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Nashville, Tenn (June 3, 2019) – Last Thursday, May 30, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum celebrated the upcoming induction of Country Music Hall of Fame Member-Elect Ray Stevens with a special luncheon honoring him in the museum’s CMA Theater.
During the luncheon, Stevens shared this sentiment about his upcoming induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, “I tell you friends, it don’t get no better than this.”
In October of this year, Stevens, along with Jerry Bradley and Brooks & Dunn, will be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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Even though I’m a huge fan of Ray Stevens I’ve never been a fan of the lengthy waiting period for newly elected members to receive their plaque and other credentials that come along with being a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. In the past the newly elected members were not announced in a news release, instead, the performers were contacted privately by the CMA and then the official induction would take place on the nationally televised CMA Awards.
Perhaps 10 or so years ago the privately held Medallion Ceremony was created to replace the nationally televised inductions of the Hall of Fame members. The gap between election to formal induction remains the same…half a year or more. This year’s members were announced back in March but they won’t be formally inducted until October.
Looking at the photo I obviously see Ray Stevens and I can detect Don Cusic (in the red striped shirt) and Buddy Kalb the third from left in the back row. Down front is Ray’s nephew (who looks like NFL quarterback Andrew Luck). Seated to Ray’s left is one of his daughters. I don’t know the identities of the other people in the photo.
In an update from my previous comment…I erroneously identified a couple of people. I originally identified the man in the red shirt as Don Cusic…but it’s actually Ben Surratt. I also stated the man seated on the front row who looks like NFL quarterback Andrew Luck was Ray’s nephew but it’s his grandson.