Exit/In Founder Owsley Manier Passes

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Owsley Manier

Nashville music entrepreneur Owsley Manier has died at age 77.

He is best remembered as the co-founder of the legendary Elliston Place nightclub The Exit/In. Earlier in his life, the Nashville native was a member of the 1960s rock band The Lemon Charade.

Owsley Manier (right) with Rock Block historical marker

He and Brugh Reynolds co-founded The Exit/In in 1971. Few Nashville venues have had as rich a legacy as Exit/In. It all started when the relatively unknown singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett auditioned for the partners and was booked on the spot. The venue was initially a listening room for such Nashville songwriters, but it expanded into being a 500-person capacity rock club in the 1980s.

Over its 50+ years, it has played host to an impressive array of talent, from rising local acts to international superstars. Some of the renowned musicians who have entertained at Exit/In include The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Etta James, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, R.E.M., The Allman Brothers, John Lee Hooker, The Black Crowes, Dr. John, The B-52s, Kansas, Lyle Lovett, Billy Crystal, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Police, Garbage, Emmylou Harris, Billy Joel, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Doc Watson, Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt and Dire Straits.

Comedian Steve Martin once led the audience out into the street in a parade and wound up buying burgers for the whole crowd. The club was featured in the 1975 Robert Altman movie Nashville. Kellie Pickler, among others, used it as the site of a music video. K.D. Lang was introduced to Music City with a performance at the club. It has also been the site of numerous documentary film interviews.

B.B. King, Warren Zevon, Waylon Jennings, The Ramones, Kris Kristofferson, 10,000 Maniacs, The Everly Brothers, Talking Heads, Rick Nelson, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Leon Russell, Fats Domino, The Pointer Sisters, Ronnie Milsap, Barry Manilow, The Guess Who, Cheech & Chong, Dwight Yoakam, The Smithereeens, Vince Gill, Charlie Daniels, John Prine, Living Color, Eddie Money, Son Volt, Dan Fogelberg, Train, Hank Williams Jr., The Pretenders, Guy Clark, Ben Folds, The Goo Goo Dolls and Steve Earle have all showcased at The Exit/In.

The club became the anchor of what was known as Nashville’s “Rock Block,” a stretch of Elliston Place that was home to assorted bars, restaurants, music venues, tattoo shops, vape emporiums, newsstands and more. In 2023, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, although it continues to operate as a music venue. More than 25 owners have passed through its history. Since 2022 it has been owned and operated by AJ Capital Partners.

John Owsley Manier died at home in Dowelltown, Tennessee on Friday, October 1. He is survived by his son Aaron Manier and by sisters Cynthia Barbour and Helen Bryan and niece McKeen Butler. There will be a Celebration of Life memorial service at The Exit/In on Sunday (Oct. 13) at 3:00 PM featuring music and stories.

Robert K Oermann
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