NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Apr. 21, 2026 – This evening, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum celebrated the opening of its newest exhibition, Clint Black: The Hard Way On Purpose. The exhibition traces Black’s story, from a working-class upstart to topping the charts on his own terms. Included with museum admission, the exhibit is now open and runs until August 2027.

The exhibit includes stage wear, instruments, memorabilia, manuscripts, photographs, videos and more. The official exhibit playlist is now available here.

Black’s many talents and considerable versatility — as a singer, songwriter, player, actor, label head and more — have captivated the world of country music. The youngest of four brothers, Black was raised in a working-class family in Houston, Texas. A family friend gave him a Hohner Marine Band harmonica when he was 13 years old, and a musician was born. In 1990, Black received four Academy of Country Music Awards for the album which he wrote or co-wrote in its entirety and recorded with his road band and rookie producer James Stroud in Houston. Six months later, Black won Male Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards. He also became the first new artist to generate four consecutive #1s on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. He went on to write or co-write 29 Top Ten hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart over the next decade and has racked up sales of more than 20 million records.

Black continued to write or co-write his platinum-selling albums throughout most of the 1990s, despite urging from his label to cut songs by other hitmakers. Throughout the decade, he remained steadfast in his singer-songwriter identity and began directing his music videos. During this period, Black was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1991, continued winning awards and selling out arenas including his hometown stadium, the Houston Astrodome; he also played the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 1994 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Leaving RCA Records in 2001, instead of joining other major labels courting him, Black decided to start his own record company — founding Equity Music Group in 2003 with the aim of creating a fairer relationship between record label and artist. The company’s first release was Black’s 2004 album Spend My Time, which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. 

About 50 years after he received his first harmonica, Black was officially named an icon. In November 2025, Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) bestowed its prestigious Icon Award on Black in recognition of his “unique and indelible influence on music makers across generations.” 

More information about the exhibit and Clint Black can be found here. Advance reservations are encouraged and ticket availability can be found on the museum’s website. 

On Saturday, May 23, Black will participate in an intimate evening in conversation celebrating his long-awaited memoir “Killin’ Time: My Life and Music.” The event will take place at 6 p.m.in the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Tickets, which include an autographed book, are on sale here.

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