Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Many artists customize and personalize their instruments. Drawing inspiration from the stylized instruments on view in the Museum galleries—including Taylor Swift’s Swarovski crystal–encrusted Taylor acoustic guitar—imagine your own design on a paper guitar cutout. What symbols, colors, and patterns will you use? All ages. Taylor Swift Education Center. Included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Family Program: Embellished Instruments

Davidson County

Nashville

Tennessee

Family Program: Embellished Instruments

Many artists customize and personalize their instruments. Drawing inspiration from the stylized instruments on view in the...

Matt Combs is a fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, and producer known for his work in American roots music, orchestral composition, and film and television scoring. He has played on recordings by Dan Auerbach, Johnny Cash, Wynonna Judd, Kacey Musgraves, and Sturgill Simpson. Combs is the 2012 Grand Master Fiddler Champion, a Grammy-nominated member of the John Hartford String Band, and the co-author of John Hartford’s Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes. As a solo artist, he released the single “Fifty Years of Clown School” in June, ahead of the release of a forthcoming album of the same name. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Musician Spotlight: Matt Combs

Musician Spotlight: Matt Combs

Matt Combs is a fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, and producer known for his work in American roots music, orchestral...

Young artists will create their own colorful suncatchers, inspired by the signature stained-glass windows at the Ryman Auditorium. Formerly known as the Union Gospel Tabernacle, the Ryman Auditorium began its journey to becoming the “Mother Church of Country Music” in 1945, when it became home to the Grand Ole Opry. Since that time, it has been the spot of many iconic moments, from twice-weekly radio broadcasts to early performances by Roy Acuff and Dolly Parton. Learn more about the Ryman Auditorium in the Museum’s permanent exhibition, Sing Me Back Home. All ages. Taylor Swift Education Center. Included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Family Programing: Suncatchers

Family Programing: Suncatchers

Young artists will create their own colorful suncatchers, inspired by the signature stained-glass windows at the Ryman...

Luke Dick co-wrote Ella Langley’s Academy of Country Music 2026 Song of the Year award–winning single “Choosin’ Texas” and Miranda Lambert’s Grammy-nominated single “Bluebird,” as well as Dierks Bentley’s “Burning Man,” featuring Brothers Osborne; Eric Church’s “Kill a Word” and “Round Here Buzz”; and Jackson Dean’s “Don’t Come Lookin’.” His songs have also been recorded by the Cadillac Three, Eli Young Band, the Highwomen, Kip Moore, and Kacey Musgraves. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Songwriter Session: Luke Dick

Songwriter Session: Luke Dick

Luke Dick co-wrote Ella Langley’s Academy of Country Music 2026 Song of the Year award–winning single “Choosin’ Texas” and...

Viktor Krauss is a bassist, composer, producer, and songwriter who has worked with Chet Atkins, Joan Baez, Harry Connick Jr., Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, John Fogerty, Tom Jones, Michael McDonald, Graham Nash, Dolly Parton, Robert Plant, Kenny Rogers, Carly Simon, and James Taylor. His 2004 debut album, Far from Enough, features Jerry Douglas, Bill Frisell, Steve Jordan, and Alison Krauss and reached #6 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. Krauss’s 2006 follow-up, II, featured collaborations with artists including Shawn Colvin, Shweta Jhaveri, Lyle Lovett, and Ben Taylor, and 2017’s Vignette is a collaboration with lever harpist Maeve Gilchrist. Krauss’s film-scoring work includes collaborations and placements with directors Robert Altman and Ken Burns. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Musician Spotlight: Vickor Krauss

Musician Spotlight: Vickor Krauss

Viktor Krauss is a bassist, composer, producer, and songwriter who has worked with Chet Atkins, Joan Baez, Harry Connick Jr.,...

The museum will honor Trey Fanjoy at its upcoming 18th annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum.&nbsp;<a href="https://null" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a>Fanjoy will discuss her more than 30 years as an award-winning music&nbsp;video and film&nbsp;director, producer and creative director. This annual forum, which began in 2007, recognizes music industry leaders who continue the legacy of trailblazer Louise Scruggs, a formidable businesswoman who set new professional standards in artist management. The discussion will be led by Museum Writer-Editor Allison Moorer. The program is free and open to the public.

Local Event: Eighteenth Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Honoring Trey Fanjoy

Eighteenth Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum...

The museum will honor Trey Fanjoy at its upcoming 18th annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum. Fanjoy will discuss her more than...

Eighteenth Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Honoring Trey Fanjoy

Whether they’re for function or fashion, sunglasses help complete an outfit. Some country artists even use them to create a signature look. Explore the stage wear (including sunglasses) in the Museum’s galleries to find inspiration, then create your own paper sunglasses. All ages. Taylor Swift Education Center. Included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Family Programs: Stylin' Sunglasses

Family Programs: Stylin' Sunglasses

Whether they’re for function or fashion, sunglasses help complete an outfit. Some country artists even use them to create a...

