(Editor's Note: On Dec. 6 the GRAMMY Museum will celebrate its five-year anniversary by offering free admission to the Museum all day. For more information on the GRAMMY Museum and its programs, visit www.grammymuseum.org, follow the Museum on Twitter @TheGRAMMYMuseum and "like" the GRAMMY Museum on Facebook.)

If GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli has his way, America will one day have as many music museums as art museums — maybe more. And as the GRAMMY Museum in downtown Los Angeles celebrates its fifth anniversary on Dec. 6, Santelli is working toward making that dream a reality. On June 11 ground was broken for GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, the first full-fledged satellite GRAMMY Museum, across from Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss. The 20,000-plus-square-foot Museum is expected to open in summer 2015.

"When that Museum opens it will be the most technologically rich music museum on the planet," Santelli says.

The Mississippi version will examine blues, country, gospel, rock, hip-hop, and every other genre with a foothold in the region that calls itself — justifiably, according to Santelli — "The Birthplace of American Music." Not to be outdone, Memphis, Tenn., touts itself as both the "Home of the Blues" and "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll," while Eastern Tennessee claims to be the "Cradle of Country Music" and Nashville is known as "Music City."

And these cities are not just saying it, they're proving it.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, on Oct. 26 The Recording Academy Memphis Chapter and the Stax Museum launched And The GRAMMY Goes To Memphis, a new exhibit on display through October 2014. The exhibit features 19 gramophone statuettes from various local GRAMMY winners dating back to 1966 and the first GRAMMY won by a Memphis-based act, gospel greats the Blackwood Brothers.

As more regions turn to tourism for economic development and custodians of musical legacies seek to preserve, share and capitalize on their heritage, music museums, archives, halls of fame, music trails, and other similar attractions are proliferating around the country.

The forthcoming GRAMMY Museum Mississippi site will be housed only 45 minutes away from Clarksdale, home of the Delta Blues Museum and the crossroads where, as legend has it, blues pioneer Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his playing prowess. Even closer is the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola.

Memphis, two hours north of Cleveland, Miss., on Route 61 ("the blues highway"), contains some of the nation's most popular musical attractions, including Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley cut his first tracks; Presley's beloved Graceland mansion; the Stax Museum of American Soul Music; and the Smithsonian-affiliated Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum on Beale Street, itself a famed attraction. Tourists seeking a full understanding of their cultural impact are advised to first visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel (where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated). Memphis music historian Robert Gordon, author of Respect Yourself: Stax Records & The Soul Explosion, says they're all vital.

"Each one tells different parts of the story," he says. "I don't feel like they overlap; their approaches are different."

The Sun Studio tour, for example, occurs in a nondescript, tile-floored room. Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and the still-killer Jerry Lee Lewis — called the Million Dollar Quartet — feel almost as if they're standing in that room once skilled narrators bring their stories to life with anecdotes and audio clips.

"The ones that work best are the ones that tell stories," Gordon says.

Perspective is also important.

"In the Stax Museum, for example, there's a narrative thread about racism in Memphis," he adds. "In the B.B. King Museum, there's a story about social changes in the Delta, the way farms changed and the way society changed. The people who do it best are the ones who understand that small stories can be a microcosm for a national story, if it's in the right context. … A good museum gives you a new way to look at its subject."

The Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Va., achieves that with its Roots of American Music exhibit, the brainchild of National Heritage Fellow Joe Wilson, chairman of the National Council for the Traditional Arts.

Telling "the story of American music in the mountains," the exhibit illuminates how the African banjo and European fiddle came to exemplify Americana. The center is situated on Virginia's Crooked Road Music Trail, which also includes the Carter Family Fold and Memorial Music Center in Hiltons, where the first family of country music lived and played. Saturday nights in the large wooden barn, grandparents pass down Appalachian flat-foot or clog-dancing steps to gangly tweens, cleats clicking to old-time rhythms delivered by resolutely non-electrified players. The Fold was also the last place Cash, husband of June Carter, played before his death. 

