Well, it has already started. The headline from the Associated Press wire story this afternoon was , "Garth Brooks, 2 Others Named CMHOF Inductees."
With that said, many of us watched and listened this morning as Garth Brooks, Connie Smith and Hargus "Pig" Robbins were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame for 2012. All three were there this morning for the announcement and all were thrilled by the honor.
For what it is worth, I will first say that I really hate it when I see a headline like I quoted above. Yes you can say that Garth is the headliner of the class, but all 3 were equally elected and it makes it sound like Garth is more important than Connie and Pig, and that they are after thoughts. Shame on the person who wrote that headline.
We knew Garth was going to get in sooner than later, but I wished it had been later. There were so many more deserving nominees that have waited years for the honor that should have been elected before Garth. While I mentioned on my previous post that I thought Garth would be the one elected, I still thought Ronnie Milsap and a couple of the others deserved the honor more than Garth.
I don't think anybody can complain about Connie Smith getting elected. She is one of the great female singers in history and still receives a warm reception at the Opry. She is still active with her recordings and touring. While I know that she did not win many awards when she was younger, she set the standard for many of today's female stars.
The problem for me is that the veterans category is so backed up with worth candidates. I can name The Browns, Bobby Bare, Jerry, Reed, Dottie West, Wilburn Brothers, Archie Campbell, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper just to even start. And the backlog gets bigger each year as more of the veteran artists fall into this category. Here is something to think about. Connie Smith was elected from the veterans list and she is 70 years old. Ronnie Milsap was a finalist in the modern era and he is 69 years old. The difference is that Connie started her career as a recording artist way earlier than Ronnie. It is safe to say that once Ronnie falls into the veterans category, he will be elected fairly soon.
I have no issue at all with Pig Robbins being elected. You hear his piano on just about every recording out of Nashville. While many of us thought of Don Rich or Brother Oswald to name 2, I don't think any of us have an issue with Pig being elected.
Congratulations to Garth, Connie and Pig on this great honor, the highest in country music.
Byron, I will second every motion here. We can always argue that several candidates were more deserving in each category, but nobody can say these inductees are undeserving.
ReplyDeleteMy headline would have been, "Connie, Pig, and the Guy Who Claims Opry Membership is Important but Never Shows Up Inducted."
Byron:
ReplyDeleteYour right! Who could possibly say that these three candidates are not Hall of Fame material. To me it was no surprise on Garth and Connie. I was expecting them to go in this year. I was however a little shocked on Pig Robbins. Of the 5 names that were being mentioned, I would have thought at least Johnny Gimble and Don Rich would have been elected first. But I'm thrilled for Mr. Robbins. As I am with Garth and especially Connie Smith.
We both agree NO MORE MASS INDUCTIONS!! But I would like the CMA to look at the categories and possibly tweak them some. I, personally would like to see 4 categories: Keep the rotating one as is (even though If you think about it, it is getting "backed up" as well!!), and have 3 categories for artists.
Examples:
1990-present; Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Lorrie Morgan..etc.
1965-1990: Ronnie Milsap, The Oaks, Tanya Tucker, Hank, Jr...etc.
Pre-1965: The Wilburns, The Browns, Dottie West, Bobby Bare, Archie Campbell...
I think there is still enough worthy artists left to pull it off at one inductee per year in each category.
I think It would make everyone happy. It would help get those well deserved Veterans inducted finally, give the CMA and the CMHOF a "shot in the arm" with some publicity on getting those younger acts in, and at only four inductees a year it would keep the exclusiveness of the Hall of Fame in tact.
But are they going to listen to me? I'm sure the answer is NO .
I'm happy for Connie & Pig,but not Garth.Should have been somebody else.I would be very hsppy if they pick 2-3 inductees in each category for a few years,then pick 1-2 inductees for a few years after that.But that's my opinion.
ReplyDeleteFred here:
ReplyDeleteGiven what the Hall has evolved into, tending to honor the splashiest commercial success regardless of intrinsic musical merit or "country-ness", the election of Garth is long overdue.
Garth has been around since 1989, nearly a quarter-century, and sold more records, by a huge margin, than anybody else ever associated with country except Elvis. I thought his songs, too, were usually way above the ordinary -- also more country than we were used to getting from most during Garth's run. (My prejudice would call them more "country-flavored" than authentically country, but who's doing real country anymore?)
Also in Garth's favor: By most accounts, he's treated his fans better than anybody since Ernest Tubb.
Again, the Hall being the Hall, I would call this a good result.
If you want to get rid cf that backlog,then induct more veterans in the hall every year until------.Who's with me on this? Until next year,I'll keep my big mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteOnce again I watched online as three more artists were announced as the 2012 Class to the Country Music Hall of Fame & congratulations go out to each of them.
