JUST IN: Glen Campbell Museum To Close Doors On Current Location
“This isn’t an ‘Adios’ it’s a move to ‘A Better Place,’ a statement from the museum reads.
Glen Campbell; Photo by Ed Rode/Getty Images, Glen Campbell Museum; Photo Courtesy Facebook
The Glen Campbell Museum located in downtown Nashville is relocating.
The official social media accounts for the museum shared the news on Monday, revealing that the museum’s final day at its current location (111 Broadway, Suite 200) will be August 6, 2023.
“We wanted to share some news with our amazing community. The Glen Campbell Museum will be moving much of Glen’s memorabilia, exhibits, and personal items to a new location very soon,” the statement reads.
Tickets to visit the current location of the Glen Campbell Museum are available to purchase now through August 6.
“While we’re sad to leave our current location behind, we are also looking forward to the opportunities that the new location will bring to Glen Campbell fans everywhere which will honor the remarkable legacy of Glen and his extraordinary contributions to the world of music,” the message reads.
In closing the museum wrote, “This isn’t an ‘Adios’ it’s a move to ‘A Better Place,’ referencing two of Campbell’s songs.
Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the Glen Campbell Museum’s Facebook page for updates about the new location, which has yet to be announced.
The Glen Campbell Museum and Rhinestone Stage opened its doors at the corner of Broadway and Second Avenue in early 2020. The 4,000 square foot museum and live music venue featured never-before-seen personal items from Campbell’s early years as well as artifacts from the beginning stages of his career through his rise to fame.
It showcased the many facets of his career, including his time as a studio musician in The Wrecking Crew (Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and others), his solo career, which featured hit records such as “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Gentle On My Mind” and “Wichita Lineman,” as well as his time in television and film, appearing on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and True Grit (among others).
The museum showcased several items, such as a heartfelt love letter written by Campbell to his wife, Kim, in celebration of their 25th anniversary. Additionally, there was a $5 Sears Roebuck guitar gifted by Campbell’s father when he was only four years old. Another fascinating artifact was a crumpled piece of hotel room stationary, retrieved from a trash can, which contained some of the original lyrics that later became the iconic song “Wichita Lineman.”
The Glen Campbell Museum and Rhinestone Stage transformed into a live music venue by night, hosting intimate performances from local and national artists.
“I am thrilled that Glen’s musical legacy will be preserved and celebrated in such a beautiful and enduring way,” Kim Campbell, Glen’s wife of 34 years shared when the museum was announced. “The museum is sure to inspire countless musicians and music lovers while continuing to entertain his lifelong fans and share his amazing gifts with generations to come. It’s with a big heart and sincere gratitude that we share Glen’s memories and cherished personal possessions with his fans and the world.”
Glen Campbell was a celebrated country singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor. He is best known for songs such as “Gentle On My Mind,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” “Rhinestone Cowboy,” and “Summer Nights.” He was a six-time GRAMMY winner and earned multiple CMA Awards and ACM Awards.
Throughout his career, Campbell released 64 albums and sold over 45 million records worldwide.
Glen Campbell passed away on August 8, 2017 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 81 years old.
“As most of you know, Glen passed away from Alzheimer’s on August 8, 2017,” Kim said from the stage during the museum’s opening event. “I was still grieving his loss when [I was approached] about the idea of doing a museum. Of course, I thought, ‘Wow, Glen would love that, and that would be such a great opportunity to share his life with millions of people coming to Nashville.’
“But as I began the process, going through all our memorabilia, and his records and his Grammy awards and his clothing, it was just breaking my heart, you know,” she continued. “I was just grieving even more deeply, missing him.”
The family helped compile many of the items in the museum and Kim said that being involved in the process helped her through the grieving process.
“As I saw [the museum] come together so beautifully, it started to comfort me,” Kim explained. “Now it really is a joy to have this beautiful tribute to Glen. I think it’s gonna inspire a lot — and it already has, his life has inspired so many musicians…But I hope it continues to inspire many people, not only musically, but who may be facing things like Alzheimer’s.”
Click HERE to visit the official Glen Campbell Museum website.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
