Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum



The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum (MHOF) in Nashville honors all musicians regardless of genre or instrument. A large portion of the exhibits are related to session musicians who often were not credited for their work at the time. The MHOF timeline starts with the beginning of recorded music and inductees are nominated by current members of the American Federation of Musicians and by other music industry professionals.

First Museum
In November 2003, Joe Frank Chambers and his wife Linda Chambers (Nee Woods) co-founded the future Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. They purchased a 30,000 square foot building at 301 6th Ave. S., Nashville, Tennessee across from the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN and began renovating. After two and half years of renovating, they first opened the MHOFM to the public on June 6, 2006. Exhibits consisted of instruments owned and played by well-known artists as well as behind-the-scenes session musicians. The 30,000-square-foot facility was unique in the world, and its annual awards galas were star-studded affairs. The museum was voted venue of the year by the Meeting Professionals International in 2008.

In 2009–10, the city of Nashville seized the building (under the rules of eminent domain) to make way for the construction of The Music City Center, The artifacts were then stored in designated buildings, but many were damaged in the 2010 Nashville flood.[1]

Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum Today
Today the Museum is located at 401 Gay Street, Nashville, TN 37219.

In 2013, the museum found a new home in the spacious old exhibit hall of Municipal Auditorium, which more than doubled the size of the original museum. On August 29, 2013, the MHOFM reopened on the first floor of the historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium just off the James Robertson Parkway exit at 401 Gay Street, Nashville, TN 37219. The 200,000 square foot building houses the historic 10,000-seat Municipal Auditorium. The 68,000 sq. ft. exhibit floor, which was also Nashville's first convention center, now houses the museum and its artifacts. [1]

These musicians were often the house studio musicians in cities such as Memphis, Los Angeles, Detroit, Nashville, Muscle Shoals and New York City. These musicians were often the unsung heroes behind the hits of many great artists. These relatively small groups of players often recorded the majority of hits in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Honors
The museum was voted venue of the year by the Meeting Professionals International in 2008.

2007 (1st Annual)
The inaugural ceremony was highlighted by the performances of Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Peter Frampton, George Jones, Amy Grant, Rodney Crowell, B.J. Thomas, and Dobie Gray honoring the evenings inductees.
 * The Funk Brothers
 * The Nashville A-Team
 * The Wrecking Crew
 * The Blue Moon Boys, The Memphis Boys
 * The Tennessee Two

2008 (2nd Annual)
Keith Richards, Kid Rock, Phil Everly and Lee Ann Womack were among the performers to welcome the inductees. Richards joined The Crickets on stage for a performance of Holly's "Not Fade Away", which The Rolling Stones covered in 1964.
 * Billy Sherrill
 * The Crickets
 * Al Kooper
 * Duane Eddy
 * The Memphis Horns
 * Booker T. & the M.G.'s
 * The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section & Friends

2009 (3rd Annual)

 * Chet Atkins
 * Toto
 * Victor Feldman
 * Charlie Daniels
 * Fred Foster
 * Billy Cox
 * Paul Riser
 * Dick Dale

2014 (4th Annual)
After a four-year absence due to relocating, the 2014 Induction Ceremony was held in their new location on January 28, 2014.
 * Barbara Mandrell
 * Peter Frampton
 * Randy Bachman
 * Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
 * Corki Casey O'Dell
 * Velma Smith
 * Will Lee
 * Ben Keith
 * Jimmy Capps (musician)
 * Buddy Guy
 * Mike Curb
 * Roy Orbison was also honored with a special posthumous honor – the 2014 "iconic riff" award for the famous guitar lick in his hit "Pretty Woman".

2016 (5th Annual)
Musicians Hall of Fame held its 5th annual Induction Ceremony and Concert. Special guests included: Kenny G, Bruce Hornsby, Steve Wariner, Russell Thompkins Jr. and Peter Frampton.
 * Garth Brooks and his studio musicians The G-Men
 * Studio musicians from Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia
 * "Iconic Riff" winner Don Felder formerly with the Eagles for "Hotel California"
 * Ricky Skaggs
 * Jerry Reed (posthumously)
 * Producer Allen Reynolds
 * Engineers Lou Bradley, Ron 'Snake' Reynolds, Joe Tarsia, and Mark Miller.

2019 (6th Annual)
The Musicians Hall of Fame held its 6th Induction Concert and Ceremony on October 22, 2019 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The Induction Ceremony was hosted by Paul Shaffer. Guest performers included: Jason Aldean, Mandy Barnett, Garth Brooks, Kix Brooks, Zac Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Mike Farris, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Keb' Mo', and Ricky Skaggs.
 * Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars
 * Eddie Bayers
 * Paul Franklin
 * John Hobbs
 * Brent Mason
 * Michael Rhodes of The Players
 * Owen Bradley
 * Bob Berryhill
 * Pat Connolly
 * Drummers Jim Fuller and Ron Wilson of The Surfaris
 * David Briggs
 * Jerry Carrigan
 * Norbert Putnam
 * Terry Thompson, Earl Peanutt Montgomery, Joe South, and Reggie Young of the Original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
 * Harrison Calloway, Ronnie Eades, Charles Rose, and Harvey Thompson of the Muscle Shoals Horns
 * Don Everly of The Everly Brothers
 * Record engineer Billy Sharrill
 * Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, and Randy Owen of Alabama
 * Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals
 * Steve Wariner

2022 (7th Annual)
The Musicians Hall of Fame held its 7th Induction Concert and Ceremony on November 20, 2022 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium The Induction Ceremony was hosted by Phil Vassar. Guest performers including: Rodney Crowell, Steve Miller, Wendy Moten and Mike Farris. The Special performer performances Linda Chambers, executive vice president & chief operating officer.
 * Don McLean
 * Marty Stuart and The Fabulous Superlatives
 * Ray Stevens
 * George Massenburg
 * James William Guercio
 * Vince Gill

Closing and reopening
In February 2010, under the rules of eminent domain, the city of Nashville purchased the MHOF property in order to make room for the Music City Center (new convention center). On August 29, 2013, the MHOF reopened on the first floor of the historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium just off the James Robertson Parkway exit at 401 Gay Street, Nashville, TN 37219. The 200,000 square foot building houses the historic 10,000 seat Municipal Auditorium. The 68,000 sq. ft. exhibit floor, which was also Nashville's first convention center, will now house the museum and its artifacts.