NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Eric Blankenship’s career in the music industry didn’t begin with luxury coaches and million-dollar builds. It began in the early 1990s, when he was selling T-shirts for bluegrass and country legend Ricky Skaggs.
“Anytime I’d see a bus, I wanted to know whose it was,” Blankenship recalled. “I just paid attention to that stuff.”
That curiosity soon turned into a career path. After earning his commercial license in 1992, he started helping drive between shows. Driving gigs led to a role leasing buses for the now-defunct Music City Coach. By 2002, Blankenship and partner Jim Borelli launched All Access Coach Leasing, a Nashville-based company that would become one of the most trusted names in entertainer transportation.
Over the years, All Access has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment, from country icons like George Strait and Jason Aldean to rock stars, professional athletes, and WWE performers.
“We’re not trying to be the biggest in this business,” Blankenship said. “We’re just trying to be the best. We like to take care of a client from the beginning of their career until they decide they’re not going to tour anymore.”
Building custom comfort
Today, All Access owns a fleet of 52 Prevost entertainer coaches, each one custom-built in-house.
“We buy it with a driver’s seat in it and a plywood floor, and we go from there,” Blankenship said.
Since 2015, the company has offered fully custom interiors, with features ranging from full kitchens and large refrigerators to PlayStations, queen beds, washers, dryers and dishwashers.
“Star buses,” designed for headline artists, often feature six bunks, a large front lounge, a private bedroom in the back, and even a bath-and-a-half. Crew and band buses typically include 12 bunks, showers, and multiple lounge areas.
For Jason Aldean’s latest tour, All Access delivered a triple-slide design that maximizes living space. Slides, which expand the bus width when parked, entered the entertainer market around 2005–2006 and are now standard on many band and crew buses as well.
“It doesn’t feel like you’re on a bus,” Blankenship said. “It feels like you’re in somebody’s living room. The kitchen area is gorgeous. The bedrooms are absolutely incredible.”
Going green with Volta
One of the company’s most significant innovations came in 2020, when All Access began equipping buses with Volta battery systems, built by Volta Power Systems of Holland, Michigan.
The lithium-ion energy technology allows buses to run all onboard systems — lights, HVAC, appliances, streaming equipment — for eight to 10 hours without idling an engine.
“It’s a cost savings for the client. It’s an environmental savings to emissions,” Blankenship explained. “Some places they go to now, you can’t run an idling engine — the cities won’t let you. So it fixes a bunch of things.”
The system also significantly reduces noise levels in venues and parking lots. That’s especially important in cities like New York, where congestion rules penalize unnecessary idling, and where quiet, emission-free operation improves the experience for both performers and neighbors.
For Blankenship, the Volta system represents more than just compliance — it’s about staying ahead of client needs while modernizing the touring industry.
Rising costs and lasting service
The cost of building entertainer buses has skyrocketed. “My first bus that I bought brand new and built with an interior cost $425,000 completed,” Blankenship said. “Right now, that same bus is costing about $1.2 million.”
Those rising prices ripple outward, affecting artists and fans alike through higher ticket costs.
All Access maintains a close relationship with Prevost, the sole manufacturer of shells for entertainer conversions. “Nobody else in the bus world does that,” Blankenship said. “They’re a very good partner, and they are open to listening to suggestions and ideas.”
Despite the technical advances, Blankenship insists the company’s core is customer service.
“I tell everybody, I’m not in the bus business. I’m in the customer service business,” he said. “Take care of your client, your client will take care of you. Take care of your drivers — they’re the face of your company.”
When a deal is first made, Blankenship sees himself as 95% of the equation and the driver as 5%. “Once the bus shows up, I’m 5% and the driver is 95%,” he explained. “You need to be on the same team together because those guys are the face of your company.”
That philosophy has kept All Access growing steadily — and prepared for the next generation. Blankenship’s son now manages leasing operations, while Borelli’s son oversees the shop floor.
A journey on the road
For Blankenship, what began with selling T-shirts on the road has become a career building rolling homes for entertainers. Along the way, he’s had the chance to work with his musical heroes.
“It’s fun getting to build buses for some of your heroes that you grew up listening to and idolizing,” he said. “It’s pretty cool.”
And with innovations like Volta’s clean power system, All Access continues to prove that the road can be both comfortable and sustainable.