ReplyDeleteI have never shied away from waving a banner for Connie Smith to become a member & I am absolutely thrilled, that as of today, she is. I said that when she became a HOF member, I would be heading to Nashville to see her plaque hanging in the rotunda – I will be making the trip down there sometime this year.
I could not agree with you more, Byron. Some but not all of the different headlines I saw on the news feed on Facebook are just as you said “Garth Brooks & 2 others” going into the HOF. It is the “2 others” that bothers me as well. That headline makes it look like Connie Smith & Hargus "Pig" Robbins are second class citizens & who pale in comparison & that Garth Brooks is the “be all – end all” & we all know that certainly is far from the truth.
Throughout the day, I read many peoples’ posts on Facebook & what I never expected was all the negativity & the amount of people not at all happy about Garth Brooks going in, saying it is too soon for him, that he hasn’t paid his dues & they started mentioning by name those artists who they felt should have gone in before him. By his own admission this morning, Garth felt that Randy Travis should have gone in before him. I may not be a huge Garth Brooks fan but I don’t begrudge. He toured his backside off for many years, putting on, from my understanding, fabulous shows (having never been to one of his concerts) & he has sold something like 128 million albums & he is still going strong in Las Vegas. If those who cast their ballots felt that he should be a member, then that is fine & I am happy for him.
And last but not least, I am very happy about Hargus “Pig” Robbins - all one has to do is read the liner notes on all of the albums they have. I have read liner notes for so many years & all I kept reading was this one guy's name on so many songs. So when his name was announced this morning, I was very happy for him – he is mega-talented for sure.
Maxine Brown offered her congratulations to the Class of 2012 & says her lucky number is 13 – that hopefully next year will be their year – so here’s hoping that her lucky number will be their good luck charm.
It is just my opinion that the problem stems from only one artist per category going in & of which one category is on a rotation basis every 3 years.
Michael, I fully agree with you - I can't even remember the last time Garth Brooks appeared on the Opry stage. Could it be longer since Travis Tritt has shown up? It has almost become a joke as to who can stay OFF the Opry stage the longest ...
The Tuesday Night Opry show has started up again - nice line-up for tonight. Two shows on Saturday - wonder why.
(Jeanene)
Jeanene: Great comments and thanks. And I did see Maxine's comments also. I know she has to be very disapointed that it was not the Browns going in.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question on Garth's last Opry appearance, it was on May 10, 2008 when Carrie Underwood got inducted as an Opry member and Garth handled the induction as a surprise guest. Prior to that, he last appeared in 2005 as part of the Opry's 80th birthday celebration. Yet he still says being an Opry member is the biggest thrill of his life and he loves the Opry!! Ok. I know he is semi-retired, but he still plays those shows in Las Vegas. You would think he would throw in an Opry appearance every now and then.
And to answer the Opry question, for the past several years the Opry has done 2 shows on Saturday night in March and April and thenn in the fall. They will also do 2 shows during short periods in the summer. The answer they give is that there is a bigger demand for tickets during those months.
From Las Vegas, I can tell you that Steve Wynn gave Garth a private plane to use so he can fly back and forth all he wants. I don't think Pete Fisher will offer that ... and I hope he wouldn't! But if Garth cares about the Opry, he does what many artists have done: sacrifice a little money. I'm sure he can afford it.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the negativity about Garth. I think others were more deserving. But he certainly was deserving. And at the risk of being morbid, because I certainly don't wish anybody ill, I think of Marty Robbins getting it in 1982 and saying others were more deserving, but he would take it now ... and I'm glad he did.
Fred in Bismarck here:
ReplyDeleteI believe I've said this before, but I'll say it again:
That SO MANY Opry "members," including Garth, seem to be boycotting the show STRONGLY suggests a problem with management. The abrasiveness of Pete Fisher has been widely reported. If I were Garth or Tom T. Hall, I may have asked myself, "Who needs this aggravation?" Even if I sincerely loved the Opry, or the idea of the Opry, or what the Opry used to be.
Like Michael, I have trouble believing it's about money. When Garth was in Bismarck, tickets to his show cost $25. As part of his ongoing campaign against scalpers, he gave concerts until everyone who wanted to see him had been able to see him.
Back to the Hall, it's things like the above that have made Garth loved in this business -- heck, I love him, and I don't even own any of his music -- and, put with his monster career success over 20-plus years, qualify him for the Hall a country mile ahead of any of his contemporaries (and most of the older acts that have been talked of here). My barstool opinion.
I'm glad this was Garth's year.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteI agree. Who would turn it down? It's the Hall of Fame. If you remember in 1993 when Willie Nelson was inducted, I remember him saying, "Do you think I'm going to accept this honor when I have friends such as Faron Young, Merle Haggard, Ferlin Husky, Don Gibson, Carl Smith and Webb Pierce who are not in the Hall of Fame. Your d**n straight I am".
