Tag Archives | Country Music Hall of Fame

The 2018 SESAC Awards Kicked Off CMA Awards Week

onstage during the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on November 11, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Songwriters were the focus, leading up to the CMA Awards, and SESAC celebrated with their roster of hit songwriters on the red carpet Sunday, November 11th as honorees gathered for for its annual awards show.

Focus on the 615 talked to a few of their favorites prior to the awards and performances held at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
One of the biggest songs in 2018 was “One Number Away”; co-written and produced by Sammy Mitchell, recorded by Luke Combs. This is Sammy’s first number one and he let us know how much of a whirlwind this year has been. “My life has changed….SESAC has been great about supporting me. These awards make it all a reality. It’s very cool to be honored for the first time”.

NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 11: Hillary Scott of musical group Lady Antebellum attends the 2018 SESAC Nashville Music Awards at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on November 11, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for SESAC) *** Local Caption *** Hillary Scott

We also caught up with Josh Hoge, who was named SESAC Songwriter of the Year in 2016. Josh has penned hits for The Backstreet Boys, Chris Young, Kane brown and many others. This week his song “Hangin On” with Chris Young went went number one Sunday.
“We stayed up until midnight last night and they finally told us it was happening. We are getting an award tonight for our last number one with Chris, “Losin Sleep”, but with this current song that happened today, I am so happy. And I am blessed to have four songs on the Kane Brown record. We also just found out it was the most streamed album in one day, in country music history. Let me just say, it’s been a good weekend!” Hoge says.
Walking her first red carpet before the premiere of the USA Networks newest show “Real Country”, produced by Shania Twain, Jamie Floyd is one of the contestants on the show. “Well, I am still a waitress, but I have some huge news I can share soon….I am honored to walk the red carpet tonight and I am very excited about this television show. I respect Shania, Travis Tritt and Jake Owen so much. Jake is who found me to be on “Real Country”….We filmed it this summer, so I can’t believe it is finally being aired! It’s exciting!” Jamie says. Floyd was also featured in “The Last Songwriter”, a documentary film exposing the struggles songwriters go through. Jamie wrote ‘The Blade” for Ashley Monroe and was nominated for a Grammy in 2015. She has been very vocal and honest about how hard it is to survive as a songwriter and struggling artist in the music industry, being a huge advocate for the Music Modernization Act, which was signed into law on October 11th.
This years top honors went to Matt McGinn, winning Songwriter of the Year and Country Song of the Year for “Heaven”, recorded by Kane Brown.
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Little Big Town Celebrates The Opening Of Their New Exhibit At The Country Music Hall Of Fame

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 26: Jimi Westbrook, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Philip Sweet of Little Big Town participate in an interview by Michael McCall (L) at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater on June 26, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum)

Grammy-winning vocal group Little Big Town visited the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum on Tuesday, June 26, to celebrate the opening of their exhibition Little Big Town: The Power of Four. The group, comprised of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook, participated in a special program for fans in the museum’s CMA Theater, where they discussed their musical inspirations, career milestones and personal histories. After the program, they viewed their exhibit for the first time prior to a private reception to celebrate its opening.

Little Big Town: The Power of Four officially opens to the public this Friday, June 29, and runs through June 9, 2019. The exhibition tells the group’s story from the very beginning and recounts the development of individual talents that eventually brought the four together to form contemporary country music’s first two-woman, two-man vocal group.

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 26: (L-R) Philip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town view their exhibit during the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s celebration of Little Big Town’s Exhibition on June 26, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum)

For more information about the exhibit, visit www.countrymusichalloffame.org

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 26: Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild, of Little Big Town view their exhbit at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on June 26, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum)

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5 Country Music Things To Do In Nashville Besides Honky Tonks

There are so many fun honky tonks in Music City – but Nashville also offers so much more than Broadway bars.  If you’re a country music fan, we’ve rounded up five great music-related things to do in the 615.  Whether you’re an out of town guest or a local, you’re sure to enjoy these activities which let you explore the city in new ways!

Arrington Vineyards

Arrington Vineyards is a must-do Nashville winery because it’s owned by none other than Kix Brooks, of Brooks & Dunn. The winery is open all year round and features wine all made right here in Tennessee. From their picnic style wine tastings to live music, Arrington is a nice change of pace from Broadway.

