Johnny Cash Museum facts for kids
Johnny Cash Museum
|
|
| Location | 119 3rd Ave., S., Nashville, Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Founder | Bill Miller |
The Johnny Cash Museum opened in May 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee. It celebrates the life and music of Johnny Cash, a famous country superstar. People often called him the "Man in Black." The museum has the world's biggest collection of Johnny Cash items. These include a stone wall from his old lake house. Cash's family officially supports the museum.
Contents
Discovering Johnny Cash's Story
Johnny Cash was born in 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas. He became one of the best-selling music artists ever. He wrote and sang many types of music. These styles included country, rockabilly, gospel, blues, and rock and roll.
Cash is in many famous music halls of fame. These include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. His nickname, "Man in Black," came from his all-black stage outfits.
The First Museum and New Beginnings
The first museum honoring Johnny Cash was called House of Cash. It was in Hendersonville, Tennessee. This old museum closed many years ago and fell apart. It even appeared in Cash's music video for "Hurt."
Johnny Cash lived in a lakeside home in Hendersonville from 1968 until he passed away. This home sadly burned down in 2007 during renovations. Shannon and Bill Miller, who were friends with Cash, started the new museum. They used their own collection of Cash's items. The current Johnny Cash Museum opened in Nashville in 2013. It even displays the restored sign from the original House of Cash.
Visiting the Museum
The Johnny Cash Museum is in downtown Nashville. It is located at 119 3rd Ave S. The museum is open every day, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is a ticket fee for visitors aged 6 and older.
What's New at the Museum
In 2016, the museum added new features. These include interactive exhibits. You can use technology to mix Cash's songs. You can also listen to other artists singing his music. Visitors can even take photos with Johnny Cash using a green screen! The museum is easy to get around for people using wheelchairs. Group tours are also available. The museum does not have its own parking, but there are many lots nearby.
Exploring the Exhibits
The Johnny Cash Museum shows his whole life story. It covers his early years and time in the Air Force. You can also learn about his personal life and music career. This includes items from his famous prison concerts.
The exhibits are set up in order of time. There are over 1,000 items on display. These include personal belongings, souvenirs, and interactive displays.
Music and Sound Exhibits
One exhibit is called "Progression of Sound." It shows how Cash's music changed styles over time. You can see different types of music records. These include LPs, 8-tracks, and CDs.
Another part of the museum focuses on Sun Records. This was a record label in Memphis, Tennessee. It helped start Cash's career. Other famous artists like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis also started there. Besides Cash's items, you can see glasses worn by Roy Orbison. There's also a microphone used by Elvis Presley. You can even see the drum set of WS "Fluke" Holland. He was Cash's drummer for 40 years. This drum set was the first full one used on the Grand Ole Opry stage. Visitors can watch videos of Cash singing with other music legends.
Cash on Screen
An exhibit also shows Cash's TV and movie career. You can see clips of his own TV show. There are also clips from his appearances on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Hee Haw. You can see props and costumes from the movie Walk the Line. Movie posters are also on display.
Special Items on Display
Cash's family says he used to fold a dollar bill. He would put it through his guitar strings. This made a special drum-like sound before he had a drummer. That Martin guitar, with the dollar bill still in it, is at the museum.
Many other special items are also on display, such as:
- Stage costumes, including his prison jumpsuit costume
- Handwritten letters and notes
- Handwritten song lyrics
- His yearbook page
- Old guitar amps
- His Air Force uniform and other Air Force items
- Gold and platinum records (awards for selling lots of music)
- Many music instruments
- School report cards
- The Cash family piano
- Highwaymen items (from his supergroup)
- Grammy and CMA awards
- A bag of cotton from his childhood home in Dyess, Arkansas
- Personal items like photos, things from his home, and his personal bible
- His Birth certificate
- His Future Farmers of America card
In May 2018, Cash's first gold record, "I Walk the Line," was put on display. It was found after being with a collector in Europe. This record is now certified double platinum. The last exhibit shows the music video for "Hurt." This was Cash's cover of a Nine Inch Nails song and his final music video.
Museum Achievements
The Johnny Cash Museum has won many awards since it opened. It is one of only six places in Nashville to get a AAA Gem rating. Both National Geographic and Forbes magazines rank it as a top travel spot.
The museum has been open for over a decade. It continues to welcome visitors from all over the world. In 2023, USA Today/10 Best Reader's Choice Travel Awards voted it the Best Music Museum in the US.
Top Rankings and Reviews
The museum is #5 on U.S. News & World Report's list of "Best Things to Do in Nashville." Nashville Parent magazine says it is a kid-friendly place. It was also on TripAdvisor's list of Top 25 Trending U.S. Attractions for Summer 2017. It was also on their list of Top 10 Trending U.S. Attractions for Fall 2017.
Conde Nast Traveler (Worldwide) calls it the #1 Must Visit Museum for Music Lovers. Forbes says it is the #1 Must See Nashville Destination. National Geographic (Worldwide) calls it the #1 Pitch Perfect Museum. It is also one of the Top 10 Best Attractions in Nashville, according to USA Today. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore said it is a "world-class museum." He called it a "major tourist attraction" for people who love Johnny Cash.
Other media sources have also praised the museum:
- Top 5 Museums Dedicated to Pop-Rock Music (Worldwide) – Marie Claire
- Top 3 Best Things to Do in Nashville – Orbitz
- 7 Great American Vacation Spots (That Won't Bust Your Budget) – Time
- 22 Reasons You Should Visit Nashville – Huffington Post
- Top 10 Tennessee Spots for Music Lovers – Rolling Stone
- Best Culture Stop in Nashville – Money Magazine
See also
- List of music museums
