Country Music Collection Galore: Marty Stuart’s Donation

Marty Stuart donated more than 22,000 country music artifacts including George Jone's 1957 Martin D-28 customized guitar with mother-of-pearl inlays and his Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors's boots, circa 1969. The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Singer-songwriter Marty Stuart donated over 22,000 country music memorabilia to Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in August 2024. The extensive collection of artifacts, which took Stuart decades to build, is set to become part of the museum’s permanent exhibition.

Known as The Marty Stuart Collection, the donated treasure trove spans over a century of country music history and represents a “new chapter for the museum.”

The Lifespan of Country Music Itself

(L) Hank Williams's lavender western shirt designed by Nudie Cohn at Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors, circa 1951. (R) Original two-page, handwritten song manuscript for Williams’ “I Saw the Light” from 1947. The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

According to the Nashville Banner, The Marty Stuart Collection features “the largest private assemblage of country music artifacts in the world.” Stuart has spent most of his professional career building on his private collection of country music memorabilia. The items he’s gathered over decades of searching covers the lifespan of the country music genre itself.

Now housed at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the collection features more than 1,000 clothing items, including iconic outfits worn by some of the genre’s biggest names. A green dress worn by Dolly Parton on The Porter Wagoner Show, and Johnny Cash’s first black suit which helped inspire the nickname “the man in black,” are just a few stage wear items included.

Dolly Parton's rhinestone-embellished dress that she wore on “The Porter Wagoner Show,” circa 1970. The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Marty Stuart donated Johnny Cash’s first black stage suit, circa 1955, and Cash’s custom Gibson 1958 J-200 acoustic guitar. The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

About 100 instruments are also a part of the memorabilia. Handwritten lyrics by Hank Williams are just one of the unique items out of 50 song manuscripts featuring original music by various classic country artists.

Stuart’s passion for country music memorabilia began with a trip to an unassuming thrift store. While browsing, he stumbled upon a makeup kit owned by the late Patsy Cline.

Patsy Cline's fancy western-style dress and boots. Cline’s mother, Hilda Hensley, designed and sewed the two-piece cowgirl outfit for her in the 1950s. The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Now, the collection features items from some of music’s most historic names, including Elvis Presley. It also features memorabilia from Stuart’s own career in country music.

A ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Accomplishment

Marty Stuart speaks onstage in celebration of his collection donation to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Aug. 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Stuart has been playing music since the age of 12, when he picked up a guitar and a mandolin. He quickly became known as a formidable player among country and bluegrass circles. Early on, he toured with Johnny Cash before embarking on his own solo career.

This essay was written by an 11-year-old Marty Stuart for a school assignment “What I Want to Be in Life.” The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

According to Axios Nashville, “Along the way, he emerged as one of the preeminent ambassadors of country music, helping to preserve and herald its history while welcoming newer artists into the circle.”

In 2020, Stuart was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

On Aug. 20, 2024, the hall of fame hosted an event at its own Ford Theater space in honor of Stuart and his donated collection. The celebration featured performances by country artists Vince Gill and Chris Stapleton, who took the stage and performed with antique instruments from The Marty Stuart Collection.

The CEO of the hall of fame, Kyle Young, also took the stage to give a speech praising Stuart for his “extraordinary foresight and collecting skill.”

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young speaks onstage in celebration of Marty Stuart's collection donation on Aug. 20, 2024. Jason Kempin/Getty Images

While appearing on The Today Show, Stuart expressed the significance of the collection, saying, “You can’t put a price on this from a heart and soul value.” While calling the artifacts “irreplaceable,” he added context to the history of country music in relation to his collection, saying, ”The entire culture was built upon a lot of these things.”

At the celebratory event in August, Stuart beamed as his hard work and his passion for country music history finally came full circle. When asked about how he felt in the moment, he said:

“This is a top-of-the-world moment for me. … To have my collection live alongside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is monumental. And, to share such a gathering with family and friends … is just the best. Such a day only comes along once in a lifetime.”

Bob Dylan performed in this wide-brimmed fedora during his Rolling Thunder Revue concert tour in 1975. The Marty Stuart Collection/Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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