“Won’t Back Down: Heartland Rock and the Fight for America” Book Talk • 2026
Live at the Hall
•
1h 25m
Museum Writer-Editor Erin Osmon discusses her book “Won’t Back Down: Heartland Rock and the Fight for America,” telling the story of the origins, development, and legacy of the music of the 1980s. The Museum’s Allison Moorer moderates this program, which was recorded on May 9, 2026, and country-rock singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. performs.
During the program, Osmon discusses the political impact of songwriters and performers such as John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Bob Seger, and Bruce Springsteen and highlights some of heartland rock’s overlooked women, including Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt, and Lucinda Williams. The program includes recorded performances of Springsteen’s “The River,” Seger’s “Against the Wind,” Petty’s “Here Comes My Girl,” and Mellencamp’s “Rain on the Scarecrow.”
Wilson, who grew up in Mellecamp’s hometown, is featured in the Museum’s “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit highlighting 2025. During the program, he performs his original songs “American Gothic,” “Hometown,” and “The Devil” before closing with a cover of Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses.”
FOR MORE
Explore our public programming:
https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/experiences/public-programming
Learn about the Museum's exhibitions:
https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/experiences/calendar/exhibitions
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