Elsewhere in Nashville, the Country Music Hall of Fame has closed and the Grand Ole Opry -- the most famous country music show in the world - had to move its performances.

The Cumberland River, which winds through the heart of the city, spilled over its banks as Nashville received more than 13 inches of pounding rain over the weekend. The flash floods were blamed in the deaths of 17 people in Tennessee alone, including nine in Nashville. Other deaths were reported in Kentucky and Mississippi.

None of the deaths were in the city's entertainment district, a five-block square of honky-tonks and restaurants downtown where animated barkers often stand outside at night encouraging patrons to step inside. But some businesses had to shut down - a blow to Nashville's economy and reputation as a freewheeling town. The city has more than 11 million visitors annually.