The Escape Game

The Escape Game is perfect for any family or friend groups in Music City who need a little reboot after a long night out. They have a fun “Nashville” themed room where you and your teammates are solving clues, working against the clock as you pretend you are an up-and-coming band – you must find a hidden contract in the “recording studio” in hopes of making it big. It’s a #1 rated activity on TripAdvisor, and with their convenient location downtown, it’s a great place to experience country music in a new way.

Country Music Hall Of Fame

It’s no secret that Music City is filled with tons of history, but it can be hard to keep up with all of it. All you need for a little refresher is a visit to the Country Music Hall Of Fame. From rotating exhibits like Loretta Lynn’s Blue Kentucky Girl and ones that you can see year round like the Taylor Swift Education Center, the museum offers something for every country fan.

Grand Ole Opry

This is something every Music City tourist needs to see! A tour of this historical spot will give fans chills as they stand on a circle where thousands of musical legends have sang before them. Along with a tour, you can also buy tickets to check out a performance from various country music acts in town. There is truly nothing like the Opry!

Grimey’s Record Store

Grimey’s is a must stop for any one passing through or moving to Nashville. This independent record store has everything from CDs to LPs to DVDs. They also have in-store performances from pretty awesome artists, like Kacey Musgraves and Jason Isbell. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to take home a great record, and possibly meet your favorite artist.

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Tim McGraw & Faith Hill View Exhibit for First Time At Country Music Hall Of Fame

NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 15: CEO at Sandbox Entertainment Jason Owen, Sandbox Entertainment’s Sandra Westerman, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, SVP of museum services at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Carolyn Tate, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young, and EM.co’s Kelly Clague attend the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s debut of the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Exhibition on November 15, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Country music superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill visited the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum on Nov. 15 to see their exhibit Tim McGraw & Faith Hill: Mississippi Woman, Louisiana Man on display for the first time. The Grammy-winning couple walked through the exhibit together, recounting memories from their lives and careers. The career-spanning exhibition opens to the public Friday, Nov. 17 and runs through June 10, 2018.

The exhibition features a wide array of memorabilia representing milestones and significant moments in the couple’s lives, from Hill’s Mississippi upbringing and singing in church, to McGraw’s youthful promise as a baseball player, and, later, their high-profile lives as entertainers with dozens of top hits and a slew of industry awards between them. The couple, whose individual careers have celebrated multi-platinum records, sold-out tours, #1 hits and multiple Grammy, ACM and CMA Awards, have also built their Soul2Soul tour franchise together, one of the most successful running tours in the history of country music.

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Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Celebrates The Holidays With Deck The Hall Presented By Balsam Hill

The holiday season is just around the corner, which means it is time, once again, to Deck the Hall at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. Throughout Deck the Hall presented by Balsam Hill, the museum will be packed with seasonal activities that blend music, art, education and even Santa Claus, offering fun for the entire family.
“We are thrilled about our partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It has been an incredible collaboration to bring to life our shared vision of a spectacular Christmas tree for the tree lighting ceremony,” said Kristen Gasior, CMO for Balsam Hill, retailer of realistic Christmas trees and Christmas décor. “We are so happy to be part of such a nostalgic family event, and we can’t wait to see how our giant Rockefeller tree and its beautiful ornaments will look all lit up for this special event.”

Festivities begin at 4 p.m. on Nov. 24, with a performance of hits and holiday classics by country music star, philanthropist and radio host Tracy Lawrence.. He will then light a new, twenty-five-foot Balsam Hill Christmas tree in the museum’s Mike Curb Conservatory and Lawrence will sign copies of his new album, Good Ole Days, available for purchase in the Museum Store.

Throughout the holiday season, the museum will offer many free activities. Children of all ages can have a free photo taken with Santa Claus on both Saturdays and Sundays during Deck the Hall. Don’t miss Santa on Nov. 25–26, Dec. 2–3, Dec. 9–10 and Dec. 16–17. String City: Nashville’s Tradition of Music and Puppetry, a puppet show created by a partnership of the Nashville Public Library’s Wishing Chair Productions and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, returns to the museum for a two-day run, Nov. 24–25.

On Nov. 25 Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Daniels will sign copies of his new memoir, Never Look at the Empty Seats, purchased from the Museum Store.

