Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum

Veteran music publishing executive Jody Williams was recently elected as the new chair of the Museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees.    “Jody is woven into the fabric of country music’s creative community in a true and meaningful way,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “He is not only a respected executive and passionate supporter of our museum and its mission, but he’s also resolute in furthering country music’s vitality as a cultural artform. We look forward to his guidance and insights as we continue our work preserving this history and educating audiences on its importance.”   Entertainment business leader Mary Ann McCready completes three years of service as the museum’s board chair. She continues her longtime commitment to the board as an elected trustee.   Additionally, new officers were elected to the Museum’s board, including Sara Finley, Becky Gardenhire, Clint Higham, and Cindy Mabe. Reelected trustees include Mark Bloom, David Conrad, Bill Denny, and David Ross. https://lnkd.in/ejSuGm4V

This weekend, the Museum hosted a conversation and performance with New York Times best-selling novelist and award-winning songwriter Alice Randall. Led by the Museum’s Paul Kingsbury, Randall discussed her latest book, “My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future,” and its corresponding album. Saaneah Jamison and Miko Marks, two artists featured on the "My Black Country" album, performed songs written by Randall during the program. After graduating from Harvard University, Randall began her tenure as a prominent songwriter in Nashville. Her songs, including Trisha Yearwood’s 1994 hit “XXX’s and OOO’s,” have been recorded by Moe Bandy, Country Music Hall of Fame member Glen Campbell, Radney Foster, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Marie Osmond and more. Randall holds the Andrew W. Mellon Chair in the Humanities at Vanderbilt University, where she teaches the course “Black Country,” among other offerings. Authoring best-selling fiction and nonfiction works, Randall’s most recent book recounts her explorations of the Black presence in country music as a fan, songwriter, music publisher and scholar.

Experience "String City: Nashville's Tradition of Music and Puppetry," the exciting true story of country music, Monday, June 24 – Saturday, June 29, at the Museum. “String City” will run twice daily, at 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM, during this week and admission is free and open to the public. This family program puts country music’s legacy in the hands of more than a hundred puppets—including four brand-new puppet performers—who travel through time sharing songs and stories from the early days of stringband and gospel music to the birth of the Grand Ole Opry and through to today's hits. The “stars” of “String City” include Hank Williams, The Staple Singers, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, and Taylor Swift, among many others. “String City” is a co-production of the Nashville Public Library and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Created and presented by the Library’s Wishing Chair Productions in collaboration with the Museum, this show was made possible in part by a special gift from Judy and Steve Turner to the Nashville Public Library Foundation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eHeaZTUn

Interested in becoming a paid intern at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum? Tuesday, June 4, at noon CT, join the Museum's McKayla Kinnaird (Internship Programs Manager) for a virtual information session. Learn about available #internship opportunities for fall 2024, important dates and application deadlines, and the application process and criteria used in evaluation. As a paid intern, enjoy benefits such as free 24/7 downtown parking or a WeGo bus pass, complimentary admission to the Museum, discounts at Museum stores and restaurants, and more. Fall 2024 internship areas include: ➡️ Creative ➡️ Development ➡️ Events ➡️ Guest Relations ➡️ Hatch Show Print Education and Programs ➡️ Library and Archives ➡️ Marketing ➡️ Museum Education ➡️ Operations and Sustainability ➡️ Public Programs ➡️ Public Relations Register for the session today: https://lnkd.in/e39E8CXR

Throughout the year, the Museum hosts a variety of school programs designed to engage students and teachers in one-of-a-kind experiences centered around the Museum's educational mission. Over the 2023–2024 school year alone, the Museum has served nearly 30,000 students through 740 programs. These educational programs are one of many ways the Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, teaches diverse audiences about the ongoing story of country music. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gfKYcKDH

Congratulations to five Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum staff members, two named to writer-editor positions within the Museum Services department and three promoted from within their respective departments. Allison Moorer, Writer-Editor Brad Henton, CTIS, Senior Director of Culinary, Event, and Museum Sales Paige Maillet, Director of Guest Experience Jon Freeman, Writer-Editor Kayleigh Shoemaker, Director of Public Programs Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2nWZSzs

Earlier this week, the Museum hosted its forty-fifth annual celebration in honor of "Words & Music," the Museum’s flagship educational program. School-aged participants and their families gathered in the Museum’s Ford Theater, along with the evening’s hosts, Monument Records recording artists Tigirlily Gold, to hear a selection of thirteen songs written by students in Nashville and its surrounding areas.   Throughout the night, students performed their "Words & Music" compositions alongside their professional songwriting partners and classmates.   Designed for grades 3-12, "Words & Music" allows students to tell their stories by writing original song lyrics, while developing language-arts skills. More than 160,000 students have participated in the "Words & Music" program since its inception in 1979.   Learn more about school programs and "Words & Music" at: https://lnkd.in/ga8SciEX.

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Last night, the Museum celebrated the opening of its latest exhibition, “Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues Revisited,” which explores the significance of Nashville’s pioneering R&B scene and its important role in the city becoming a world-renowned music center.   This twentieth-anniversary edition of the acclaimed 2004-2005 exhibit includes many of the same items and themes, as well as newly discovered artifacts and photographs. The exhibit is included with admission and runs through September 2025.   To mark the opening of the exhibit, meet at the Museum on Saturday, April 27, at 2:30 PM for a panel discussion about Nashville’s groundbreaking television series "Night Train." Participants will include performers Jimmy Church and Frank Howard, who appeared regularly on the show, along with Katie Blackwell (wife of late "Night Train" creator and host, Noble Blackwell) and Tracye Blackwell (daughter of Katie and Noble Blackwell). The discussion will be illustrated with video clips from "Night Train."    Reserve tickets: https://lnkd.in/eS55tb5H All photos by Terry Wyatt and John Shearer/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.