He's known, in fact as "Whispering Bill," a nickname hung on him years ago as a result of his breathy voice and his warm, soft approach to singing a country song. His credentials, however, shout his prominence: One of the most awarded songwriters in the history of country music, a million selling recording artist many times over, television game show host, network soap opera star, spokesman for a nationwide restaurant chain, and a consummate onstage performer. His back-up group, The Po' Folks Band, has long been considered one of the finest instrumental and vocal groups in the business.
Bill Anderson was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but spent most of his growing-up years around Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, having worked his way through college as a disc jockey on nearby radio stations. It was while her was still in school that he began performing and writing songs. At the age of nineteen he composed the country classic, "City Lights," and began rapidly carving his place in musical history.
He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, secured a recording contract with Decca Records, and began turning out hit after hit with songs like "Po Folks," "Mama Sang A Song," "The Tips Of My Fingers," and the unforgettable country and pop smash, "Still." His compositions were recorded by such diverse musical talents as Ray Price, Porter Wagoner, Dean Martin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Debbie Reynolds, Ivory Joe Hunter, Kitty Wells and many others.
Bill has been voted Songwriter of the Year six times, Male Vocalist of the Year, half of the Duet of the Year with both Jan Howard and Mary Lou Turner, has hosted and starred in the Country Music Television Series of the Year, seen his band voted Band of the Year and in 1975 was voted membership in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Ten years later, the State of Georgia honored him by choosing him as only the 7th living performer inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. In 1993, he was made a member of the Georgia Broadcasters' Hall of Fame. In 1994, South Carolina inducted him into their Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. And in 2001, he received the ultimate honor, membership in Nashville's prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame.
It is a privilege to welcome Bill Anderson into the NACMAI Hall of Fame family.
John Conlee is a lot like the songs of which he sings. He lives a domestic life with his wife Gale and three children, Rebecca, Jessica and Johnny. During the past two decades, John Conlee has achieved a level of success that he has sustained by simply being himself and by making records that the listening public can relate to. He is a gifted entertainer, but he's not into the glitz and hype of the entertainment world.
One of the most respected vocalists to emerge during the urban cowboy era, John Conlee was known for his superb taste in material and his distinctively melancholy voice. Conlee was born and raised on a tobacco farm in Versailles, KY, in 1946, and took up the guitar as a child, performing on local radio at age ten. He went on to sing with the town barbershop chorus, but didn't initially pursue music as a career, instead becoming a licensed mortician. He also worked as a disc jockey at numerous area radio stations, and made important industry connections via that area when he moved to Nashville in 1971. Five years later, Conlee's demo tape got him a contract with ABC. He released a few singles, but didn't find acceptance until 1978's "Rose Colored Glasses," a song he'd co-written with Glenn Barber, a newsman at his radio station, rocketed into the country Top Five. Conlee spent the next decade or so scoring hit after hit, nearly all of them helmed by producer Bud Logan. He had two number ones in 1979 alone -- "Lady Lay Down" and "Backside of Thirty" -- and four number two hits through 1981, which included "Before My Time," "Friday Night Blues," "She Can't Say That Anymore," and "Miss Emily's Picture." Conlee returned to the top of the charts three times over 1983-1984 with "Common Man," "I'm Only in It for the Love," and "In My Eyes," and had his last number one in 1986 with "Got My Heart Set on You." All told, Conlee made the Top Ten 19 times through 1987, when he moved from MCA to Columbia and reached the Top Five with "Domestic Life."
John Conlee became a member of the Grand Ole Opry® in 1981 and remains active at the Opry to this date. He was the Academy of Country Music "Best Male Vocalist" in 1979 and has had several CMA nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (Rose Colored Glasses). Never much for touring, Conlee subsequently curtailed his recording activities as well, instead devoting his time to charity work (often on behalf of American farmers and Feed The Children), raising his family, and running his own farm outside Nashville.
We are honored to welcome John Conlee to the NACMAI Hall of Fame.
It was her songwriting, in fact, that initially swung open the doors along the corridors of Nashville's Music Row. By the mid-70's, Helen had songs recorded by a number of major artists, including The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Jeannie C. Riley, Connie Smith, Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery to mention a handful. While it was her writing that first won her major credibility, it was the voice that RCA Record executives heard that won Helen Cornelius her first major recording contract in 1975. With it, history was about to be made. At the suggestion of her producer, Bob Ferguson, Helen was teamed with Jim Ed Brown for the first time on record in June of 1976 with the now country standard, "I Don't Want To Marry You," a song discovered by Chet Atkins. Upon release of the duet, the song quickly climbed to the top of Billboard's Country Top 100, remaining #1 for multiple weeks and holding to top spot in a number of major markets for as much as four months. Helen's teaming on record with Jim Ed Brown was further crowned with success that year by her individual nomination as "Most Promising Female Vocalist" by Music City News. Following this win, the ACM gave her their prestigious nod in the "Best New Vocalist" category. As a Duet, Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius capped their year in 1977 with a win of the coveted CMA Awards for "Vocal Duo of the Year", "Single of the Year" and "Album of the Year."
