On Tuesday, December 2, the National Museum of African American Music celebrated its third annual Musical Gifts, Nashville’s premier Giving Tuesday celebration. The evening drew record attendance, exceeded fundraising goals, and delivered performances that continue to resonate throughout the community.
From the moment doors opened at 5:45 PM, the museum transformed into a vibrant holiday gathering space. Guests were greeted by a bustling marketplace featuring more than a dozen local vendors offering exceptional products—from hand-knit clothing to Black-owned luxury fragrances and world-class children’s books. DJ Smoke opened the evening with classic holiday music, and the lobby soon became a dance floor as laughter and movement swept through the space.
A Museum-Wide Celebration
One of the evening’s unexpected highlights was the transformation of NMAAM’s Amplify space into an exclusive children’s center. Young visitors learned spoon beat patterns from Mr. Lucius “Spoon” Talley and drummer Thomas Spann, participated in gallery scavenger hunts, and decorated holiday ornaments under the guidance of Nikki Walker, Director of Education, and her team. The children’s programming proved so successful that Patrick Walker-Reese, one of the night’s highlighted artists. Later praised it during his poetry performance, sharing from the stage: “My baby was on a field trip in the gallery with the education department.”
Performances That Moved the Soul
Eleven-year-old prodigy Carter Hammonds opened the musical performances, delivering a soul-stirring self-composed piece with his full family band—a seven-person ensemble featuring gospel vocals, dual keyboards, and live drums. By the end of the night, vendors in the lobby were asking for Carter’s contact information, with one guest calling him “the next John Batiste.” The passion radiating from the young musician and his supportive family had guests on their feet all night.
Patrick Walker-Reese returned for his third year at Musical Gifts, and his heartfelt PatPoems resonated deeply with parents in the audience. Fathers are especially connected with their passionate expressions of love for their daughter, the same daughter who was having the time of her life in NMAAM’s education programming.
The first and currently only Black woman puppeteer on Sesame Street, Megan Piphus, delighted the crowd with her fan-favorite puppet, Junebug. She drew waves of laughter as she introduced Reverend Peppers, her handy preacher with a gold tooth grin and a comedic sermon that lit up the room.
Jazz vocalist Dr. Cheryl Carr brought elegance and excellence to the stage, representing NMAAM’s “A Love Supreme” gallery with a performance that had audience members closing their eyes and receiving every note.
An Emotional Tribute
The evening concluded with a moving tribute to Carlos DeFord Bailey, the Nashville legend and tireless advocate for his grandfather DeFord Bailey’s legacy. The tribute featured a jam session with Henry Perry on harmonica—one of the few Nashville-based African American harmonica players carrying on the tradition—alongside Spann and Talley and others, From Nothing to Something teaching artists.
Following the live performance, NMAAM premiered “Over the Rainbow,” a charity single featuring Micki Free, Buck 22, and Billy Ray Cyrus filmed in the museum’s galleries with all proceeds benefiting NMAAM. The video played on the empty stage as the tribute to Carlos’s legacy filled the theater with both music and meaning.
The Tree Lighting Ceremony
Following closing remarks, host Tamiko Robinson Steele invited the crowd to the Rechter Family Concourse for the annual tree lighting ceremony. With Black Santa leading the charge, more than 200 guests gathered for the countdown. The building erupted in unison, “10, 9, 8…” before exploding into jubilant celebration as the trees illuminated the space.
Jonathan Wynn, co-founder of Soul’d Creative Collective, captured the evening’s essence: “This is an amazing event. You could feel the love of the people in every aspect.” His words rang true as strangers became friends united by music culture and the shared warmth of the season.
A Perfect Ending
As the festivities wound down, Carter Hammonds honored an earlier audience request, seating himself at the museum’s K. Kawai piano centered in the main concourse. His fingers danced across the keys, filling the hall with soulful melodies, a musical thank you to the community that had celebrated with him.
Visitors departed with treasures from local vendors’ hearts full of holiday magic, and a renewed appreciation for NMAAM as a living space where heritage meets hope, where melodies bridge generations, and where every note celebrates the resilient spirit of the people who gifted the world its soundtrack.
Musical Gifts 2025 exceeded its $150,000 fundraising goal, with both in-person attendees and livestream viewers from across the country participating in this special Giving Tuesday celebration. The event demonstrated once again why NMAAM has become Nashville’s premier cultural gathering space, and why Musical Gifts has become a cherished annual tradition.
