The Country Music Hall of Fame is welcoming new members Johnny Gimble, Ricky Skaggs and Dottie West in the annual Medallion Ceremony this year, and for two weeks prior to the induction, the museum will recognize the full Hall of Fame membership (133) with a special, newly-established ritual this year — the Road to the Country Music Hall of Fame: Rite of Remembrance and Salute.
The ceremony will take place daily at 1 p.m., from Oct. 7-20, to honor the members of the Country Music Hall of Fame from 1961 to 2017. The museum’s Circle Guard will oversee the ritual, reading biographies of each Hall of Fame member in the museum’s Rotunda. Different members will be recognized each day. During the daily presentation, a Circle Guard member—David Conrad, Bill Denny, Mary Ann McCready, Seab Tuck, Steve Turner or Kyle Young—will wear the Master of Ceremonies stole, designed by couturier Sandi Spika Borchetta. The stole is rich in detail and ornate symbolism and is backed by swatches of fabric from some of music’s most iconic ensembles, including Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” dress and Country Music Hall of Fame member Reba McEntire’s legendary red dress worn to the 1993 CMA Awards.
“This ritual brings together and celebrates those who created the country music story,” said Steve Turner, chairman of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s board of officers and trustees. “Each day of the Road to the Country Music Hall of Fame, those Circle Guard members who have made a commitment of time, talent and treasure to the museum honor those in the country music world who have served and continue to serve as an inspiration for millions of fans around the world.”
Schedule for Road to the Country Music Hall of Fame Readings:
Sunday, Oct. 7
Class of 1961: Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams
Class of 1962: Roy Acuff
Class of 1963: None elected
Class of 1964: Tex Ritter
Class of 1965: Ernest Tubb
Class of 1966: Eddy Arnold, Jim Denny, George D. Hay and Uncle Dave Macon
Monday, Oct. 8
Class of 1967: Red Foley, J.L. “Joe” Frank, Jim Reeves and Steve Sholes
Class of 1968: Bob Wills
Class of 1969: Gene Autry
Class of 1970: Bill Monroe and the Original Carter Family
Class of 1971: Art Satherly
Class of 1972: Jimmie Davis
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Class of 1973: Chet Akins and Patsy Cline
Class of 1974: Owen Bradley and Pee Wee King
Class of 1975: Minnie Pearl
Class of 1976: Paul Cohen and Kitty Wells
Class of 1977: Merle Travis
Class of 1978: Grandpa Jones
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Class of 1979: Hubert Long and Hank Snow
Class of 1980: Johnny Cash, Connie B. Gay and Original Sons of the Pioneers
Class of 1981: Vernon Dalhart and Grant Turner
Class of 1982: Lefty Frizzell, Roy Horton and Marty Robbins
Thursday, Oct. 11
Class of 1983: Little Jimmy Dickens
Class of 1984: Ralph Peer and Floyd Tillman
Class of 1985: Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs
Class of 1986: Whitey Ford (The Duke of Paducah) and Wesley H. Rose
Class of 1987: Rod Brasfield
Class of 1988: Loretta Lynn and Roy Rogers
Friday, Oct. 12
Class of 1989: Jack Stapp, Cliffie Stone and Hank Thompson
Class of 1990: Tennessee Ernie Ford
Class of 1991: Boudleaux and Felice Bryant
Class of 1992: George Jones and Frances Williams Preston
Class of 1993: Willie Nelson
Saturday, Oct. 13
Class of 1994: Merle Haggard
Class of 1995: Roger Miller and Jo Walker-Meador
Class of 1996: Patsy Montana, Buck Owens and Ray Price
Class of 1997: Harlan Howard, Brenda Lee and Cindy Walker
Sunday, Oct. 14
Class of 1998: George Morgan, Elvis Presley, E.W. “Bud” Wendell and Tammy Wynette
Class of 1999: Johnny Bond, Dolly Parton and Conway Twitty
Class of 2000: Charley Pride and Faron Young
Monday, Oct. 15
Class of 2001: Bill Anderson, The Delmore Brothers, Don Gibson, Homer & Jethro, Waylon Jennings, The Jordanaires, Don Law, The Louvin Brothers, Ken Nelson, Sam Phillips and Webb Pierce
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Class of 2002: Bill Carlisle and Porter Wagoner
Class of 2003: Floyd Cramer and Carl Smith
Class of 2004: Jim Foglesong and Kris Kristofferson
Class of 2005: Alabama, DeFord Bailey and Glen Campbell
Wednesday, Oct. 17
Class of 2006: Harold Bradley, Sonny James and George Strait
Class of 2007: Ralph Emery, Vince Gill and Mel Tillis
Class of 2008: Tom T. Hall, Emmylou Harris, The Statler Brothers and Ernest V. “Pop” Stoneman
Thursday, Oct. 18
Class of 2009: Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrell and Charlie McCoy
Class of 2010: Jimmy Dean, Ferlin Husky, Billy Sherrill and Don Williams
Class of 2011: Bobby Braddock, Reba McEntire and Jean Shepard
Friday, Oct. 19
Class of 2012: Garth Brooks, Hargus “Pig” Robbins and Connie Smith
Class of 2013: Bobby Bare, Cowboy Jack Clement and Kenny Rogers
Class of 2014: Hank Cochran, Ronnie Milsap and Mac Wiseman
Saturday, Oct. 20
Class of 2015: Jim Ed Brown and the Browns, Grady Martin and The Oak Ridge Boys
Class of 2016: Charlie Daniels, Fred Foster and Randy Travis
Class of 2017: Alan Jackson, Jerry Reed and Don Schlitz
About the Author
Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