As a tribute to the late Man in Black, on May 30 the Johnny Cash Museum, created by his friend Bill Miller, opened its doors in Nashville. Also in Music City, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently completed renovations that doubled its size to 250,000 square feet, and this past summer the first-ever physical Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame gallery debuted at the newly constructed Music City Center. Cash's daughter, GRAMMY winner Rosanne Cash, calls the Johnny Cash Museum "meticulously curated."

"The family items included are appropriate to my dad's legacy," she adds. "There is nothing in there that made me feel uncomfortable, or I felt was gratuitous. The respect the museum has for my dad is palpable."

Though compact, the museum offers a fascinating, multifaceted look at the country icon's life.

Bluegrass banjo great Earl Scruggs will receive similar treatment with the Jan. 11, 2014, opening of the Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories From The American South in the former Shelby County, N.C., courthouse, the latest link in the state's Blue Ridge Music Trails.

Wayne Martin, executive director of the North Carolina Arts Council, says the trails provide "multiple entry points into the more grassroots, or authentic, culture of the region." Though not all North Carolina music originated in the mountains, Martin says, "It's the term that captures the spirit of that community-based string-band music."

The Stax Museum, Detroit's Motown Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, and Seattle's Experience Music Project might all be considered what Santelli calls "pilgrimage sites" — memorabilia-filled destinations fans feel compelled to visit at least once in their lives.

Smaller, less theme-specific landmarks such as the GRAMMY Museum, he says, need to focus as much on educational and entertainment programming as they do exhibits. In addition to more than two dozen exhibits exploring everything from rock, hip-hop and country to classical, Latin, R&B, and jazz, the Museum's education staff uses music as a gateway to learning by providing hands-on experiences that allow students to deepen their understanding of music, culture and history.

"With music education leaving schools, the music museum now has added responsibility," Santelli notes. "Why not have a music museum in every American city? There's plenty of music to celebrate and explore."

(Austin, Texas-based writer/editor Lynne Margolis contributes regularly to print, broadcast and online media including American Songwriter and Lone Star Music magazines. Outlets also have included the Christian Science Monitor, Paste, Rollingstone.com, and NPR. A contributing editor to the encyclopedia, The Ties That Bind: Bruce Springsteen From A To E To Z, Margolis also writes bios for new and established artists.)

The inaugural GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala is just ahead — and now, we know which musicians will grace the stage. Andra Day, Ravyn Lenae, Shinedown, and the War and Treaty will perform at the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum's gala, with more performers to be announced at a later date.

The Gala will take place on May 21, 2024, at the Novo Theater in Downtown Los Angeles and will be hosted by veteran CBS broadcast journalist Anthony Mason. The annual Gala will also honor a label, with the first being Atlantic Records.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 12 p.m. PT at this link. More information about the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala is available here.

The inaugural Hall Of Fame Gala will honor the 2024 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducted recordings on its 50th Anniversary, including De La Soul's 3 Feet High And Rising, Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction, Buena Vista Social Club's Buena Vista Social Club, and Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, as well as recordings by Donna Summer, Charley Pride, Wanda Jackson, Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra, the Doobie Brothers, and William Bell.

The Gala will also pay tribute to iconic record label Atlantic Records, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and has over 38 recordings already inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. 

"We're honored that the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have chosen Atlantic to be the first label celebrated at what promises to be an exciting annual event," said Atlantic Music Group Chairman & CEO Julie Greenwald and Atlantic Records Chairman & CEO Craig Kallman. "The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame includes many of the most groundbreaking recordings in our company's 75-year history, and it will be great to hear some of our outstanding current artists bring their unique voices to these timeless songs."

"We are thrilled to be able to recognize Atlantic Records' incomparable contribution to recorded music, including numerous Hall Of Fame inducted recordings, as our first Hall Of Fame Gala label honoree. We're looking forward to celebrating them along with this year's inducted recordings during an unforgettable evening of performances by some of today's most talented artists," says Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Museum.

The evening will include a red carpet and VIP reception on the Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum followed by a one-of-a-kind concert at the Novo Theater. This year's show will be produced by longtime Executive Producer of the GRAMMY Awards, Ken Ehrlich, along with Chantel Sausedo and Ron Basile. Musical Direction by globally renowned producer and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. The Gala is presented by City National Bank.

