Early Life

Bud grew up in Nashville during the 1920’s and 30’s. As well as being the capital of Tennessee, Nashville was a growing city and commercial center; in 1930, the population of Nashville was 154,000 (compared to 81,000 in 1900). The region now boasts a population of more than 2,000,000. Nashville is now the center of the country music world, although that did not occur until after World War Two.

When Bud was born, the family lived at 3301 West End Avenue, a prestigious address on the western outskirts of Nashville. In1925, the growing Fensterwald family moved to 408 Leake Avenue in Belle Meade, an original planned community west of Nashville straight down West End Avenue. Named after the Belle Meade Plantation, 2200 acres of the plantation was purchased in 1910 by Luke Lea, former U. S. Senator and founder-publisher of the Nashville Tennessean, who in turn began to build out the neighborhood's infrastructure. 

Interestingly, one of Bud’s mother’s closest friends was Percie Warner Lea, second wife of Luke Lea. Miss Percie’s father was Percy Warner, a successful Nashville utility executive. Following his death, Luke Lea donated 868 acres of property he owned to the City of Nashville in honor of his father-in-law, as Percy Warner Park.

It is believed that Blanche Fensterwald and Percie were the first women Nashville to get driver’s licenses. 

Many of Bud’s family and friends described Bud as a mischievous child. For example, he and his mother would speak in a separate language, “Fiddle Faddle”, at the consternation of his father and sister, who could not understand what they were talking about. 

Little is known about Bud’s early education; however, in 1933 he enrolled in Duncan Academy, a small prep school on 23rd Avenue N. on what is the site of Vanderbilt University’s Memorial Gymnasium. He graduated from Duncan in 1938 and thereafter entered Harvard College. 

Bud’s sister, Ann, two years his elder, attended the Peabody Demonstration School and then attended Smith College. She graduated from Smith in 1941. 

Bud was Jewish by birth and was raised in the Reform Jewish faith. His family were members of the Vine Street Temple. He was confirmed there in 1936. Generally, he did not practice his faith after that point.