Three new members will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019:
Modern Era
Brooks & Dunn
The most successful duo in country music history will be inducted in the Modern Era category. When we ranked the most worthy inductees in this category back in 2017, Brooks & Dunn came in seventh. They are the first act to be inducted that was launched in the nineties, although Alan Jackson had his first big hit in 1990 and both Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn charted solo singles in the eighties.
Veteran Era
Ray Stevens
The comedian, singer, songwriter, and producer will be inducted in the Veteran Era category. When we ranked the most worthy inductees in this category back in 2017, Ray Stevens was not included in this very competitive category. However, our #1 choice, Ricky Skaggs, was inducted last year.
Non-Performer Category
Jerry Bradley
Former RCA record executive Jerry Bradley joins the hall in the Non-Performer Category, which inducts a member every third year, rotating its slot with the Songwriter and Studio/Touring Musician categories. In addition to helping start Fan Fair and producing acts like Eddy Arnold and Dottie West, Bradley led the RCA label during the peak of Hall of Fame artists like Dolly Parton and Ronnie Milsap.
We’ll update our Hall Worthy posts soon for the first two categories, even though only one of the twenty we’ve listed have joined the Hall since then. What are your thoughts on this year’s inductees?
Never got to see them in concert but I agree B&D are worthy of selection to the CM H of F. My most frequently played B&D song in my i-tunes library is “How Long Gone”. (It’s also one of my favorite country songs with “Gone” in the title.) Other favorites include:
“Red Dirt Road” (love the line “Learned that happiness on earth ain’t just for high achievers.)
“Only in America”, “He’s Got You” and their cover of Roger Miller’s “Husbands and Wives”.
I have nothing against any of these inductees — and congratulate them all — though I am greatly disappointed to not see Tanya Tucker finally get the recognition/honor/induction she so rightly deserves.
Crystal Gayle, when?
Eddie Rabbitt, when?
I’m with you, Doug. Hopefully next year!
It is interesting that a more traditional singer always get’s an edge over a pop crossover. I actually agree that they should be given an edge. That being said, I do agree it’s time for Crystal & Tanya to be inducted. I actually think they both should have been in there before a number of singers that are already in there. I understand they have to appeal to younger fans, but I think it’s silly to have a veteran and modern category. Whomever is most deserving should be the first to go regardless. Adding singers early for business purposes cheapens the Hall in my opinion. Being in the Hall of Fame SHOULD be a difficult thing to get into.
I agree with these. But the next ones most deserving are, in no particular order: Tim McGraw, Martinga McBride, Crystal Gayle, and Tanya Tucker.
There are a few that I’d like to see get in but for one reason or other, they have a snowballs chance and I recognize it: Keith Whitley, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, and the Dixie Chicks.
I think that Patty Loveless is a likely future inductee. I agree on the worthiness of the other three, but it seems like the late eighties in general have gone down the memory hole, despite the merits of Mattea and Whitley. The Chicks, we’ll have to wait and see. The next couple of Modern Era inductees will confirm whether the Hall is truly putting commercial success as the top priority. That’s their best shot of getting in, despite musical merit being higher than artists of the same era.
Re. Ray Stevens: While there’s a hell of a lot about his stuff of recent decades that I find just plain awful, I think his acumen as an arranger and Southern-fried comic able to veer between bizarre novelties like “The Streak”, “Mississippi Squirrel Revival”, and “Gitarzan” and the more serious stuff like “Mr. Businessman” and “Everything Is Beautiful” can’t be denied.
One bit of trivia about R.S.: Both “Everything Is Beautiful” and “The Streak” were #1 pop hits in, respectively, 1970 and 1974. And both times, they were dislodged from those positions by one Paul McCartney, first with “The Long And Winding Road” (the last #1 hit for the Beatles in America), and then with “Band On The Run” (which was Paul and his post-Beatles band Wings).
The Country Music Hall of Fame: oblivious to most women. A 10-1 male ratio is getting better anytime soon. In 2018 Bobbie Gentry’s box set, The Girl from Chickasaw County: The Complete Capitol Masters, garnered huge critical and commercial success. The London Times, The L.A Times and The New York times all named it re-issue of the year, topping among others, Bob Dylan’s, Blood on The Tracks. In the U.K, the release debuted at #1 on The Top Country Compilation Album chart and stayed #1 for five weeks. The 100 dollar 8 cd box set quickly went through 4 pressings in six months. A major feat in this digital age of sales. It proves she is as relevant and vital today as she was decades ago. 50 years later, her legend is still strong but with only 16 solo female artists inducted in the C.M.H.O.F, she along with many other deserving female country artists, continually have their work sidelined in favor of male country stars who have not withstood the test of time nearly as well.
I see that the head of the Intergalactic Bobbie Gentry fan club has made an appearance. I think that Tanya Tucker, Patty Loveless, Bonnie Guitar, Crystal Gayle, Jeanie Seely and Wilma Burgess (a true pioneer) should be the next solo females inducted
Paul Dennis I like your list(even thought many of these women were incapable of writing a tune) The real shocker to me is June Carter Cash. Don’t worry about Bobbie Gentry. She was approached by Marty Stewart, through a third party, to begin the induction process for The C.M.H.O.F and politely turned it down not wishing to give up her sacred privacy. I was told she answered by saying she was the first woman inducted into the Mississippi State H.O.F in 1976 and that was good enough for her.