CMA Announces Newest Members of Country Music Hall of Fame

CMA Announces Newest Members of Country Music Hall of Fame

Harold Bradley, Sonny James and George Strait to be Formally Inducted

During 'The 40th Annual CMA Awards' Nov. 6 on the ABC Television Network

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The Country Music Association has announced that influential musician/producer Harold Bradley, legendary singer Sonny James and multi-award-winning entertainer George Strait, will become the newest members of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame. Formal induction for the artists will take place during "The 40th Annual CMA Awards," which will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network, Monday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn.

Bradley 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 "Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to World War II" and "Non-Performer" categories. James will be inducted in the "Career Achieved National Prominence Between World War II and 1975" category. Strait will be the second artist inducted in the "Career Achieved National Prominence Between 1975 and the Present" category, which was created last year.

All inductees are chosen by CMA's Hall of Fame Panel of Electors, consisting of more than 300 anonymous voters appointed by the CMA Board of Directors. Bradley, James and Strait will increase membership in the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame from 95 to 98 inductees.

"The highest musical honor achievable for a Country Music artist and musician is to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and these are all outstanding and highly deserving individuals," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "Harold Bradley has been instrumental in creating 'The Nashville Sound' since 1946, becoming the most recorded guitar player in history. Sonny James recorded an incredible streak of hit records for more than 25 years. And George Strait, whom nearly every Country artist on the charts today cites as a major influence, continues to create great music, having placed at least one single in the Top 10 every year since 1981.

"It is with great pride that CMA will induct these three exceptional artists and musicians into the Country Music Hall of Fame, where they will join an intimate yet influential group of performers and industry veterans who have made lasting contributions to Country Music over the last century."

Harold Bradley -- A Nashville native born Jan. 2, 1926, Bradley and his older brother Owen (who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1974) grew up to become instrumental in both Country Music and Nashville's music history.

Fascinated early on with the banjo, Bradley took his brother's advice and began learning guitar. He became so skilled with the guitar that he toured with Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours during the summer between his junior and senior years in high school.

After graduation and service with the U.S. Navy, Bradley studied music at George Peabody College in Nashville while playing guitar for artists on the Grand Ole Opry. His first Country Music recording session was in Chicago in 1946 with Pee Wee King and the Golden West Cowboys. As recording increased in Nashville, Bradley grew to become one of the busiest studio musicians in town, playing rhythm, lead and/or bass guitar as well as banjo. He was known for creating the "tic-tac" style of muting bass notes for the bass guitar.

In the late 1940s, Bradley and his brother Owen built Nashville's first recording facility, Castle Recording Studio. This studio lasted until 1955 when the brothers built a larger facility capable of stereo recordings known as the Bradley Film and Recording Studios on Sixteenth Avenue South in Nashville. This was the first music studio on what would eventually be known as "Music Row." Because so many Country and pop hits were being recorded at the Bradley Studio, Columbia Records eventually bought it in 1962 and built their record label around it.

Through the years, Bradley became the most recorded guitar player in history and would come to be known as "the Dean of Nashville Session Guitarists." As one of the original "A Team" studio musicians of Nashville, his musical talents were heard on such recordings as "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" (Red Foley); "Do the Hokey Pokey" (Ray Anthony); "Ballad of New Orleans" (Johnny Horton); "Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobby Helms); "I'm Sorry" (Brenda Lee); "Crazy" (Patsy Cline); "Only the Lonely" (Roy Orbison); "King of the Road" (Roger Miller); "Big Bad John" (Jimmy Dean); "Make The World Go Away" (Eddy Arnold); "Harper Valley PTA" (Jeannie C. Riley); "Stand By Your Man" (Tammy Wynette); "Coal Miner's Daughter" (Loretta Lynn); and "Swingin'" (John Anderson), among hundreds more. His performances can also be heard on recordings by Joan Baez, Perry Como, Buddy Holly, Burl Ives, George Morgan, Elvis Presley, Charley Pride, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Hank Snow, Conway Twitty, Gene Watson, Hank Williams and more. In addition, he recorded three solo albums of instrumentals. He also performed on a variety of film soundtracks, including "A Walk in the Spring Rain," "Clambake," "Coal Miner's Daughter," "The Fastest Guitar Alive," "Kissin' Cousins," "Six Pack," "Smokey and the Bandit II," "Stay Away Joe," "The Sugarland Express," "Sweet Dreams" and " ... tick ... tick ... tick."

