Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart and Dean Dillon to Hall of Fame
Congrats to the class of 2020 inductees!
The Country Music Hall of Fame has announced its class of 2020 inductees, enshrining Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart and Dean Dillon.
Dillon will enter the Hall in the songwriter category, having penned hits across multiple decades for acts from Jim Ed Brown to Kenny Chesney, and especially for George Strait. Dillon is the mastermind behind Strait’s first charting single, “Unwound,” as well as enduring hits like “The Chair,” “Marina Del Rey” and “Ocean Front Property.”
“I was just speechless,” says Dillon. “Trying to soak in the words that I had just heard. My life flashed before my eyes. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather.”
Stuart will likewise join the hallowed Hall in the Modern Era Artists category, recognized for his string of hit recordings in the 1990s and a long history of upholding country tradition. Stuart arrived as a young phenom playing in the bands of legends like Doc Watson and especially Johnny Cash, with whom he developed a close creative kinship. And after branching out on his own, Stuart spent the ensuing years producing icons like Porter Wagoner, hosting a variety show on RFD-TV and recording timeless country albums with his band, the Fabulous Superlatives.
“It is the ultimate honor in Country Music,” says Stuart. “I’m so honored to be included in this class and I’m honored to be included alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon. I love those people. To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words. I’m usually not at a loss for words.”
Williams Jr., meanwhile, will take his place in the Hall under the Veteran Era Artist banner, owing to a career that has spanned the greater part of the last century in country music. The son of the great Hank Williams, Hank Jr. nevertheless carved out his own legacy, helping establish rock influence in the genre, delivering iconic hits like “Family Tradition,” “A Country Boy Can Survive” and “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight,” and becoming a cultural giant of his own making.
“Bocephus has been eyeing this one for awhile. It’s a bright spot during a difficult year,” says Williams. “I have been making Top 10 records for 56 years. I fell off a mountain and tried to reinvent myself as a truly individual artist and one who stepped out of the shadows of a very famous man … one of the greatest. I’ve got to thank all those rowdy friends who, year after year, still show up for me. It’s an honor to carry on this family tradition. It is much appreciated.”
The Country Music Association and Country Music Hall of Fame normally announce each year’s inductees with a press conference in the Hall’s rotunda, but were unable to do so this year due to COVID-19. No decision has been made yet on whether or not the annual induction ceremony can be held in person, either, but an announcement will be put forward once more information is available.
