Patty Loveless 'Full Of Emotions' To Reflect On Her Iconic Life, Career

Patty Loveless “was full of emotions” as she walked through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to see the music history hub’s newest exhibit, chronicling the Kentucky-born country icon’s life and career. The Patty Loveless: No Trouble with the Truth exhibit made its long-awaited public debut on Wednesday (August 23).

Surrounded by family and friends, Loveless said she was “so excited” and “so proud” to see the opening of her new exhibit in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Artifacts chronicling Loveless’ life and career include wardrobe pieces, memorabilia from tours, photographs, set lists, posters, videos, manuscripts and more.

“I’m seeing my family directly in front of me, and like I said, I’m just so excited to see everyone and everyone being here, and I’m excited about sharing this exhibit with you,” Loveless said during the opening ceremony earlier this week. “I’m so proud. So proud of what they’ve done. I was full of emotions when I saw it all, and I think y’all are gonna be very, very pleased.”

Loveless began to sing and write music in her childhood, though she was so shy that she used to prevent her parents and siblings from watching her while she sang, Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said during his remarks at the exhibit opening. Now, Loveless not only has her own exhibit in the Hall of Fame, but will “take her rightful place” in it when she’s inducted this fall. Young said “we didn’t plan it this way,” to have both events happen in the same year, “but I choose to believe that this was in the stars all along.”

Earlier this year, Vince Gill revealed the next class of artists and songwriters to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, including Loveless in the Modern Era Artist category. Loveless will be inducted alongside Bob McDill (Songwriter category), and Tanya Tucker (Veteran Era Artist category).

“It’s the rare performer in country music who has the ability both to hark back to tradition, and yet move that tradition forward, enabling the genre to grow while maintaining its essential identity,” Young said. “Patty is one of those rare artists.”

The Patty Loveless: No Trouble with the Truth exhibit is now open and included with museum admission. It will remain available through October 2024. Loveless will hold a conversation and acoustic performance in the CMA Theater at the museum in support of the exhibit opening on Saturday (August 26) at 2:30 p.m.

“My journey into a career of music all started out on an Epiphone acoustic guitar my father bought for me in 1969,” Loveless previously said in a statement. “As a 12-year-old, I didn’t want to set the world on fire, I just wanted to play and sing music. By the age of 14, I wrote ‘Sounds of Loneliness’ and ‘I Did’ on this guitar, two songs that in 1986 ended up on my debut album for MCA records. Now that guitar will be displayed in my exhibit of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum where it truly belongs with other memorabilia of the many people that supported me throughout my musical journey to whom I’m forever grateful.”