Events At The Hall: Williams Family Exhibit, Marshall Chapman
Pictured with Chapman are Sue Havlish, Vanderbilt University Press (L) and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum VP of Museum Programs Jay Orr (R) Photo Credit: John Russell
Marshall Chapman performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Oct. 30 to celebrate the official release of her new book, They Came To Nashville. The book features Chapman’s conversations with fifteen artist-songwriters, including Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson and Miranda Lambert, about their first forays to Music City.
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The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s critically acclaimed exhibition Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Presented by SunTrust exhibit has been refreshed with dozens of new artifacts such as notebooks filled with the handwritten musings, lyrics and notes of Hank Williams; an electric guitar crafted of bone and alligator hide; and a Pulitzer Prize. The exhibit, which opened in March 2008, was originally scheduled to close at the end of 2009, but has been extended through Dec. 31, 2011.
Additionally, the museum has debuted Family Tradition Encore, an exclusive online version of the exhibition that features video, photographs, awards, documents and other content not on display in the museum’s galleries. Family Tradition Encore can be viewed here.
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Hank Williams Jr.’s oldest daughter, Hilary Williams, has penned a new autobiography, Sign of Life: A Story of Family, Tragedy, Music, and Healing. She will visit the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum on Sat., November 6, for a special program in the Museum’s Ford Theater. The program, which is presented in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibition Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Presented by SunTrust, will begin at 1:30 p.m.; it is included with Museum admission and is free to Museum members. It will be streamed live at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.
During the program, which will be hosted by Family Tradition co-curator Michael McCall, Williams will discuss some of the stories she shares in Sign of Life, including her experiences growing up as a member of country music’s first family. She will also perform. Following the program, Williams will sign copies of her book in the Museum Store. Please visit the Museum’s web site for complete details.
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The Museum will offer two additional Family Tradition-themed programs in November: Country Costume Design and the Williams Family Style on Saturday, November 20 at 1 p.m.; and a film screening of two episodes of National Life Grand Ole Opry, both of which feature performances by Hank Williams Jr., on Sunday, November 28 at 2 p.m. Country Costume Design, a hands-on program geared toward children ages 5 to 15, will explore the stage wear of the Williams family and teach kids the basics of costume design. The program will be led by Katy K, nationally recognized western-wear designer and owner of the Nashville boutique Katy K’s Ranch Dressing. The 1965–66 episodes of National Life Grand Ole Opry include 16-year-old Hank Jr. performing with his band, the Cheatin’ Hearts. Both programs are free.
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If the Country Music Hall of Fame wants to display the BEST Hank Williams historical display, they need to get permission to display Marty Stuart’s collection of Hank memorbilia again!! It is the best. When it was in the old CMHOF, I spent hours and I mean hours until they closed the place looking @ Marty’s display. When The Hall first displayed what they have now I barely spent even an hour looking @ what is there now!! If you want to have a successful display redo Marty’s Hank Wms. collection. There is no comparison with any other collection!! I was totally disappointed with the last one I saw! Was not worth the money you have to spend to see it!! Marty’s was much cheaper to see, so much more worth the price. What Marty has is true history not stuff made to seem part of history. If you want to show the true history of the Williams family it must include Hank III because he is his grand-father re-incarnated, and; I do not believe in such things. But Hank III is truly the carrier of his grand-father’s legacy if he would only accept that responsibility!! One of these days, III will learn like his father did to embrace his legacy not run from it!!