Marty stuart band members 2021
I couldn’t be more proud of you and more proud to be the one to put this medallion around your neck, brother.” This is the pinnacle, really, of what we do, right? It’s hard to even dream about being in the Hall of Fame because you never think you’re going to be here…I knew you’d be in the Hall of Fame. “Man, but all these years, all those songs Dean and here we are today. “Luckily Johnny Paycheck-you know the story-was in jail and I got the song,” Strait said with a chuckle. Sunday evening, after performing a rendition of “The Chair,” Strait inducted Dillon into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and recalled getting to record “Unwound.” 1 hit, “Unwound,” and since then, Strait has recorded more than 60 of Dillon’s songs, including “Ocean Front Property,” “If I Know Me,” “Here For a Good Time,” and more. In 1981, Dillon was a co-writer on Strait’s very first No. I give up and I quit,” eliciting another round of applause from the crowd.
“Dean, thank you for sharing your beautiful gift with the world and me,” Chesney said.Ĭountry Music Hall of Fame and Museum member Lee, seated in the audience, had particularly high praise for Spencer’s performance, shouting from her seat, “Let’s all go home. 1 hit for George Jones on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart and later became the song that shot Chris Stapleton to stardom.Ĭhesney was on hand to honor Dillon with a performance of “A Lot of Things Different,” while newcomer Brittney Spencer offered a soulful rendering of “Tennessee Whiskey.” Both performances earned standing ovations. Next up was songwriter Dean Dillon, known for his plethora of hits recorded by George Strait (“Marina Del Rey,” “The Chair”) as well as hits recorded by Pam Tillis (“Spilled Perfume, penned with Tillis”), Kenny Chesney (“A Lot of Things Different”), Vern Gosdin (“Is It Raining at Your House?,” penned with Gosdin), Keith Whitley (“Miami, My Amy”) and “Tennessee Whiskey,” which just missed becoming a No. I want to be that for country music.’ Because country music deserves the same consideration as jazz, ballet, classical music…it needs to have its place in the pantheon of the arts.” “I thought, ‘That man can go anywhere on earth and represent jazz. This is our spiritual home.”ĭuring his induction speech on Sunday evening, Stuart also recalled once seeing a photo of Louis Armstrong playing to the pyramids. “I love this building,” Stuart told the audience. In addition to adding four more Grammys to his accolades, Stuart also served as the Country Music Hall of Fame’s artist-in-residence in 2019. From there, more critically-acclaimed albums followed, such as Soul’s Chapel and Badlands. By the late ‘90s, Stuart was more focused on creative fulfillment over commercial accolades, releasing the 1999 album The Pilgrim, which featured Cash, Harris, George Jones, Ralph Stanley and more. In the 1990s, Stuart would have a string of hits including “Hillbilly Rock,” “Tempted,” the Grammy-winning “The Whiskey Ain’t Working” (with Travis Tritt) and more. “It’s the fulfillment of a lifetime dream for him,” Smith told the audience.īy the time Stuart was in his teens, he was already on the road performing as part of Lester Flatt’s band, before later joining Johnny Cash’s band. “Marty Stuart is a flamekeeper, a spokesman and a chief,” Young said, before introducing the first performer of the evening, Pastor Evelyn Hubbard, who honored Stuart with a rendition of “It’s Time To Go Home.” Emmylou Harris and Charlie Worsham performed Stuart’s 1991 release “Tempted,” followed by Ashley McBryde, who turned in a stunning rendition of “The Observations from a Crow,” from Stuart’s pivotal 1999 album The Pilgrim.īacking all of the performances during the evening was the Medallion All-Star Band, featuring ace musicians Biff Watson, Eddie Bayers, Rusty Danmyer, Tania Hancheroff, Brent Mason, Carmella Ramsey, Deanie Richardson, Michael Rojas, Jeff White, and Glenn Worf.Ĭountry Music Hall of Fame member Connie Smith inducted her husband, Stuart, into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The first honoree of the evening was Stuart. The evening started with the entrance of attending Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum members, among them Bill Anderson, Statler Brothers member Jimmy Fortune, Emmylou Harris, Alabama members Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, Brooks & Dunn, harmonica player Charlie McCoy, Ray Stevens, songwriter Don Schlitz, Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, producer/exec Jerry Bradley, and Brenda Lee. Trahern noted that they started sharing the news with the honorees back in February 2020.įor this year’s ceremony, the performers included a star-studded lineup that included previous CMA entertainer of the year winners Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Eric Church.Ĭountry Music Hall of Fame board chair Mary Ann McCready also welcomed guests to the ceremony, while Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young helped to guide the festivities.