Guitarist and singer-songwriter Jim Hurst brings his band to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum this Saturday morning, November 14, for a one-hour set running from 11 a.m. to noon as part of the museum's annual Bluegrass and Beyond celebration. The performance takes place in the Ford Theater inside the museum at 222 5th Ave S in Nashville.
The annual series is supported by Rick and Kit Crump in honor of George A. and Marjorie S. Crump, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. As Nashville Lifestyles notes, the event is part of the museum's annual Bluegrass and Beyond celebration, giving visitors a chance to catch a performance during a day at the museum.
A Guitar Style Built on Two Techniques
Hurst's playing style is known for blending flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar techniques, a combination the museum describes as distinctive to his sound. That hybrid approach has helped define his reputation within the bluegrass and acoustic guitar world over a career that spans decades.
The recognition for that style came early: Hurst received the International Bluegrass Music Association's Guitar Player of the Year award in both 2001 and 2002, back-to-back honors noted in his official biography on jimhurst.com. Those awards remain a centerpiece of his credentials as a touring and teaching musician.
From Sideman to Solo Act
Hurst has played with other artists, including Holly Dunn, Sara Evans, Claire Lynch, and Trisha Yearwood, according to the museum. In 2010, he shifted course to launch a solo career, a transition detailed on his own website.
Since then, Hurst has toured extensively both as a solo performer and with the Jim Hurst Trio, playing shows nationally and internationally. He also teaches at guitar workshops and music camps across North America and Europe, passing on the flatpicking and fingerstyle techniques that have shaped his own sound.
Part of an Ongoing Museum Tradition
Bluegrass and Beyond is described by the museum as an annual celebration, suggesting Saturday's Jim Hurst Band appearance continues a recurring tradition of bluegrass programming at the Hall of Fame. A previous installment of the series, held in the fall of 2024, featured Hurst performing with a backing band that included musicians on bass, banjo, fiddle, and mandolin, according to a past listing from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — though the lineup joining Hurst for this year's show has not been identified.
