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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum congratulated its 2021 inductees in a live-streamed announcement hosted by country icon Reba McEntire.
Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young opened the live-streamed announcement on Monday morning (August 16), and introduced the woman who “can do everything,” McEntire.
“It is an exciting morning, I’m so glad to be here to make the announcements,” said McEntire, part of the Class of 2011. “It’s my honor to announce the 2021 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees…We have four incredible honorees to celebrate today.”
Here are the four artists making up the Class of 2021, and information about their iconic work courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum:
Eddie Bayers
“A top studio drummer of country music’s modern era, Eddie Bayers has played on Nashville recordings since the mid-1970s. Originally a keyboardist, he shifted to drums under the mentorship of famed drummer Larrie Londin. Significant early sessions for Bayers included the 1980 Urban Cowboy movie soundtrack and Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs album. Bayers developed longstanding working relationships with many artists including the Judds, Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Kenny Chesney. Highly respected by his country music peers, Bayers was named the Academy of Country Music’s top drummer fourteen times between 1991 and 2010.”
Ray Charles
“A pioneer of R&B, Ray Charles (1930–2004) was also enormously influential in country music. With his landmark 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, the soulful singer and pianist put his own indelible stamp on country songs, broadening the music’s appeal and audience. He made country music a significant part of his repertoire from that point forward, collaborating frequently with country artists, such as Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Blind since age seven, Charles overcame barriers of disability and race to transform American popular music, becoming one of the most revered and recognized entertainers in the world.”
Pete Drake
“Pedal steel guitarist Pete Drake (1932-1988) left a lasting mark not only on country music, but also on rock, gospel, and folk music. He moved to Nashville in 1959 and quickly became a first-call session musician, playing on countless country hits. Later, he contributed to folk and rock records by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, George Harrison, and Elvis Presley. He also produced albums by artists as varied as B.J. Thomas and Ringo Starr. His impact extended to owning a recording studio, founding two independent record labels, and establishing music publishing firms that promoted writers such as David Allan Coe and Dottie West.”
The Judds
“The Judds—mother Naomi and daughter Wynonna—helped take country back to its roots in the 1980s with lean, tuneful songs influenced by traditional folk music, acoustic blues, and family harmony acts. Wynonna was the lead singer with a husky, expressive voice, who could growl with bluesy intensity or articulate heartache with tender sensitivity. Naomi provided harmony, wit, and a sashaying stage presence that engaged audiences. Between 1984 and 1991, the Judds scored a remarkable twenty Top Ten hits—including fourteen #1s. They also won five Grammys, nine CMA awards, and seven ACM awards.”
The live-streamed announcement included a statement from Bayers, and virtual appearances by Ray Charles Foundation President Valerie Ervin, Drake’s widow Rose Drake, and Naomi and Wynona Judd.
Watch the announcement here.