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SILS Alum Jay Orr “Goes Country” at the White House
Country Music stars Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley, and moderator Jay Orr, take
questions about their work as part of the White House music series celebrating country music in the State Dining Room at The White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Aug. 31, 2009 - When we think of the South, one of the first things that comes to mind—along with thoughts of mint tea and juleps—is country music. SILS alumnus Jay Orr, vice president of museum programs at the Country Music Hall of Fame, would know.
Since his first job as head of technical services in the museum’s Library and Media Center in 1984, Orr has had the opportunity to work closely with some of country music’s biggest names, making himself a bit of a SILS legend in the process.
This July, Orr facilitated a discussion between country music superstars Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss and a group of approximately 120 aspiring young musicians at the White House.
The discussion was part of an initiative begun by First Lady, Michelle Obama, called "The White House Music Series." The workshop on country music is the second installment of the series following a program on jazz. This particular program titled, "A Country Music Celebration," aimed to promote a better understanding of and appreciation for the country music genre and its many sub-genres. The workshop allowed middle school and high school students to interact with some of their favorite country music stars in person. On behalf of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Orr served as a mediator for the event - fielding student questions.
A perfect choice for moderating the musical duo, Orr's speaking voice was described by Tennessean reporter, Peter Cooper, as "a gentle baritone" that sounded "nearly as musical as the flights of melody that sprung from Krauss' aged fiddle" and "Paisley's sunburst Gibson guitar."
Students Orr called on had the opportunity to ask Krauss and Paisley a variety of questions about both their careers and lives offstage. According to Orr, Krauss and Paisley discussed songwriting, how they first discovered music, how much practicing they did and also how their families helped them achieve their long-term goals in the music business.
Both Krauss and Paisley performed later that evening for President Obama and his family at a special concert in the East Room. Orr, seated at a table adjacent to the Obamas, was an honored guest. Reflecting on the event afterward, he described it as “stirring” and “a real triumph for country music.”
The evening, however, was also the culmination of a chain of events that led Orr from the halls of Manning as an SILS graduate student to a prominent position in Nashville’s vibrant music scene.
After leaving his post as head of technical services in the museum’s Library and Media Center in 1989, Orr joined The Nashville Banner as a music reporter—later writing for The Tennessean. In 2000, Orr left The Tennessean to work for CMT.com, Web site of the popular country music channel.
Eventually, Orr found his way back to the Country Music Hall of Fame, where he now oversees public and educational programs while also writing and editing for the museum's exhibits and publications.
Though at this point in his career Orr is “only marginally involved with [the daily operations of] the library,” his journey from SILS to a professional career in the music business is no less remarkable: an example which shows that libraries are just one of the many places where you’ll find former graduates finding great success.