Bradley was also prolific as a producer, working with Eddy Arnold and other artists. In 1999, artist Mandy Barnett turned to Bradley to finish producing her album I've Got a Right to Cry after his brother Owen (who was in the midst of producing the project) passed away.

The busy Bradley also co-produced 39 half-hour episodes of the late 1950s television series "Country Style, USA," which featured many Grand Ole Opry artists. He appeared briefly in Robert Altman's 1975 award-winning movie "Nashville" and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) named him music director for their fundraising telethon, "Legends of Country Music" in 1985.

Taking an industry leadership role, Bradley served as the first President of the Nashville chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). He has served as the President of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) in Nashville since 1991, and was named the AFM International Vice President in 1999. In his position with the AFM, he has also established a musicians' union presence in Branson, Mo.

Bradley is one of 12 musicians inducted into the Studio Musicians Hall of Fame at RCA's Studio B, now a museum operated by the Country Music Foundation. He also received the NARAS Superpicker Award for six consecutive years (1974-1979).

Sonny James -- Born James Hugh Loden on May 1, 1929 in Hackleburg, Ala. (95 miles northwest of Birmingham), the boy who would grow up to be known as "The Southern Gentleman" was raised on a 300-acre farm. Between 1960 and 1979, James' singles spent an incredible 57 weeks in the No. 1 position -- more than any other Country artist. Both of his parents were musicians, and his older sister Thelma was a singer and guitarist. With such a musical household, the family regularly performed together on Saturday nights at the homes of friends, incorporating young James at age 3 by teaching him to sing and play a homemade mandolin made from a molasses bucket.

In 1933, the Loden Family began performing on the radio each Saturday on WMSD/ Muscle Shoals, Ala. The family also won a Mid South Champion Band contest, with the top prize being a two week performance stint on WAPI/Birmingham, Ala. Kate Smith, who was the headlining artist for the contest, held the young Loden backstage, giving him a silver dollar while telling him he would have a bright future in the entertainment business. This proved to be wise words from one entertainment legend to a young child who would grow up to become one himself.

The Loden Family (who by now had added young Ruby Palmer on vocals and bass) performed around the South, building a reputation in the region. They became regular performers on KLCN/Blytheville, Ark. before moving on to stations in Greenwood and Columbus, Miss. After a stint at WJDX/Jackson, Miss., they moved to WNOX/ Knoxville, Tenn. in the mid-1940s to perform on the daily "Midday Merry-Go-Round" and Saturday night "Tennessee Barn Dance" radio shows. At WNOX, the Loden Family was part of a talent roster that at various times included Chet Atkins, Archie Campbell, Bill and Cliff Carlisle, Lost John Miller (and his banjo player Earl Scruggs) and Johnny Wright. In 1946, the Loden Family moved to WPTF/Raleigh, N.C. (where James roomed with Atkins); in 1949 they moved briefly to WSGN/Birmingham, Ala. before heading to WMPS/Memphis, Tenn. After Thelma and Ruby both left the band to get married, the family retired from performing and moved back to Hackleburg to open a clothing store.

Loden joined the National Guard and finished high school before briefly performing with a friend on WHBQ/Memphis, Tenn. In Sept. 1950, he was called up to become a member of the First National Guard troops sent to Korea for the Korean Conflict. While there, Loden began seriously writing songs while playing both the guitar and fiddle. After two years overseas, Loden returned home and moved to Nashville where he looked up his former roommate Atkins who had become an established recording artist and session musician.

