New Museum in Nashville honors Black music icons

The National Museum of African American Music, which is not even open yet, celebrated the beginning of Black Music Month with a gala that honored several music icons, including Yolanda Adams, Charlie Wilson, Nile Rodgers, Mona Scott-Young and Keb Mo. On hand to pay tribute to the honorees with performances were Johnny Gill, BeBe Winans, Tamia, Avery Sunshine and Anthony Hamilton. Keb Mo, who is a Nashville native, said, “I’m very blessed, very grateful and honored to be here in the room with folks that understand what I’m doing. I’m going to put this in the kitchen at the dinner table, so I can look at it when I have breakfast.” Rodgers was surprised when Keith Urban took the stage to laud him. Rodgers and Urban, who is a country rock artist, have collaborated in the past. The museum is set to open next year on the site of the former Nashville Convention Center. The benefit was designed to raise money for the museum’s educational and community programs.