'American Sound and Beauty' Opens Friday at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will unveil American Sound and Beauty: Guitars from the Bachman-Gretsch Collection this Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. The exhibition, which will run through July, is the largest exhibition of stringed instruments ever mounted by the museum. Seventy-five guitars offer the public its most comprehensive look at the renowned Bachman-Gretsch collection. The opening will be celebrated with two weekends of special programming.

On Friday, Jan. 15, at 12:30 p.m., and on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 1:30 p.m., the museum will host Gallery Talkback: The Gretsch Legacy, with Edward Ball, author of Gretsch 6120: The History of a Legendary Guitar and Ball's Manual of Gretsch Guitars: 1950s. Ball will host a discussion on the history and innovations of Gretsch and the unique significance of the guitars on display in the new exhibition. On Sunday, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m., the museum will offer a Gretsch Guitar Demonstration by Paul Moseley, winner of national and international thumbpicking contests and member of the National Thumbpicking Hall of Fame.

On Saturday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m., the museum presents Nashville Cats: A Salute to Guitarist Duane Eddy. With his 1958 hit "Rebel Rouser" Eddy became an instrumental hero of rock & roll. He embraced country music influences and collaborated with Chet Atkins, Phil Everly, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and more. The program will include photos, video and audio samples, and a performance by Eddy. After the program, Eddy will sign copies of a limited edition poster from Hatch Show Print, available for purchase in the Museum Store. Finally, on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 1 p.m. the museum will present a Gretsch Guitar Demonstration with Meagan Taylor, guitarist and great-niece of Chet Atkins, and Ben Hall, 2005 National and International Thumbstyle champion.

Throughout its six-month run, American Sound and Beauty will be accompanied by public programs, including film screenings, instrument demonstrations, family activities and more. The schedule will be updated regularly at countrymusichalloffame.org.

Attendees must have a program pass to guarantee admission to some events. Program passes are free with museum admission or membership. Museum members may reserve their program passes in advance by phone (615-416-2050) or via reservations@countrymusichalloffame.org.

In addition to two weekends of programming, the museum is also offering a chance to win a trip to Nashville to experience American Sound and Beauty. Enter until Feb. 23 at countrymusichalloffame.org/bgsweeps to win a prize pack including:

• Round-trip airfare
• Two-night hotel accommodations
• VIP tour of the new Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition American Sound and Beauty: Guitars from the Bachman-Gretsch Collection
• VIP tour of Historic RCA Studio B on Music Row
• VIP tour of Hatch Show Print letterpress print shop
• A Gretsch guitar

The Bachman-Gretsch Collection was amassed by Canadian guitarist and songwriter Randy Bachman, a key member of rock bands the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Bachman acquired more than three hundred historic and rare Gretsch guitars in the 1970s and 1980s. His collection was purchased in 2008 by the Gretsch Foundation, the charitable arm of the Gretsch family.

For additional information about the exhibition, visit countrymusichalloffame.org. Follow @countrymusichof on Twitter and join the conversation using #BachmanGretschExhibit.