“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby. “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee. “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley. “Deck the Halls” by … the First American National Bank Choir?
For Nashvillians from 1956 until the mid -1970s, no holiday season was complete without hearing this and other common Christmas tunes sung by the employees-only choir of Regions’ predecessor, First American National Bank.
The tradition, sadly, faded over time. But now, the sounds are back – at least in part – with a bit of a modern twist. A podcast. One whose hosts came across the First American National Bank Christmas album – on vinyl – and celebrated the sounds with an in-depth discussion about this Tennessee tradition.
Specifically, WPLN-FM’s Curious Nashville podcast uncovered long-lost details of this bygone era and delved into the how – and why – behind the choir.
A Unique Find
Around 2005, Nashville native Matthew Bond stumbled upon the vinyl album at a church yard sale. While the choir was unknown to him, the sounds of bank tellers, loan officers, C-Suite leaders and other employees ultimately became a holiday staple for Bond and his family.
Bond’s curiosity led him to post an image of the album on the Nashville History and Memories Facebook page to ask if anyone had any information on its origins and backstory. His post received over 100 comments and ultimately led to WPLN’s discovery – and subsequent research.
“Because this was printed on vinyl, and vinyl lasts forever, here we are 50 years later trying to figure out the details they never thought anyone would be interested in,” said Curious Nashville’s Justin Barney. “But why form a bank choir? Why press it to vinyl?”
The Heart of Cultural Downtown
Over time, First American became Regions Bank.
And to this day, Regions Bank in Middle Tennessee is led by Lee Blank, who joined First American on the day of the company’s 100th anniversary.
He recounted how the main First American building was right in the heart of the action among downtown shoppers and officegoers in previous decades.
“That was a main thoroughfare,” Blank recalled in the WPLN podcast. “The way that lobby was set up, people crossed through it from the courthouse to law offices … So, they would come and, during the holidays, listen to the choir, eat their lunch in the bank lobby, and just celebrate it.”
Those of us who’ve worked with Blank for years can confirm he’s very proud of how, through its predecessor bank, Regions Bank is longest-serving financial institution in Middle Tennessee.
“The choir was a strong source of pride for First American,” he told us. “And while things change over time, I believe banking, at its heart, is still a people business. It’s our people who continue to set us apart. No one’s connected to Nashville quite like Regions. I think whether you’re new to Nashville – or you’ve been here for generations – you’re going to enjoy hearing this podcast about the choir. We appreciate WPLN putting this together, and we’re excited to build on our legacy of not only financial services, but also community involvement and support in the years to come.”
Hear more through the incredible WPLN/Curious Nashville podcast linked here.
And see more about Regions’ history in the Music city in these images here:
