Tennessee is a country that has left to enjoy. Tranquil rural landscapes unfold across the state, from the rich black fields along the Mississippi to the lush horse farms of central river valleys to the Appalachian Mountains with their forests and plowed furrows of red dirt. There are cities, to be sure, but even the largest have a connection with the land that's rare in places of their size. Memphis sprouted from the cotton lands and still shows the signs, and Nashville became famous by marketing the music of the southern countryside, no matter how much it wanted to be a highbrow center of learning. Where the state seems least rural is in tourist centers like Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, where miles of miniature golf courses, amusement centers and motels seem to be intent on overrunning the stoic Smoky Mountains. Not to worry, though. The mountains will endure, as will the state's rural charm. Travelers who can appreciate both, or who are interested in the styles of music that have grown so well in the Tennessee dirt, are likely to have a great time in the state.