David Nail wrote his #1 country radio hit “Let It Rain,” featuring Sarah Buxton, as well as songs on all of his studio albums and EPs. He also reached #1 and #7, respectively, at country radio with his songs “Whatever She’s Got” and “Red Light.” On August 21, Nail will release a new album, Flowers, featuring songs co-written with Anderson East and Lori McKenna. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Songwriter Session: David Nail

Songwriter Session: David Nail

David Nail wrote his #1 country radio hit “Let It Rain,” featuring Sarah Buxton, as well as songs on all of his studio albums...

Join us for a fun-filled session of crafting and self-expression! Whether you want to channel a country troubadour or a honky-tonk hero, express your unique style for concerts or parties by designing a whimsical headband using pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and flowers. All ages. Taylor Swift Education Center. Included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Family Program: Design Your Own Festival Headband

Family Program: Design Your Own Festival Headband

Join us for a fun-filled session of crafting and self-expression! Whether you want to channel a country troubadour or a...

Luis Espaillat is a genre-defying bassist who has performed with country acts such as Trace Adkins, Cowboy Troy, Brett Eldredge, Colt Ford, Lee Greenwood, Ty Herndon, Jamie O’Neal, Jo Dee Messina, Jon Pardi, Pam Tillis, and Lee Ann Womack; singer-songwriters Gavin DeGraw and Jim Messina; and rock acts including Tom Keifer of Cinderella and the Guess Who. His studio credits include Bailey Zimmerman’s platinum single “Never Comin’ Home” and recordings by Buddy Jewell and Michael Martin Murphey. In visual media, Espaillat’s playing can be heard on the network television shows King of the Hill, Roswell, New Mexico, and Smallville; in the films American Wedding and S.W.A.T.; and in the video games Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 and Project Gotham Racing.

Local Event: Musician Spotlight: Luis Espaillat

Musician Spotlight: Luis Espaillat

Luis Espaillat is a genre-defying bassist who has performed with country acts such as Trace Adkins, Cowboy Troy, Brett...

Attendees will bow a fiddle, pluck a banjo and strum a ukulele. The Musical Instrument Petting Zoo offers budding musicians a chance to try new and familiar instruments. Instructors will offer guidance as participants try their hand at all the instruments at the zoo.

Local Event: Family Program: Musical Instrument Petting Zoo

Family Program: Musical Instrument Petting Zoo

Attendees will bow a fiddle, pluck a banjo and strum a ukulele. The Musical Instrument Petting Zoo offers budding musicians a...

Cowboy boots can add flair to an outfit while remaining durable enough for hard work and long journeys. Inspired by footwear featured in the museum galleries, participants will design boot patterns that reflect their own personalities.

Local Event: Family Program: Boot Scootin Cowboy Boots

Family Program: Boot Scootin Cowboy Boots

Cowboy boots can add flair to an outfit while remaining durable enough for hard work and long journeys. Inspired by footwear...

Nashville-based and Miami-raised singer-songwriter Ana Cristina Cash has developed an eclectic sound informed by the variety of genres her Cuban parents exposed her to when she was a child. Earlier this year, she released a bilingual album, The Sunshine State, which includes the single “Daybreak,” one of seven songs she wrote for the album.

Local Event: Songwriter Session: Ana Cristina Cash

Songwriter Session: Ana Cristina Cash

Nashville-based and Miami-raised singer-songwriter Ana Cristina Cash has developed an eclectic sound informed by the variety of...

Country Mus

Dolly Parton’s down-to-earth lyrics and Tennessee charm have inspired people for decades. Which of her iconic lyrics speaks to you? Come illustrate your favorite Parton lyric using watercolor materials. Draw your own “coat of many colors” or a steaming “cup of ambition”! Presented in support of the exhibition Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker. All ages. Taylor Swift Education Center. Included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Family Program: Illustrate a Dolly Parton Lyric 

Family Program: Illustrate a Dolly Parton Lyric 

Dolly Parton’s down-to-earth lyrics and Tennessee charm have inspired people for decades. Which of her iconic lyrics speaks to...

Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter Paul Kramer has been making music in Nashville for more than thirty years. He has performed with Gary Alan, Lynn Anderson, Asleep at the Wheel, Suzy Bogguss, Deana Carter, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Michael Nesmith, Special Consensus, Pam Tillis, and Travis Tritt, and his playing can be heard on recordings by Bogguss, Lionel Cartwright, Vassar Clements, Brennen Leigh, Carolyn Martin, and Buddy Spicher. Kramer has also released three albums as a solo artist and performs regularly with Brazilbilly, Fifty Shades of Hay, the Grassaholics, Sarah Gayle Meech, Chuck Mead, and Paul Kramer &amp; Swing Street. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Musician Spotlight: Paul Kramer

Musician Spotlight: Paul Kramer

Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter Paul Kramer has been making music in Nashville for more than thirty years. He...