Helen and Jim Ed Brown went onto enjoy twelve more Top 10 singles, "Morning Comes Too Early," "Fools," "Lying In Love With You," "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," and "Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye" among the songs that offer recorded treatment of their unique vocal blending.
Helen embarked on her own in 1980 touring with Conway Twitty for two years. Later she played Annie in the revival of Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun." On the heels of closing in "Annie Get Your Gun," Helen toured with The Statler Brothers. re-teaming with Jim Ed Brown from 1988 to 1990, they continued to ignite a song and an audience. From 1991 through 1996, Helen could be heard nightly at her dinner restaurant, "Nashville South" in Gatlinburg, TN. After teaming with Jim Ed Brown once again at the Eagle Mountain Theater in Pigeon Forge. TN. in 1997, Helen continued in theater presentations in Branson, MO., becoming a part of "The Grand Ladies" show featuring many of country music's best known female performers.
Helen Cornelius, welcome to the family of the NACMAI Hall of Fame.
David Frizzell, Country Music's Renaissance Man, is alive and well. David has just completed the biography on his legendary brother Lefty Frizzell. Hemisphere Entertainment has picked up the options to make the movie, production is hoping to start filming this summer. David was recently featured in a Cartoon Network Pilot "Saddle Rush" along with the late great Walloon Jennings, Doug Stone, Ken Mellons and Carl P. Mayfield.
David is from one of the royal families of Country Music, making his own place in the Country Music Industry. David is a multiple CMA, ACM, Music City News award winner, along with being nominated for three Grammy Awards.
David began his career touring as a teenager with his legendary brother, Lefty Frizzell. Before his 18th birthday, he landed his first record deal, through the late 1950's and 60's he was cutting Country and Rockabilly for Columbia Records. Following four years of military service, he re- signed with Columbia.
Listening to the feeling a vocalist of Frizzell's caliber brings to a line like, "I remember green eyes and a ranchers daughter; but remember is all that I do," it's hard to believe that "You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma" was turned down by every major label after it's intended distributor closed down. Luckily, producer Snuff Garrett believed in the record so strongly that months later he played a cassette of it in his car for Clint Eastwood. Eastwood's affection for solid Country soul is well known and he insisted the tune be included in the "Any Which Way You Can" soundtrack. Little KDEN radio in Tulare, California first reported playing it as an album track, prompting the song's release as a single. In short order "the song nobody wanted" was a smash hit. With duet partner Shelly West, He had a No. 1 hit in 1981 with "You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma" as well as a pair of CMA Vocal Duo of the Year honors.
David went on to later enjoy further success with the chart topper, "I'm Going To Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home" which is still a classic standard today.
We welcome David Frizzell to the NACMAI Hall of Fame family.
The Montgomerys spent many years in Country Music, touring with various Grand Ole Opry® Stars and some of Nashville's Top Recording Artists. The Montgomerys wrote such BMI Award Winning songs as "We're Gonna Hold On" (Co-written with George Jones) and recorded by Jones and Tammy Wynette. "One Of These Days" recorded by Emma Lou Harris, "What's Your Mama's Name Child" (Cowritten with Dallas Frazier) recorded by Tanya Tucker, and "Loving You Could Never Be Better" recorded by George Jones. Also included are such songs as "Let's All Go Down To The River, There's A Man Walking On The Water" recorded by Johnny Paycheck and Jody Miller as a duet, Jimmy Swaggart, John Starnes, Connie Smith and others.
The Montgomerys wrote 38 of George Jones single side records. Such songs as "4033," "Small Time Laboring Man," "Someday My Day Will Come," "Where Grass Won't Grow," "Developing My Pictures," "Lord You've been Mighty Good To Me," "A Man Can Be Drunk," and "Ship Of Love."
In 1976, The Montgomerys experienced a great change in their lives and they began studying His word and serving Him and four years later Earl felt the call to preach. Aside from their Ministries, the busy couple enjoys Earl's favorite hobby, building and flying model aircraft. The Montgomerys own and operate Mister Magic Music Publishing Company and Sweetwater Gospel Recording Studio (in Sheffield) where they cut custom tapes and records.
Welcome The Motgomerys to the NACMAI Hall of Fame Family.
Herby began taking lessons on a lap steel in 1956 at the age of 9 years and continued taking lessons off and on for the next couple of years. In 1959, at the age of 12 years, he got a Fender double neck 8 string steel guitar and started taking lessons in Chattanooga. He has been playing steel guitar continually ever since.
At the age of 18, after graduating from high school, Herby landed a job in Milwaukee, WI. playing in the house band at a well known club. The singer in the band was a guy named Duane Dee. A year later in 1966, Duane got a recording contract with Capital Records and moved to Nashville. Herby started working the with Duane as his first road job. He worked the road for the next 12 years with various artists on a regular basis, such as: Leroy VanDyke, Nat Stuckey, Donna Fargo, Jody Miller and Billie Jo Spears.