Atkins later secured an audition for Loden with Capitol Records' producer Ken Nelson, leading to a recording contract, a new stage name of Sonny James (based on Loden's teenage nickname) and a new tagline -- "The Southern Gentleman."

In 1953, his single "That's Me Without You" hit No. 9 on the Billboard Country chart. James began appearing on important radio shows including "The Louisiana Hayride" and "The Saturday Night Shindig" before joining "The Big 'D' Jamboree" on KRLD/Dallas, Texas. He also began hosting the first 30 minute slot on every third episode of the influential "Ozark Jubilee" television show. The other rotating hosts for that segment were Webb Pierce and Porter Wagoner, with Red Foley hosting the final hour each week, putting James in great company.

James continued having hits with "She Done Give Her Heart to Me," "For Rent (One Empty Heart)," "Twenty Feet of Muddy Water" and "The Cat Came Back" among others. The combination of his vocals and guitar playing created a distinct sound. In 1956 he released "Young Love," which became his biggest hit and signature song. The song spent nine weeks at No. 1 during 1956-57 and crossed over to top the pop charts. For the next several years, James charted songs including "First Date, First Kiss, First Love" on both the Country and pop charts.

Moving to Nashville with his wife Doris (whom he married in 1957), James joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1962. Two years later, he hit No. 1 on the Country charts with "You're the Only World I Know." This began his domination of the Country charts for the next eight years, with 21 of his next 25 singles reaching No.1. During the five years between 1967 and 1971, he had 16 consecutive No. 1 singles. Among his hits were "Take Good Care of Her," "I'll Never Find Another You," "A World of Our Own," "Born to Be With You," "Bright Lights, Big City," "My Love," "Running Bear," "It's the Little Things" and "Only the Lonely" among others. Backed by his band, the Southern Gentlemen, James toured the U.S. and overseas, as well as making frequent television appearances on national shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Bob Hope Show" and "The Andy Williams Show." He also appeared in movies such as

"Las Vegas Hillbillies," "Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar" and "Nashville Rebel."

In 1967, James and Bobbie Gentry co-hosted the first CMA Awards, setting the bar for all future hosts of "Country Music's Biggest Night(TM)." James received five CMA nominations throughout his career including Entertainer (1967); Male Vocalist (1967; 1969); and Album of the Year (1967 for The Best of Sonny James; 1976 for 200 Years of Country Music).

Honors and awards were plentiful. In 1961, he became the first Country Music artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Billboard named him the No. 1 Country Artist of 1969. On Jan. 31, 1971, the Apollo 14 moon flight (commanded by astronaut Alan Shepard) took a program James recorded exclusively for them into space -- a first for a Country artist. In appreciation, the crew presented him with a flag they had carried to the moon. In 1977, Record World Magazine named him the Country Music's Male Artist of the Decade.

James changed record labels from Capitol to Columbia Records in 1972; towards the end of the decade he moved again to Monument Records. He remained a strong force in Country Music through 1983, scoring hits with "Only Love Can Break a Heart," "That's Why I Love You Like I Do," "When the Snow is On the Roses," "Is it Wrong (For Loving You)," "A Mi Esposa con Amor (To My Wife with Love)," "A Little Bit South of Saskatoon," "Little Band of Gold" and "What in the World's Come Over You" among others. A man of many talents, James expanded his career by producing other artists and entering music publishing in the early '70s. He produced three albums for Marie Osmond, including her hit single "Paper Roses." He also continued to perform concerts, appear on national television shows such as "Hee Haw" and participate regularly in Fan Fair, now CMA Music Festival. In 1983, James retired from performing to raise cattle in Alabama. He currently lives in Nashville, Tenn.

