The Curb Museum for Music is located in Kannapolis, which is a suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The location is shared between two of owner, Mike Curb’s, two key interests: music and car racing.
What’s in the Curb Museum for Music?
Mike Curb, developer and owner of the Curb Museum for Music, was inducted to the Music City Walk of Fame on April 19, 2009, in Nashville, TN.
This followed a distinguished 45+ year career in the music industry, where he was a songwriter, producer, and record company owner.
But he didn’t stop there.
Curb has even composed or supervised music for 50+ motion picture soundtracks!
What was the first label produced by Mike Curb?
Curb started Sidewalk Records in 1963 when he was just 18. He released 20 LPs and 45 RPM singles, including Linda Rondstat’s first known recording in 1965, before merging with MGM Records.
So, the museum is a collection of artifacts around the history of his original label, Sidewalk Records, to his latest, Curb Records, along with musicians recognized by the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
North Carolina Music Hall of Fame
The Curb Museum for Music is home to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. It honors North Carolina musicians in all genres.
George Hamilton IV is one of the musicians who has been honored.
Abilene was one of his biggest hits.
It reached number one on the U.S. country music charts for four weeks in 1963.
Hamilton was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.
Roberta Flack is another featured artist. She was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
The display includes a gown and album covers.
Flack's rise to fame started with the ballad, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, featured in the Clint Eastwood movie, Play Misty for Me, in 1972. The recording was a #1 pop single for six weeks and the Grammy winner for Record of the Year.
Nantucket is a featured group. The group formed in 1969 starting out as Stax of Gold, and then as Nantucket Sleighride.
Some of Nantucket’s songs include Heartbreaker and She’s No Good. They were inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite exhibit was the Andy Griffith dislay. It took me totally by surprise, as I didn’t realize he’d ever been a singer — never mind a North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductee (2010)! My strongest memory of him is of being a sheriff on the Andy Griffith show.
Some of Griffith's song hits included: - The Preacher - I Love to Tell the Story - The Bear and The Fishin' Hole (theme song)
As well as the North Carolina Hall of Fame, he was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame (1999) and Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum (2007).
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
The Curb Museum for Music also includes a motorsports museum in the same building, so together they’re often referred to as the Curb Museum for Music and Motorsports. Once you’re there, it’s easy to spend some time in the Curb Motorsports Museum as well.
Music lovers may also find the Gem Theater an interesting stop in Kannapolis. Originally opened in 1936, it was rebuilt in 1948 after being gutted by fire. It’s one of the oldest single-screen movie theatres in continuous operation today.
Who Should Visit the Curb Museum for Music?
The museum celebrates inductees into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, so it’s a must-see for North Carolina music lovers. And if you’re not from North Carolina and enjoy music, it’s still a great stop to pull up memories of the music you’ve listened to over the years.
As well, you’ll find Mike Curb’s collections interesting, whether you think of him as a racing enthusiast and car owner, music producer, philanthropist, or 42nd lieutenant governor of California.
How Do You Visit the Curb Museum for Music?
The Curb Museum for Music is located in the same building as the Curb Motorsports Museum in Kannapolis at 600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd.
Visit the Mike Curb website for more information. The museum is typically open 10 – 4, Monday through Friday. But you can check by calling +1 704-938-6121.
Take a virtual tour of the Curb Museum for Music on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google maps.
Acknowledgments
I visited the Curb Museum for Music as part of a post-trip for Travel Media Showcase, hosted by the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. My admission to the museum was free of charge.
Reference(s)
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Curb Records. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_Records
Wikipedia (n.d.). Sidewalk Records. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidewalk_Records
Find More Music Museums
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The Curb Museum for Music in Kannapolis, North Carolina, curates the history of Curb Records as well as the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. See displays of well known performers like Roberta Flack and George Hamilton IV.
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