Over the years, Herby has done around 2,000 recording sessions and has backed may artists over the years. Some of the artists are: Loretta Lynn, Roy Clark, Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Tex Williams, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely, Ferlin Huskey, Jeannie Pruett and many others. He has played the Grand Ole Opry® and worked on an NBC Special Kraft Music Hall with Donna Fargo.
Herby started Herby Wallace Productions (HWP) in 1979 where he began teaching and holding seminars. In 1989, Herby moved to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and played for 7 seasons at Dollywood and other shows in that area. Dale Mullen of Mullen Steel Guitars has introduced a Mullen steel guitar which is known as the new HWP model. In 2001 Herby became one of only 43 steel guitar players to be inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.
Herby, welcome to the NACMAI Hall of Fame family.
In 1946, Hank went to Nashville to meet Tin Pan Alley songwriter and hillbilly music publisher Fred Rose (Partners with Roy Acuff in Acuff-Rose Publishing). Fred Rose was first impressed with Hank as a songwriter, but that soon led to a couple of recording sessions which led to a contract with MGM Records in early 1947 and Hank's first hit, "Move It On Over," which went to Top 5 on the Country charts. In 1948, Hank joined the Louisiana Hayride and his next releases with MGM were "Honky Tonkin'" and "I'm A Long Gone Daddy." In 1949, he recorded "Love Sick Blues," which soared to No.1 and remained there for 16 weeks out of over ten months on the Country charts and crossed over to the Pop Top 25. When Hank sang the song on the Grand Ole Opry,® he received an unprecedented six encores. Instantly, Hank was a STAR.
For the next three years, Hank continued to have hits. In 1949, he charted with "Mansion On The Hill," "Wedding Bells," Never Again," "Mind Your Own Business," "You're Gonna Change," Lost Highway," and "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It." In 1950, Hank opened with "I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Lovin'," followed by "Long Gone Lonesome Blues," "My Son Calls Another Man Daddy," "Why Don't You Love Me," "They'll Never Take Her Love From Me," Why Should We Try Anymore," "Moanin' The Blues," and "Nobody's Lonesome For Me."
In 1951, had began with "Dear John," but it was the flip-side, "Cold, Cold Heart," that went to No.1, and stayed on the charts for over eleven months and earned Hank his second Gold Record. This was followed by "Howlin' At The Moon," "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)," "Hey, Good Lookin'," and he finished the year with "Lonesome Whistle" and "Baby, We're Really in Love." Hank started 1952 with such hits as "Honky Tonk Blues," "Half As Much," "Settin' The Woods On Fire," and "You Win Again."
Regrettably, Hank did not live long enough to personally receive the many awards that have been bestowed on him. In 1961, Hank was one of the charter inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame, at least two movies have been made about his life and in 1973 the ACM named him for it's "Pioneer Award." In 1983, NARAS admitted "You're Cheatin' Heart" to its Hall of Fame and in 1987, presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Hank.
It is a privilege and honor to name Hank Williams the 2004 NACMAI Country Legend recipient. Jett Williams, the daughter of Hank Williams and NACMAI Hall of Fame member, is here to accept this award for her father.
Landing a part-time job at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in 1968; doing whatever needed to be done from filling mail orders to clean-up showed not only tenacity, but his truly deep devotion to Mr. Tubb.
By 1972 he had worked his way up to Manager. Three years later he became a PARTNER, and began to expand the business. A line of country souvenirs was added, then a second store near the Opryland Hotel and new home of the Grand ole Opry House.
Earnest Tubb's death on September 6,1984 was a devastating loss. But he was determined to honor the trust and stay the course that Tubb had pioneered B extending a helping hand to new singers, songwriters and industry personnel; providing good value and family entertainment to fans around the world.
In 1987, he founded the Ernest Tubb Humanitarian Award, honoring individual lifetime achievements. Willie Nelson, Grant Turner, Owen Bradley, Minnie Pearl, Gov. Jimmie Davis and Mae Boren Axton were early recipients.
In 1994, after a bitter legal battle, David McCormick became the sole owner of all the ERNEST TUBB RECORD STORES.
David McCormick's contributions to preserving country music=s past is exceptional B his dedication to ensuring its future is vital.
The ERNEST TUBB MIDNIGHT JAMBOREE can still be heard on WSM-AM Radio every Saturday night, following the Grand Ole OpryYmoved from the downtown location in 1975 to the Texas Troubadour Theatre on Music Valley Drive, comfortable accommodations now seat some 500 fans, and is adjacent to the second store. The Louven Brothers' Museum was added to our family in February of 2004.
ERNEST TUBB RECORD SHOPS now exist in Ft.Worth, Pigeon Forge, and the Nashville International Airport and an ERNEST TUBB MUSEUM is scheduled to open soon.
Please welcome a very worthy recipient of the NACMAI Lifetime Achievement Awrad, David McCormick.