Country Music News for the Country Music Enthusiast

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAMEŽ AND MUSEUM ANNOUNCES FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN WITH A CELEBRATION OF GENEROSITY

Sound of Johnny Cash's Martin D-35S Guitar Heralds Alliance of Artists, Business Leaders and Fans in Suppport of All For The Hall

Leaders at the Country Music Hall of FameŽ and Museum explained their need for financial support yesterday by unveiling the newest item in their collection, Johnny Cash's Martin D35S guitar, and then outlining some of the costs associated with the care of that instrument and all the other treasures in their one-of-a-kind collection.

As a next step in development efforts begun two years ago, and with numerous commitments in hand, the Museum has launched its first-ever non-bricks-and-mortar fundraising campaign, All For The Hall. "The campaign addresses the Museum's need for long-term financial security and will provide a safety net for the institution and its work," Museum Director Kyle Young said today. "It is the kind of ordinary fundraising that all not-for-profit institutions must do, but it does not signal a 'financially ailing' institution, as has been reported.

"In fact," he said, "earned income has increased each year since we opened in May 2001. This year has been particularly strong. Through June 30, every single line of business is exceeding budget projections. This is the kind of hard and smart work, executed by both the Board and the staff, that is inspiring the public and private support we celebrated yesterday."

"For more than two years now, we have been asking for help and our prayers are being answered," Museum Director Kyle Young said yesterday. "This ceremony is meant to be a prayer of thanksgiving.

"Until recently," Young said, "there was very little public understanding of this place as a tourist Mecca with an educational mission. As more and more leaders, beginning with our Board, have come to understand our mission and vision, help has begun to arrive."

Young and singer-songwriter-guitarist Vince Gill, who is president of the Museum's Board of Officers and Trustees, then announced a long list of artists who have commited to benefit concerts; philanthropists and business leaders, some of them anonymous, who have already pledged or donated funds; a series of events that will benefit the Museum, some on an annual basis; and the launch of a Web Site, www.allforthehall.com, where fans can go to make donations. 

Gill, who is leading All For The Hall in the artist community, spoke with obvious emotion about his passion for the Museum and his appeal to fellow singers, songwriters and musicians.

"I'm proud to sit on the Board of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum," he said. "I want to do something that really matters, because I revere this place more than any other. The world has to know about this place. I want to make a difference."

Rather than go to area philanthropists, which Gill referred to as Tennessee's "fab four families," Gill is calling on "every living soul who plays this music and loves this music" for one night's work to benefit the Museum. "Excuse me for saying it this way," he said. "But, let's have the balls to do this ourselves. It's our music, not theirs. We created every note of music that has come into this place. All of our history is here. This place should be revered forever. It's so much more important than what is happening in the Top Forty this week."

Artists who have already participated by making a cash donation or earmarking concert proceeds for All For The Hall include Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, the Jordanaires, Naomi Judd, Jim Lauderdale, Lonestar, Mac McAnally, Jimmy C. Newman, Jeanne Pruett, Earl Scruggs and Todd Snider. Among the artists who have made a firm commitment to participate in the coming months are Big & Rich, Carlos DeFord Bailey, Junior Brown, Kate Campbell, Melonie Cannon, Beth Nielsen Chapman, John Cowan, Katrina Elam, Janie Fricke, Amy Grant, the Grascals, Nanci Griffith, Mike Henderson, Hal Ketchum, George Lindsey, Jon Nicholson, James Otto, Robert Reynolds, Boots Randolph, Cowboy Troy and Gretchen Wilson.

Country Music Hall of Fame member E. W. "Bud" Wendell, chairman of the Museum's Board of Officers and Trustees, saluted Gill's leadership and applauded all the participating artists. "Your kindness and concern inspires us to work even harder to ensure that this institution remains country music's eternal light," he said.

Among the anonymous All For The Hall donors from the business and philanthropic community are a family foundation that has made a $l million gift; an individual who is underwriting the expense of all the Museum's development-related travel; and a company that is funding the salary for a new curator of stringed instruments. Young spoke about Nextel Sound and Speed Presented by SunTrust, a marriage of NASCAR drivers and country music stars and their fans. The annual January event "will greatly benefit Nashville as well as Victory Junction, an official NASCAR charity, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum," Young said.

"With a little help from a lot of people, we will put this Museum on a sound financial footing in perpetuity," he added. "This is the All For The Hall goal. This is an opportunity for people who love and appreciate music around the world to get involved."

To celebrate the successful launch of the fundraising campaign and to emphasize what All For The Hall philanthropy will be supporting, the Museum unveiled a 1968 Martin D-35S guitar. The instrument was one of the most important guitars in Johnny Cash's career. He used it on his groundbreaking, genre-crossing network television show and on numerous live performances at the height of his career and for more than 30 years.

The instrument was recently donated to the Museum's collection by Murfreesboro philanthropist Bob McLean. Last summer, McLean made it possible for the Museum to acquire Mother Maybelle Carter's signature Gibson L-5 guitar, an instrument that has been called country music's "Rosetta Stone."

Referring to himself and to country music fans worldwide, McLean said the Cash guitar is "a gift to us." He reminded the capacity audience that the Museum's acquisition of such treasures is "not even half the battle." He said he didn't realize, until recently, that "both to preserve and to make these invaluable resources permanently available requires hours and hours of cataloging, millions of dollars for digitizing, funds for the new exhibits that bring us visitors from around the world and funds for the school and family programs that bring our community together and that help develop new audiences for country music.

"We all need to understand that preserving our musical heritage is our job, too," McLean said. "I invite all Americans to join me in supporting this good work, and I salute each of the All For The Hall donors for the leadership that exemplifies a museum-quality career."

Gill strapped on Cash's guitar and treated the audience to a performance of the Man in Black standards "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Ring of Fire," concluding with one of his own compositions co-written with Leslie Satcher, "Oklahoma Dust" from the recent Notorious Cherry Bombs album, a song that clearly demonstrated the influence of Johnny Cash. 

Carlene Carter and the cast of the bio-musical Wildwood Flowers: The June Carter Cash Story presented the celebration's finale performance, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." 

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Country Music Hall of FameŽ and Museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The Museum's mission is the preservation of the history of country and related vernacular music rooted in southern culture. With the same educational mission, the Foundation also operates CMF Records, the Museum's Frist Library and Archive, CMF Press, historic RCA Studio B, and Hatch Show Print.

The Ford Division of the Ford Motor Co. is a Founding Partner of the $37 million Country Music Hall of FameŽ and Museum, which opened on May 17, 2001. 

More information about the Country Music Hall of FameŽ and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.com or by calling (615) 416-2001.