Heartbeat Saturdays
2026-03-07 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-03-14 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-03-21 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-03-28 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-04-04 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-04-11 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-04-18 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-04-25 11:30 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) and 14 more dates | National Museum of African American Music, 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
Join us every Saturday in the NMAAM lobby from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM for Heartbeat Saturday, a curated event that is free and open to the public. Experience vibrant music and community engagement with our resident DJ, Smoke!
DJ Smoke is a dynamic force in the music scene, known for blending contemporary beats with classic tracks to create an unforgettable atmosphere. With a keen ear for rhythm and an unmatched ability to read the crowd, DJ Smoke transforms every performance into a high-energy experience.
Heartbeat Saturdays are NMAAM’s community health initiative, meant to get your heart pumping and your feet grooving. We can’t wait to welcome you to our dance floor!

Playing Beyond The Field: Charley Pride - I’m Just Me
2026-03-18 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | National Museum of African American Music, 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
Charley Pride: I’m Just Me: A Film Screening and Live Discussion with Director Barbara Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Reception: 5:30 pm
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: The Roots Theater, National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

Event Description:
Join us to honor legendary Country Music Hall of Fame artist Charley Pride on what would have been Pride’s 82nd birthday in a special evening celebrating his musical and sporting legacies. Often referred to as Country music’s “first Black superstar,” the late Charley Pride was both a renowned American Country artist with deep ties to Nashville and a baseball player who started his professional career as a pitcher in the Negro American League. This event will explore Pride’s expansive career in professional baseball and his rise within Country music’s commercial ranks, unpacking how his experiences in each provided Pride with a unique perspective to reflect upon larger questions of identity and belonging in two of America’s most distinctive and foundational cultural forms. Join us for a screening of Charley Pride: I’m Just Me, an insightful documentary that traces Pride’s distinctive life and career, followed by a live discussion and Q&A with the film’s director Barbara Hall.
Join us before the event, beginning at 5:30 pm, for special after-hours at the Museum, featuring FREE admission, guided tours and light bites and drinks for purchase.
Charley Pride: I’m Just Me is part of Playing Beyond the Field, a free, three-part series exploring the historic relationship between music and sport, with a particular focus on Nashville’s robust African American musical and sporting legacies. Curated by the co-directors of The Sound of Victory, Courtney M. Cox and Perry B. Johnson, Playing Beyond the Field is organized in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Sports & Society Initiative and the National Museum of African American Music.
About the film:
Charley Pride: I’m Just Me traces the improbable journey of Charley Pride, from his humble beginnings as a sharecropper’s son on a cotton farm in segregated Sledge, Mississippi to his career as a Negro American League baseball player and his meteoric rise as a trailblazing country music superstar. The documentary reveals how Pride’s love for music led him from the Delta to a larger, grander world. In the 1940s, radio transcended racial barriers, making it possible for Pride to grow up listening to and imitating Grand Ole Opry stars like Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff. The singer arrived in Nashville in 1963 while the city roiled with sit-ins and racial violence. But with boldness, perseverance and undeniable musical talent, he managed to parlay a series of fortuitous encounters with music industry insiders into a legacy of hit singles, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Narrated by Grammy-nominated country singer Tanya Tucker, the film features original interviews with country music royalty, including Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker and Marty Stuart, as well as on-camera conversations between Pride and special guests, including Rozene Pride (his wife of 61 years), Willie Nelson and fellow musicians.

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IN THE POCKET: LITTLE ANTHONY & FRIENDS
2026-03-28 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | NMAAM, 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
Join us for an unforgettable evening with one of the most distinctive voices in American music history. Little Anthony—frontman of Little Anthony and the Imperials—helped define the sound of early soul and R&B with soaring vocals, heartfelt ballads, and timeless stage presence.
From the moment “Tears on My Pillow” hit the airwaves, Little Anthony’s voice became a cornerstone of doo-wop and soul music. With hits like “Goin’ Out of My Head,” “Hurt So Bad,” and “I’m on the Outside (Looking In),” he bridged genres and generations, influencing artists from Smokey Robinson to Prince. Over the decades, his group’s harmonies and Anthony’s emotional depth earned them induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and beyond.
In this exclusive 200-seat conversation, Little Anthony sits down with Brooke Moriber for an intimate conversation on a life in music—its challenges, triumphs, and the behind-the-scenes stories of songs that became part of America’s soundtrack.
From doo-wop beginnings to enduring legacy, this In the Pocket session is a rare chance to be in the room with a true legend and hear the music—and the man—up close and personal.

