The National Museum of African American Music recently announced its inaugural awards gala.
Set for tomorrow in downtown Nashville, the two-hour event will celebrate musicians, producers, educators and others in the music industry who have had a significant impact. Those selected will also be celebrated for their work preserving African American music.
Amongst those selected for the award are producer and music executive Torrance Esmond, president of American Baptist College Dr. Forrest Harris, award-winning songwriter and professor Alice Randall, Americana Music Association executive director Jed Hilly and Grammy winner Allison Russell.
Managing partner from The Lovenoise Group Eric Holt and Origins Records CEO Gina Miller will also be awarded. Performances and a dinner will be held as part of the gala.
“Bringing NMAAM’s first Awards Gala to Broadway is a powerful reminder of African American music’s influence on all genres,” said the president and CEO of NMAAM, C. Dion Brown, per a statement. “As we celebrate Black music 365 days a year, this event honors those who’ve championed our mission to preserve this rich cultural legacy.”
Located in Nashville, the museum has several exhibits celebrating the intersection of music and Black history. Aimed at honoring the achievements of Black artists who pioneered them, the exhibits explore a variety of genres, including religious, jazz and blues music.
While the “Rivers of Rhythm Pathways” exhibit celebrates the early inceptions of American music to contemporary R&B and hip hop, “Wade in the Water” documents the “Golden Age of Gospel” and its impact on pop music like doo-wop.
Meanwhile, the “Crossroads” gallery showcases the development of the blues, highlighting the genre’s journey from work songs to the rock and roll sound that reached its height of fame in the 1950s. The exhibit is complemented by “One Nation Under A Groove,” which focuses on the genre’s impact on rhythm and blues or R&B.
As “A Love Supreme” celebrates the emergence of jazz and its origins in Congo Square in New Orleans, “The Message” highlights modern-day music, exploring the origins of hip-hop and rap from its creation in the 1970s.
To supplement the exhibit, the museum offers immersive films for viewers to learn about culture and various historical periods.
“Museum visitors begin their NMAAM journey in the Roots Theater with an introductory film that gives an overview of West and Central African cultures and the institution of slavery,” said the museum. “The presentation focuses on the evolution of African American culture, with specific emphasis on the creation of new music traditions – spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, and hip hop – that are distinctly African American in nature.”
