British-born Dave Barnes began acquiring records as early as the 1930s and ‘40s and spent decades assembling the vast collection that became the British Archive of Country Music (BACM). This conversation about Barnes and the archive and its accompanying listening session were recorded on April 16...

East Tennessee native, bassist, and producer Mark Fain performs songs and shares stories from his career during this Musician Spotlight program, recorded on April 14, 2024. He is accompanied by Brent Rader on keys and John Leventhal on guitar.

During this program, seven-time Grammy-winner Fain a...

R&B singers Jimmy Church and Frank Howard, along with Katie Blackwell—wife of the late Noble Blackwell—and Tracye Blackwell, Noble and Katie’s daughter, recount the origins and cultural impact of Noble Blackwell and his creation, “Night Train,” the nation’s first syndicated R&B television series ...

Many of the same musicians have backed Eric Church, both on his albums and during live performances, since he got his start as a signed artist. In this program, Church’s current band—Jeff Cease, Lee Hendricks, Jeff Hyde, Billy Justineau, Driver Williams, and Craig Wright—discusses working with Ch...

Thomas Hart Benton—lauded American painter, muralist, and print maker—and his iconic mural “The Sources of Country Music” are expertly examined fifty years later in this fascinating, in-depth panel discussion. Moderated by Seth Feman, executive director and CEO of Nashville’s Frist Art Museum, th...

Masters of traditional Irish folk music Altan and world-renowned dobroist Jerry Douglas bring together their deep collective knowledge of Celtic musical traditions for an insightful conversation and powerful musical performance. This program, which took place in the museum’s Ford Theater, was rec...

Recording artist and songwriter Kelsey Waldon performs songs she has written and recorded and shares the stories behind them as part of the Museum’s Songwriter Session series. This program was recorded on March 2, 2024, in support of the Museum’s exhibition “American Currents: State of the Music....

The Nashville Section of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) pays tribute to the city’s trailblazing engineers during this award ceremony, their first since 2019. This program was recorded on June 2, 2024, in the Museum’s Ford Theater, and hosted by AES representatives Mike Porter, former Central...

Multi-instrumentalist Dan Dugmore, best known as a pedal steel guitarist, shares stories from his career as part of the Museum’s Nashville Cats interview series, which highlights legendary musicians. This live interview was recorded on March 9, 2024, in support of the Museum’s exhibition “Western...

Mandolin player C. J. Lewandowski performs songs and shares stories from his career as part of the Museum’s weekly Musician Spotlight series. This program, recorded on March 3, 2024, was presented in support of the 2024 edition of the Museum’s exhibition “American Currents: State of the Music,” w...

Recording artist and songwriter Ashley Cooke performs songs she’s written and recorded and shares the stories behind them as part of the Museum’s Songwriter Session series. This program was recorded on March 23, 2024.

Accompanied by guitarist Chauncey Arner, Cooke performs songs included on her ...

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members Chris Hillman and Bernie Leadon share stories from their music careers, from their beginnings in California as bluegrass musicians to their pioneering songwriting and time making music in the folk-rock and country-rock scenes. This conversation was recorded on Oct...

Jackie DeShannon shares stories from her pioneering songwriting career as part of the Museum’s Poets and Prophets interview series, which highlights legendary songwriters. This live interview and performance was recorded on April 6, 2024.

During the interview with the Museum’s Michael Gray, DeSh...

During this songwriter round, recorded on March 16, 2024, Marta Albarracin, Brenda Coulter, Marcela Pinilla Eicher, Rachel Rodriguez, and Rosa Rodriguez perform original songs with hit songwriter and mentor Pat Alger and share the stories behind them.

In 2021, Alger became a mentor with the Tenn...

Mike Stoller shares stories from his life and career as part of the Museum’s Poets and Prophets interview series, which highlights legendary songwriters. This live interview was recorded on December 3, 2023.

During the interview with the Museum’s Michael Gray, Stoller shares about his childhood ...

Kostas Lazarides, known professionally as Kostas, performs and shares the stories behind some of his hit songs as part of the Museum’s Songwriter Session series. This live performance was recorded on October 14, 2023, and presented in support of the exhibition “Patty Loveless: No Trouble with the...

Deke Dickerson discusses his book “Sixteen Tons: The Merle Travis Story,” which paints a vivid and unvarnished portrait of the guitar innovator, hit songwriter, and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Joining him to share music and memories are master guitarists Tommy Emmanuel and Eddie Pen...

Luke Laird shares stories from his life and career as part of the Museum’s Poets and Prophets interview series, which highlights legendary songwriters. This live interview and performance was recorded on October 28, 2023.

During the interview with the Museum’s Dave Paulson, Laird shares about hi...

To celebrate his achievement as the longest tenured member in Grand Ole Opry history (sixty-two years as of 2023), Bill Anderson is joined by fellow members Jeannie Seely and Mark Wills, and E.W. “Bud” Wendell, former Grand Ole Opry manager and CEO of radio station WSM and Gaylord Entertainment, ...

In honor of influential country recording artist and songwriter Hank Williams and marking the 100th anniversary of his birth, “Hank’s 100th: A Concert in Celebration of Hank Williams” showcases a wide variety of country and Americana artists influenced by Williams’s music. The show’s cast include...

CMT executive Leslie Fram hosts this showcase and discussion featuring Kimberly Kelly, Catie Offerman, MaRynn Taylor, Kasey Tyndall, and Julie Williams, all involved in the media brand’s Next Women of Country franchise, which launched in 2013 and highlights up-and-coming country artists. This liv...

Dave Alvin joins the Museum’s Michael McCall to discuss growing up in Downey, California; forming the acclaimed roots-rock band the Blasters with his brother Phil; embarking on a solo career to emphasize his songwriting; and playing a pivotal role in the roots-rock and punk-rock communities in Lo...

Oh Boy Records President Fiona Whelan Prine, Oh Boy Records Director of Operations Jody Whelan, current Oh Boy Records artist Emily Scott Robinson, and former Oh Boy Records artist R. B. Morris discuss the past, present, and future of the independent record label, founded by John Prine, his manag...