The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's National Trustees in 1973. The inducted recordings are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts with final 

ratification by the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees.

With 10 new titles, the Hall currently totals 1,152 inducted recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. Recipients will receive an official certificate from the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum.

The full list of past inducted recordings can be viewed here. For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to halloffame@grammymuseum.org. And keep checking GRAMMY.com for more info about the GRAMMY Hall of Fame gala, and beyond!

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Henry Mancini had a gift for melodies of an ethereal, almost supernatural beauty.  

His prolific discography — albums of jazzy orchestral pop, dozens of film and television soundtracks — established him as a cultural icon and transformed the role that melody and song played in the art of movie narrative. Once you encounter a Henry Mancini tune, it’s almost impossible not to start humming it.

A composer, arranger, conductor and pianist of tireless discipline, Mancini won a staggering 20 GRAMMY Awards and was nominated 72 times. All of his wins — including the first-ever golden gramophone for Album Of The Year at the inaugural 1959 GRAMMYs — will be on display at the GRAMMY Museum to honor his centennial birthday, April 16. 

To mark what would be his centennial birthday, Mancini's children will travel to Abruzzo, Italy — where Mancini’s parents migrated from. And on June 23, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra will present a program of his music with a gallery of guest stars including singer Monica Mancini, the maestro’s daughter. Out June 21, The Henry Mancini 100th Sessions – Henry Has Company will feature a new recording of "Peter Gunn" conducted by Quincy Jones and featuring John Williams, Herbie Hancock and Arturo Sandoval.

Although Mancini died in 1994 at age 70, his compositions remain timeless and ever-relevant. Read on for 10 essential Henry Mancini compositions to cherish and rediscover.  

"Peter Gunn" (1958)

In 1958, Mancini was looking for work and used his old Universal studio pass to enter the lot and visit the barber shop. It was outside the store that he met writer/director Blake Edwards and got the chance to write the music for a new television show about private detective Peter Gunn. 

Seeped in West Coast Jazz, Mancini’s main theme sounds brash and exciting to this day – its propulsive beat and wailing brass section evoking an aura of cool suspense. The "Peter Gunn" assignment cemented his reputation as a cutting-edge composer, and the accompanying album (The Music From Peter Gunn) won GRAMMYs in the Album Of The Year and Best Arrangement categories.

"Mr. Lucky" (1959)

Half of the "Peter Gunn" fan mail was addressed to Mancini. As a result, CBS offered Blake Edwards a second television show, as long as the composer was part of the package. Edwards created "Mr. Lucky," a stylish series about the owner of a floating casino off the California coast. 

1959 was an exhausting year for Mancini, as he was scoring two shows at the same time on a weekly basis. Still, his music flowed with elegance and ease. The "Mr. Lucky" ambiance allowed him to explore Latin rhythms, and the strings on his wonderful main theme shimmer with a hint of yearning. It won GRAMMY Awards in 1960 for Best Arrangement and Best Performance by an Orchestra.

"Lujon" (1961)

As part of his contract with RCA Victor, Mancini was committed to recording a number of albums featuring original compositions in the same velvety jazz-pop idiom from his television work. "Lujon" is the standout track from Mr. Lucky Goes Latin, a collection of Latin-themed miniatures that luxuriate in a mood of plush languor.

 Inspired by the complex harmonics of French composer Maurice Ravel, "Lujon" steers safely away from lounge exotica thanks to the refined qualities of the melody and arrangement.

"Moon River" (1961)

Performed on a harmonica, the main melody of "Moon River" is nostalgic to the bone, but also life affirming. A majestic string section makes the music swoon, like gliding on air. And the harmonies in the vocal chorus add gravitas — a touch of humanity. 

It took Mancini half an hour to write "Moon River," but the Breakfast at Tiffany’s anthem made him a global superstar. Among the many artists who covered the song, pop crooner Andy Williams turned it into his personal anthem. Mancini won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and GRAMMY Awards for Record Of The Year, Song Record Of The Year and Best Arrangement. The album soundtrack earned two additional gramophones.

