Episode 116: Jay McDowell (Musicians Hall of Fame / BR5-49)

After years of playing upright bass for cult country act BR5-49, Jay McDowell stumbled into a dream job for any music geek: Multimedia Archivist for Nashville's Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, established in 2006. From the actual drumkit Santana's Michael Shrieve played at Woodstock to the original lathe used to cut Elvis Presley's first recording to hand-written lyrics from some of the greatest songwriters ever, the MHFM is a literal treasure trove of artifacts and memorabilia that speaks both to the brilliance of music's biggest stars as well as the ingenuity of those behind the scenes. To Jay's end, he wears many hats day-to-day, whether giving private tours to everyone from school kids to the musicians themselves who are being honored, on top of video production, archival research and assisting with the presentation of specific exhibits. On today's program, recorded at the Russell Hotel in Nashville, Jay speaks to his own history with vinyl, how historical context can morph a good song into a classic, why we continue to absorb and collect music even though it's impossible to hear everything, and he shares plenty of stories behind some of the MHFM's coolest acquisitions and inductions, involving Elvis Presley, Velma Smith, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. For more information on the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum or to plan your trip today, visit musicianshalloffame.com. On Instagram, follow @musicianshalloffame.