The Country Music Hall of Fame Just Received a Historic Donation. Who’s Behind It?

One of the largest collections of country music artifacts has found a new home in Nashville, Tennessee, thanks to country music icon Marty Stuart, who spearheaded the historic donation.

TODAY gave us an exclusive first look at some of the pieces from Stuart’s own collection, from Johnny Cash’s first black suit to a dress worn by Dolly Parton.

“When I look at this, I see old friends, and I see an incredibly important part of American culture,” Stuart said. “But there’s history behind everything I see here.”

Stuart, 65, began collecting country music memorabilia after discovering a unique makeup bag at a “junk shop.”

“One day I walked into a junk shop on Nashville’s 8th Avenue and saw a beautiful, handmade makeup kit that said ‘Patsy Cline,’” he said.

He then embarked on a mission to rescue items such as outfits, instruments and personal memorabilia with the help of friends, fans and even strangers.

Over the years, Stuart has collected approximately 22,000 pieces that are destined for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.

“You can’t put a price on the value of heart and soul. I mean, the entire culture has been built on a lot of these things,” he said, calling them “irreplaceable.”

“They are part of the essence of who I am,” he added. “They are part of my heart, but they are a bigger part of me here.”

Stuart showed off several items from the collection, starting with a black suit Cash wore in his 20s.

“Grandma Cash, not to be outdone, went to JCPenney and bought this piping and used it on a little boy’s suit to make it stand out a little bit,” he explained.

Cash wrote his hit “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” on a Gibson guitar, which will also be on display, Stuart said.

Also on display is Parton’s green dress, which she wore in the 1970s on “The Porter Wagoner Show.”

“This is from her. This is what she chose and sent,” Stuart said.

Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, described how rare Stuart’s collection is.

“There’s only one. I mean, that Marty Stuart collection is the second-best singles collection in the world in that genre,” he said. “And if he hadn’t done that, I’m not sure this stuff would even exist anymore.”

Archivists say the collection is so vast that it will likely take a year to catalog every single one. Despite this, several items are already on public display.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com