BBC Presenter Ralph McLean opines on the special links between the two Sister Cities.

Writing in Culture Northern Ireland: "Walk down the main thoroughfares and side streets of Belfast and just like Nashville you’ll hear music, of just about every description, pouring out of just about every doorway. It’s how we define ourselves and it’s how we present ourselves culturally to the world. It’s a legacy of great art that we are rightly proud of and when a musician from Belfast meets a fellow performer from Nashville they know they’re talking to a like minded soul, an individual for whom the thousands of miles of separation mean nothing.

"Much more than a Sister City relationship this is a family affair and the party is only just beginning."

Photograph courtesy Gary Layda