And where else can you find a Gram Parsons Nudie suit with marijuana leaves embroidered on it? Or a nurse's cap worn by Naomi Judd when she worked at a Tennessee hospital? And of special interest is the Hall of Fame's inclusion of Don Law Sr., who recorded Marty Robbins and others while also raising his son, Don Law Jr., the Boston concert promoter.
There's a standout exhibit on Ray Charles, the r&b legend who shared his love of country on a two-album series, ``Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music." His Wurlitzer electric piano is here, ditto with the Selmer Super Action alto sax he played at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958. Many interview clips highlight this exhibit (which shows until the end of the year), as Charles proves his sincerity with the form. And next up is a Ray Price exhibit opening on Aug. 4.
222 First Ave. South, Nashville. 615-416-2001. www.countrymusichalloffame.com. Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults $16.95; seniors 50 and older, college students, and military $14.95; children 6-17 $8.95; 5 and under free.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum . Only a few weeks old, the Musicians Hall of Fame pays homage to the sidemen you may have heard thousand s of times on hit records, but may not know by name. They are often clustered under group monikers such as the ``A Team" in Nashville, the Funk Brothers in Detroit, the Memphis Boys, and the Wrecking Crew in Los Angeles.
This is a fascinating place that fleshes out key components of music history. See the piano that Hargus ``Pig" Robbins played with the A Team, the pedal steel that Pete Drake used on George Harrison's ``All Things Must Pass," and the Ludwig drum kit that Hal Blaine played on hits by the Beach Boys and Frank Sinatra.