Garth would have been a fool to turn it down. And maybe with only one honoree per year it is time for his generation to start being inducted. I am just saying they need to broaden the categories. I believe they could do that and not have mass inductions. If something is not done soon we will not be talking about The Browns, Archie Campbell, Dottie West, The Wilburns...etc... it will be Eddie Rabbitt, Vern Gosdin, The Bellamy Brothers and Anne Murray. Deserving artists of the 70's and early to mid 80's, that were bypassed.
I say 4 categories. Pre-1970 (or so), 1970-1990-, 1990-Present, and the rotating category. That would make a broad scope of time and keep the exclusivness of the CMHOF in tact.
David, I wouldn't expect Garth to turn it down, and he showed the class I expected of him when he referred to others who he considers more deserving. Fred, I will throw in that Garth is one of the shrewdest (and I mean it in a nice way) businessmen and marketers in country music this side of Roy Acuff and Eddy Arnold (I think, between them, they may have owned the entire state of Tennessee), with a love for his fans that brings to mind greats like Ernest Tubb, from all I hear. He always has known something we don't see and realize often enough: without the fans, he might have still been a bouncer but certainly not a multi-millionaire entertainer. I hope no one thinks I am questioning Garth's talent or whether he is deserving. It's just sad to see them overlook others.
ReplyDeleteI agree with David B.Last night I was counting how many inductees were in each category and here is what I found.Since 1961 there were 27 in modern category,12 in either modern or veteran category,53 in veteran category,18 others [musician-songwriter-executive-broadcaster]
ReplyDeleteGarth through out a name and that as Keith Whitley. I have often wondered if Keith would make the cut someday. Sounds like Garth is behind him.
ReplyDeleteIf he makes it in, I would say it will be a struggle.
that name **was** Keith Whitley. Sorry folks.
ReplyDeleteJohnny, bear in mind that these categories didn't exist until a few years ago, and originally there were no particular categories. I suspect there were people complaining in 1963 that Tex Ritter went in ahead of Ernest Tubb, who was the next inductee, or even such later inductees as Bob Wills (great You Tube video of Messrs. Acuff and Ritter inducting him) and Gene Autry. The debate will go on forever.
ReplyDeleteDavid, Keith Whitley would be a tough one to get in there. He is truly one of the great "might-have-beens" and was a wonderful country singer and entertainer (he's the only person I know of who definitely does a better Lester Flatt impression than I do; others would disagree). But Garth came along just as Keith was doing well and then died, so I would expect Garth to think of him. While I criticize Garth for failing to meet his Opry obligations, I don't know of a current artist who has shown more respect for those who came before him--certainly as much, but none more (I exclude Marty Stuart, who, we sometimes forget, actually has been in the business since 1972, when he started with the Nashville Grass--he's an old-timer!).
Fred here:
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I could never "get" Keith Whitley. He never settled on a sound of his own -- on his different records, he sounds like three or four different people -- didn't leave us that many hits or memorable songs, and departed early. Not even close to Hall material. I think Garth was letting his heart run away with him here.
Sorry but I thought there always categories since 1961.Thanks for correcting me.But it was fun finding out.Those categories should have been there since the begining.
ReplyDeleteNobody was inducted in 1963.Damn shame.I can name a few people who should have gone in that year.Tex went in 1964.
ReplyDeleteI saw that Bob Wills induction on youtube.Great stuff.I also seen other hsll of fame inductions on youtube like Johnny Cash,George Jones,Loretta Lynn,Reba,Dolly,Porter,Merle Haggard,Glen Campbell,Tennessee Ernie Ford.I have yet to see Minnie Pearl,Marty Robbins,Carter Family,Bill Monroe,others.
ReplyDeleteJohnny, thanks for correcting ME!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite induction that I saw live was when Chet Atkins was talking about a couple of bluegrass legends named ... and then the camera cut to Earl Scruggs in the audience and Chet said, "Lester Flatt," and Earl smiled a little, and then said, "and Earl Scruggs," and Earl went totally blank. He later said he doesn't do that kind of stuff anyway, which I understand.
I remember watching Johnny Cash's induction on tv.Johnny says ''June is the only woman who has a mother,aunt,uncle and husband in the hall of fame.''Note:First husband Carl Smith made the hall of fame in 2003.I remember Ray Price's induction when he says ''It's about time''.I remember Marty Robbins's induction when he says something like ''Not me,but I'll take it anyway'' 2 months later he died.Good thing he took it .
ReplyDeleteI just saw Merle Haggard's impersonations of Marty Robbins on youtube.Great stuff..on another video Merle was impersonating Hank Snow,Buck Owens & Johnny Cash.Love it.
