NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum Writer-Editor Erin Osmon will discuss her new book, “Won’t Back Down: Heartland Rock and the Fight for America,” during a talk at the museum on Saturday, May 9. Osmon will discuss the story of heartland rock, and acclaimed singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr., who grew up in John Mellencamp's hometown, Seymour, Indiana, will perform.
Heartland rock — the soundtrack of grocery stores, pool halls, bowling alleys, flea markets, drug stores and political rallies — which ruled radio airwaves in the 1980s, is inescapable even today. Osmon’s new book, “Won’t Back Down: Heartland Rock and the Fight for America,” tells the story of the origins, chart-topping development, and tangled legacy of this music, which remains instantly recognizable to millions. Her account of heartland rock’s glory days delves into the making of its classic albums and songs, such as Bob Seger’s Against the Wind, Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever and Bruce Springsteen’s numerous hits, as well as the centrality of often-overlooked women such as Melissa Etheridge and Bonnie Raitt. Osmon also traces the genre’s connections to country and Americana music and explores the social, political and cultural developments that fostered the genre.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Writer-Editor Allison Moorer will lead the discussion at 2:30 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater. The program is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited and a program ticket is required. Tickets will be available here to reserve beginning tomorrow, March 25, at 10 a.m. Central.
About the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum:
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibitions, publications, digital media and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. Among the most-visited history museums in the United States, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was awarded the country’s highest honor in the arts, the National Medal of Arts, in 2024. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, Haley Gallery, CMA Theater, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press.
More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.
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