The fifth annual We’re All 4 the Hall concert took place last night. Vince Gill commented on the event’s conception: “I think what killed me early on was finding out how little the artist community did for The Country Music Hall of Fame,†said Gill, himself a Hall of Famer. “This is a Hall of Fame that’s ours. That’s who is in here, these country artists. And come to find out, there wasn’t a whole lot of flag waving and support and chipping in and all that stuff. And I was like, ‘Let’s try and have everybody do their part.’†Keith Urban joined Gill for the annual Nashville concert. The two of them opened the stage for a dozen artists ranging from today’s newest hit makers, including Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves and Brett Eldredge, to its biggest stars like Carrie Underwood, Country Music Hall of Famer Reba McEntire and new inductee Ronnie Milsap. “I remember I went to the first one years ago and I didn’t have anything going on with my music then yet,†said Eldredge, who had his first number one song with ‘Don’t Ya’ last year. “I was still trying to get it all figured out and I remember thinking, ‘It would be so cool to play this event.’ I’m a huge fan of The Country Music Hall of Fame and just the fact this benefits that and country music is the coolest thing in the world. I’m such a nerd for that.†Urban, who handles booking the lineup for the Nashville event, chose Songtellers as the theme this year. As in past years, he wanted something that was multigenerational and that would include artists who were remarkable song interpreters instead of limiting it to artists who are songwriters. “They have to cull through songs and find songs,†he said. “Why did Reba cut ‘Fancy’ or certain songs she’s had over the years? Did she have to fight somebody for them? Did someone else try and cut them? They aren’t necessarily just a story about the writing of the song. I think it will make for an interesting evening.†In the last four years, the event has raised more than $2 million. Museum director Kyle Young said that money goes into the general operating budget, which funds preservation, conservation, exhibitions, school programs and more. Specifically, the money has allowed the institution to more than double the number of programs offered to youths and families and helped the museum position itself for the major expansion and continue to provide free programs to students in Metro Nashville Public Schools.