Program Highlights:

“Stories Behind the Songs” format featuring behind-the-scenes stories from iconic recording sessions
Interactive musical moments where you’ll guess classic songs from Little Anthony
Authentic conversations between Little Anthony & Brooke Moriber
Meet & Greet opportunity
Limited bar service featuring wine, beer, and signature cocktail

GENERAL ADMISSION $30
What’s Included:

Access to full 2-hour “Stories Behind the Songs” conversation
Complimentary refreshments throughout the evening
Post-event meet & greet with Little Anthony
Access to limited bar for purchase

VIP EXPERIENCE $50
What’s Included:

Everything in General Admission PLUS:
Exclusive 45-minute meet & greet with Little Anthony (8:15 PM 9:00 PM)
Priority seating for optimal viewing and interaction
One complimentary drink ticket for bar service
Exclusive signed poster featuring NMAAM + Little Anthony (not available elsewhere)
Early entry at 6:30 PM for networking with fellow VIP guests
Priority access to meet & greet

Event Details:

Capacity: Limited to 200 guests for intimate conversation setting
Duration: 2 hours including intermission and Meet & Greet
Parking: Available at 5th + Broadway garage with discounted parking
Age Recommendation: All ages welcome, content appropriate for music enthusiasts of all backgrounds

“In the Pocket” launches NMAAM’s signature quarterly series featuring intimate conversations with celebrated musicians and their friends, colleagues, and collaborators.
Questions? Contact NMAAM at (615) 709-0595 or visit nmaam.org

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Nissan Free Wednesdays
2026-04-01 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-06 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-07-01 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-08-05 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | NMAAM, 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
Experience NMAAM without the cost on our special Free Admission Days, sponsored by our generous partner, Nissan.
Free Wednesdays: Every first Wednesday of the month, enjoy complimentary access to the museum galleries.
On these days, simply show up, check in at the front desk, and immerse yourself in the history and influence of African American music at no cost!

RFID Interactive Wristbands are $5.00 each on Nissan Free Wednesdays and Community Days.

Playing Beyond The Field: Jock Jams
2026-04-23 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | National Museum of African American Music, 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
Jock Jams: A Listening Session with Soul’d Creative Collective
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Time: 6 pm
Location: The Roots Theater, National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), 510 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Event Description:
Join us for a live listening session with Nashville’s Soul’d Creative Collective dedicated to exploring the “jock jam”—a category of songs and musical anthems that have become closely associated with sport. Audiences will be invited to consider: What does sport sound like? How do music and sport collide in real time? What does Nashville sound like through sport? With the help of a DJ, audience members will create a distinctive soundtrack to commemorate the event and put new songs and sports in conversation.
Join us before the event, beginning at 5 pm, for special after-hours at the Museum, featuring FREE admission, guided tours and light bites and drinks for purchase.
About Soul’d Creative Collective: Founded by Creative Director Christian Sinclair and Vanderbilt alum and former NFL player Jonathan Wynn, Soul’d Creative Collective is a Nashville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that brings people together over the love of BIPOC arts and culture by focusing on education, collaboration, and access.
Jock Jams is part of Playing Beyond the Field, a free, three-part series exploring the historic relationship between music and sport, with a particular focus on Nashville’s robust African American musical and sporting legacies. Curated by the co-directors of The Sound of Victory, Courtney M. Cox and Perry B. Johnson, Playing Beyond the Field is organized in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Sports & Society Initiative and the National Museum of African American Music.

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