On Dec. 3, all ages can pull a free Hatch Show Print poster for themselves. Participants will learn about letterpress printing from the staff of one of the oldest working letterpress print shops in the United States. Hatch staff will help participants create their very own letterpress art using carved wood, linoleum and metal block images from the Hatch collection.

Additional hands-on activities in the Taylor Swift Education Center (TSEC) will provide fun for the entire family throughout Deck the Hall, including cookie decorating on Sundays, Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10. Museum admission or membership is required for programs in the TSEC. Cookies, icing and edible decorations will be provided. For a complete list of activities, click here.

“With a long-standing commitment to the Middle Tennessee community, the museum is filled with family programming all year long, including the holidays,” said Ali Tonn, director of education and public programs for the museum. “We always look forward to celebrating the season with our locals by offering special programs to get everyone in the holiday spirit. And it is a perfect time for local families to use our new Community Counts program and come Deck the Hall with us.”

Through Community Counts, youth (ages 18 and under) who live in Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson or Wilson county will receive free walk-up admission outside of school hours, and up to two accompanying adults will receive a 25 percent discount on admission. Click here for more information on Community Counts.

Back by popular demand, the museum will present A Legendary Holiday at Historic RCA Studio B, which will include a tour of the studio and a holiday concert with guitarist Meagan Taylor, great-niece of Chet Atkins, and pianist Jason Coleman, grandson of Floyd Cramer. In the very same studio where Country Music Hall of Fame members Atkins and Cramer popularized the Nashville Sound more than fifty years ago, Taylor and Coleman will perform Christmas classics and timeless songs originally recorded in the RCA studio. The performance will also include special guest appearances from Country Music Hall of Fame member and frequent Studio B session player Charlie McCoy and classic vocalist Mandy Barnett a modern torchbearer of the Nashville Sound. Dates are Dec. 16 and 17. Seating is limited and tickets are $25. Tours depart from the museum at 3 p.m. and return at 5 p.m.

The museum’s retail shops have items for every shopper’s budget this season. Visit the Hatch Show Print Store for a large selection of handmade prints, cards and branded merchandise, or choose a one-of-a-kind framed monoprint from Hatch Show Print’s Haley Gallery. Offerings from Circa and the Museum Store include vinyl LPs and CDs, specialty books, Nashville-made gifts, food and home accessories, men’s and women’s apparel, jewelry and much more.

Access to most holiday programs is free with museum admission and free to museum members. Individual memberships start at $50 and make great holiday gifts. Perks of membership include free admission to the museum and hundreds of programs each year; invitations to exclusive members-only events; and discounts at the Museum Store, Circa, Hatch Show Print Store, 2|22, Red Onion, and Bajo Sexto Taco.

Deck The Hall receives additional support from Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated and Hilton Nashville Downtown. A comprehensive list of all Deck the Hall activities can be found at countrymusichalloffame.org/deckthehall2017.
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Shania Twain: Rock This Country Opens June 30 Through July 2018 At Country Music Hall Of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will examine the life and career of five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain in its newest exhibit, Shania Twain: Rock This Country, opening June 30.

The exhibit will follow the evolution of Twain’s career from her early days performing in Canadian bars to her recent appearance at the Stagecoach Festival in California. Twain has sold more albums than any other female country artist in history.  Successful titles include her platinum-selling debut, Shania Twain; her Grammy-winning, double diamond-selling (RIAA certification for 20 million units) The Woman in Me; the top-selling album in history by a female country artist, Come on Over, and Twain’s third consecutive diamond-selling album release, UP! Twain is set to release NOW, her fifth full-length album on Mercury Nashville and her first album since 2002, on September 29. The album’s lead single, “Life’s About to Get Good”, premiered yesterday on country radio platforms around the globe.

“Shania Twain’s impact on country music is undeniable,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “Her message of female empowerment and dynamic pop sound electrified country music. Her continued influence is evidenced by artists like Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Kelsea Ballerini. We are pleased to feature Ms. Twain in this career-spanning exhibit.”

