About the Museum

The Musicians Hall Of Fame and Museum is located in the heart of downtown Nashville Tn., two blocks off Broadway behind the Gaylord Entertainment Center (the GEC) and one block west across from the Country Music Hall Of Fame. The address is 301 6th Ave South. (directions )

The Musicians Hall Of Fame And Museum is the one and only museum in the world that honors the talented musicians who actually played on the greatest recordings of all time. Some like Jimi Hendrix are well known, while others like L.A session drummer Hal Blaine are not as well known to the public, but have played on hundreds of hit records from Elvis, Frank and Nancy Sinatra,The Byrds, The Mamas and The Papas and The Beach Boys, just to name a very few . The Musicians Hall Of Fame And Museum has on exhibit the very instruments that these musicians used to record many of these classic hits. The Museum will constantly be adding new exhibits for you to enjoy from all genres of music .

The museum is divided into cities that have a history of recorded music . Cities like Detroit, Nashville , Muscle Shoals , L.A , Memphis and N.Y . All of these places had musicians who were there when the recording industry was evolving and were able to play whatever was needed of them regardless of style . They had nick names like The Swampers, The A TEAM, The Memphis Boys , The FUNK BROTHERS, and The WRECKING CREW . Some of these studio bands actually became hit bands themselves like" Booker T and The M.G's" and" TOTO" .

During the late 50's , though the mid 80's , these groups of studio musicians played on over eighty to ninety percent of all the records recorded in these music centers .The museum also is proud of it's host city's musical past as well. Nashville is known as the center of country music but not many people know how many other styles of music have been recorded here in the past and now. Songs like " Dust In The Wind" by Kansas , "Heart Of Gold " by Neil Young and "Lay Lady Lay" by Bob Dylan were recorded here in music city to name a few .

From Hank Williams Sr. to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, there is something of interest for everyone to see at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum .

Admission

Museum Hours

Mon-Thur 10am - 6pm
Fri & Sat - 10am - 5pm
Closed Sundays until Spring 2007
The Museum is closed Easter, 4th of July,Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years Day.

A few of the items the museum's collection currently includes are:

*Will Lee's (Popular NY session player and Bass Player on The Late Show with David Letterman), personal collection of platinum & gold albums along with instruments used on the million selling recording sessions

*Lightnin' Chance's bass, heard on all the early Everly Brothers albums, Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe" and Hank Williams' last recording session, which brought forth "Your Cheatin' Heart."

*Eddie Willis' guitars, from countless Motown session such as "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" (his story documented in the film "Standing In the Shadows of Motown")

*Pete Drake's steel guitars, heard on Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" and George Harrison's album All Things Must Pass, as well as most of George Jones & Tammy Wynette country classics

*Marshall Grant's basses, heard on Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire," along with the amplifier from "Folsom Prison Blues" and "A Boy Named Sue," as well as Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline album

*Garry Tallent's Long Horn Bass, as well as may other items used on the road and in the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

*Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) snare drum, heard on their albums Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magic

* Billy Sherril's cigarette-burned piano, on which he composed country classics like "Almost Persuaded," "The Most Beautiful Girl" and even "Stand By Your Man

*Hal Blaine's blue sparkle Ludwig Drum Kit. This is the actual kit used on most of the Beach Boys, Mama's & The Papas, Byrds, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, the Carpenter's albums to name a very few.

*Scotty Moore's (Elvis Presley's original guitarist and manager) Gibson Super 400 along with archival photographs.

School of Music – Teachers

Andy Gurley - Guitar
Andy graduated from GIT in Los Angeles. He has performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and has toured and recorded with Curb artists Blue Country. Andy taught the members of the rock band Fuel, as well as, students at UT and MTSU. Andy teaches all styles – rock, country, jazz, and classical.

Danny Ray Martin – Guitar
Danny Ray Martin received his post-graduate degree from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He also adds private studies with the late Shawn Lane to his two degrees in guitar. Martin tours nationally with the Danny Ray Martin Quintet, a modern jazz group whose CD, Translation, has received favorable reviews from the Commercial Appeal, the TN Jazz and Blues Society and many others. As a sideman he has shared the stage with Nickel Creek, Maynard Ferguson, Michelle Wright, Buckethead, Shawn Lane, and Gabriel Katona. Martin is also Assistant Professor of Music at Bethel College in west Tennessee, where he designed the guitar curriculum and teaches theory, orchestration, and music history. His specialties are applying theory and technique to multiple music styles such as jazz, classical, rock, country, and blues.

Jerry Oliver – Guitar
Jerry is a graduate of Music Tech of Minneapolis. He is an ASCAP award winning songwriter and one half of the alt/country duo Pushin’ Daisies. Jerry has released several indie rock cds on his Odd Records Label. He also has released two instrumental guitar projects. Jerry teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. Jerry is particularly patient with kids and adults who think it’s too late to learn. Jerry also specializes in helping songwriters use the guitar more effectively in their writing. All styles welcome.

Kevin Rains – Drums
Kevin has been teaching private drum lessons for over 25 years. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Percussion from Western Michigan University and a Master Degree in Percussion from Indiana University. Kevin’s playing background includes rock, jazz, country, classical, rudimental, and world music. He is also Director of Extreme Percussion. This group allows students to explore rhythms played on trash cans, brooms and buckets, and other non-traditional instruments.

Chris Lee Stout – Guitar
Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance from North Texas University. He has played the Buda Con Pop Festival Japan. Chris is also a studio musician for such artists as Mindy McCreedy, Lisa Lobe, and Mark Willis to name a few. Chris enjoys teaching all styles of music to all ages.

Robin Ball - Piano, Voice and Guitar
Specialized instruction in songwriting and performance. ( By audition only)
While a music major at The University of South Florida, Robin was first brought to Nashville to write songs for country music star Ty Herndon.  This began a long history of writing, recording and touring as an “in demand” professional musician.  As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Robin has shared stages with artists such as The Doobie Brothers, Lone Star, Hank Williams, Jr., Creed and Nickleback just to name a few. 

Adding to her credits, Robin has become a highly sought and highly recognized private instructor. Her teaching philosophy is a simple one and has proven itself to be a great motivator as well as a great way to inspire students to challenge themselves and keep their interest

“If we teach the students music they want to learn, we can teach them everything they need to learn as well”.