RCHS Monday Night Meeting
May 19, 2025, 7p.m.
Gloria Christy will present, Roots of American Music and the
Story of Uncle Dave Macon, The King of the Hillbillies.
Gloria Shacklett Christy was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, on December 11, 1949, to Virginia Ruth Allen and Richard Claude Shacklett. Even as a young girl, it was impossible for Gloria not to have a sense of history while growing up in the family photography business, Shacklett’s Photography. Learning the early techniques of photo oil coloring and art from her
father and founder, she could not help to realize the importance of those skills. After a career teaching in early childhood education (1971-1976 and 1980-1982) and as an education director for a historic house museum, Oaklands Mansion from 1984-1989, Gloria came back to the family business in 1989. Gloria and her brother, Bill Shacklett became owners and moved the business to a new location on the public square in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. That has been a fixture on the Square since 1989. The business was awarded Murfreesboro’s Downtown Business of the Year in 2007 by Mainstreet. In 2021, Shacklett’s Photography was awarded the Firefly Award as a “Local Legacy”. This award was presented by the Locally Owned Murfreesboro and Smyrna Independent Merchant’s Association.
With this flexible work enterprise and driven by a sense of purpose, Gloria has been able to create, organize, and develop Uncle Dave Macon Days and Macon Music Education for 40 years. Her son, Ben, was the Director of the festival from 2014-2022. He continues as an advisor. Gloria Christy was the Director of Uncle Dave Macon Days from 1984 to 2024.
Gloria continues as President of the Board of Directors. She remains active serving as an advisor to the Committee and a fundamental player in the outreach program of the festival which is Macon Music
Education and Roots Rendezvous.
As a former classroom teacher and educator for 11 years, Gloria continues to promote the mission, of “Preserving Yesterday’s Music for Tomorrow” through Macon Music Education and the Uncle Dave Macon Days festival. In cooperation with MTSU Theatre and Drama, Macon Music Education and Roots Rendezvous advised the production of the play,” Walking in Sunlight”, the life story dramatization of Uncle Dave Macon. The play was performed in Middle Tennessee schools and went on tour to Ireland in 2017.
Gloria was a regular contributor to 3 local newspapers (Rutherford Reader. The Pulse, and the Murfreesboro Post, writing historical articles about the history of Rutherford County, Tennessee from 2000-2014. She has served on the board of the Rutherford County Convention Visitor’s Board from 2012-2017.
In 2019, Gloria was awarded the National Daughters of the American Revolution Historic Preservation
Medal and was honored in the Past with an Award from the Rutherford County TN Historical Society for her Historical Contributions to the Community.
Her greatest achievement is her homeschool experience with her 15-year-old grandson, Aidan Shacklett which she has done since 2020.
Although a challenge, launching the 2024 Uncle Dave Macon Days presents Roots Rendezvous continues to underscore the mission which is “Macon Music, Macon Fun, Macon Friends”. As Uncle Dave Macon would say, “Make Happy!”
You may also like the following events from Rutherford County Tennessee Historical Society:
Also check out other
Arts events in Murfreesboro,
Festivals in Murfreesboro,
Theatre events in Murfreesboro.
