Visit Owensboro is conducting a series of exclusive interviews with guests ranging from high-profile bluegrass artists, to directors of major events coming to town, to locals who will provide heartfelt stories. This installment features Chris Joslin, Executive Director of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum. To watch the full video interview, click here.
Last week Visit Owensboro sat down with Chris Joslin, Executive Director of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, to talk all things Owensboro and bluegrass music.
Joslin, a self-proclaimed “banjo nerd,” has always had a love for bluegrass music. He began playing various instruments at a young age and studied both music and business in college.
Joslin began working for the Museum in 2015, and his passion for bluegrass coupled with corporate expertise has propelled the cultural center to new heights. Since the opening of the new facility in 2018, the Museum has gained visitors from around the globe, record attendances at ROMP, and a monthly bluegrass magazine reaching subscribers in all 50 states.
Owensboro is building its name as the “Bluegrass Music Capital of the World,” something that was a longtime coming according to Joslin.
“I think the Museum is what makes Owensboro unique,” Joslin said. “Bluegrass is uniquely Kentucky.”
The birthplace of Bill Monroe — the Father of Bluegrass — is around the corner, and Owensboro is home to the only cultural center dedicated solely to bluegrass music.
“We’re not located here for convenience,” Joslin said. “We’re here because this is where bluegrass is from. It’s authentic so it’s fun to share with the community and host people from all around the world.”
Joslin says Owensboro and bluegrass are inherently similar — sharing a thriving, connected community that stays true to its roots. He said visitors can take a deep-dive tour of the museum and catch a live concert, then explore restaurants and the revitalized riverfront — all within walking distance of the hotel. And within a short drive, they can eat at a world-famou bar-b-que restaurant, tour the Green River Distilling Company, and visit Bill Monroe’s birthplace.
“There’s so much to do in Owensboro,” Joslin said. “I think we’re building quite a destination. It’s fun to walk visitors through that.”
Joslin said 2021 looks exciting for the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum despite the pandemic. New opportunities were found, such as developing virtual programming and live streaming, creating their monthly magazine Bluegrass Unlimited, and developing events that naturally complimented social distancing.
Joslin hopes to see a wave within the community that not only embraces bluegrass as Owensboro’s brand, but makes the two synonymous. With the new innovation in cultural tourism, Joslin said “we can serve our community well and attract people from far and wide through this unique form of American music.”
