Naomi Judd Reminisces About the Past at The Country Music Hall of Fame 5/15

Curators at the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum continue to work on additions to the Museum’s permanent exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music. The most recent updates focus on country music’s ‘New Traditionalists,’ including the Judds, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs and George Strait. Read more here

Museum officials have also announced a weekend of special programs on May 14-15 to celebrate the unveiling of this new visitor experience; highlights will include a curators’ talk on May 14 and an interview with artist Naomi Judd and record executive Joe Galante on May 15 at 1:30 p.m. in the Ford Theater. (Additional program details are below.) All programs are included with Museum admission and free to Museum members.

The Judds. Items newly on display include Wynonna Judd’s Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, custom made for her and featuring “WY2K” inlaid in mother-of-pearl on the fretboard; and the black jersey gown worn by Naomi Judd to the 1990 Academy of Country Music Awards.

The Museum will celebrate the completion of these updates with several special programs on May 14-15, including:

Saturday, May 15 1:30 p.m.
Interview: The Future Revisited: Country Music’s Recent Past with Joe Galante and Naomi Judd

Joe Galante, chairman of Sony Music Nashville, and country music icon Naomi Judd will be special guests in this freewheeling discussion of recent developments and trends in country music. As a record company executive, Galante was on the front lines for the emergence of the Outlaw movement, Alabama’s rise to prominence, and the Judds’ ascendance to superstardom. In more recent times, the label chief and his staff have shepherded the careers of Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, to name a few. Judd and daughter Wynonna broke through in 1984 with a fresh sound that added momentum to the New Traditionalist movement. The duo was credited with “single-handedly saving country music” by Time. They sold more than 20 million records from 1984–90, landed fourteen #1 singles on the country charts, and won countless awards including seven consecutive wins for CMA Vocal Group/Duo of the Year and ACM Vocal Duet of the Year. The Judds will reunite for their first tour in a decade in late 2010. Museum staffer Michael McCall leads the conversation.

Here’s a short video by Wynonna at the exhibit

Country Music Hall of Fame Judds Exhibit