{"id":19168,"date":"2013-04-11T18:00:21","date_gmt":"2013-04-11T18:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/whisnews21.com\/?p=19168"},"modified":"2020-09-05T12:03:06","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T12:03:06","slug":"lee-greenwood-but-nashville-wood-they","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whisnews21.com\/index.php\/2013\/04\/11\/lee-greenwood-but-nashville-wood-they\/","title":{"rendered":"Lee Greenwood, But Nashville, Would They ?"},"content":{"rendered":"
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 11, 2013) \u2013 \u00a0The Country Music Hall of Fame\u00ae<\/sup> and Museum will unveil a special spotlight exhibit dedicated to singer Lee Greenwood on May 10. Lee Greenwood: American Patriot<\/em>, which will be located within the museum’s permanent exhibit on the third floor, will incorporate costumes and other artifacts spanning Greenwood\u2019s 50 years of musical activity. The exhibition will run through April 25, 2014. \u00a0 Lee Greenwood: American Patriot<\/em> traces the artist\u2019s personal and professional life from his musical childhood in California to his award-winning music career. The exhibit also places a special focus on Greenwood\u2019s most beloved song, \u201cGod Bless the USA,\u201d and his work with military and veterans organizations. \u00a0 Melvin Lee Greenwood was born October 27, 1942, and raised by his grandparents on their farm near Sacramento, California. He learned to play piano and saxophone as a child and quickly became a skilled entertainer. By the time he graduated from high school, Greenwood had learned to play most of the instruments in the school band. \u00a0 In the early 1960s, Greenwood began working the Nevada casino lounge circuit. In 1979, Larry McFadden, Mel Tillis\u2019s bandleader, heard Greenwood perform. McFadden arranged for Greenwood to record some demo sessions in Nashville, and that break led to Greenwood\u2019s recording contract with MCA Records in 1981 and his work with producer Jerry Crutchfield. \u00a0 Greenwood scored 20 Top Ten hits between 1983 and 1990. Among them were the chart-toppers \u201cSomebody\u2019s Gonna Love You,\u201d \u201cGoing, Going, Gone\u201d and \u201cDixie Road.\u201d He has earned numerous industry awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year for the Academy of Country Music (1983), Male Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association (1983 and 1984) and a Grammy for Top Male Vocal Performance in 1985 for \u201cI.O.U.\u201d He also took home the 1985 CMA Song of the Year award for \u201cGod Bless the USA.\u201d \u00a0 This year marks the 30th anniversary of \u201cGod Bless the USA.\u201d \u00a0Composed in 1983, it became a Top Ten country hit for Greenwood in 1984. The tune is one of America\u2019s most popular and recognizable patriotic songs, thanks, in part, to its popularity during the 1991 Persian Gulf War and during the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America. For his patriotic songs and his work with the armed forces, including more than 30 USO tours, Greenwood has been honored with the prestigious National Patriot\u2019s Award, presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. In November 2008, President George W. Bush appointed Greenwood to a six-year term as a council member on the National Endowment for the Arts.\u00a0 \u00a0 In the mid-1990s, Greenwood began performing almost daily at the Lee Greenwood Theater in Sevierville, Tennessee. The residency lasted five years. Since then, he continues to tour, record and write new material. His latest EP, I Want to Be in Your World<\/em>, was released in 2011 for Tate Music Group. He also devotes substantial time to numerous charitable causes.<\/div>\n
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Among the artifacts on display in Lee Greenwood: American Patriot<\/em> are:<\/p>\n
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Awards presented to Greenwood from United States military units and veterans groups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Stage wear, including a red, white and blue American-flag-design leather jacket, and a fringed leather jacket with Native American beadwork<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Letter from President George H.W. Bush, thanking Greenwood for participating in Bush\u2019s 1989 Inaugural ceremony.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Greenwood\u2019s Henri Selmer Paris saxophone, made in France<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Greenwood\u2019s Grammy, CMA and ACM awards<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Greenwood\u2019s honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Cumberland University and his honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Lincoln Memorial University<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Spotlight exhibits are narratives that supplement themes or aspects of the museum\u2019s core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music<\/em>. These short-term, informal displays either provide a closer look at a particular person, group or aspect of country music, or spotlight recently donated items or special anniversaries. Rotated often, spotlight exhibits also offer a glimpse into the museum\u2019s unique collection, which includes recorded discs, historical photographs, films and videotapes; thousands of posters, books, songbooks, periodicals and sheet music; personal artifacts such as performers\u2019 instruments, costumes and accessories; and more.\u00a0 \u00a0 Other current spotlight exhibits focus on ABC\u2019s Nashville<\/em>, Garth Brooks, Jack Greene, Minnie Pearl, Hargus \u201cPig\u201d Robbins, Connie Smith and Dottie West. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong> and Museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum\u2019s mission is the preservation of the history of country and related vernacular music rooted in southern culture.\u00a0With the same educational mission, the foundation also operates CMF Records, the museum\u2019s Frist Library and Archive, CMF Press, Historic RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>.<\/em> \nMore information about the Country Music Hall of Fame<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong> and Museum is available at <\/em>countrymusichalloffame.org<\/a> or by calling (615) 416-2001.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Lee](\"http:\/\/whisnews21.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/04\/lee-greenwood06.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Lee](\"http:\/\/whisnews21.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/08\/lee-greenwood07.jpg\")
Among the artifacts on display in Lee Greenwood: American Patriot<\/em> are:<\/p>\n