This year NMAAM marks five years of telling that story. America marks 250 years of being shaped by it.
Through exhibitions, live performance, conversation, and community gathering, NMAAM presents Black music not as history alone but as a living movement that keeps shaping the American soundtrack.
Musical Gifts is how our community helps pay for that work.
Give by December 1 and a matching commitment doubles it. Give $100 and NMAAM receives $200.
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
Doors 6:00 PM · Program 6:30 PM
Evening closes 8:30 PM
National Museum of African American Music
510 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking and directions
NMAAM is fully ADA accessible with elevator access, accessible restrooms, and designated seating areas at all events. If you have specific accessibility needs, please contact us in advance at info@nmaam.org so we can best accommodate you.
Celebrate the season of giving with Nashville’s largest Giving Tuesday celebration! The National Museum of African American Music welcomes our Nashville community back for the fourth annual Musical Gifts Benefit Concert & Tree Lighting Celebration — a special evening where music, community, and generosity come together to support the museum’s mission to preserve and celebrate the legacy of African American music.
This year’s Musical Gifts will feature special musical tributes honoring the legendary artists, innovators, and cultural trailblazers whose contributions are celebrated throughout NMAAM’s five galleries.
Join us as we pay homage to the sounds, stories, and artists who have shaped generations of music.
Come celebrate the music. Honor the legacy. Give the gift of preserving Black music.
Each of NMAAM’s galleries honors an artist we have lost, with photographs of their life and work on display in the lobby cases, while a living artist performs their music.
The Message
Nashville’s Tim Gent performs a tribute to the Memphis producer whose beats ran under a decade of hip hop.
One Nation Under A Groove
Soul Purpose performs a tribute to the architect of neo-soul.
A Love Supreme
The Crystal Miller Band performs a tribute to one of the most distinctive voices in modern jazz.
Crossroads
Julie Williams performs a tribute to the East Tennessee songwriter whose “I Will Always Love You” became, in Whitney Houston’s hands, one of the best-selling records ever made.
Wade In The Water
The Olive Branch Church Choir performs a tribute to the composer who brought the conservatory into the sanctuary.
This is not a ticketed event. Every level below is a donation, and the first one is free. Choose the one that fits.
Music education for Title I students, preservation of the museum’s collections, and free community programming across the year.
For leadership gifts and multi-year commitments, write to devans@nmaam.org.
Santa stops by NMAAM every winter for inspiration before the sleigh ride. Get in the spirit with the story time video NMAAM made with 353 Media Group.
Black Santa will be at Musical Gifts on December 1 for photos with families.
Interested in volunteering with us for Musical Gifts? We are now gladly accepting applications to assist with decorating, check-in, and more!
Please fill out the volunteer interest form linked below, and NMAAM will reach out to you to coordinate further.
