American Currents: State of the Music
All Day
Museum Admission Required
Become a MemberOpen March 18, this annual exhibit offers a broad look at country music and its place in American culture over the past year, exploring musical developments, artist achievements, and notable events.
Among those recognized:
Julien Baker and TORRES, BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman, Biscuits & Banjos, Alison Brown and Steve Martin, Kaitlin Butts, Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland, Tyler Childers, Luke Combs, Charley Crockett, John Denver, Carter Faith, Farm Aid, Sierra Ferrell, Vince Gill, Ashley Gorley, Grand Ole Opry, Riley Green, Charlie Handsome, Sierra Hull, I’m With Her, Cody Johnson, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll, Ella Langley, MJ Lenderman, Megan Moroney, Muscadine Bloodline, Ken Pomeroy, Ringo Starr, Billy Strings, Zach Top, Turnpike Troubadours, Morgan Wallen, Waxahatchee, Wednesday, Jesse Welles, Lainey Wilson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tammy Wynette
Opening Weekend Programs
Celebrate opening weekend with a Songwriter Session featuring Carter Faith on March 21 and a Musician Spotlight featuring Sierra Hull on March 22.
Songwriter Session: Carter Faith
Saturday, March 21 | 12:00-1:00 PM | Ford Theater
Carter Faith released her debut album, Cherry Valley, in 2025. Inspired by a real place discovered on the way to a songwriting retreat, the album’s fictional world reflects her observations on love, loss, and resilience. Faith, who was named a CMT Next Women of Country in 2023, has also released several EPs and more than a dozen singles since 2020. She signed her recording contract with Universal Music Group Nashville—now Music Corporation of America (MCA)—in 2024. Faith is currently on her first headline tour and has previously opened concerts for Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Carly Pearce, Keith Urban, and others.
Musician Spotlight: Sierra Hull
Sunday, March 22 | 1:00-2:00 PM | Ford Theater
Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Sierra Hull is a seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association Mandolin Player of the Year award winner. In 2016, she became the first woman to win the award. Hull has collaborated with Brandi Carlile, Béla Fleck, Alison Krauss, Bobby Osborne, Missy Raines, Sturgill Simpson, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, and Rhonda Vincent, as well as Country Music Hall of Fame members Bill Anderson, Dolly Parton, and Mac Wiseman. In 2025, Gibson released the Sierra Hull F-5 Master Model and the Sierra Hull F-5G mandolins, making Hull the first woman to be honored with a signature Gibson mandolin.
Featured in Exhibit
Julien Baker and TORRES
BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman
Biscuits & Banjos
Alison Brown and Steve Martin
Kaitlin Butts
Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland
Tyler Childers
Luke Combs
Charley Crockett
John Denver
Carter Faith
Sierra Ferrell
Vince Gill
Ashley Gorley
Grand Ole Opry
Riley Green
Charlie Handsome
Sierra Hull
I’m With Her
Cody Johnson
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll
Ella Langley
MJ Lenderman
Megan Moroney
Muscadine Bloodline
Ken Pomeroy
Ringo Starr
Billy Strings
Zach Top
Turnpike Troubadours
Morgan Wallen
Waxahatchee
Wednesday
Jesse Welles
Lainey Wilson
Stephen Wilson Jr.
Tammy Wynette
Farm Aid
Featured Artifacts
-
Vince Gill guitarsPictured on the cover of Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill’s 2025 EP Secondhand Smoke: 50 Years from Home, this Gibson ES-125 and this Harmony acoustic guitar belonged to his father, Stan Gill, and are the guitars Vince learned to play on.
-
Sierra Ferrell gownKnown for her whimsical stage wear, Sierra Ferrell wore this ethereal costume at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in 2025. Adorned with imitation pearls, glass beads, and rhinestones, the iridescent ballgown and matching choker were designed by Jeffrey Kelly Designs.
-
Charley Crockett jacket and hatCharley Crockett wore this buckskin jacket—accented with fringe and leather—and this cowboy hat in the music video for “Lonesome Drifter,” the title track of his second album release in 2025.
-
Stephen Wilson Jr. outfitStephen Wilson Jr. wore this sweater, jacket, bolo tie and clasp, and ballcap embellished with embroidered roses and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe when he performed a solo acoustic version of Ben E. King’s classic hit “Stand by Me” at the Country Music Association Awards on Nov. 19, 2025. The “Gary” patch on Wilson’s jacket refers to the title of his 2025 single, which he wrote as a tribute to the disappearing blue-collar archetype of hard-working men who can “fix about anything a hammer can’t handle.”
-
Tyler Childers music video costumeTyler Childers wore this pith helmet, western shirt, tweed vest, and fake moustache in the music video for “Eatin’ Big Time,” from his 2025 album, Snipe Hunter.
-
Ella Langley gownElla Langley wore this Dolce & Gabbana snake-print gown on the red carpet at the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 8, 2025. Langley was nominated for six ACM awards, four of which were for her song with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me.”
-
Jesse Welles Americana awardThe Americana Music Association presented this personalized Sprit of Americana Free Speech in Music award to Jesse Welles at the Americana Honors & Awards in 2025. Presented by John Fogerty, the wood trophy was designed and hand-painted by Stef Ratliff.
-
Charlie Handsome childhood cassette and recorderWhen he was seven, Charlie Handsome used this CR-318 portable cassette recorder to record his first songs, “Butts in Da Hood” and “Chicks,” onto the cassette tape still inside.
-
Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland fiddlesJason Carter of the bluegrass duo Carter & Cleveland played this custom-built Rafael Storm fiddle, and Michael Carter used this Heberlein violin, built in Germany in 1915.
-
Sierra Hull signature model mandolinThis Sierra Hull Master Model signature mandolin was built for Hull by the Gibson Custom Shop in 2025. She is the first female musician to be honored with a signature model Gibson mandolin.
-
Wednesday “Elderberry Wine” manuscriptThese are handwritten lyrics, with corrections by Karly Hartzman, for her song “Elderberry Wine,” from the band Wednesday’s 2025 album, Bleeds. Hartzman is the group’s lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter.
-
Ringo Starr hatRingo Starr wore this Stetson hat on the cover of his 2025 country music album, Look Up.
-
Tammy Wynette outfitCountry Music Hall of Fame member Tammy Wynette wore this sequin-embellished leather and Afghan knit jacket and skirt during a performance in the late 1970s.
-
Morgan Wallen racing suitJust before Morgan Wallen appeared onstage at shows on his I’m the Problem Tour in 2025, an introductory video was shown, featuring him wearing this Simpson racing suit, Bell helmet, gloves, and Puma sneakers.
Plan Your Visit
The exhibition American Currents: State of the Music runs March 18, 2026, through January 2027 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville.