IN THE KNOW

“It’s a truly intimate look into what drove them to select bluegrass music as their life’s work and it’s just a really a great picture of the artists themselves,” Smith said.

When they were interviewing the artists, Smith said that several of them had standout moments in her mind, but Doyle Lawson’s stood out the most. Getting to talk to Hall of Fame Member Lawson, she was able to learn about how he was introduced to bluegrass by way of a family friend. He would borrow their mandolin on occasion and ultimately learned to play on it.

“Many years later, that mandolin was presented at his first show in this first touring band,” she said. “And now it’s at the Museum on display.”

As part of the interviews, they asked each artist to bring an artifact that they wanted to talk about, but also add to the Hall of Fame for the duration of its exhibit. Through the artifacts, the exhibit is able to showcase several different pieces of history in Bluegrass.

Each artifact reflects both the artist and their relationship to bluegrass, so the exhibit includes several instruments like guitars, mandolins, fiddles, banjos and even stage clothing.

All-American Bluegrass Girl artist Rhonda Vincent was inducted to the Grand Ole Opry in 2020 as one of two artists that year. She didn’t get to officially be inducted until February of 2021 due to the pandemic. Her induction marked the first time a brother and sister had been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

“Darren and I, to hold separate Opry memberships, its historical,” she said in her interview. During her interview, she was able to bring anything she wanted, and she brought the dress she wore to her historical induction.

Smith said the exhibit has gotten so big that once stepping into the front doors, it’s the first thing you see. The museum has hosted the exhibit since the release began earlier this year. After each episode, they have a short segment promoting the museum, which was caused a lot of traffic, according to Smith.

The exhibit will be open until December of 2024. As part of the installation, they also include the short video clips from the show itself.

Smith highly encourages people to come to the museum to learn more about the bluegrass community. “These people have dedicated their lives to bluegrass music. They’ve built their careers around it. They’ve raised their families with it,” Smith said. “It’s such a unique insight into what drove them to bluegrass music and why they stayed. OL

IN THE KNOW 9 EVENTS TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR

1

BELA FLECK MY BLUEGRASS HEART

NOVEMBER 4 @ BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM Sixteen-time Grammy-winner Bela Fleck returns to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum for his first bluegrass tour in 24 years. My Bluegrass Heart is the third chapter of a trilogy which began with the 1988 album, Drive, and continued in 1991 with The Bluegrass Sessions. Preferred seating is $68 and reserved seating is $58. Doors open at 6 pm, and the concert begins at 7 pm.

2

GRANT G. TALBOT III MEMORIAL 5K

NOVEMBER 5 @ OCTC 2022 marks the 36th annual edition of this 5k run/walk. Proceeds from the road race support the Grant G. Talbott Scholarship fund for students at Owensboro Community & Technical College. Talbott served for 30 years as a teacher and guidance counselor for the Owensboro City schools, and for 11 years as a counselor for Owensboro Community and Technical College.

3

ANASTASIA THE NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL

NOVEMBER 10 @ RIVERPARK CENTER From the Tony Award-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. The show begins at 7pm.