Theme from Hatari! (1962)

After two failed attempts with different composers, legendary director Howard Hawks invited Mancini to write the score for Hatari! — the wildly episodic but oddly endearing safari film he had shot in Tanganyika with John Wayne. Mancini jumped at the opportunity, and Hawks gave him a few boxes from the trip that contained African percussive instruments, a thumb piano and a tape of Masai tribal chants. Two chords from that chant, together with a slightly detuned upright piano formed the basis for the movie’s main theme. 

Mancini’s sparse arrangement and melancholy melody conspired to create one of the most gorgeous themes in the history of film.

"Days of Wine and Roses" (1962)

Throughout the decades, Mancini provided musical accompaniment to Blake Edwards’ filmography, which switched from slapstick comedy to stark melodrama. There is a perverse beauty to the theme of Days of Wine and Roses — a movie about a couple of lifelong alcoholics — as the lush choral arrangement seems to glorify the innocence of better times. 

It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song — Mancini’s second Oscar in a row — and three GRAMMYs: Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Background Arrangement.

"The Pink Panther Theme" (1963)

Directed by Edwards and starring Peter Sellers as part of an ensemble cast, the original Pink Panther was a frothy caper comedy that had none of the manic touches of comedic genius that Sellers would exhibit in subsequent entries of the franchise. It was Mancini’s ineffable main theme that carried the movie through.

Jazzy and mischievous, Mancini wrote the melody with the light-as-a-feather playing of tenor saxophonist Plas Johnson in mind. It won GRAMMYs in three categories: Best Instrumental Arrangement, Best Instrumental Compositions (Other Than Jazz), and Best Instrumental Performance – Non-Jazz.

Charade (1963)

Mancini’s gift for cosmopolitan tunes and jazzy arrangements found the perfect vehicle in the score for Stanley Donen’s Charade — a droll Hitchcockian thriller shot in Paris and starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. 

The main theme is a waltz in A minor, and opens with pulsating percussion. When the central melody appears, it evokes a melancholy reflection and a certain thirst for the kind of globetrotting adventure that the film delivers in spades. It was Johnny Mercer’s favorite Mancini melody, and he wrote exquisite lyrics for it. 

The best version probably belongs to jazz singer Johnny Hartman, who released it as the opening track of his 1964 album I Just Dropped By To Say Hello.

Two For The Road (1967)

Friends and family remember Mancini as a humble craftsman who ignored the trappings of fame and focused on the discipline of work. In 1967, after Audrey Hepburn cabled to ask him about writing the music for the Stanley Donen film Two For The Road, Mancini agreed, but was taken aback when the director rejected his initial theme. Leaving his ego aside, he returned to the drawing board and delivered a lovely new melody – and a spiraling piano pattern seeped in old fashioned tenderness.

"Theme from The Molly Maguires" (1970)

Even though Mancini enjoyed most accolades during the ‘60s, his protean level of inspiration never wavered. In 1970, he was brought in to rescue the soundtrack of Martin Ritt’s gritty secret societies drama The Molly Maguires, about Irish-American miners rebelling against their mistreatment in 19th century Pennsylvania. 

The main theme makes time stand still: a sparse arrangement that begins with a solitary harp, until a recorder ushers in a haunting, Irish-inspired melody. The score reflected a more restrained Mancini, but was still intensely emotional.

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"Oh no, I’m going to start crying again," says La Santa Cecilia singer La Marisoul during a touching scene in Alma Bohemia, the documentary directed by Carlos Pérez honoring the Los Angeles band’s 15 year anniversary. 

As it turns out, there are many reasons to be emotional about this film — and the very existence of La Santa Cecilia in the contemporary Latin music landscape. Fittingly, Alma Bohemia was received enthusiastically by the capacity audience during an exclusive screening on April 3 at the GRAMMY Museum’s Clive Davis Theater in Los Angeles. 

