LA VERGNE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Since the late 1970s, Dave Mustaine has entertained millions of diehard metal fans around the world, but it’s Middle Tennessee he and his family choose to call home. 

“Last time we played with Iron Maiden here, we were at Bridgestone Arena, and somebody said, ‘Why don’t you move to Tennessee instead of Texas?’ ’cause I said we were thinking about moving to Austin because Electra [Mustaine’s daughter] wanted to sing, and she became a sommelier and blew that all off, and we moved to Nashville, and here we are,” Mustaine told News 2. “We’re all flourishing.”

Mustaine said of all the places he’s lived, the mid-south region welcomed him with open arms. When his family moved here, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a resolution honoring him for his contributions to music. Kentucky also made him a colonel. Just last week, La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole proclaimed Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 as Megadeth Day.

“Well, it was kind of foreign not having my checkbook out down at City Hall, if you know what I mean,” Mustaine said. “I’ve been down there a couple times for some speeding tickets.”

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“The funny thing was, I met the mayor, and it wasn’t just like one of those guys that you meet and you never see again,” Mustaine said. “I saw him the next night, and I recognized him. He was in his street clothes and it wasn’t like someone said, ‘Oh, you remember this guy, right?’ No, I clearly remembered him, and it was so fun to see him at the listening event that we did in La Vergne.”

Megadeth’s final self-titled studio album — dropping Jan. 23 — was also recorded in La Vergne.

“I think probably ‘Countdown to Extinction’ was the only other time when we had things this well put together ahead of time,” Mustaine said.

As the Grammy-winning artist gears up for Megadeth’s North America farewell tour, starting next month, Mustaine has some advice to share for the next up and coming stars.

“Don’t ever give up,” Mustaine said. “If it feels like you’re the only one that understands your music, maybe that’s true. Maybe you need to watch ‘Purple Rain’ and see when the club manager tells Prince the only one that understands his music is himself.”