Shania Twain: Rock This Country exhibition highlights include:
  • Hooded leather coat with fur trim and fringe, and fur-trimmed boots with Native American beadwork, worn onthe cover of her self-titled 1993 debut album
  • Complete ensemble, including top hat, from 1999 music video for “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”
  • Marc Bouwer leopard-print crop top and matching pants worn during Come On Over Tour (1998–99)
  • Marc Bouwer futuristic princess outfit, with faux-leather coat; diamond and rhinestone earrings; velvet bra and skirt embellished with diamonds and rhinestones; belt with rhinestones and beads; and patent leather and suede boots, worn for her Super Bowl XXXVII halftime performance (2003)
  • Outfit worn by Twain for her Stagecoach performance, including black top with multiple tiers of fringe, a body suit with fringe, crochet-pattern pants, and pumps, April 2017
  • Grammys for Best Country Song, “You’re Still the One” (1998); Best Country Song, “Come One Over” (1999); Best Female Country Vocal Performance, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” (1999)

With an unduplicated collection of more than 2.5 million artifacts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2017. Twain’s exhibition follows the opening of an exhibit on contemporary superstar Jason Aldean. Upcoming subjects include Loretta Lynn and country music couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

Follow the museum on FacebookTwitterInstagram and Snapchat, and join the conversation using #CMHOF50 and #ShaniaTwainExhibit. For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

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Country Music Hall Of Fame® And Museum Announces Details For Jason Aldean Exhibit

Jason Aldean: Asphalt Cowboy, Presented by Specialty Outdoor Retailer
Field & StreamOpens May 26 and Runs Through November 5

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will explore the life and career of Jason Aldean, two-time and reigning Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, in the exhibition Jason Aldean: Asphalt Cowboy, Presented by Field & Stream, opening May 26.
Aldean has helped define today’s country music with his wide-open sound. The exhibit will recall the early encouragement he received from both parents, his move to Nashville, his struggle to get his music heard and his groundbreaking success with an independent record company. Running until November 5, Jason Aldean: Asphalt Cowboy will include childhood mementos, memorabilia from Aldean’s early career, stage wear, guitars, awards, photos and more from his personal collection.
“In ‘Asphalt Cowboy’ Jason sings about running underneath the stars on a ride that won’t let him go,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “Years of touring across the country, burning up the asphalt, have led him to country music superstardom on a ride that’s far from over. We are pleased that he will join Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood among the contemporary artists we have featured in special summer exhibits examining country music in the twenty-first century.”
“I could not be more honored to have an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,” said Aldean. “To look around the space and see my personal heroes and artists who helped shape country music is a surreal feeling. To be a part of a legacy like this really is a dream come true.”
Field & Stream, a specialty outdoor retail and product brand owned and operated by DICK’S Sporting Goods, is sponsoring the exhibit, to enable country music fans and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the nation to get a closer look at one of the most iconic artists in the industry. Aldean has been a Field & Stream spokesperson since 2016.
“When we first started working with Jason, it was our goal to create an authentic partnership with someone who is genuinely passionate about the outdoors” said Lauren Hobart, executive vice president & chief customer & digital officer, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “We are not only thrilled to be supporting Jason’s exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, but we’re excited to help bring country music fans and outdoor enthusiasts closer to the music they enjoy.”

Jason Aldean: Asphalt Cowboy exhibition highlights include:

Wooden childhood rocking horse with Aldean’s name engraved

First guitar, given to Aldean by his father

High school graduation photo

T-shirt, bio and set list for Aldean’s high school band the Young Guns

Poster for Trisha Yearwood and Aldean, when he opened for her homecoming concert in the late ’90s

Contract cover letter for signing with Broken Bow Records, 2004

Brown short-sleeve shirt worn in “Johnny Cash” video

Note from Jay Leno to Aldean before Tonight Show performance, November 2010

One of the most visited museums in the United States, with an unduplicated collection of more than 2.5 million artifacts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2017. Aldean’s installation leads a year packed with revealing exhibitions on subjects including Loretta Lynn, Shania Twain, and country music couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

Follow the museum on FacebookTwitterInstagram and Snapchat, and join the conversation using #CMHOF50 and #JasonAldeanExhibit. For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

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Country Music Hall Of Fame Hosts Mother’s Day Brunch

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will host its inaugural Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 14, 2017. The Martin Family Circus will headline a morning of lively music and delicious Southern food. Family-style seating will be offered at 9 a.m. and noon, in the museum’s Event Hall.

