Craig Shelburne is a Nashville-based music journalist, author, and festival producer. He grew up in rural Nebraska, moved to Nashville in 1994, and spent 13 years at CMT where he launched the influential roots music blog CMT Edge. He's written for Rolling Stone, the Bluegrass Situation, MusicRow, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and many other outlets. Craig currently serves as festival producer for AmericanaFest, programming the nighttime showcases for the Americana Music Association. His first book, 100 Years of Grand Ole Opry: A Celebration of the Artists, the Fans, and the Home of Country Music, was published in April 2025. His next book, Killin' Time: My Life and Music—a memoir co-written with Clint Black—arrives May 19, 2026.
In This Episode:
Writing 100 years of Opry history in 18 months with historian Brenda Colladay
The decision to tell the real story—setbacks, bad calls, and all
Discovering the complete audio of James Brown's 1979 Opry performance
Growing up on TNN in Nebraska and moving to Nashville at 19
13 years at CMT and the launch of CMT Edge
The art of the seven-minute interview: asking questions artists actually want to answer
Programming AmericanaFest: 1,500 submissions, 200 slots, and the philosophy of fit
Writing Clint Black's memoir on the tour bus
Why no two Opry shows have ever been the same
Links
