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The Swan Ball was established in 1963 by Nashville native Jane Anderson Dudley as a means of raising funds for one of Nashville’s great treasures and to benefit the Nashville community.
The first Ball was a smashing success. With the national press coverage and socialite celebrities in attendance, the ball immediately took on the status of an international social event. The Ball became bigger, better, and more glamorous each year. The Swan Ball continues to raise millions of dollars annually.
Mrs. Dudley was a graduate of Parmer School, Ward Belmont, and Vanderbilt University (1947). She worked briefly for the Nashville Tennessean newspaper and she managed corporate accounts for Tiffany & Co. for more than two decades. Her husband, Guilford Dudley, was Ambassador to Denmark from 1969 to 1971, which allowed her to express her talent for hospitality at the highest levels, entertaining diplomats, politicians, and royalty, many of whom remained lifelong friends.
A member of the International Best Dressed list, she was a lover of all things glamourous and beautiful, from fine porcelain to her prize-winning roses to a breathtaking sunset. Jane loved people-and she loved a party. She entertained frequently "at home", and chaired more than 25 charity events around the world, for which she raised millions of dollars. Jane changed the face of fundraising in Nashville and for that, our community is eternally grateful.
Founded in 1963, the Swan Ball is a white-tie gala in Nashville, Tennessee attended by prominent southeastern, national, and international guests. The Ball takes place each June and includes an evening of cocktails, a seated dinner, the performance of a notable entertainer, dancing to a nationally acclaimed band, and a featured fine jewelry exhibit