Formed by La Marisoul (real name is Marisol Hernández), bassist Alex Bendaña, accordionist and requinto player José "Pepe" Carlos and percussionist Miguel "Oso" Ramírez, La Santa Cecilia was for years one of the best kept secrets in the Los Angeles music scene.  As close friends and musicians, they won over audiences with an organic, down-to-earth sound and a lovely songbook that draws from traditional formats such as bolero, ranchera and nueva canción.

Alma Bohemia follows the making of La Santa’s 2023 album, Cuatro Copas Bohemia en la Finca Altozano. A celebration of the band’s longevity, the session also functions as a subtle, yet powerful musical experiment. It was recorded at the Finca Altozano in Baja California, where the band members stayed as guests of celebrated chef Javier Plascencia — a longtime fan.

Argentine producer Sebastián Krys — the band’s longtime collaborator — calls this his Alan Lomax experiment. The album was recorded live on tape with a variety of strategically placed microphones capturing hints of ambient sonics — a sweet afternoon breeze, the clinking of glasses, the musicians’ banter, the soft sounds that accompany stillness. 

From the very beginning, the making of Cuatro Copas mirrors the band’s bohemian cosmovision: A communal approach where the quartet — together with carefully selected guest stars — get together to share the magic of creation, the unity of like-minded souls, homemade food, and more than a couple of drinks. In effect, the bottles of mezcal and never ending rounds of toasting quickly become a running joke throughout the documentary.

La Marisoul’s fragile lament is enveloped in spiraling lines of mournful electric guitars with soulful understatement on the track "Almohada." Guest artists liven things up, with Oaxacan sister duo Dueto Dos Rosas adding urgency to "Pescadores de Ensenada," while son jarocho master Patricio Hidalgo ventures into a lilting (yet hopeful) "Yo Vengo A Ofrecer Mi Corazón," the ‘90s Argentine rock anthem by Fito Páez.

Visibly delighted to be part of the bohemia, 60-year-old ranchera diva Aida Cuevas steals the show with her rousing rendition of "Cuatro Copas," the José Alfredo Jiménez classic. "Viva México!" she exclaims as the entire group sits around a bonfire at night, forging the past and future of Mexican American music into one.

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Following the screening, the band sat down for a Q&A session hosted by journalist Betto Arcos. Sitting on the first row, a visibly moved young woman from El Salvador thanked the band for helping her to cope with the complex web of feelings entailed in migrating from Latin America. La Santa’s songs, she said, reminded her of the loving abuelita who stayed behind.

"We love the old boleros and rancheras," said La Marisoul. "We became musicians by playing many of those songs in small clubs and quinceañeras. It’s a repertoire that we love, and I don’t think that will ever change."

Carlos touched on his experience being a member of Santa Cecilia for about seven years before he was able to secure legal status in the U.S. When the band started to get concert bookings in Texas, they would take long detours on their drives to avoid the possibility of being stopped by the authorities. Carlos thanked his wife Ana for the emotional support she provided during those difficult years.

Ramírez took the opportunity to acknowledge producer Krys for being an early champion of the band. "He had a vision, and he made us better," he said, flashing forward to a recent edition of the Vive Latino festival. "There were about 12,000 people to see us," he said. "And they were singing along to our tunes."

"The band is just an excuse to hang out with your friends," added La Marisoul just before La Santa performed two live songs. Her voice sounded luminous and defiant in the theater’s intimate space, always the protagonist in the group’s delicately layered arrangements.

"The first time I got to see the finished documentary, I felt proud of all the work we’ve done together," said producer Krys from his Los Angeles studio the day after the screening. "On the other hand, there’s a lot of work ahead of us. I believe La Santa Cecilia deserves wider exposure. They should be up there among the greatest artists in Latin music."

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Across the United States, from the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the esteemed Jazz Hall of Fame, music halls of fame dot the landscape, paying tribute to the pinnacle talents of the music industry throughout the years.

Whether you're a Billy Joel fan who wants to catch a glimpse of the piano he played on "Vienna," or get a peek at the mood board that led to Kacey Musgraves' "Slow Burn," these esteemed halls of fame offer a wide selection of programs and exhibits that provide a behind-the-scenes look at music history, past, present, and future.

