The Power of Women in Country Music: featuring trailblazers from Loretta Lynn to Taylor Swift
This article was written by our sponsor, The North Carolina Museum of History
The Power of Women in Country Music is on view now at the North Carolina Museum of History. This exhibition, curated by the GRAMMY® Museum in Los Angeles, includes legendary female trailblazers over the span of 100 years with an emphasis on the last several decades.
Artisan instruments, couture gowns and costumes, album covers, lyric sheets, and awards punctuated by inspirational quotes, videos, and music make this an exhibition everyone will enjoy.
The exhibit promises that visitors will be transported by the rich colors and sparkling collection that line each case and include pieces from Dolly Parton, Roseanne Cash, Loretta Lynn, Yola, Brandi Carlile, the Judds, Faith Hill, and others whose light has shined so brightly in the music genre.
There is also a special space designated to North Carolina artists like Emmylou Harris, Rissi Palmer, Kasey Tyndall, and Rhiannon Giddens. The range of musical talent, style, and voices showcased in the exhibit further amplify the barriers that have been broken by these outstanding artists.
"It was so cool being able to collaborate with the GRAMMY® Museum curator Kelsey Goelz. As a curator, I love being able to discover new information with each project I work on and this exhibition gave me that opportunity to not only learn more about the iconic female musicians I grew up listening to, but more specifically, those North Carolina artists and the state’s connections to country music," said Katie Edwards, Curator of Pop Culture at the NC Museum of History.
Icons and items on display include:
- Loretta Lynn: 45rpm from Coalminer's Daughter; Album Cover, Back to the Country.
- Dolly Parton: Outfit, worn during a performance of "Joshua" at the Grand Ole Opry, 1971; Outfit, worn on the cover of Together Always with Porter Wagoner, 1972; Banjo (Gibson), Custom.
- Roseanne Cash: Guitar (Martin), Acoustic OM-28M, 2008.
- Reba McEntire: Nomination Envelope and Winner Card, Best Roots Gospel Album, Recording Academy, 2018; Dressing Gown and Accessories, Does He Love You; Black gown worn to accept Best Roots Gospel Album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope, 60th Annual Awards.
- Yola: the first guitar she taught herself to play on; black gown worn to accept Best Roots Gospel Album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope, 60th Annual Awards.
- Shania Twain: Outfit from Man! I Feel Like A Woman! video; White Dress worn to 1995 GRAMMY® Awards.
- Rissi Palmer: Dress worn on first televised Opry performance (2009); microphone used to record the first episode of Color Me Country; notes from the first episode of Color Me Country
- Taylor Swift: Vintage lace dress worn in the Mean music video, 2010; Deering Banjo (P207), 2010; Betsy Johnson dress worn in the Tim McGraw music video, 2006; BCBGIRLS cowboy boots worn in the Tim McGraw music video, 2006; Dress worn in the Willow music video; Scan of handwritten lyrics for Tim McGraw; and reproduction of the cabin featured in Taylor Swift’s 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards performance of "Cardigan"/"August"/"Willow".
The exhibition is a huge win for the museum, and for Raleigh. Senior Museum Registrar, Camille Hunt shared, "As a life-long country music fan, working on this exhibit, from initial meetings with the GRAMMY® Museum to unpacking and installing the dozens of iconic artifacts, has been a career highlight!"
Those who have seen The Power of Women in Country Music since it opened on October 28, agree. It’s celebratory, beautiful, and fuels excitement. Visitors to the museum and to the special events and activities all agree: women rock.
And that notion carries over into a connectedness that feels needed right now. Music creates community, something we’ve missed sorely these last few years.
Upcoming programs include an author series, Music + Prose, and the continuation of a concert series, Southern Songbirds, that launched on opening weekend. The next three concerts include Tift Merritt, Alice Gerrard (with a biopic screening of You Gave Me Song and Q&A), and Rissi Palmer. All three are hosted by legendary North Carolina native, Jim Lauderdale.
To purchase tickets for the exhibit and find out more about programming around it, visit ncmuseumofhistory.org.
This article was written by our sponsor, The North Carolina Museum of History