Playfully dubbed the Martin Family Circus by Country Music Hall of Fame Member Vince Gill, Paul Martin (singer/guitarist of Exile) and Jamie Allen Martin (daughter of Oak Ridge Boy Duane Allen) began performing with their four children–March (19), Kell (16), Texas (11), and Tallant (10)—in 2010. Representing four generations of musicians, the vocal-driven family band will fill the room with soulful harmonies and toe-tapping fun. Visitors also will enjoy a brunch buffet prepared by museum executive chef Bobby Hammock.

“The deep connection that music creates in our memories is a universal phenomenon entwined with the people, seasons and special events in our lives,” said Sharon Brawner, senior vp of sales and marketing for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Unforgettable music and exceptional family experiences are always on the menu for the museum’s annual celebrations like Deck the Hall and Easter Brunch, and our new Mother’s Day Brunch is no exception. We are thrilled to welcome the Martin Family Circus to offer a fun, family-friendly musical experience sure to please. Combine that heartwarming music with chef Bobby’s mouthwatering menu, and you’re sure to have a joyous and memorable celebration worthy of mom!”

Brunch tickets include entry into the museum, a complementary family photo and a mimosa for adults. Ticket prices are $65 for adults, $25 for kids 6-12 and free for kids 5 and under. Tickets for both seatings go on sale Friday, April 21, at 10 a.m. CST. For more information and to purchase tickets visit countrymusichalloffame.org/mom.

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CMA Announces 2017 Inductees Into The Country Music Hall Of Fame

Group photo of inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Photo credit: Courtney Davidson

The Country Music Association announced that Alan Jackson, Jerry Reed, and Don Schlitz will become the 2017 inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Reed will be inducted in the “Veterans Era Artist” category, while Jackson will be inducted in the “Modern Era Artist” category. Schlitz will be inducted in the “Songwriter” category, which is awarded every third year in rotation with the “Recording and/or Touring Musician Active Prior to 1980” and “Non-Performer” categories. Reed, Jackson, and Schlitz will increase membership in the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame from 130 to 133 members.

Jerry Reed

“Each of this year’s inductees are well versed performers and songwriters and have helped define Country Music and popular culture,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

“Thank you, CMA and Country Music Hall Of Fame, for recognizing all the years of love, dedication, and hard work that daddy put into his craft. He loved Country Music and would be so deeply humbled and appreciative if he was here. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” said Reed’s daughters, Seidina Hubbard and Lottie Zavala.

Jackson said, “For me to say I’m honored sounds like the standard old response, but for a man who loves Country Music there is no higher honor. This is the mountain top!”

“I live in the parentheses; I’m just a small part of a wonderful process of making music. This is overwhelming and humbling,” said Schlitz.

Formal induction ceremonies for Reed, Jackson, and Schlitz will take place at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum in the CMA Theater later this year. Since 2007, the Museum’s Medallion Ceremony, an annual reunion of the Hall of Fame membership, has served as the official rite of induction for new members.

CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 to recognize noteworthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to the format with Country Music’s highest honor.

“These three storytellers have added much to our lives, and to the story of Country Music,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “They stand as models of undeniable eloquence and empathy. Over many decades, they have brought laughter, joy, and tears to millions. The Hall of Fame Rotunda will be grander for the presence of Alan Jackson, Jerry Reed, and Don Schlitz.”

Hosted by Country Music Hall of Fame member, President of the Board of Officers and Trustees of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 18-time CMA Award winner, and 12-time host of the CMA Awards, Vince Gill, the announcement was made today in the Rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and could be seen via live stream on CMAworld.com. Media assets are available for download at vistalive.net/CMAHOF and CMApress.com.

Veterans Era Artist – Jerry Reed
There was a time when Jerry Reed was the fast-picking, wisecracking face of Country Music for most Americans. Though Reed found himself participating in some key music history moments as a session player and scored his share of chart hits as a performer, it was his good-natured wit and ability to transform into an outsized personality as an actor without losing his authenticity that made him one of the genre’s most well-known ambassadors of the 1970s and ’80s.

It’s that ability as an all-around entertainer that brings Reed to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Reed’s active career stretched from the 1950s into the 1990s, though he still toured and made public appearances well into the 2000s. His career was so long, he received CMA Awards nominations over the course of four decades — from 1969 to 1999. He was a two-time nominee for CMA Entertainer of the Year and a three-time Grammy winner.

