Songwriter Musician Exhibit Talk with Ed Rode and Don Henry

Date: Saturday, November 9, 2024

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

Location: Birthplace of Country Music Museum 

Cost: Free and open to the public 

RSVP HERE

Join us for this conversation with nationally renowned photographer Ed Rode and his Grammy-winning songwriter-musician friend, Don Henry, as they share stories and music related to Ed’s exhibit Songwriter Musician and the craft of songwriting on Saturday, November 9 at 7 p.m. at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Attendees are invited to explore the exhibit before the program begins at 7:00 p.m.; a curator will be on hand to answer questions around 6:30 p.m.

About Ed Rode

Ed Rode (pronounced Road-ay) is a nationally recognized photographer based in Nashville. Over the course of his four-decade long career, he has shot everything from sports, movie, tv, and music legends to travel destinations and restaurants. He grew up in the Midwest and moved to Nashville in 1990 as a staff photographer for the Nashville Banner, an afternoon daily paper. Ed soon built a reputation as a photographer with a storyteller’s eye and a historian’s instincts. His work has appeared in numerous national publications, the Nashville International Airport, the legendary Bluebird Cafe, and as album covers for artists such as Willie Nelson, The Chicks, and Peter Frampton. He has also passed on his skills to the next generation while serving as an instructor or lecturer at Vanderbilt University, O’More College, Western Kentucky University, and Northwestern University. He is currently a full-time professor at Murray State University.

About Don Henry

Grammy winner Don Henry’s songs have been recorded by some of the music industry’s greatest artists, including Ray Charles, Conway Twitty, Patti Page, Blake Shelton, and Miranda Lambert, and he’s shared the stage with performers as different as Joey Ramone and Keith Urban.

His songs – filled with wit and wisdom – are renowned, from the hilarious “B.F.D.” to the biker lullaby “Harley” to the poignant tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., “Beautiful Fool.” Don’s country classic “Where’ve You Been” won a Grammy, and Kathy Mattea’s version of this piece won Song of the Year honors from the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, and Nashville Songwriters Association International. It was the first song in country music to win all four honors in the same year!

About Songwriter Musician

More than 30 years ago, photographer Ed Rode met Chet Atkins, one of the greatest figures in country music. Soon they were talking about where to find the good stories on Music Row — specifically, with the talented songwriters whose unseen contributions powered Nashville’s iconic sound. After many conversations, the Songwriter Musician project was born, resulting in “fly-on-the-wall” documentary portraits of a wide range of artists that bring to life the vulnerable, provocative, and unexpected moments inside Nashville’s rich tradition of songwriting. Featured artists include Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift, Vince Gill, The Chicks, Jelly Roll, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, John Prine, George Strait, and Keb Mo, amongst others.

These photographs will be on display at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum August 31–December 31, 2024, alongside objects and memorabilia related to the artists captured by Rode’s camera. Visit The Museum Store for a copy of Songwriter Musician: Behind the Curtain with Nashville’s Iconic Storytellers and Players, A Photo Documentary by Ed Rode, available for purchase for the duration of the special exhibit.

Check our Events Page for complementary programming to the special exhibit, including:

• Thursday, October 17, 7 p.m. – Songwriters in the Round: Linda and David Lay, Sandy Shortridge, and Rafe Van Hoy

Special thanks to the Massengill-DeFriece Foundation for their support of this exhibit.