Musicians Hall of Fame Nashville: honoring the players behind the hits
You know the songs. The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum introduces you to the musicians who actually played on them. It’s the only museum in the world dedicated to the session musicians, producers and engineers behind the greatest recorded music of all time, in every genre. The first class of inductees set the tone: the Nashville A-Team, the Wrecking Crew, Motown’s Funk Brothers and Johnny Cash’s Tennessee Two. It’s a favorite among serious music fans and a revelation for everyone else.
From studio players to superstars
Alongside the session greats, the Musicians Hall of Fame honors star musicians whose playing defined their records. Inductees include Chet Atkins, Glen Campbell, George Jones, Barbara Mandrell, Roy Orbison, Peter Frampton and Garth Brooks, who was inducted along with the G-Men, his longtime studio band. Some honorees started as session players and went on to become headliners themselves, like Toto. Others, like the studio musicians of Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studio, shaped an entire sound without ever becoming household names.
The players who backed the biggest stars are honored here too. The Wrecking Crew played on records by the Beach Boys and countless other hitmakers. The Nashville A-Team recorded on Music Row behind Grand Ole Opry stars and pop icons alike, from Patsy Cline to Elvis.
What’s inside the museum
The galleries are packed with the real instruments, amplifiers and studio gear behind decades of hit records. They’re organized by the cities and studios where the music was made, including Detroit, Memphis, Muscle Shoals, Los Angeles and Nashville. You’ll see guitars played by Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash and Elton John, plus a guitar that once belonged to John Lennon.
Other highlights include one of Jimi Hendrix’s Stratocasters, alongside the stage from The Jolly Roger, the Nashville club where he played. There are guitars Glen Campbell used on his TV show and as a session player, and the recording machine at Sun Studio that captured a young Elvis. Videos throughout let the artists tell their own stories, including Kix Brooks recounting the Brooks & Dunn story.
The GRAMMY Museum Gallery
Included with admission, the GRAMMY Museum Gallery turns visitors into musicians. Interactive stations let you sing, play, mix, produce and record, with guidance from the artists and engineers who know the craft best. Between them, the museum’s inductees have collected a long list of Grammy Awards, and here you get to try what they do. It’s a hit with kids and adults alike, and it’s easy to lose an hour here.
A historic home in Nashville Municipal Auditorium
The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum has called historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium home since 2013. Founder Joe Chambers opened the original museum a few blocks away in 2006, but that building was demolished to make way for the Music City Center. The museum moved into the auditorium’s old exhibit hall, which was itself the city’s first convention center. Today the auditorium also hosts the museum’s induction ceremonies, bringing generations of musicians together on one stage.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, 401 Gay Street, Nashville TN
The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 401 Gay Street in Nashville, Tennessee, a short walk north of Broadway. From Noelle, it’s about five minutes on foot, an easy add-on to a morning downtown. Plan one and a half to two hours to explore. If you’re visiting on a Saturday, go early to beat the crowds. Check musicianshalloffame.com for current hours.
Why it’s worth the stop
Among the many museums in Music City, the Musicians Hall of Fame tells music history from inside the studio. Pair it with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum across downtown for the full picture. Come with a playlist in mind. You’ll hear your favorite records differently afterward.