Born Jerry Reed Hubbard on March 20, 1937, in Atlanta, the singer-guitarist had already scored a few minor hits and spent years in the recording studio and onstage by the time he made it to Nashville in 1962 to get into session work after a two-year stint in the U.S. Army. He’d drawn the attention of the industry when two of his songs covered by popular artists became hits: Gene Vincent released his version of “Crazy Legs” in 1958 and Brenda Lee recorded “That’s All You Got to Do” in 1960.

It was Reed’s fiery guitar playing that really turned the heads of some of Nashville’s most important figures as he made the rounds in the early 1960s. A fingerstyle picker with few rivals, Reed was dubbed a “Certified Guitar Player” by Hall of Fame member Chet Atkins, perhaps the most prestigious honorary title given in Country Music. Atkins bestowed the award just four times personally. Earning the CGP status meant Country Music’s acknowledged best guitarist thought you were great in every way. Nashville felt much the same, naming Reed CMA Instrumentalist of the Year twice (1970 and ’71), and giving him a straightforward nickname: “The Guitar Man.” Atkins and Reed were nominated together for CMA Instrumental Group of the Year in the following two years (1972 and ’73).

Reed’s best-known hits included “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” which won a Grammy Award (Reed would win two more for instrumental recordings “Me & Jerry” and “Sneakin’ Around,” both made with Atkins), “Guitar Man,” “Amos Moses,” “Alabama Wild Man,” “U.S. Male,” “A Thing Called Love,” and “She Got the Gold Mine (I Got the Shaft).” He got a career boost from Elvis Presley, who not only recorded a few of Reed’s songs, including “Guitar Man,” but also hired him to be his guitar man in the studio as well.

He became a regular presence on “The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour” variety show in 1970. His affable onscreen presence was attractive to Hollywood. He made the first of several appearances with friend Burt Reynolds in a string of movies that started with 1975’s “W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings” and included the three wildly popular “Smokey and the Bandit” films, which launched in 1977 and featured Reed as Reynolds’ straight man. Reed scored a hit with the film’s theme song, “East Bound and Down.” Reed made an unforgettable return to film in 1998 when he played angry Coach Red Beaulieu in Adam Sandler’s “The Waterboy.”

The following year he received his final CMA nomination, for Vocal Event of the Year, for his “Old Dogs” supergroup collaboration with Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, and Bobby Bare.

Reed passed away from complications related to emphysema in 2008 at the age of 71.

Modern Era Artist – Alan Jackson
When music historians recount Alan Jackson’s staggering accomplishments, they don’t just limit the comparisons to his Country Music contemporaries. With dozens of chart-topping singles, tens of millions of albums sold, and an unparalleled reputation as a singer and songwriter, he ranks with The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and a very small handful of other transcendent artists who stand out like signposts in pop music history.

By deeply tipping his hat to the honky-tonk legends of his youth and unflinchingly remaining true to himself for more than 25 years, Jackson earned an unparalleled reputation as a singer and songwriter. He blended the old and new in a musical style that is urban and rural, rugged and raw, and appeals to the large sector of the Country Music audience that looks to the past for its musical influences.

Born Alan Eugene Jackson on Oct. 17, 1958, in Newnan, Ga., the 58-year-old singer-songwriter came to personify the neotraditional movement that emerged in opposition to the “Urban Cowboy” trend of the 1980s. Jackson took the sounds of Country Music in his youth and blended them with modern production and band structures in a way that made him an immediate star, one who straddled the divide between pop sensibilities and hard-line affection for classic Country.

Jackson began his career as the lead singer of local Newnan band Dixie Steel, holding down numerous odd jobs while touring and writing songs. His wife, Denise, a flight attendant at the time, had a chance meeting with Glen Campbell. Campbell suggested Alan get in touch with his music publishing company. Within two weeks of the meeting, the Jacksons packed up and moved to Nashville to follow his dreams and Alan eventually signed with the worldwide star’s publishing company.