George Strait -- Born May 18, 1952 in Poteet, Texas, and raised in nearby Pearsall, Strait was the son of a junior high school teacher, who owned and operated a ranch that had been in his family for nearly 100 years. Growing up he spent his weekdays in town and his weekends on the ranch outside Big Wells, Texas. Although he joined a garage rock band as a teenager, his musical preference was traditional Country. After graduating high school in the late '60s and briefly attending college, Strait married his high school sweetheart Norma. Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1971, he moved to Hawaii two years later where he began playing Country Music with an Army-sponsored group called Rambling Country, which also played some dates off-base under the name Santee.

After leaving the Army in 1975, Strait returned to Texas and enrolled in Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, where he graduated in 1979 with a degree in agriculture. While there he formed his Country band, Ace in the Hole. The band recorded a few albums for an independent label in Dallas in the late '70s, but had little success. In 1979, Strait became friends with Erv Woolsey, a Texas club owner and former MCA Records employee. Woolsey invited MCA executives to watch Strait perform and in 1980 Strait was signed to MCA Records with Woolsey as his manager.

Strait's debut single "Unwound" from his first album Strait Country was released in 1981 and became a Top 10 hit. Astonishingly, Strait has had at least one single hit the Top 10 every year since. With songs including "If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger (There's One Coming Home)," "Fool Hearted Memory," "Amarillo By Morning," "You Look So Good in Love," "The Fireman," "The Chair," "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her," "Ocean Front Property," "All My Ex's Live in Texas," "You Know Me Better Than That," "If I Know Me" and "Love Without End, Amen," among others, Strait established a reputation for consistently recording songs influenced by honkytonk and Western swing traditions. He also began co-producing his albums from 1984 onward, starting with his fourth album, Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind.

Strait maintained his family's ranching traditions as well as his love of team roping by launching the George Strait Team Roping Classic in 1983. The annual event has grown to become among the largest and most prestigious open ropings on the circuit, regularly hosting the most prestigious names in the sport. Strait, who is a card-carrying member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, remains an avid outdoorsman and an expert horseman.

In 1992, Strait landed the lead role of the movie "Pure Country," which brought him attention from new audiences. His first box set, the four-disc Strait Out of the Box, was released in 1995 and within a year had become one of the five biggest-selling box sets in popular music history. He continued to record hit songs including "I Cross My Heart," "Carrying Your Love With Me," "Blue Clear Sky," "I Just Want To Dance With You," "Check Yes or No," "Write This Down," "She'll Leave You With A Smile," "The Best Day" and many more. 50 Number One Hits was released in 2004, compiling the rare achievement of his first 50 No. 1 songs (as well as his 51st, "I Hate Everything") on two CDs. The project was a strong seller, eventually certified as 6x multi-Platinum by the RIAA.

In addition to conquering radio and sales charts, Strait became one of Country Music's top concert attractions of all time, with his appearances selling out auditoriums and frequently setting new attendance records. From 1997 to 2001, he assembled the "George Strait Country Music Festival," a day-long musical event, which packed stadiums around the nation. Each year featured an amazing lineup of Country Music artists taking the stage throughout the day before Strait closed the show each night, including Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw and more. The huge and enthusiastic crowds served as a launching pad for the young artists who latter headlined tours of their own. Strait continues to tour annually, selling out venues and thrilling audiences nationwide.

As of 2006, 25 years after releasing his debut single, Strait remains a dominant force in Country Music with sales exceeding 62 million albums. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has certified Strait with 13 multi-Platinum, 30 Platinum and 33 Gold albums. According to the RIAA, he has received more Gold albums than any other artist in Country Music, and is currently tied with Frank Sinatra in eighth place for the most Gold albums of any artist in any musical genre. Strait has received 16 CMA Awards, including two consecutive Entertainer of the Year nods (1989, 1990); five Male Vocalist of the Year Awards (1985, 1986, 1996, 1997, 1998); and three Album of the Year Awards (1985 - Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind; 1996 -Blue Clear Sky; 1997 - Carrying Your Love With Me). His most recent CMA Award was in 2005 for Musical Event of the Year for his performance with Lee Ann Womack on the song "Good News, Bad News."

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl, or Scott Stem, both of Country Music Association,
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