CMA Announces Jim Ed Brown And The Browns, Grady Martin, And The Oak Ridge Boys As Newest Members Of The Country Music Hall Of Fame

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Country Music Association announced today that Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, Grady Martin, and The Oak Ridge Boys will become the newest members of the revered Country Music Hall of Fame.

Jim Ed Brown and The Browns (siblings Maxine and Bonnie) will be inducted in the "Veterans Era Artist" category, while The Oak Ridge Boys (Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban) will be inducted in the "Modern Era Artist" category. Martin will be inducted in the "Recording and/or Touring Musician Active Prior to 1980" category, which is awarded every third year in a rotation with the "Non-Performer" and "Songwriter" categories. The Browns, Martin, and The Oak Ridge Boys will increase membership in the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame from 124 to 127 members.

"Induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor achievable for a Country Music artist, songwriter, or industry leader and this year's inductees are all highly deserving," said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

"Today is an overwhelming day not just for me, but for the Brown family," said Jim Ed Brown. "Receiving this honor with my sisters, Maxine and Bonnie, is something I had dreamed about for years, but never knew if it would happen or not.  Fame is fleeting, hit records change every week, award show winners and nominees change every year, but being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame will be forever!"

"The induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame is the highest honor I could ever imagine receiving," said Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys. "It still gives me chills when I think about it really happening. I am humbled to the core.  I know I speak for the other Boys when I say how grateful and honored we are to be chosen. I have seen tears in the eyes of Richard Sterban only two times. The first was when we were made members of the Grand Ole Opry. The second was when we were informed that we would be among the next inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Richard LOVES baseball, so, when we were about to depart, he turned around to me and said, 'This is Cooperstown!'"

"We have seen dream after dream come true, and we are thankful and humbled every day. Now this day has come, and it is the biggest thing to ever happen to The Oak Ridge Boys," added Bonsall. "I have no words, and yet I have thousands of words racing through my heart and mind. I am in total awe. The whole paradigm has changed. Four little Boys from Texas, Alabama, Philadelphia, and New Jersey, who dreamed of singing songs in four-part harmony will NOW be in 'The Hall.'"

Induction ceremonies for Martin (who passed away in 2001), Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, and The Oak Ridge Boys will take place at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in the CMA Theater later this year. Since 2007, the Museum's Medallion Ceremony, an annual reunion of the Hall of Fame membership, has served as the official rite of induction for new members.

CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 to recognize noteworthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to the format with Country Music's highest honor.

"We are in the business of celebrating legendary artists, and today we have the privilege of honoring a very special group of legendary artists, the class of 2015 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees," said Kyle Young, Director of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "These remarkable entertainers – The Oak Ridge Boys; Jim Ed Brown and his sisters, Maxine and Bonnie; and the late, great guitarist Grady Martin – all represent quality and precision in their music. They exemplify harmony, whether in the blending of their magnificent voices, or in the tightly knit ensemble playing of an accomplished musician."

The announcement was made today in the Rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and could be seen via live stream on CMAworld.com with the archived footage being available through the end of the month.

About CMA: Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association was the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music's highest honor. More than 7,400 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization's objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA's core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; the CMA Music Festival, which benefits music education and is taped for a three-hour special; and "CMA Country Christmas," featuring Country artists performing original music and Christmas classics for broadcast during the holiday season.  All of CMA's television properties will air on the ABC Television network through 2021.

SOURCE Country Music Association

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