Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Country Music Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Ronnie Milsap, Mac Wiseman and Hank Cochran who have been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I know we all had our favorites but I don't think anyone can complain about those elected this year. While the elections of Ronnie and Hank were expected, I think the surprise is Mac. He has been a finalist for many, many years and had to wait way to long. Just another reason why I believe they need to revisit the categories that the Hall of Fame currently has.

Congratulations again to all 3.

12 comments:

  1. Agreed, no complaints on the inductee's this year. I'm still holding out hope for JIm Ed, Maxine and Bonnie but so great to see Mac get in. He is probably nearly forgotten or unknown to the casual country fan but he has done so much to promote and preserve all country music and as the singer known as The Voice with a Heart one of the best interpreters of old folk songs there will ever be.

    Jim
    Knightsville, IN

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  2. Agreed all around. I always think of the story of when someone asked Bill Monroe who his greatest lead singer was. He said, "Oh, Mac," in a way that suggested, there was no reason to ask the question because it was so obvious. Too bad Hank Cochran isn't here to smell the roses, and I do wish The Browns had gone in, too. But I wonder how much of the problem for them is that their career was influential but so short (and, happily, not shortened in the ways that other short but influential careers like Hank Williams's and Patsy Cline's were), and that part of the induction would also be for Jim Ed's longevity?

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  3. Now that I have a few minutes in front of a computer, I would like to add a few additional comments and thoughts:

    As I mentioned, I have no complaints on who was elected. They are all deserving. Hank Cochran was probably the easiest choice in the songwriting category. His name had been mentioned a lot over the past year and you would be hard pressed to find anyone who was better with words.

    Mac Wiseman was sort of a surprise, but then again he shouldn't have been. He had been a finalist for many years. In fact, I can remember back when the Hall of Fame announcement took place during the CMA Awards and the 5 finalists were named. Even back then, his name was mentioned. I am glad he got in while still alive to enjoy it. 89 and still going strong. Also, a lot of Mac's career was associated with bluegrass music. You would have to go back many years, probably before the IBMA started their own Hall of Fame, to find someone elected with deep ties to bluegrass music. It was nice to see the voters take a step back into the history of the music this year.

    I am very happy for Ronnie Milsap. One reason is that it meant Alan Jackson was not elected. Now, before anyone gets on my case, I really like Alan Jackson and he will get in very soon. I say I am glad because Alan is probably the next of that generation to go in and I believe that once he is elected it will open the gates for others of his era and that in turn will shut out some of the veterans, such as Ronnie Milsap, from getting in. And I guess Ronnie in the modern category ended the discussion as to what category he would be in. At age 71 and over a 40 year career in country music, he could have been in the veteran category.

    One thing I would like to see the CMA do and that is to go back to the practice of naming the finalists in each category. They used to do it and when you think about it, they are about the only Hall of Fame that does not announce the list. The Baseball Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with the Rock Hall of Fame all announce the finalists several months before the announcement of those elected. Think of the discussion that would take place, along with the increased publicity for the finalists and the Hall. I know we are all left wondering who else was being considered.

    Still so many deserving to get in. The Browns, Dottie West, Jerry Reed, Hank Williams, Jr., Oak Ridge Boys....and that is just the start of the list. And I still am not in favor of a mass induction, like some others, but I would like to see the categories maybe changed a bit.

    Again, congratulations to all 3. Very deserving.

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  4. I Would Say Oak Ridge Boys Will Go Into The Hall Of Fame In 2015 Ricky Skaggs In 2016 Randy Travis In 2017 And Alan Jackson In 2018

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  5. I think today is an example that the 2012 induction of Garth Brooks was a "let's just get this over with" thing. I was thrilled to see Kenny Rogers inducted from Modern Category last year and again this year with Ronnie Milsap. Perhaps others such as, Crystal Gayle, Charlie Daniels, Ray Stevens and others will go through this category, prior to Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, The Judds, Brooks & Dunn..etc.. While all I mentioned belong in the Hall of Fame, so do others such as Dottie West, Jerry Reed, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Browns and other major stars of the 50's and 60's. The way the events of today were handled, Milsap going in the Modern Category and Mac Wiseman being an inductee gives me hope for those acts from the 50's & 60's.
    Milsap, being a giant of the 70's & 80's was due. Personally, I believe he should have gone in before Don Williams, George Strait, Reba and of course Garth Brooks. But what's done is done. He is now, finally, among the ranks of the greatest.
    I think the induction of Hank Cochran was a no brainier. I really believe he should have gone in before Bobby Braddock. So this was overdue for him. Dallas Frazier would have been my 2nd choice.
    Very happy and pleased for Mac Wiseman. At 88, I'm sure he was thinking he may never happen. I'm sure younger fans (and I say that, I'm only 33), will scratch their heads and say, "Who's the old dude?". But to me this is a triumph. In the same tradition of Hall of Famers, Grandpa Jones, Bill Carlisle, Merle Travis, Floyd Tillman & others, Mac Wiseman is now going to be a Hall of Famer without a long list of hit records. His legendary career has strictly been built on hard work, longevity and dedication to traditionalism.
    I'm very pleased with the class of 2014.

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  6. Congratulations to Ronnie Milsap, Mac Wiseman & Hank Cochran on becoming the 2014 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees - ALL very deserving gentlemen & I am very happy for each one of them.

    In reading the selection process on the Country Music Hall of Fame website (under Inductees) it states:

    To be elected in the Modern Era category an artist becomes eligible 20 years after they achieve national prominence. They will remain eligible in this category for the next 25 years ... if, after 25 years, and they have not been elected to the Hall of Fame ....

    The artist then becomes eligible in the Veteran's Era when they hit the 45 year mark - which is why Ronnie Milsap went in under the Modern Era.

    I'm not in favor of a mass induction, though I understood why it was done at the time.

    Adding another category in between Modern & Veteran is a thought. With another category, there would be one artist elected from each of the three different era's & the rotating category could remain the same at one per year or bump it up to two.

    Or as I have often thought, start inducting two artists in each category, including the rotating category.

    The continuing issue is that there are so many deserving artists/groups & with only one being inducted in each of the Modern, Veterans & rotating categories, there will be so many that never get elected no matter what they have ever done in their musical careers. That will always be the unfortunate reality in all of this.

    For today, I am very happy for the three artists who have had those doors swing open for them. Congratulations again ~

    (Jeanene)

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  7. Fred, Bismarck:

    Just got off the road, and the Hall election was news to me. Mac's election thrills as much as it surprises me. Anyone who came of age with country in the 1950s, before radio's idiotic banishment of bluegrass --which wasn't even called bluegrass back then -- will remember Mac's long string of hits. And his recorded accomplishments for decades after that were equally numerous and deserving.

    But the track record of Hall voters inspired no confidence that Mac would get their recognition. With this one, the voters have covered themselves with almost as much glory as they did ol' Mac.

    Once in a while, we win one, Fayfarers!

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  8. Saw this on SCM just now. It's a fan poll for inductions. A lot of deserving names on here!

    https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/33CNYTB

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  9. Stringbean should be in the Hall of Fame.

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  10. Of all the country stars we have ben talking about over the last few weeks,Mac's election waa a surprise.Like Ray Price said when he was inducted in 1996 'It's about time.I feel like Susan Lucci'' I agree.Way to go Mac.

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  11. I still would like to see John Denver.

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