Nashville Cats

Nashville Cats

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Nashville Cats series spotlights musicians and session singers who have played important roles in country music history. These career-spanning one-on-one interviews are supplemented by vintage recordings, photos, and film clips, and in some cases, demonstrations of techniques and recreations of famous musical contributions.

Scroll down to watch a selection of past Nashville Cats programs held at the Museum.

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Nashville Cats
  • Dan Dugmore • Nashville Cats • 2024

    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...

  • David Hood • Nashville Cats • 2023

    Renowned bassist David Hood shares stories from his life and career as part of the Museum's “Nashville Cats” series, which spotlights musicians who have made significant contributions to country music. This program was recorded on July 8, 2023.

    In this interview, led by the Museum’s Michael Gray...

  • Brent Mason • Nashville Cats • 2023

    Guitarist Brent Mason shares stories from his life and career as part of the Museum's Nashville Cats series, which spotlights musicians who have made significant contributions to country music. This program was recorded on May 20, 2023.

    In this interview, led by the Museum’s Michael McCall, Bren...

  • Nashville Cats • Herb Pedersen • 2023

    Multi-instrumentalist Herb Pedersen plays songs and shares stories from his life and career as part of the Museum's “Nashville Cats” series, which spotlights musicians who have made significant contributions to country music. This program was recorded on February 4, 2023, and is presented in supp...

  • Bergen White • Nashville Cats, 2013

    Celebrated arranger Bergen White—whose work can be heard on such classics as Jimmy Buffett’s “Come Monday,” Ronnie Milsap’s “Smoky Mountain Rain,” and Elvis Presley’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”—reflects on his five-decade-long career during this eighty-minute program, part of the Country...

  • Joey Miskulin • Nashville Cats, 2018

    Joey Miskulin—considered among the all-time great accordion players—discusses his career as a polka band member, studio player, and member of the Grammy-winning cowboy band Riders in the Sky during this April 14, 2018, program, part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats se...

  • Pete Wade • Nashville Cats, 2016

    Master guitarist Pete Wade, whose work has appeared on such classics as Ray Price’s “Crazy Arms” and Charley Pride’s “Mountain of Love,” discusses his six-decade career during this April 16, 2016, program, part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats series.

    The Norfolk, Vi...

  • Andrea Zonn • Nashville Cats, 2017

    Accomplished fiddler and violinist Andrea Zonn—who has toured with Vince Gill, James Taylor, and Lyle Lovett, among others—discusses her career as a backing musician and solo artist during this June 17, 2017, program, part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats series.

    The...

  • Chip Young • Nashville Cats, 2010

    Session guitarist and producer Chip Young details his experiences of playing on sessions with Elvis Presley, his friendship with Country Music Hall of Fame member Jerry Reed, and the notable records he produced at his studio, Young’Un Sound. Young wraps the October 9, 2010, program—part of the Co...

  • Ray Edenton • Nashville Cats, 2007

    Ray Edenton—part of the small group of revered session musicians known as the Nashville A-Team, and one of the most recorded guitarists in American history—describes his career recording with artists such as the Everly Brothers, Marty Robbins, and many others during this October 6, 2007, program,...

  • Richard Bennett • Nashville Cats, 2016

    Richard Bennett recaps his long career as a studio guitarist and producer—from his teenage years in Los Angeles playing on an array of sessions, to his work in Nashville with Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, and others—during this July 30, 2016, program, part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Mus...

  • Steve Gibson • Nashville Cats, 2014

    Steve Gibson—an accomplished studio session guitarist who, by his estimation, has contributed to more than 14,000 songs—discusses his Midwestern roots and Nashville’s 1970s creative community during this hour-plus program, held on June 28, 2014, as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museu...

  • Eddie Bayers • Nashville Cats, 2010

    Eddie Bayers—whose studio credits include classic hits by Rodney Crowell, The Judds, and George Strait—describes close calls and setbacks that he endured prior to becoming one of Nashville’s most prominent drummers.

    Held on February 13, 2010, the program is part of the Country Music Hall of Fame...

  • Jerry Kennedy • Nashville Cats, 2008

    Jerry Kennedy explores his career as a recording artist, guitarist, producer, and label executive in this wide-reaching interview, held February 16, 2008, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

    During the program, part of the Museum’s Nashville Cats series, Kennedy shares his experiences...

  • Arranger and Musical Director Bill Walker • Nashville Cats, 2015

    Bill Walker, a formally trained musical arranger and conductor, traces his career from Australia to Nashville, where he helped artists such as Johnny Cash, Eddy Arnold, and the Statler Brothers sound their best on stage and in the studio. This interview, held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and...

  • Michael Rhodes • Nashville Cats, 2015

    Michael Rhodes—an accomplished bassist who has recorded with icons of country, pop, rock, and blues—speaks about his formative years, his move to Nashville, his approach to session work, and the gear he prefers in the studio during this interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, held...

  • Leon Rhodes • Nashville Cats, 2014

    Leon Rhodes shares memories of his time as an electric lead guitarist in Ernest Tubb’s band, the Texas Troubadours, playing in the Grand Ole Opry band, the “Hee Haw” house band, and on numerous recording sessions. Part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats series, the inte...

  • Drummer Jerry Carrigan • Nashville Cats, 2009

    Jerry Carrigan, one of Nashville’s most-recorded drummers, remembers his major country music sessions and his time in the primary rhythm section at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, during this interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, held February 21, 2009, as part of the Na...

  • John Hobbs • Nashville Cats, 2012

    John Hobbs surveys his career as a session pianist and producer in this thorough interview, held March 10, 2012, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, as part of the Nashville Cats series. Among other topics, he discusses his decision to move from Los Angeles to Nashville and his work wit...

  • Sonny Garrish • Nashville Cats, 2018

    Sonny Garrish, a steel guitarist who played on countless Nashville sessions from the 1960s through the 1990s, reminisces during this Nashville Cats program about his early interest in the instrument and the country legends he’s worked with along the way. Held December 1, 2018, at the Country Musi...

  • Jimmy Capps • Nashville Cats, 2012

    Jimmy Capps, a member of the Grand Ole Opry Band since 1967, discusses his experiences as a session player and demonstrates his technique during this Museum program, recorded on June 16, 2012, as part of the Nashville Cats series. Capps was known as “the master of smoothness” for the way he made ...

  • The Jordanaires • Nashville Cats, 2008

    The Jordanaires’ Gordon Stoker and Ray Walker reminisce about the vocal group’s career highlights, sharing stories about recording with Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Tammy Wynette, and others.

    During the October 25, 2008, program—part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats s...

  • David Briggs • Nashville Cats, 2011

    David Briggs revisits his session work as a pianist in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and in Nashville, during this interview illustrated with vintage photos, recordings, and film clips. He also recalls his recording sessions with Elvis Presley.

    Recorded on March 26, 2011, the program is part of the Co...

  • Bob Moore • Nashville Cats, 2007

    During an interview with Bill Lloyd, veteran session bassist Bob Moore speaks about his career and his contributions to such standards as Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces,” Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry,” Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” Elvis Presley’s “Are You...