Speaker Friday, April 17, 2026
Nashville’s identity is closely tied to country music, with landmarks like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum drawing visitors from around the world. However, at the same time, Jefferson Street was alive with performances from trailblazing artists like Etta James, Little Richard, and Jimi Hendrix. This lesser-known chapter of Nashville’s history gives the city much more depth to its claim to be Music City and the State of Tennessee’s claim to be one of the most important, if not the most important, influence on music in the United States.
Join William Jefferies, Executive Director, National Museum of African American Music and learn about the the lesser known history of music in Nashville. The meeting will take place on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 7:15 a.m. at the Boy Scout Service Center on Hillsboro Road.
In 1998, inspired by a gala at Hank Aaron’s home, Francis Guess and Dr. T.B. Boyd envisioned a museum dedicated to celebrating African American music and heritage. Their vision led to the founding of the African American History Foundation of Nashville and the beginning of a community-wide effort to bring this important institution to life.
Attendees will hear about the rich musical history of Jefferson Street, where legendary performers such as Etta James, Little Richard, and Jimi Hendrix once regularly entertained Nashville audiences. The museum stands today as a powerful tribute to that legacy and remains a highly recommended destination for anyone interested in the full story of American music.
Jefferies brings more than two decades of experience in the cultural nonprofit sector, having held leadership roles with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, the State University of New York at Purchase College, and the Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Connecticut. The Association of Children’s Museums published an article he authored in 2015 highlighting his innovative approach to fundraising and organizational growth.
A veteran of the United States Air Force, Jefferies earned a master’s degree in Community Planning from the University of Maryland, College Park, and recently completed an Executive Certification Program in Social Impact Investments at the University of Pennsylvania.
For more information see https://www.nmaam.org/
Recent and Future Speakers
| 4/10/26 | Steve Bland, CEO WEGO Public Transit | ||
| 4/17/26 | William Jeffries, Executive Director, African American Music Museum | ||
| 4/24/26 | Eric, Editor in Chief, Nashville Business Journal | ||
| 5/1/26 | Jim Easter, Healthcare trends in 2026 | ||
| 5/8/26 | Yuri Cunza, CEO Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | ||
| 5/15/26 | Christiane Buggs, Bob Kucher, of PENCIL CEO | ||
| 5/22/26 | District Governor, John Christopher Williams | ||
| 5/29/26 | Laurel Creech and Casey Davis, The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee | ||
| 6/5/26 | Nashville Opera, Keri Alkema, Chief Strategy & Ops Officer |