Acuff fiddle finds home at Country Hall
Thursday, July 1, 2021 – Country Music Hall of Fame member Roy Acuff's fiddle has been added to the museum's permanent collection thanks to a donation by Vince Gill.
The fiddle was found and given to Acuff by American soldiers stationed in Germany at the end of World War II.
Then a major star of the Grand Ole Opry and a best-selling Columbia recording artist, Acuff enjoyed broad appeal in country music at the time, serving as an important bridge from the stringband era to the modern era of star singers backed by bands.
"Roy Acuff's prized fiddle is an important instrument with a remarkable story," said Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young. "Because of Vince Gill's generosity, the museum is now the permanent steward of an instrument that illustrates Roy Acuff's cultural significance and the growth of country music during a period of great expansion for the genre. This instrument will be used to educate generations of fans and scholars about the music and career of Acuff, who served as an ambassador for country music as the face of the Grand Ole Opry and a regular USO performer, among many other accomplishments."