From the sonic heart of Nashville, to the bustling music hub of Long Island, these institutions pay homage to top stars across the ages and are worth a trip to this spring. Regardless of your musical preferences, there's a music hall of fame and exhibit tailored to your tastes. Dive into these 11 this spring and discover something new about your favorite artists. 

Country Music Hall of Fame

Nashville, Tennessee

The Country Music Hall of Fame boasts a collection of over 2.5 million artifacts and is one of the most frequented museums in the United States. This institution celebrates the rich legacies of country music through a wide array of exhibits, memorabilia, and educational initiatives.

Stop by this spring for: "American Currents: State of the Music," spotlighting artists who are making waves in today's music scene.

In this exhibit, you'll find memorabilia from Oliver Anthony, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Bush, Tyler Childers, Luke Combs, S.G. Goodman, Nat Myers, Nickel Creek, Joy Oladokun, Jelly Roll, Allison Russell, SistaStrings, Billy Strings, Taylor Swift, Molly Tuttle, Morgan Wallen, Kelsey Waldon, The War And Treaty, Lucinda Williams, Lainey Wilson, and Shucked (the Broadway musical scored by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally).

From Jelly Roll's iconic jacket from his first headlining show in Nashville to an electric guitar belonging to Lainey Wilson, to a banjo once strummed by Billy Strings, visitors can see these artifacts firsthand that have shaped moments of music history.

Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame

Long Island, New York

The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame celebrates the indelible mark left by local musicians and entertainers on the music industry.

Within its walls, visitors can journey through Long Island's star-studded musical history with top names like Billy Joel, Twisted Sister, Mariah Carey, Simon & Garfunkel, Louis Armstrong, and more. Spanning genres from rock and pop to jazz and beyond, the museum offers a compelling narrative of Long Island's cultural richness.

This spring, don't miss the exclusive exhibit, "Billy Joel: My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey”. Showcasing over five decades of Billy Joel's most treasured possessions, the exhibit unveils rare memorabilia, behind-the-scenes footage, unique audio and video recordings, vintage instruments, and historic photographs — many of which were donated by the artist himself and are on display for the first time.

Drawing enthusiasts of all ages, this exhibit offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to delve into Billy Joel's remarkable career journey, from his humble beginnings in Long Island to his iconic albums, world tours, artistic influences, and personal anecdotes.

Partnering with Stevie Van Zandt's TeachRock organization, the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame also hosts regular teacher training events. Every Sunday, visitors can enjoy live music concerts featuring local emerging talent.

Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum

Nashville, Tennessee

From memorabilia from Johnny Cash to TOTO, the Musicians Hall of Fame pays tribute to musicians from a wide array of genres. 

rom iconic instruments to stage attire worn during historic performances, each artifact offers a glimpse into the world of American music history. Inside, you'll also find the GRAMMY Museum Gallery offering an interactive experience for visitors on the history of the GRAMMY Awards.

Visitors to the Hall of Fame can try their hand at playing electric drums, keyboards, bass, and guitar, and even try out singing to a Ray Charles and the Raelettes track.

At the Musicians Hall of Fame, you'll also find exhibits dedicated to songwriting, engineering, and producing, allowing patrons to take a peek behind the scenes of what it takes to make a hit record.

Blues Hall of Fame

Memphis, Tennessee

Opened in 2015, The Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame Museum captivates blues enthusiasts and casual visitors. Highlighting inductees across five key categories — Performer, Individual, Album, Single, and Literature —the museum offers an exploration of the genre's legacy. Visitors can walk through 10 curated galleries while immersing themselves in the music, videos, and stories of inductees. 

Take a walk around and visit Pee Wee Crayton's Fender Stratocaster Guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn's Lakland Electric Bass, Matt "Guitar" Murphy's McHugh Guitar, Bettye LaVette's Kennedy Center Honors Performance Outfit, Stevie Ray Vaughan's Performance Kimono, and more. 

From rare album covers and photographs to prestigious awards, the exhibits showcase items that encapsulate blues history.

