Abbeville Press To Publish New Illustrated Collection ‘Treasures Of The Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum’

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Abbeville Press have collaborated to publish Treasures of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, a new illustrated book showcasing iconic artifacts, rare documents and images from the museum’s collection, due out Sept. 29.

Treasures of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum tells the story of country music through the objects and artists that define it, spanning its pre-commercial roots to the present day. Published in a format the size of an album jacket, the book includes vibrant photos that bring readers up close to many of the music’s most important artifacts, as well as narrative by the museum’s staff of historians and writers. It is edited by the museum’s Senior Director of Editorial Paul Kingsbury and features a foreword by Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer, producer and songwriter T Bone Burnett.

The 348-page book also features a selection of rare posters, publicity photos and behind-the-scenes snapshots. Other features include biographies of all the members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a curated playlist for every era of country music. Inside there are pictures of Johnny Cash’s first black suit worn onstage featuring silver trim sewn on by his mother, c. 1955; Minnie Pearl’s thrift-store straw hat with plastic flowers and dangling price tag she wore at the Grand Ole Opry; Gram Parsons’ “Nudie suit” with embroidered marijuana leaves, pills, poppies, and a cross on the back; and more.

“The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is an archeological exploration into a unique music that has been developed in this country and its crucial contribution to the soul of this country,” writes Burnett in the new book. “Since 1967, the museum has been telling the story of our country principally through the subjects of the photographs you see in this book — treasures of country music — which were once the instruments and implements that working-class people used to turn their sorrows and joys into song.”

“Abbeville Press is honored to have the opportunity to partner with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and celebrate their extraordinary collection, sharing the stories and artifacts that have shaped country music and inspired generations of artists and fans,” says Cynthia Vance-Abrams, Abbeville Press President. “We’re delighted to bring these treasures from their home in ‘Music City’ to country music lovers everywhere with this richly illustrated and giftable volume.”

Lorie Hollabaugh
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