Earl Scruggs and Marty Stuart play a show May 17 to kick off an art display.

Seems the Ryman is going to be launching a half-year exhibit called "Thomas B. Allen, The Journey of An American Illustrator."

Allen's work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Life, Fortune, etc.

But hereabouts he's probably best-known for the 17 album covers he illustrated for Flatt & Scruggs in the 1950s and '60s, when Lester and Earl formed the most popular act in bluegrass.

The 7 p.m. concert -- presented by the Ryman, Stuart and The Arts Company -- is called "The Great American Folk Boom."

Tix -- $27.50 and $22.50 -- will go on sale March 25 at Ticketmaster locations and the Ryman box office.

From Tennessean entertainment editor Tim (Dirt Man) Ghianni. Read more in Brad Schmitt's column.