Jazz Hall of Fame

Kansas City, Missouri

Step into the rhythm and soul of jazz at the Jazz Hall of Fame in Kansas City. 

As jazz traversed the globe, it became a melting pot of diverse musical cultures, resulting in a tapestry of unique styles.

In the early 1910s, jazz emerged from a fusion of brass-band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime, and blues, crafting a sound marked by collective polyphonic improvisation.

Delve into the genre's improvisational spirit as you discover the groundbreaking work of jazz luminaries like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis.

Explore the evolution of jazz through interactive exhibits and rare recordings that continue to inspire musicians and aficionados alike.

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Tuscumbia, Alabama

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame was established by the Muscle Shoals Music Association, a professional organization made up of producers, musicians, songwriters, recording studio owners, and studio owners. 

In 1980, they founded the Alabama Music Hall of Fame to honor Alabama's top music achievers.

Through its exhibits and interactive displays, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame commemorates the diverse musical history of Alabama.

From Hank Williams' incisive country ballads to Lionel Richie's soulful melodies and Alabama's chart-topping hits, the museum illustrates the profound impact Alabama musicians have had on the world of music.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Nashville, Tennessee

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is a non-profit committed to preserving songwriting in the Nashville music community.

Throughout its 40 years since inception, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame used to be only virtual. The Hall of Fame Gallery is now open in the Music City Center, Nashville’s 1.2 million-square-foot convention center.

Featuring the works of legendary songsmiths such as Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, and Keith Urban, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame has inducted many stars who have had a significant impact on the Nashville music scene.

Whether you're a devoted fan of country music or simply fascinated by the art of songwriting, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame gallery provides an immersive experience that celebrates the past, present, and future of Nashville music complete with educational videos and memorabilia.

Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame

Detroit, Michigan

As visitors step into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, they will be welcomed with a wealth of memorabilia and photographs that chronicle the evolution of R&B music.

Visitors can explore the pioneering work of legendary artists such as B.B. King and Aretha Franklin, whose voices transcended boundaries and inspired millions around the world. 

Visitors can also delve into the performances of James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," whose stage presence revolutionized the live music experience. Through immersive exhibits and interactive displays, visitors have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of R&B music and its cultural significance.

Whether exploring the origins of the Motown sound or tracing the influence of gospel and blues on the genre, each exhibit offers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of R&B history. In addition to its exhibits, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame hosts a variety of events, concerts, and educational programs throughout the year.

International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

Owensboro, Kentucky

The International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame stands as a renowned institution, revered by music enthusiasts from around the world. Rooted in the heart of the Bluegrass State, this museum serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of bluegrass music and the many artists who have shaped its distinctive sound. 

The museum's current exhibits offer an immersive experience, inviting guests to explore the genre's rich tapestry through a diverse array of artifacts, memorabilia, and interactive displays. 

From the iconic instruments of Bill Monroe, the "Father of Bluegrass," to the revolutionary banjo picking of Earl Scruggs, visitors can trace the footsteps of these legendary pioneers and gain insight into their innovative contributions to the genre.

With displays featuring recordings and personal artifacts from modern-day luminaries like Alison Krauss, visitors can witness firsthand the evolution of bluegrass and its enduring relevance in today's music landscape. The museum serves as a hub for live performances, workshops, and educational programs, fostering a sense of community among bluegrass enthusiasts and providing aspiring musicians with the tools and resources they need to carry the genre forward into the future.

GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

Los Angeles, California

The Recording Academy has revealed 10 incredible recordings to be newly inducted to the distinguished GRAMMY Hall Of Fame as part of its 2024 inductee class and in celebration of its 50th anniversary this year.

The inducted recordings, which will be added to the iconic catalog residing at the GRAMMY Museum, will be honored at GRAMMY Museum's inaugural GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala and concert, presented by City National Bank, taking place Tuesday, May 21, at the NOVO Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets for and performers at the Gala will be announced at a later date.

This year's GRAMMY Hall of Fame additions, the first inductions since 2021, include four albums and six singles that exhibit qualitative or historical significance and are at least 25 years old. See here for a full list of the 2024 recordings inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame!

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