He honed his craft and was eventually signed by executive Tim DuBois as the flagship artist at Arista Nashville in 1989. Jackson saw almost immediate success with his first album, Here in the Real World. It yielded his first Billboard No. 1 single, “I’d Love You All Over Again,” and made Jackson an instant — and instantly recognizable — star. He was nominated for four awards at the 1990 CMA Awards and, over the course of his career, would become the second most-nominated artist in CMA Awards history with 81 nominations, following only close friend and fellow Hall of Fame member George Strait. He still owns the record for most nominations in a single year with 10, set in 2002, the year he swept Song and Single of the Year with his poignant 9/11 tribute “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” The track also was nominated for all-genre Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards and won the Best Country Song Award, his first golden gramophone.

Jackson released four studio albums in the first five years of his recording career. Here in the Real World, Don’t Rock the Jukebox, his best-selling A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ‘Bout Love), and Who I Am sold more than 20 million albums during that period and included some of his most memorable and important tracks, including “Midnight in Montgomery” and “Chattahoochee,” a winner of CMA Single and Song of the Year in 1993-94, respectively.

Jackson has released more than 20 albums and collections — including forays into gospel and bluegrass — nine of which went multiplatinum with 2 million or more in sales. Those albums have led to one of Country Music’s most decorated careers with three CMA Entertainer of the Year Awards (1995, 2002, 2003); two Grammy Awards; and membership in the Grand Ole Opry, the esteemed Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. He was given the first ASCAP Heritage Award (2014) by the performance rights organization, recognizing him as the most performed Country Music songwriter-artist of the last 100 years. Jackson has charted more than 30 No. 1 hits, sold nearly 60 million albums, and is among the genre’s most decorated and respected figures, with more than 150 awards.

Songwriter – Don Schlitz
Don Schlitz is among the most influential and beloved songwriters in the history of Country Music. His chart-topping songs – among them “The Gambler,” “On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” “The Greatest,” and “When You Say Nothing At All” – are touchstones and inspirations that continue to influence songwriters and singers decades after they were written.

His 50 Top 10 singles performed by iconic acts Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alison Krauss, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kenny Rogers, The Judds, Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker, Keith Whitley, and many others include 24 No. 1 Country hits. He has won three CMA Song of the Year Awards, two Grammy Awards, and four consecutive ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year trophies (1988-91).

Schlitz was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012.

Born Donald Alan Schlitz Jr. on Aug. 29, 1952, and raised in Durham, North Carolina, Schlitz briefly attended Duke University before coming to Nashville at age 20. His talent was recognized and fostered early on by greats, including Bob McDill and Bobby Bare, and he emerged as an empathetic and intelligent chronicler of the human spirit.

When Rogers recorded “The Gambler” – the songwriter’s first recorded song – Schlitz’s ascent was assured, and the success of that enduring story-song allowed him the freedom to spend a lifetime writing words and music that articulated the extraordinary emotions inherent in common experience.

Having written hits across five decades, he will join an exclusive circle in the Country Music Hall of Fame that includes Bobby Braddock, Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard, Cindy Walker, and Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, all inducted primarily as songwriters.

Schlitz and his cowriters penned “Rockin’ with the Rhythm of the Rain,” “Forty Hour Week (for a Livin’), “Houston Solution,” “Deeper Than the Holler,” “One Promise Too Late,” “I Feel Lucky,” “Old School,” “Give Me Wings,” “Strong Enough To Bend” and dozens of others that underscore the depth and breadth of modern era Country Music.

One of the first performers at Amy Kurland’s iconic songwriter club The Bluebird Café, Schlitz and friends Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch, and Paul Overstreet originated the Café’s songwriter in the round format in 1985. He continues to regularly perform his hits and new material at The Bluebird, interspersed with his wry wit and unique comic timing.

The Don Schlitz songbook even includes the 2001 Broadway musical “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”

Kenny Rogers encapsulated the sentiments of many when inducting Schlitz into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with the statement, “Don doesn’t just write songs, he writes careers.”

About CMA: Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association was the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. More than 7,600 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; CMA Music Festival, which benefits music education and is taped for a three-hour special; and “CMA Country Christmas,” featuring Country artists performing original music and Christmas classics for broadcast during the holiday season. All of CMA’s television properties will air on the ABC Television network through 2021.

