FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oscar-Winning Screenwriter Callie Khouri Named 2016 Patsy Montana Award Recipient
‘Nashville’ Creator to be Honored by the National Cowgirl Museum in Fort Worth, Texas
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (October 6, 2016) – The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame – the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage in their trailblazing efforts – is proud to announce Callie Khouri as the 2016 Patsy Montana Award recipient. Khouri will be honored at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, this October at a private event hosted by National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame board members Nancy Pearce and Stephanie Haymes-Roven.
Khouri is the Creator and Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed drama, Nashville. She may be best known for galvanizing women and sparking nationwide debate in 1991 with her screenwriting debut, Thelma and Louise, which was nominated for six Academy Awards. She won an Oscar, Golden Globe, Writers Guild of America Award and a PEN Literary Award for Best Original Screenplay. Khouri followed Thelma and Louise with 1995’s Something to Talk About, starring Julia Roberts, Dennis Quaid and Robert Duvall. She then made her directorial debut with Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, starring Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd, which she also adapted for the screen.
Khouri continues to be honored for her writing in film and television as well as her commitment to the honest portrayal of women on screen. Her accolades include Nashville Women in Film’s 2016 Woman of the Year; induction into the 2016 SOURCE Awards Hall of Fame; and the National Women’s History Museum’s 2015 Women Making History Award. Khouri served on the Writers Guild of America board of directors from 1996 to 1998 and from 2000 to 2002.
Born in Texas and raised in Kentucky, Khouri attended Purdue University, where she majored in drama. She pursued additional training at the Lee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles and later with Peggy Feury. In 1985, she began working in film production, producing commercials, and music videos.
“The National Cowgirl Museum honors and celebrates strong women who make a difference, and as we say ‘always saddle their own horse.’ Callie Khouri will fit right in with this remarkable group of women,” said Nancy Pearce, National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame board member. “Callie embodies everything the Patsy Montana Award signifies. We’re thrilled to be presenting her with this award,” said Stephanie Haymes-Roven, National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame board member.
The Patsy Montana Award recognizes those whose work in the entertainment field continues and advances the tradition of the cowgirl in the areas of film, television, music, writing and theatre. Named for 1987 National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honoree Patsy Montana, who was the first woman to sell a million records with her song ‘I Want to be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart,’ past recipients have included American singer and songwriter Emmylou Harris and Jessie the Cowgirl from Toy Story 2. There are six special awards given by the National Cowgirl Museum which honor individuals, organizations or foundations that support the institution’s mission of honoring and celebrating women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience and independence that shape the American West.
For more news about the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, visit www.cowgirl.net, and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NCMHOF, Twitter at www.twitter.com/cowgirlmuseum, Instagram at www.instagram.com/cowgirlmuseum, Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/cowgirlmuseum and YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/cowgirlmuseum.
About the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors and celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience and independence that helped shape the American West, and fosters an appreciation of the ideals and spirit of self-reliance they inspire. The Hall of Fame’s purpose is twofold: to preserve the history and impact of Western women living from the mid-1800s to present day, and to foster an appreciation for their ideals and spirit of self-reliance. These women are the legacy of legends — artists and writers, champions and competitive performers, contributors to the cowgirl legacy, entertainers, ranchers (stewards of land and livestock) and trailblazers and pioneers. The Museum is considered an invaluable national educational resource for its exhibits, research library, rare photograph collection and award-winning distance-learning programs for grades K-12 and adults.
Located at 1720 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, the Cowgirl is open Monday (Memorial Day to Labor Day) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for children ages 3 to 12 and senior citizens (60+) and $10 for adults (ages 13+). For more information, please visit www.cowgirl.net or call 817-476-FAME (3263).
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MEDIA CONTACT
Tara Trask
817-509-8969
ttrask@cowgirl.net