Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

A new book from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Abbeville Press brings the story of country music to life through iconic artifacts, rare documents, and historic images. "Treasures of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum" arrives September 29 and features everything from Johnny Cash’s first black suit to Dolly Parton’s handwritten “Jolene” lyrics.

Preorder now: https://shop.countrymusichalloffame.org/products/treasures-of-the-country-music-hall-of-fame-and-museum-book

Most fans know Charley Pride as country music’s first Black superstar—a barrier-breaking artist with a warm baritone and a captivating stage presence.

But before he was a country star, Pride was a baseball star. At sixteen, he left Mississippi to play baseball in the Negro American League with the Memphis Red Sox as a pitcher and outfielder.

Pride idolized Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947. “To say that he was my idol would be an understatement,” Pride once said. “As far as I was concerned, Jackie Robinson had rewritten the future.”

An injury at an inopportune time shifted Pride’s path from baseball to music. “The chief scout of the St. Louis Cardinals was there [that night],” said Pride in an interview with the National Baseball Hall of Fame. “I threw a curveball and cracked my elbow.”

But thirteen No. 1 country hits later, Pride finally got his big-league moment: in 1974, he was invited to be a designated hitter in a Texas Rangers spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles and went 1-for-2 against future Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer.

“I was preparing myself to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame,” Pride said, "but instead I’m in the Country Music Hall of Fame.” Charley Pride was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000.

Click to read more: https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame/charley-pride

Join us for a Kendra Scott x Dolly Parton Pop‑Up in The Museum Store on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, from 10:00 AM–4:00 PM. Shop the latest Dolly Parton collection and design your own custom jewelry at the Color Bar. Free gift with $125 purchase while supplies last.

Learn more: https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/calendar/kendra-scott-dolly-parton-popup

This weekend, the Museum hosted a program with Ashley Gorley for its in-depth interview series "Poets and Prophets." The series highlights songwriters who made significant contributions to country music. Gorley performed a few songs during the program, which was moderated by Museum writer-editor Allison Moorer and accompanied by photos, film, and recordings.

Gorley is the most commercially successful country songwriter of all time. He has written more than 80 #1 songs, including "I Had Some Help" (Post Malone and Morgan Wallen); "What He Didn’t Do" (Carly Pearce); "You Should Probably Leave" (Chris Stapleton); "She Had Me at Heads Carolina" (Cole Swindell); and "Last Night" and "You Proof" (Morgan Wallen). Gorley received the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Songwriter of the Decade award for 2010–2019 in 2022 and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025.

Bring history home—archival pigment photo prints of Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton are now available for purchase. These prints, individually produced on fine hand-moulded paper and linen canvas using the highest quality archival inks, are exclusive to The Museum Store.

Each sold supports the Museum’s ongoing work to preserve its unrivaled country music collection in perpetuity, including the more than 500,000 historic photographs in its archives. Take yours home today by visiting The Museum Store or shopping online.

Shop prints: https://shop.countrymusichalloffame.org/

In 2025, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 100th anniversary with a year’s worth of performances and festivities—including this special show, commemorated with a poster printed by its 147-year-old neighbor, Hatch Show Print.

The exhibit "Country's Grandest Stage: The Opry at 100" opened September 18, filled with artifacts from the show's storied history. On November 28, the anniversary show included Country Music Hall of Fame members Bill Anderson, Vince Gill, Charlie McCoy, Ricky Skaggs, Don Schlitz, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, and many more, who signed the above poster, which was installed mid-exhibit run.

See it in person when you visit today: https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/calendar/the-grandest-stage-the-opry-at-100

Last weekend, Clint Black marked the publication of his memoir, “Killin’ Time: My Life and Music,” with a conversation at the Museum. The conversation was led by acclaimed radio and television host Lorianne Crook.

In the book, Black shares the unfiltered, extraordinary account of his journey from a kid with a dream on the outskirts of Houston to a country music legend. From his near-death experiences as a young boy and his decision to drop out of high school to pursue music, to countless years struggling as an unknown young artist, playing at any nightclub or hotel bar that would have him, Black’s path to success had more twists than the Texas two-step.

Clint Black is also the subject of a new exhibition at the Museum, "Clint Black: The Hard Way On Purpose." Open until August 2027, the exhibit is included with Museum admission.