashville store was not the end of a story — it was the beginning of a bold new venture. The two music industry veterans saw an opportunity to create something truly special.
“We wanted it to be a more than welcoming environment, and we encourage people to come out and experience music with us,” Jackson said. “It’s music on all levels. We want that old school hardware store mentality where people would gather on Saturdays and just talk about how to change and plan for the world to be better. We want that vibe in here, and that’s what we’ve got so far.”
To celebrate the grand opening, Austin and Jackson held a ribbon cutting ceremony in early November.
“Our cup runneth over with the amount of love we’ve received from our community,” Jackson said. “We want to continue the work that we’ve both done in our long careers in this business, and it’s really just to help guide and facilitate musicians on their journey. It’s been so rewarding over the years to see musicians grow at all levels and ages and styles.”
That love is a testament to the duo’s legacy in music retail. Over the years, they’ve not only sold instruments but also guided countless musicians in their journeys, from picking their first guitar to fine-tuning their professional setups.
“Nashville is a very, very special place for musicians, and it really is the hub of a lot of what goes on in the music industry,” Austin said. “We’re very lucky and very blessed to have both had careers in this city where there’s so much going on and it’s just woven into a part of the landscape. We really hope that over the next few years that Tone Central Station can become a part of that fabric and be looked at as a go to place for the people that work, breathe, live here and play music.” MI
