Promoting a concert is important, it’s part of how you get people in the door. As Nashville emerged as “Music City” artists flocked to perform at the variety of venues, and for many of them, they turned to Hatch Show Print to make their posters.

Reverend William T. Hatch moved to Nashville with his two sons, Charles and Herbert in 1875, where he set up Southern Industries, a newspaper, but after it burned down, and Rev. Hatch died, his sons struck out on their own. Founded in 1879, Hatch Show Print it is one of the oldest print shops in America. The brothers printed mostly handbills before graduating to posters, which is what they are most known for.

In order to understand how amazing it is that Hatch has survived, one must understand the art of letterpress. Letterpress is a grueling and time consuming process. Words are formed with blocks of letters, hand set, often along with an image block, into a printing press. Prior to the 1950s, all images were hand carved. Once placed, the blocks would be inked, paper placed over, and pressed.

Charles’ son, Will, took over in 1921, and soon gained a reputation as a talented carver. The business hardly said no to anyone, making posters for sporting events, minstrel shows, circus acts, universities, churches, clubs, movies, and as Nashville came into its own with the rise of country music, they began making poster for stars of the Grand Ole Opry,

When Will died in 1952, Hatch landed in the hands of Will’s widow, Allene, and children, Will Junior, and Mary. It is in the 1950s Hatch really came into its own. When Elvis arrived on the scene, their work appeared in Life magazine when Reverend Robert Gray held up one of Hatch’s Elvis posters and proclaimed the “evils” of rock ‘n roll. It is in this era that Hatch embraced metal photo plates, making it easier to include images of the stars they were promoting. Other artists Hatch made posters for included Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Ma Rainey, and many more. But by the 1960s the family decided to sell, and the businesses was then overseen by Bill Denny and Lucky Moeller.

The rise of digital printing could have meant an end for Hatch, but as they never threw anything away, Jim Sherraden, who became the manager in 1985, pushed for Hatch to make “restrikes” of old posters, using the same blocks that were used decades prior, and selling them as souvenirs, including the iconic Elvis one.

Hatch moved many times over the years, and in 1986, Hatch was sold to Gaylord Entertainment, who operated the Grand Ole Opry, and their theme park, Opryland USA. A portion of Hatch was moved just outside the gates of Opryland USA, and it served as a small tourist attraction and shop. In 1992, just a few years before Opryland USA closed, Gaylord donated Hatch to the Country Music Hall of Fame, however Hatch continued to operate several blocks away. When the Country Music Hall of Fame expanded in 2013, they incorporated Hatch into the museum, including a classroom, gift shop, and workspace with floor to ceiling windows for visitors to watch the intense process of making letterpress posters.

Ever thrifty, Hatch used out of date printing blocks to make much needed shelving for the more evergreen blocks. When the shop relocated, they uncovered some of these blocks, including ones from presidential campaigns. Today some are on display in the window, pieced back together by the dedicated staff, but still bare the scars of being cut for shelving.

The tour includes time in the classroom, where you get to gaze at countless posters that Hatch Show Print has made over the years, learn the history, and get hands-on experience on what it takes to make a poster! We inked up blocks, and used a press to create small posters. We then moved to the massive windows to learn more about the layout and the various printing presses Hatch uses. Because the print shop was active during our visit, we did not get to step inside.

Today, Hatch remains ever busy. Country musicians love the tradition of a letterpress poster from the storied business, and fresh acts, such as drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya, along with punk and rock bands have had posters made by Hatch because of their unique charm.

Patrick and I purchased quite a few prints, many of which were Christmas themed, so keep a keen eye out when we decorate later this year!

Tour the legendary Hatch Show Print at 224 Rep. John Lewis Way South in Nashville. While Hatch is a part of the Country Music Hall of Fame, it is a separate ticket, which can be purchased on their website. You can purchase posters on their site as well.

If you’re a fan of printing and in California, I highly recommend going the International Printing Museum, which we have visited multiple times!

Sources
Sherraden, Jim. Hatch Show Print. Country Music Foundation Press, 2019. Print.
Sherraden, Jim. Hatch Show Print: The History of the Great American Poster Shop. Chronicle Books, 2001. Print.