ReplyDeleteThe only country performer I've seen who did better impressions than Haggard was Ferlin Husky, and he didn't do the same people Merle does. Have you ever heard his "Good Ol' Country Music's Here to Stay"? Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteI saw Del Reeves do Roy Acuff and that was pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI just saw Ferlin Huskey sing ''Country Music is here to stay'' using voices of Webb Pierce,Ernest Tubb,Kitty Wells and Red Foley.AWESOME TALENT.
ReplyDeleteJohnny, I thought of Del, but I always thought he was better at the mannerisms than the voices because he had a distinctive voice himself. Haggard is great and a great singer, but his voice is a little plainer than Del's, for lack of a better term. But I shoulda put Del there, too. What I meant about mannerisms is that he would do Mr. Acuff standing on his toes to sing, or do Jimmy Dickens's expressions, and they were hysterical.
ReplyDeleteI think its inevitable that these artists will eventually be inducted
ReplyDeleteAlan Hank Jr Kenny Rogers Ronnie Milsap The Oaks Randy Travis Shania Brooks & Dunn And Tim McGraw
My Predictions For Inductees For The Next Several Years
ReplyDeleteKenny Rogers
Ronnie Milsap
The Oak Ridge Boys
Ricky Skaggs
Randy Travis
Hank Williams Jr
All 6 Of Them Have Won The ACM Clffie Stone Pioneer Award And All 6 Have Done A Lot For Country Music Over The Years They Will All Be In Within The Next 3-5 Years They Have To Be The Next Modern Inductees After Garth Theres No Way Alan Jackson Or Brooks & Dunn Gets In Before All 6 Of Them No Way I Just Cant See It Happening
The Next Songwriter Inductee Has To Be Hank Cochran And I Think These People Should At Least Be Considered At Some Point
ReplyDeleteIn The Songwriter Category
Don Schlitz
In The Veterans Era Category
Jerry Reed
In The Modern Era Category
Charlie Daniels
Larry Gatlin And The Gatlin Brothers
Dwight Yoakam
I Think The Inductees For The Next Several Years Should Be
ReplyDeleteSongwriter Category
Hank Cochran
Don Schlitz
Veterans Era Category If They Change The Criteria To 40 Years After They First Achieve National Prominance
Charlie Daniels
Jerry Reed
Kenny Rogers
Ronnie Milsap
Hank Williams Jr
Modern Era Category If They Change The Criteria To 15 Years After They First Achieve National Prominance
Larry Gatlin And The Gatlin Brothers
The Oak Ridge Boys
Ricky Skaggs
Randy Travis
Dwight Yoakam
2013 Inductees
ReplyDeleteVeterans Era Artist
Kenny Rogers
Modern Era Artist
The Oak Ridge Boys
2014 Inductees
Veterans Era Artist
Ronnie Milsap
Modern Era Artist
Randy Travis
2015 Inductees
Veterans Era Artist
Hank Williams Jr
Modern Era Artist
Ricky Skaggs
2016 Inductees
Veterans Era Artist
Charlie Daniels
Modern Era Artist
Larry Gatlin And The Gatlin Brothers
2017 Inductees
Veterans Era Artist
Jerry Reed
Modern Era Artist
Dwight Yoakam
Jimmmie Rodgers Hank Williams Roy Acuff Tex Ritter Ernest Tubb Eddy Arnold Red Foley Jim Reeves Gene Autry The Carter Family Bill Monroe Jimmie Davis Patsy Cline Pee Wee King Kitty Wells Hank Snow Johnny Cash Sons Of The Pioneers Vernon Dalhart Lefty Frizzell Marty Robbins Little Jimmy Dickens Floyd Tillman Flatt And Scruggs Loretta Lynn Roy Rogers Hank Thompson Tennessee Ernie Ford George Jones Willie Nelson Merle Haggard Roger Miller Patsy Montana Buck Owens Ray Price Brenda Lee George Morgan Elvis Presley Tammy Wynette Johnny Bond Dolly Parton Conway Twitty Charley Pride Faron Young Bill Anderson The Delmore Brothers The Everly Brothers Don Gibson Homer And Jethro Waylon Jennings The Jordanaires The Louvin Brothers Webb Pierce Bill Carlisle Porter Wagoner Carl Smith Kris Kristofferson Alabama Glen Campbell Sonny James George Strait Vince Gill Mel Tillis Tom T Hall Emmylou Harris The Statler Brothers Ernest Pop Stoneman Roy Clark Barbara Mandrell Jimmy Dean Ferlin Husky Don Williams Reba McEntire Jean Shepard Garth Brooks And Connie Smith What Do All Those Names Have In Common
ReplyDeleteI Think Kenny Rogers Ronnie Milsap The Oak Ridge Boys Hank Jr Ricky Skaggs And Randy Travis Are All Next For Induction And Then After That The Voters Will Move On To The 90s-Early 00s With Alan Jackson Shania Brooks & Dunn Tim McGraw And Kenny Chesney
ReplyDelete