Three Inducted Into Country Hall Of Fame

[DRL]

Three Inducted Into Country Hall Of Fame


By Phyllis Stark, Nashville



Alabama, Glen Campbell and DeFord Bailey have been named as the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The induction will take place Nov. 15 during the Country Music Association Awards in New York. The event will be telecast live on CBS from Madison Square Garden.

Alabama is one of the most successful groups in the history of country music, landing 32 No. 1 hits on Billboard's Top Country Songs chart between 1980 and 1993. The group has sold more than 46 million records, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, and earned more than 200 show business awards.

Campbell rose to fame in the 1960s when he landed a string of country and pop crossover hits and his own TV series, "The Glen Campbell Good-Time Hour." He had most of his biggest hits on Capitol, including the No. 1s "I Wanna Live," "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston," "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Southern Nights."

Bailey was one of the Grand Ole Opry's earliest stars and the first African-American star in country music. His career spanned the 1920s and '30s until the Opry dismissed him in 1941, after which he shined shoes for a living. He recorded for the Columbia, Brunswick and Victor labels. Bailey died in 1982.

Bailey will be inducted in the category of artists whose career achieved national prominence prior to World War II, which is awarded every third year. Campbell will be inducted in the category of artists whose career achieved national prominence between World War II and 1975. Alabama will be the first act inducted in the newly created category for artists whose career achieved national prominence between 1975 and the present.

The inductees were chosen by the CMA's Hall of Fame panel of electors, consisting of more than 300 people appointed by the CMA board of directors.


Now what I want to know is why wasn't Hank Jr chosen? Seems to me if Alabama is elected Hank Jr should be.

[LS]

drl1965 said:

Now what I want to know is why wasn't Hank Jr chosen? Seems to me if Alabama is elected Hank Jr should be.

Because DRL...starting this year- the CMA changed the rules <again > : the categories and the requirements for those categories. So as not to rehash on the subject...I've already noted the changes and said my piece a while ago on the whole thing here:
www.takecountryback.com/editorial23.htm

But in a nutshell...because of the CMA's rule changes- since Hank Jr. released his first commercial recordings prior to 1975- he doesn't qualify in that category ('1975-present')...and that means he remains on the very long waiting list for perfomers in the revamped category: 'post-WWII-1975'...

[DRL]

Thanks LS that explains a lot leave it to the CMA.

[SanAntonioMike]

Again, another year of them what are overlooked. My boy will be an old man before some deserving folks are inducted, I suppose.

Now I admire Glen Campbell a lot as a musician, but surely there are others waiting...?

[LS]

Problem is their whole system stinks ...and not one of 'em can comprehend it. But then- that's politics for ya...

My reaction to Glen was underwhelming too...and then after thinking on it a little- I started feeling a little hypocritical. I've got nothing against Glen, he's a great musician and I liked most of his music- least ways up till he started putting out stuff like Rhinestone Cowboy and Southern Nights which soured me on him...but overall- worthy of being in there...someday. Then I'm thinking, well Waylon's in there, Tammy's in there...he's been around as long or longer than some who are in there- so...I guess in all fairness, it's kind of hard to argue he shouldn't go in.

Are there people who are more or just as worthy and are a whole lot longer overdue?? Definitely. But the list is so long now- unless they do something to correct the system- no matter who gets put in anymore, there's always gonna be a 'too little, too late' feeling about it.