The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will host an in-depth interview with the honoree on Feb. 20.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., - Jan. 22, 2020 – The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will honor music executive Bev Paul at its 13th annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.In an in-depth interview with the museum’s Director of Public Programs Abi Tapia, Paul will discuss her career and her insider’s perspective on the important role of independent record labels in advancing American roots music. The program will feature rare photos, film footage and recordings to illustrate Paul’s work.

“This annual forum, begun in 2007, recognizes industry professionals who continue the legacy of Louise Scruggs, a formidable businesswoman and music industry trailblazer,” said Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Bev Paul, with her astute record-business acumen and passion for music, left an indelible mark on the music industry. Her commitment to promoting acoustic musicians and Americana artists and helping them reach new audiences is a reflection of the dedication and spirit Louise Scruggs embodied. Much like Louise, Bev’s legacy continues through the work of those she taught.”

In 1991, Paul joined Sugar Hill Records, the label founded by Barry Poss in 1978 in Durham, North Carolina. As marketing director, Paul brought extensive experience in radio and retail to the groundbreaking independent label, which had a reputation for providing a supportive home for songwriters and masters of acoustic music. Paul worked alongside Poss to expand the label’s roster and promote record releases by artists such as Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton, Sam Bush, Guy Clark, Nickel Creek, Townes Van Zandt and Doc Watson. Paul became the label’s general manager in 1998, leading a staff consisting primarily of young women who benefited from her mentoring. Sugar Hill became a market leader, and the label united with other independent record companies that specialized in “roots” or “folk” music to create powerful trade organizations for bluegrass, Americana and folk music.

In addition to her work at Sugar Hill, Paul served as an active member of the board of the International Bluegrass Music Association, and, she participated in the founding of the Americana Music Association. Since retiring from Sugar Hill in 2007, Paul has worked part-time with artist Scott Miller and his record label. Miller will perform as part of the program.

The Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum is supported by Gibson Gives. This program is free and open to the public, and will be live streamed at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

Louise Scruggs (1927-2006) was married to Country Music Hall of Fame member and banjo great Earl Scruggs. In the mid-1950s, she began booking and managing Flatt & Scruggs and their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys. She was the first woman in country music to assume these roles, and astutely guided her husband’s career for half a century. The Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum was first presented in 2007; past honorees include Denise Stiff, Liz Thiels, Mary Martin, Bonnie Garner, Sarah Trahern, Nancy Shapiro, Kay Clary, Jo Walker-Meador, Dixie Hall, Traci Thomas, Cindy Mabe, Bebe Evans and Marcie Allen Van Mol.

Additional information about the program can be found by visiting CountryMusicHallofFame.org.

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Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Contact: 
Aubrey Miller 615.416.2098  AGMiller@countrymusichalloffame.org

Media website: 
http://countrymusichalloffame.org/media

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibits, publications and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and for the last five consecutive years has welcomed over one million patrons each year, placing it among the 10 most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.CountryMusicHallofFame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.