Great house with bizarre backstory changes hands

(As seen in the 9/6/24 Ledger column)

The house at 714 Russell Street in the Historic Edgefield neighborhood in East Nashville sold Aug. 16 for $3.84 million. The property set the record for the highest sale in the area in November 2017 when it went for $2.35 million, which was a year and a-half after it sold for $868,000, a big number at that time.

The expression “if these walls could talk” comes into play when the past owners of the house are researched. One William H. Boner purchased the residence in 1980 for $135,000. When the buyer took possession of the home, he was better known as U.S. Rep. Bill Boner, a position he held 1979-1987 when he decided to run for mayor of Nashville.

He was elected as the third mayor of Metro Nashville in that year – there were 62 mayors before Nashville enacted metropolitan government – defeating Phil Bredesen in a runoff. Bredesen would later become Metro Nashville’s fourth mayor and Tennessee’s 48th governor.

Infamy invaded the 714 Russell in 1990 when Mayor Boner, then married, although the divorce was filed, began a romantic relationship with a county music singer known as Traci Peel. Boner and Peel became the John and Yoko of Nashville.

Beatle historians are aware John Lennon’s theft of a harmonica when the unknown, scruffy, unpolished Beatles made the journey in 1960 from Liverpool to Hamburg, Germany, where they would hone their skills. Lennon tinkered with the instrument and did not master it until years later when touring with Bruce Channell, who had a hit with the song “Hey Baby.”

Channel’s classic song featured a lengthy harmonica intro played by Nashville resident Delbert McClinton. Lennon, intrigued by McClinton’s playing, approached him and asked for hints on how to properly perform with the harmonica. With McClinton’s lesson fresh on his mind, Lennon decided to make the “harp” as he called it, the sound that would propel the Beatles ahead of other bands and included intros on “Love Me Do,” “Please Please Me” and others.

Although the Beatles were big fans of the Everly Brothers and the songs of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant such as “Bye Boudreaux Love,” “All I Have to Do is Dream,” “Wake Up Little Susie” and “Cathy’s Clown.” While adapting their voices to the Everly’s harmonies, they did not choose to record and Everly songs.

For reasons not known to anyone outside their circle, the Beatles did not record a song the Bryants wrote in 1967 titled “Rocky Top.” Luckily for Boudleaux and Felice, Boner and Peel were around, as were the Osborne Brothers and that school on the hill in Knoxville.

From the sounds of things, Mayor Boner did not consult McClinton about the intricacies of the instrument, and Boner, with Peel in tow, made the trek to New York to appear on “The Phil Donahue Show,” which was the most popular show of the day and precursor to Oprah and other audience participation shows.

On the broadcast, viewed by millions, Peel sang “Rocky Top” accompanied by her husband of several weeks, Bill Boner, on harmonica.

During their courtship, Boner presented Peel with what was calculated to be a 2.2-carat diamond ring. The Nashville Scene’s “You’re So Nashville if ...” contest was won that year with: “If your mayor is married and engaged at the same time.”

Additionally, the Nashville Banner, the city’s afternoon daily newspaper ran a story that included Peel’s somewhat detailed description of Boner’s bedroom prowess.

At 714 Russell, there is no need for the walls to talk, as Traci did the talking. It should be noted that the Banner reported Boner also was on the phone and corrected Peel when she said that Boner’s exploits were not bad for a 46-year-old man. He reminded them that he was 45.

This was the Boner/Peel equivalent of John and Yoko posing nude for an album cover. At some point, enough is enough and then enough becomes too much.

The juxtaposition of the 1990s goings-on in the house as compared with the charming, regal, pristine mansion are inexorably linked, but unfair to the majesty of the current residence.

Of note is that the estate includes the lots 716 and 720 Russell Street and has included those even in the Boner era. The total lot size of the property is 0.80 acres. The house is 4,835 square feet.

Esteemed and admired Realtor Robert Drimmer described his listing as an “1876 Dutch Renaissance” and noted “the exquisite brick detailing, original hardwood floors, mantels, fireplaces and staircases have been maintained.”

Boner was the ultimate politician and seemed to never forget a name. He was a star basketball player for East high school and once scored 18 points in a period of less than seven minutes. He served two terms in the statehouse and four in the US House.

Richard Courtney is a licensed real estate broker with Fridrich and Clark Realty and can be reached at [email protected] .