You may think you know country music but you really don’t realize just how much you don’t now until you step into the vast, interactive rooms of Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Sure, you know the iconic Minnie Pearl character from the Hee Haw TV show but did you know that Sarah Cannon, the woman who played her, was a classically trained actor and musician from a wealthy family? That’s just one of the tidbits that you’ll discover as you delve into the museum’s video clips, recordings, memorabilia and exhibits chronicling the turns of two centuries of country music history.
Billed as the world’s largest popular music museum, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum does not take that claim lightly. Walking through the museum, I was overwhelmed with the sheer number of exhibits. Everywhere I turned, there were photos, recordings, videos, posters and a host of interactive media. This is not the place to allocate a quick hour to. I sincerely doubt that you can view everything in a day but I’d set aside at least three hours to gain a good sense of what’s offered. Highlights include Roy Rogers’ cowboy boots, Gene Autry’s guitar, Brenda Lee’s embroidered gown, A “Blue Yodel” record by Jimmie Rogers and the showstopper? Elvis’ solid gold Cadillac and piano, of course. And that’s not even a fraction of the highlights, there are scads of gold and platinum albums, recorded stories of artists’ hit song inspirations and lots of sparkly, shiny costumes. Rest up between exhibits and head to Two Twenty restaurant inside the museum. Try fresh takes on Southern classics like Southern-inspired egg rolls stuffed with pulled pork and Carolina slaw or the savory sweet potato cake of Yukon potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted tomato and smoked Gouda. The museum is open daily from 9-5PM.
Photos courtesy of Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Disclosure: The Museum tour was part of a sponsored press trip.