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COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM ANNOUNCES 2017 EXHIBITIONS

For the first time in its 50-year history, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum has announced its complete slate of exhibitions for the upcoming year. Revealed this week via the museum’s social media channels, the 2017 schedule includes exhibits on Jason Aldean, Loretta Lynn, Shania Twain, and country music couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

“This year the museum celebrates half a century of collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of country music,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “With a great mix of exhibition subjects that range from a legendary Country Music Hall of Fame member to the best of today, our golden anniversary schedule reflects one of the true hallmarks of country music—its constant evolution. As we explore the journeys of these country music greats, whose combined careers span almost 150 years, we also reflect on the museum’s 50-year evolution and celebrate what is ahead.”

In addition to examining the legacies of individual artists, the museum will unveil a new exhibition, American Currents (The Music of 2016), in March 2017. The exhibit will chronicle the latest chapter in country music’s ever-evolving story through a behind-the-scenes look at all things new and noteworthy from the prior year. Highlights from 2016 will be represented by artifacts from Kelsea Ballerini, Brett Eldredge, Mickey Guyton, Miranda Lambert, William Michael Morgan, Maren Morris, Jon Pardi, Margo Price, Chris and Morgane Stapleton with more to be announced.

On May 26, the museum will open a special exhibit examining the life and career of ACM Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean. With hard-rock swagger and hip-hop rhythms Aldean’s music celebrates life in the South and has had significant impact on country music. The exhibit will describe the early encouragement he received from both parents, his move to Nashville, his struggle to get his music heard and his groundbreaking success with an independent record company. The emergence of RIAA’s top digital country male artist of all time’s wide-open sound is one of the defining elements in today’s country music. The Aldean exhibit will close in November 2017.

“I am extremely honored to be invited to have an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,” said Aldean. “That building is filled with the artists who helped create and shape country music, so to be a part of that legacy is something I am very proud of.”

June 26 brings an exhibit devoted to International superstar Shania Twain. With more than 90 million albums sold worldwide and U.S. sales topping 35 million, Shania remains the top-selling female country artist of all time.  She ushered in a new era of empowerment for women in country music, with hits such as “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” ‘You’re Still the One” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” to name a few.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibitions for 2017,” said Twain. “Being able to re-visit favorite costumes, photographs and memories from my career has been a special feeling, especially as this year will see a new stage for me with a brand new album! I’m very excited to have these important creative moments on display.”

Known for her groundbreaking, stylishly bold yet elegant videos, the Twain exhibit will include outfits she wore in those clips and in concert. Personal memorabilia, photos, awards and stage props will help tell the story of Twain’s remarkable life in music. The exhibit will run until June 2018.

Country Music Hall of Fame member and 2017 Grammy nominee for Best Country Album (Full Circle), Loretta Lynn will be the subject of a major exhibition opening August 25, 2017, and running through June 2018. By telling her own truths, and by writing about her experiences with a perspective and voice unlike any other Southern storyteller, Lynn has become an American hero and a country music standard-bearer.

“I am so happy the Country Music Hall of Fame has asked me to be one of their main exhibits in 2017…gonna show off my 50 some odd years in country music,” exclaimed Lynn on hearing news of the exhibition. “They best have a big space…I have a lot of stuff! I’m so proud to share my life, and music with the Hall of Fame. Y’all come see us!”

Her one-of-a-kind tale has been told in a feature film (with an Oscar-winning portrayal of Lynn by Sissy Spacek), two autobiographies, and a public television American Masters documentary. But her fascinating journey is worthy of further exploration. Examining the Coal Miner’s Daughter through her music and her rich collection of personal artifacts will provide fresh insights into one of country music’s most important artists.

Finally, on Nov. 17, a new exhibit will explore the intertwined careers of Grammy-winning superstars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Incorporating a wide array of personal and professional memorabilia representing milestones and significant moments, the exhibit will explore elements of their separate paths to success as solo artists and their dynamic combination as a couple with their record-breaking Soul2Soul Tours and duet performances. The exhibit will run until May 2018.

One of the most visited museums in the United States, with an unduplicated collection of more than 2.5 million artifacts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2017. This first-ever announcement of the full year’s exhibition schedule will be followed by many unique activities celebrating the museum’s golden anniversary milestone. Special programs and concerts will be announced in the coming months.

Follow the museum on FacebookTwitterInstagram and Snapchat, and join the conversation using #CMHOF50. For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org/2017lineup.

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