CMHOF Unveils Special Week Of Programming For CMA Fest 2022
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will offer a slate of special programs during CMA Fest 2022 this June, including a live performance with Jenee Fleenor on June 9, a concert and conversation with some of CMT’s Next Women of Country on June 10, a Songwriter Session with Caitlyn Smith on June 11, and a Musician Spotlight with John Osborne on June 12.
All programs are included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and a program ticket is required for admittance.
Live Performance: Jenee Fleenor – Thursday, June 9, at 2 p.m. in the Ford Theater
Fleenor is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who plays fiddle, mandolin and acoustic guitar in recording sessions, live concerts and on television. She has toured with Terri Clark, Martina McBride, Jon Pardi, Blake Shelton and Steven Tyler; and regularly performs with the house band on The Voice. In 2019, Fleenor became the first woman nominated for the ACM’s Specialty Instrument Player of the Year honor and the CMA’s Musician of the Year award which she won in 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2019, she also released her debut album, Fiddle & Steel, and she is featured in the museum’s exhibition American Currents: State of the Music, which highlights significant developments in country music in 2021. She will be accompanied by Ben Isaacs and Mike Rogers.
CMT’s Next Women of Country – Friday, June 10, at 12:30 p.m. in the CMA Theater
The museum will present five of CMT’s Next Women of Country, hosted by CMT executive Leslie Fram, with performances and interviews with Priscilla Block, Ashland Craft, Miko Marks, Lily Rose and Hailey Whitters.
Block wrote and recorded “Just About Over You,” which landed in the top 20 on both Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, leading Block to a recording contract with Mercury Nashville. Craft, who released her debut album, Travelin’ Kind, in 2021, has collaborated on tracks with Brothers Osborne and Hardy. After a hiatus from music, Marks released her first record in thirteen years, Our Country, in early 2021 and quickly followed it with her Race Records EP, a compilation of covers of early country, bluegrass and folk-rock songs. Rose’s song “Villain” gained popularity on TikTok and helped her land a record deal in early 2021. She released her seven-track project Stronger Than I Am later that year and is an opening act on Chris Lane’s 2022 “Fill Them Boots Tour.” Whitters released her breakthrough album, Living the Dream, in 2021 and Raised in 2022. She co-wrote the Grammy-nominated song “A Beautiful Noise,” which was recorded by Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys, and her songs have also been recorded by Alan Jackson, Little Big Town and Martina McBride.
Songwriter Session: Caitlyn Smith – Saturday, June 11, at noon in the Ford Theater
Earlier this year, singer-songwriter and Monument Records artist Caitlyn Smith released her latest album, High, which includes the single “Downtown Baby.” She was also nominated for the ACM’s New Female Artist of the Year honor in 2022. Smith’s previous releases include her 2020 album, Supernova, which features the singles “Long Time Coming” and “I Can’t” (featuring Old Dominion), and her 2018 debut album, Starfire. She wrote “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” (Meghan Trainor and John Legend), “Wasting All These Tears” (Cassadee Pope) and “You Can’t Make Old Friends” (Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers), as well as songs recorded by Gabby Barrett, James Bay, Garth Brooks, Miley Cyrus, Lady A, Tenille Townes and Rascal Flatts.
Musician Spotlight: John Osborne – Sunday, June 12, at noon in the Ford Theater
John Osborne and his brother, T.J. Osborne, are together known as Brothers Osborne. The duo signed to EMI Records Nashville in 2012, and in the decade since, they have won multiple ACM and CMA awards, including three ACM Vocal Duo of the Year awards and four CMA Vocal Duo of the Year awards. Brothers Osborne earned their first Grammy, for Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Younger Me”), earlier this year. As Brothers Osborne’s guitarist, John has been profiled by publications including Guitar World and Premier Guitar. He and T.J. are featured in the museum’s exhibition American Currents: State of the Music.
