Steel Players In The CMA Hall Of Fame?

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 8 Nov 2006 3:42 am

After reading the piece on Harold Bradley
I ventured onto the list of folks in the Hall Of Fame but didn't see any steel players names that I recognized.

Given the contribution of the steel and the many greats that played it, to country music, it's pretty sad that it's not represented

Maybe I just missed something on that site.

Tommy Minniear · Post by **Tommy Minniear** » 8 Nov 2006 7:05 am

Interesting thought, Jack. I have to admit that I also wondered the same thing after Mr. Bradley received his award. I also think that he may have tried to plant a "seed of thought" with his acceptence speech.

Tommy Minniear

P.S. Here on the Forum we would probably never agree on the inductee, but I believe we would all agree that it would be nice for the contribution of our "instrument of choice" and one of its "masters" to be recognized.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 8 Nov 2006 8:44 am

Only 4 musicians in the CMHOF so far...

DeFord Bailey
Chet Atkins
Floyd Cramer
Harold Bradley

I'd like to imagine that both Pete Drake and Grady Martin might make it soon!

Mike Shefrin · Post by **Mike Shefrin** » 8 Nov 2006 9:13 am

Seems that Roy Clark would be a likely contender if any.

Bob Smith · Post by **Bob Smith** » 12 Nov 2006 9:21 am

Glen Campbell is a musician, and he s in it too. bob[This message was edited by Bob Smith on 12 November 2006 at 09:26 AM.]

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 12 Nov 2006 12:03 pm

I'm thinking the guy that played with Crosby Stills Na.....

Nevermind..

EJL

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Nov 2006 3:24 pm

Glen Campbell is a musician, and he s in it too. bob

Bob...I listed those who were strictly musicians. If you include singer/musicians, there'd be many, many more.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 14 Nov 2006 4:04 am

I listed those who were strictly musicians. If you include singer/musicians, there'd be many, many more

There are a few more musicians in the HALL OF FAME that didn't sing or were not know for their singing. Like Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise, Howard Watts, Paul Warren, E. P. “Cousin Jake” Tullock, Jim Shumate, Buck “Uncle Josh” Graves, all members of the "Foggy Mountain Boys" inducted in 1985.

Then what about Thomas Hubert “Hugh” Farr and Karl Marx Farr, the guitar and fiddle (non-singing) members of the "Sons OF The Pioneers" inducted in 1980.

Also, there is Cliffie Stone, Bob Wills, Pee Wee King, and Jethro Burns. They really were know more for playing than singing.

Then there are some who started off as pickers before they started their singing careers, and can't be over looked as great musicians, like Merle Travis, Bill Monroe, Uncle Dave Macon, Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Grandpa Jones, Hank Thompson, and Glen Campbell.
Even Sonny James, the newest member, started off playing fiddle with Jim and Jessie & the Virginia boys, or Merle Haggard who used to be a bass player before anyone let him sing.

So would Josh Graves qualify as a steel player in the Hall Of Fame?[This message was edited by Alvin Blaine on 14 November 2006 at 04:23 AM.]

Bob Smith · Post by **Bob Smith** » 14 Nov 2006 4:45 am

Don, Oh, Ok, I didnt realize they had a category for instrument players only. Who is De Ford Bailey? Thats gotta be before my time. bob

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Nov 2006 5:31 am

Bob, yes, there is a category for "instrumentalists" (which I termed musicians). The four I mentioned are the only ones thusfar inducted as individual instrumentalists. Most of those Alvin mentioned (like all the members of The Foggy Mountain Boys and The Sons Of The Pioneers) were inducted as a member of a "Vocal Group" that was inducted. The exceptions are Cliffie Stone (inducted as a "Music Executive"), Grandpa Jones, Pee Wee King, Uncle Dave Macon, Merle Travis and Bob Wills, who (although they were all musicians), were not inducted as musicians, but as "Male Entertainers", and lastly, Homer and Jethro, who were inducted as "Comedians".

The Country Music Hall of Fame site lists only the four I mentioned under their category of "Instrumentalists".

DeFord bailey was a Black harmonica player, and the first real "star" of the Opry. He is said to have helped Roy Acuff into the music business.

edit: After a little e-mail "nudge" from a friend of mine

, I was reminded that the term "musician" doesn't have to mean an instrumentalist (though my own interpretation of the term is more along the lines of an instrumentalist). Anyone who makes their living in the music profession (for example, a singer or songwriter who might not play any instrument) is, technically, a "musician". So, everyone in the Country Music Hall Of Fame is, technically, a musician!

As a matter of correction to my first post, I'll state it like this...only four instrumentalists have been inducted, as such. The rest of the members? They're just musicians.

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 14 November 2006 at 08:51 AM.]

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 14 Nov 2006 6:42 am

Mike S., I can't believe you said that ...