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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 12, 2002
CMA ANNOUNCES NEWEST MEMBERS OF COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME
Bill Carlisle and Porter Wagoner Surprised On Grand Ole Opry Stage by Dixie Chicks, Brad Paisley Delivers Toast at Backstage Reception
NASHVILLE – The CMA has announced that the legendary Bill Carlisle and Porter Wagoner will become the newest members of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame. The surprise announcement was made by the Dixie Chicks during their Grand Ole Opry appearance, which was also telecast on “Grand Ole Opry Live” on CMT. Formal induction for the two new members will take place during “The 36th Annual CMA Awards,” which will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network, Wednesday, Nov. 6 (8:00 – 11:00 PM/EST) from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
Wagoner is being inducted in the annual “Open” Category, while Carlisle is to be inducted in the special “Performer Whose Career Achieved National Prominence Prior To 1980” Category. All inductees are chosen by the Hall of Fame panel of electors, consisting of more than 300 anonymous voters appointed by the CMA Board of Directors. Wagoner and Carlisle will become the 87th and 88th members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“I’m in a state of shock right now,” said Wagoner minutes after the announcement. “I’m very proud to become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. I think it’s probably something that everybody in Country Music dreams of, at sometime in their life. It’s a strange thing. I had thought of so many things to say if I did become a member; I had even talked to the Lord about it, and now He’s the only one that knows what I was going to say about it.”
“Thank you for making this one of the happiest days for me,” said an emotional Carlisle. “It means a whole lot to me; in fact, my whole career hinges on something like this and I really appreciate it. I don’t know of anything that could be more of a highlight than this.”
“The Hall of Fame is welcoming two of Country Music’s most dynamic entertainers whose careers demonstrate the characteristics of uniqueness and longevity that so define and shape our business,” said Ed Benson, Executive Director of the Country Music Association.
Two-time CMA Award winner Brad Paisley toasted the two new inductees at a backstage reception after the announcement. “It’s such a thrill to be somebody who gets a chance to not only have their friendship, but somebody who’s learned so much by watching these guys,” said Paisley as he was giving the toast. “I want to lead us all in a toast to two of the most important figures Country Music ever had.”
Porter Wagoner – A Missouri-native, Wagoner brought Country Music into television households on a weekly basis long before the TNN, CMT or GAC cable networks were ever conceived. Before he signed with RCA Records in 1952, “The Thin Man from West Plains” was a featured performer on Red Foley’s groundbreaking “Ozark Jubilee” (broadcast nationally on television and radio from Springfield, Mo.).
A string of successful hit songs, including “Company’s Comin’,” “A Satisfied Mind” and “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry,” led Wagoner to move to Nashville and accept an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry in 1957. He returned to television in 1961 with “The Porter Wagoner Show,” a weekly syndicated series based out of Nashville. The program started with 18 stations and eventually grew to more than 100 stations in the early ‘70s. The series, which ended in 1981,
provided a showcase for the hottest Country Music stars of the day; but the show also gave Wagoner tremendous exposure as he continued to hit the music charts with songs like “Misery Loves Company,” “I’ve Enjoyed As Much of This as I Can Stand,” “Green, Green Grass of Home,” “The Cold Hard Facts of Life,” “The Carroll County Accident” and many more.
He won three Grammy Awards (1966, 1967, 1969) for gospel albums he recorded with the Blackwood Brothers. Wagoner added the then-unknown Dolly Parton to the cast of his television show in 1967; and soon began recording duet albums with the young singer as well as producing her solo albums. Their first collaboration, “The Last Thing On My Mind,” launched a string of Top 10 hits for the duo. They went on to win three CMA Awards (1968 Vocal Group of the Year, 1970 and 1971 Vocal Duo of the Year). Wagoner and Parton went their separate ways in 1975 to focus on their solo careers. Parton would later write her classic song “I Will Always Love You” about him.
In addition to recording his own albums, Wagoner appeared in the Clint Eastwood film “Honkytonk Man,” served as Opryland’s Goodwill Ambassador for several years and was a frequent host of the long-running “Opry Backstage” TNN television series. “The Wagonmaster” has long been known for his flamboyant rhinestone-studded Manuel stage outfits. He is currently celebrating his 45th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, where he continues to be one of its most popular entertainers. Wagoner’s new album Unplugged will be released on Sept. 10.
Bill Carlisle – A Kentucky native, Carlisle established one of Country Music’s most enduring careers. Born in 1908, Carlisle got his start performing with his family on local radio in Louisville. His older brother Cliff Carlisle went on to become a popular singer in the 1930s - and Carlisle soon followed in his footsteps, scoring his first big hit with “Rattlesnake Daddy.”
Although they maintained solo careers, Bill and Cliff frequently joined forces as The Carlisle Brothers and became major radio stars during the Depression, fusing hillbilly, Hawaiian, blues, yodeling and vaudeville elements into their performances. The brothers’ best-known song as a duo was “Rainbow At Midnight.” After splitting amicably with Cliff in the late ‘40s, Carlisle hit the charts with “Tramp On The Street.”
Based in the Knoxville-area, Carlisle worked frequently with the Carter Family, Archie Campbell, Don Gibson, Homer & Jethro and others. He hired a young Chet Atkins for both radio and road work. Soon, Carlisle had formed a new group -- The Carlisles -- and continued recording hit songs such as “Too Old To Cut The Mustard,” “No Help Wanted,” “Knothole,” “Is Zat You, Myrtle?,” “Shake-A-Leg” and “Honey Love.” The group’s success led to an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry in 1953, where Carlisle soon earned his nickname “Jumpin’ Bill” for his wild movements on stage during his performances.
The group disbanded in the mid-‘60s, but Carlisle continued on as a recording artist, earning a hit with “What Kinda Deal Is This?” in 1966. He continues to perform regularly alongside his son Billy on the Grand Ole Opry, where he reigns as the oldest member and serves as a living link to the dawning days of the Country Music industry.