LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville’s "Let Freedom Sing" Fourth of July fireworks show is one of the largest in the country, and it takes nearly the entire year to prepare for.

The masterminds behind the display, LaFollette-based "Pyro Shows," have been running the show for over 25 years.

In that time, the small-town Tennessee business has transformed itself into a nationwide operation.

“Probably in the last 10 to 15 years, our company has grown by about 20 times,” Pyro Shows Executive Vice President Mike Walden said.

Pyro Shows Inc. has come a long way since its early days in the 1970s.

Built and run mainly by LaFollette natives, Pyro Shows began acquiring out-of-state firework companies in 2013, gradually expanding their network.

Now, they have a foothold in Texas, South Carolina, Alabama and remain dominant in Tennessee.

“We literally do shows every week of the year," Walden said. "All the pyrotechnic events that happen in the state of Tennessee, we account for somewhere around 80% of all of them."

While they’re best known for their massive Fourth of July show in downtown Nashville, their biggest event of the year, the company’s presence is all around.

If you’re a Nashville sports fan or a fan of the Southeastern Conference, you’ve likely seen Pyro Shows in action.

“You see us at the Titans game on Sunday, and you’ll see us over at Vandy stadium on Saturdays (plus Nashville SC and the Sounds). If you’re watching a sporting event in Nashville, we’re there. There’s better than a 95% chance that we are there,” Walden said.

Walden started with the company over 30 years ago. Before then, he was a high school chemistry teacher.

While that's not a normal career progression, evidently it’s what Walden — also a LaFollette native — was born to do.

“We have the values that the customer comes first, and we’re going to do everything we can to make the customer look good,” Walden said. “The Tennessee company, the rural upbringing, the small town, all that is just rolled into our identity and who we are.”

The “Let Freedom Sing!” event will feature plenty of family-friendly activities and live performances in downtown Nashville throughout the Fourth of July before the fireworks and drone show starts around 9:30 p.m. Click here to see the full schedule.

News 2 will have live coverage of the show beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, with music and more before the big event.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/the-tennesee-company-the-masterminds-of-nashvilles-4th-of-july-show-are-a-statewide-force/