Cleve Francis is a dual pioneer: both a Black recording artist in country music and a respected cardiologist who led his own medical practice. He tells his fascinating story in his new book, Do My Heart Good: My Odyssey Through Country Music, Medicine, and History, which recounts the journey of a young man born into poverty in rural Louisiana who grew to be a successful medical doctor and one of the few Black artists ever to record country music for a major record label as of the 1990s. The book traces three key threads woven throughout Francis’s life: his lifelong love of performing music, his abiding interest in science and medicine, and his determination to break through racial barriers. Francis’s life story provides insights into the experiences of a gifted singer navigating the high-stakes world of country music, as well an understanding of the many obstacles Francis overcame in achieving his goals.
Do My Heart Good: My Odyssey Through Country Music, Medicine, and History is available for pre-order <a href="https://shop.countrymusichalloffame.org/collections/books/products/do-my-heart-good-my-odyssey-through-country-music-medicine-and-history-by-cleve-francis?variant=45200337109187&amp;_gl=1*3d0038*_gcl_au*MTkzNjQ1NzI0NC4xNzc2MTc3NTQ1LjExMjk5MjMwOC4xNzgxMTA0NzUxLjE3ODExMDQ3NTA.*_ga*MTc1NTMzNDI0Mi4xNzc2MzcwNTY2*_ga_JYYV3LV7H7*czE3ODExMjUyNjUkbzc5JGcxJHQxNzgxMTI3ODQyJGo2MCRsMCRoMA.." target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">here</a>.
The Museum’s Paul Kingsbury will host the discussion. Following the program, Francis will sign copies of his book, which will be available for purchase. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Book Talk: Do My Heart Good with Cleve Francis 

Book Talk: Do My Heart Good with Cleve Francis 

Cleve Francis is a dual pioneer: both a Black recording artist in country music and a respected cardiologist who led his own...

Pitney Meyer is a collaboration between guitarist Mo Pitney and banjo player John Meyer. Over three days, Pitney Meyer produced and recorded their debut album, 2025’s Cherokee Pioneer, which features Nate Burie on mandolin, five-time Country Music Association Musician of the Year Jenee Fleenor and Ivy Phillips on fiddle, and Blake Pitney on bass. Program is supported by the Segal Bluegrass Collective. Ford Theater. Included with Museum admission. Program ticket required. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Musician Spotlight: Pitney Meyer 

Musician Spotlight: Pitney Meyer 

Pitney Meyer is a collaboration between guitarist Mo Pitney and banjo player John Meyer. Over three days, Pitney Meyer produced...

Sing, dance, and play as a family at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum the second Saturday of each month. Designed for families with children 5 years old and younger, Fam Jam is a participatory music-making experience, led by Museum educators and a guest artist, that introduces young children to country music instruments and encourages child development through moving, singing, and listening. This session will spotlight the guitar and feature Chloe Gilpin, an indie folk, rock, and jazz singer-songwriter and educator from Fort Worth, Texas who studied songwriting, music business, and music production at Belmont University and has worked for companies such as Songfinch and the non-profit organization Pitch Meeting. Family music-making promotes language acquisition and the development of cognitive, social, and motor skills—and it’s fun! Ages 0-5. Taylor Swift Education Center. Included with Museum admission. Free to Museum members.

Local Event: Family Program: Fam Jam

Family Program: Fam Jam

Sing, dance, and play as a family at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum the second Saturday of each month. Designed for...

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Posting Activity

Family Program: Embellished Instruments

AUG

9

10:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Musician Spotlight: Matt Combs

AUG

9

1:00 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Programing: Suncatchers

AUG

15

10:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Songwriter Session: Luke Dick

AUG

15

12:00 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Musician Spotlight: Vickor Krauss

AUG

16

9:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Programing: Suncatchers

AUG

16

10:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Eighteenth Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Honoring Trey Fanjoy

AUG

19

6:00 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Programs: Stylin' Sunglasses

AUG

22

10:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Songwriter Session: David Nail

AUG

22

12:00 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Program: Design Your Own Festival Headband

AUG

22

1:00 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Programs: Stylin' Sunglasses

AUG

23

10:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Musician Spotlight: Luis Espaillat

AUG

23

1:00 PM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Program: Musical Instrument Petting Zoo

AUG

28

9:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Program: Boot Scootin Cowboy Boots

AUG

29

9:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Songwriter Session: Ana Cristina Cash

AUG

29

9:00 AM

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville, TN

Family Program: Illustrate a Dolly Parton Lyric