CMA Announces Newest Members of Country Music Hall of Fame; 12 Inductees To Be Honored at Dinner Oct. 4 and During CMA Awards Nov. 7

Business Wire, July 10, 2001

Entertainment Editors/Music Writers

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--July 10, 2001

The CMA has announced the 12 luminaries who will become the newest members of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame. The 12 honorees include 10 special inductees selected earlier this year and two new members normally scheduled to be inducted for 2001. The special inductees are: The Delmore Brothers, The Everly Brothers, Don Gibson, Homer and Jethro, Waylon Jennings, The Jordanaires, Don Law, The Louvin Brothers, Ken Nelson and Webb Pierce. Bill Anderson is the 2001 inductee in the Open Category, and Sam Phillips is being honored in the Non-performer Category. Formal induction for the 12 new members will take place during special ceremonies at a dinner Oct. 4 in Nashville. The honorees will also be recognized during the "35th Annual CMA Awards" Wednesday, Nov. 7 on CBS-TV.

The 10 individuals eligible for the special induction had been a final nominee for the Hall of Fame at least three times. Anderson and Phillips were part of the regular induction process this year in the Open and Non-Performer Categories. All inductees were chosen by the Hall of Fame panel of electors - more than 300 anonymous voters appointed by the CMA Board of Directors.

"Since 1961, only 74 individuals, duos or groups have been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. With the special induction of 10 members along with our regular inductions for 2001, we are able to significantly increase the breadth and range of honorees in the Country Music Hall of Fame," observed CMA Executive Director Ed Benson. "Recognizing them during a special celebration event affords us the time necessary to honor their extraordinary contributions to Country Music with participation from the entire industry."

Alabama natives' Alton and Rabon Delmore began singing and picking together as children, quickly mastering a fast-fingered guitar style. They first recorded with Columbia in 1931, joining the Grand Ole Opry a year later. The Delmore Brothers went on to record some of their best-known songs for Bluebird in the late 1930s, including "Big River Blues" and "Nashville Blues." They scored a huge hit in 1949 with "Blues Stay Away from Me," and found renewed popularity with boogie and blues recordings for Cincinnati's King Records after World War II. The Delmore Brothers are considered one of the most popular Country Music brother duos. Rabon died in 1952, and Alton 12 years later.

Phil and Don Everly's career began early, performing with their parents, and later landing a contract with Cadence Records after high school. Publishers at Acuff-Rose introduced them to Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who would later write their smash "Bye Bye Love." The song topped the pop and Country Music charts, making it one of the biggest hits of 1957, and launching The Everly Brothers to teen idol status. The Everly Brothers' unique blend of Country and folk scored them countless hits including "Wake Up Little Susie," "Bird Dog" and "All I Have to Do is Dream." The duo split in 1973, but reunited in 1983 to record several albums together. The Everly Brothers continue to tour, serving as a major Country influence on generations of pop and rock `n' roll musicians.

North Carolina native Don Gibson got his start on WNOX radio in Knoxville. By the mid-`50s, he expanded his audience through a string of recordings for RCA, Columbia and MGM - becoming one of the area's most popular performers. Already a talented guitarist, Gibson gained notoriety as a songwriter when Faron Young hit the Top 10 in 1956 with the classic, "Sweet Dreams." His song "I Can't Stop Loving You" was a hit for both Ray Charles and Kitty Wells. His own version of the song in 1958 appeared on the flipside of "Oh Lonesome Me." This double-sided hit marked his first national success as a recording artist, paving the way for him to join the Grand Ole Opry that same year. Gibson continued to tour and perform on the Grand Ole Opry until the 1990s. A living legend, Gibson is considered one of the top record-sellers in Country Music history.

Henry (Homer) Haynes and Kenneth (Jethro) Burns teamed up in 1932 to become a new comedic/musical act, performing on Knoxville radio station WNOX with the Stringdusters Band. Though best known for their comedy, Homer was a phenomenal rhythm guitarist and Jethro was considered to be a great mandolin stylist. They made their first recording for King Records in 1946, subsequently signing with RCA in 1949. Homer and Jethro's many hits include the parodies "That Hound Dog in the Window," "Let Me Go Blubber," "The Battle of Kookamonga" and "Jam-Bowl-Liar." They were also sidemen on many hits by other artists, including Chet Atkins. Except for a brief time during Word War II, their career together spanned 38 years until Homer's death in 1971. Jethro went on to record several more albums before passing away in 1989.

A native of Littlefield, Texas, Waylon Jennings made his first musical mark as a bass player for Buddy Holly's band from 1958-1959. Jennings, who gave up his seat on Holly's fatal plane to J.P. Richardson, went on to pursue his desire to become a singer after Holly's death. Jennings moved to Nashville in 1965 when Bobby Bare helped sign him to the RCA label. His lean, bass-driven sound, long dark hair and black attire in the 1970s, helped define Jennings' image as an outlaw. His success continued with hits such as "I'm A Ramblin' Man" and "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way." In 1976, Jennings' work was part of Country Music's first platinum album Wanted: The Outlaws. Over the years, Jennings has scored countless hits with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Jerry Reed, Hank Williams Jr., wife Jessi Colter, and The Highwaymen (with Cash, Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson). He continues to be a major force in Country Music today.