National Museum of African American Music

The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) is set to hold its inaugural awards gala on Saturday, Oct. 5, in downtown Nashville.
The event, slated to run from 6 to 8 p.m., will honor musicians, producers, educators and others who have made significant contributions to the music industry, and have progressed NMAAM’s mission of preserving and promoting the legacy of African American music.

This year’s honorees are producer/music executive Torrance Esmond (known as “Street Symphony”); Dr. Forrest Harris, president of American Baptist College and a member of the NMAAM’s Education Advisory Council; Americana Music Association executive director Jed Hilly; The Lovenoise Group managing partner Eric Holt; Origins Records CEO Gina Miller; award-winning professor, songwriter and author Alice Randall; and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, musician and activist (and soon to be Broadway star) Allison Russell.

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The evening is slated to feature musical performances and heartfelt tributes to celebrate the honorees. The night will also feature a dinner, open bar and an afterparty in the NMAAM Rivers of Rhythm and Feature galleries.

NMAAM president/CEO C. Dion Brown said in a statement, “Bringing NMAAM’s first Awards Gala to Broadway is a powerful reminder of African American music’s influence on all genres. As we celebrate Black music 365 days a year, this event honors those who’ve championed our mission to preserve this rich cultural legacy.”

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The 56,000-square-feet NMAAM opened in 2021 and works to preserve and celebrate more than 50 musical genres and styles—among them blues, jazz, gospel, hip-hop and R&B—that have been created, inspired and/or influenced by African Americans. The museum has more than 1,500 artifacts, objects, memorabilia and clothing, as well as multiple galleries that highlight various narratives and perspectives on African American history and music.

Tickets to NMAAM’s inaugural gala are available at the NMAAM website.