Public Programs
Songwriter Sessions (Saturday)
Songwriter Sessions made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund.
Songwriters perform in an intimate setting encouraging questions from the audience. Performances are every Saturday at noon and are usually held in the museum's Ford Theater. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members.
Check our calendar for upcoming Songwriter Sessions.
Instrument Demonstrations (Sunday)
Learn about the instruments that make country music sound country. Musicians play their instruments, share information about the instrument's history, and answer questions from the audience. Performances are held every Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in the museum's SunTrust Community Room. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members.
Check out our calendar for upcoming Instrument Demonstrations.
Film Screenings (Monthly)
Documentaries, feature films, and television specials highlighting country music, its performers, and its place in American culture are screened at 2 p.m. on the last Sunday of each month in the museum's Ford Theater. Free.
Check out our calendar for upcoming Film Screenings.
Artist In Residence
Each
year, the Museum invites a noted artist or musician to give a
month-long series of performances in the Ford Theater. This artist or
musician has a strong connection to country music or has a sense of
country music's contribution in general to American culture.
Past Artist In Residence include:
2003 - Cowboy Jack Clement
2004 - Earl Scruggs
2005 - Tom T. Hall
2006 - Guy Clark
2007 - Kris Kristofferson
Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Session Players
In a series of quarterly public programs, the museum showcases the career of musicians who played key roles in Nashville recording history. Through in-depth, one-on-one interviews with the players themselves, museum visitors gain a better understanding of how musicians made careers for themselves behind the scenes, while contributing to some of the most famous recordings in the history of popular music. Audio-visual elements, including vintage recordings, photos, and film clips, supplement the interviews, and in some cases the players demonstrate their playing techniques. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions in an interactive setting. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members.
Past Nashville Cats honorees include:
February 2006 - Lloyd Green
June 2006 - Charlie McCoy
August 2006 - Harold Bradley
November 2006 - Don Helms
February 2007 - Bob Moore
May 2007 - Hargus "Pig" Robbins
October 2007 - Ray Edenton
February 2008 - Jerry Kennedy - WATCH THIS PROGRAM
May 2008 - Reggie Young
Poets and Prophets: Salute to Legendary Country Songwriters
These quarterly programs showcase the careers of songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music history. Through in-depth, one-on-one interviews with the writers themselves, museum visitors gain a better understanding of how songwriters work behind the scenes to create some of the most famous recordings in the history of popular music. Audio-visual elements, including vintage recordings, photos, and film clips, will supplement the interviews, and in some cases the songwriters will perform their songs. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions in an interactive setting. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members.
Past Poets and Prophets honorees include:
March 2007-Hank Cochran
June 2007-John D. Loudermilk
September 2007-Bobby Braddock
December 2007-Craig Wiseman
March 2008-Bob McDill - WATCH THIS PROGRAM
June 2008 - Whitey Shafer
Words and Music For Seniors Program
Participants spend a full day learning about the basics of songwriting and then writing a song themselves. Another day will be spent with professional songwriters who will add melodies to the lyrics and meet with the group to perform each song. A CD of the completed songs and museum admission are also included in the program.
A $30 fee includes the two-part workshop, self-guided museum tour and a recording of your song.