Belmont Mansion invites the community to its annual Friends & Neighbors Shopping Night on Thursday, November 20, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm, for an evening of festive shopping, local creativity, and storytelling. This year’s event also marks the official launch of Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story, the newly released and definitive biography of one of country music’s most beloved figures.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet authors Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel and Dr. Don Cusic, who will discuss Minnie Pearl’s remarkable life and career before signing copies of their new book. The evening promises to be a warm celebration of community, history, and the enduring humor and heart that made Minnie Pearl an icon.
Born Sarah Ophelia Colley in 1912 in Centerville, Tennessee, the woman who would become Minnie Pearl studied theater at Nashville’s Ward-Belmont School before taking her talents on the road during the Great Depression. In 1936, she met Mattie Burden, who inspired her now-legendary persona — a witty country girl with a big heart, a sharp tongue, and a straw hat with a dangling price tag. Minnie went on to become the “Queen of Country Comedy,” delighting audiences for decades on the Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw, and paving the way for generations of female performers.
In Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story, Pethel and Cusic capture both the laughter and the legacy of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon. The book features 155 historic photographs and draws from extensive archives and first-hand interviews with those who knew her best. Dolly Parton reflects, “Minnie was more than a big laugh. She was a big heart, and I will always love her.” Fellow artist k.d. lang adds, “Minnie understood where country music needed to go and who it needed to embrace. She was a visionary.”
Published by University of Tennessee Press as part of the Charles K. Wolfe Music Series, the book continues the series’ mission to explore the lives and legacies of artists who shaped America’s musical landscape.
Alongside the book launch, visitors can enjoy hors d’oeuvres, light beverages, special discounts, and a festive shopping experience featuring local authors, vendors, and exclusive product launches in the beautiful Belmont Mansion Gift Shop. Guests can also take in the Mansion’s holiday decorations while browsing unique, locally inspired gifts.
The event is free and open to the public — a perfect evening to shop, mingle, and celebrate Nashville’s heritage in the historic setting where Minnie Pearl’s story began.
Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story is now available at utpress.org.
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