Today, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum opened a new exhibit exploring the musical contributions of Dick Curless (1932-1995). Dick Curless: Hard Traveling Man from Maine is now open and runs through Jan. 7, 2024.

Curless — best known for his 1965 national hit, the truck-driving anthem “A Tombstone Every Mile” — was one of the most versatile and powerfully eloquent singers of his time. The exhibit traces Curless’s life and legacy, from his rural Northeast upbringing and popular truck-driving songs of the 1960s and ‘70s, to his 1995 return to recording with his critically acclaimed final album, Traveling Through.
 

Dick Curless: Hard Traveling Man from Maine features a selection of instruments, stage wear and personal artifacts donated to the museum’s collection by the Curless family. The exhibit is guest co-curated by music historian and award-winning author Peter Guralnick, who wrote an extensive profile on Curless in his 2020 book “Looking to Get Lost: Adventures in Music and Writing.”

In support of the exhibit opening, Guralnick will lead a discussion exploring Curless’s life and music on Saturday, Feb. 18, in the museum’s Ford Theater. Joining the conversation will be musician, producer and artist manager Jake Guralnick, Peter’s son, who produced Traveling Through for Rounder Records. Chuck Mead, co-founder of country band BR549 and longtime Americana solo artist, will perform briefly in tribute to Curless. Tickets are available here.

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. 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 museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.