Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum launches Strings pop-up shop

Jun. 1—On Wednesday, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum launched its "one-of-a-kind" pop-up shop in honor of Grammy-winning bluegrass artist Billy Strings.

The shop, which is a collaborative effort between the museum and Strings' merchandise team, includes a number of features such as five different adult T-shirt selections, one youth T-shirt design, vinyl records, CDs, stickers and additional apparel such as blankets and hats.

"We are incredibly excited to bring the magic of Billy Strings to Owensboro," said Chris Joslin, executive director of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in a release. "The pop-up shop will not only offer fans a chance to connect with Billy's music on a deeper level, but it may also serve as an invitation to explore the museum's exhibits and the history of bluegrass music."

Jaclyn Hagan, museum store manager, and Carly Smith, curator for the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, are happy with the collaboration and being able to feature Strings in this way.

"I think he is such a force in bluegrass right now," Hagan said. "He's doing the traditional with his own spin with the new, and he's doing a lot for this genre of music ...."

"I think it's such a great opportunity for us," Smith said. "Billy Strings is at the top of his game right now and has done so much to bring bluegrass music to the mainstream.

"I think it's going to be a great addition to the Hall of Fame."

The shop's design and layout was inspired by Strings' 2022 release "Me/And/Dad" — a collaborative effort recorded by Strings' and his father Terry Barber — which features new versions of 14 bluegrass and country classics that the pair have played together since Strings' upbringing.

The pop-up shop even includes a framed photograph of Strings playing with Barber on a stage during his youth on display.

Hagan and Smith feel the shop will give patrons "a glimpse of kind of where (Strings) came from."

"I think that is super cool because the picture of the cover (of the album) is a picture of him and his dad ...," Hagan said. "... I think it's really neat; and the merchandise on top of that is just Billy — it's his music, it's who he is ...."

"... I think the cool thing about Billy Strings is he's had such an evolution as an artist, and I think that's evident with the latest album that he stuck to his bluegrass roots," Smith said.

CDs and vinyl records are also available for purchase from the pop-up store, which include "Me/And/Dad" along with Strings' 2021 release "Renewal" and his 2019 Grammy-winning record "Home."

The pop-up shop is open to the public in the museum store from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.