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hillbillyhippiemusicreview · 25 days ago

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“ONE DAY IT’S GONNA GET IN YOU, AND IT AIN’T EVER GONNA GET OUT:” THE ROAD TO THE HALL OF FAME

Sturgill Simpson, 2024 Kentucky Music Hall of Fame inductee, left an enamored audience hanging on his every word with that emotionally impactful & inspiring statement as he reflected on his journey to music on Saturday, October 26th at historic Renfro Valley. In his acceptance speech, where he appeared visibly overcome with emotion and humbly appreciative, he summed up in one simple statement the ethos of the whole evening: the power of music that found 12 individuals somewhere along their way and resided deep in their soul, never to leave, but to lead them down many roads all over the world filled with highs and lows, accomplishments and failures, all the while always leading back home—specifically that night to the Hall of Fame in their beloved Kentucky.

Sturgill Simpson accepts his induction into the Hall of Fame.

The chilly October evening was filled to the brim with heartwarming moments and stories by longtime friends and family of the inductees who had the momentous honor of inducting them into the Hall of fame, as well as earnest speeches from the inductees themselves. For the inductees that have since left their earthly homes, friends and cherished family members took the stage to share a bit about their lives prior to accepting the prestigious award in their honor as expressed the appreciation and joy they knew the late inductees would feel. Prior to the induction speeches, the Hall of Fame also took a moment of silence to honor several former inductees and integral members of the music community who have passed on. In addition to the guaranteed memorable moments of incredible music and lasting memories, Executive Director Jessica Blankenship and her team had some surprises up their sleeves, most notably a presentation of videos from a multitude of music stars across a myriad of genres cheering on many of the inductees.

WATCH HERE: https://youtu.be/mRmX-SLsHEg?si=BrMH8gBsmWAx5HU7

The first to be inducted was legendary sound engineer Billy Moore. Exile, 2013 inductees, introduced Moore while reminiscing on their time on the road together as well as some of his career highlights, with lighthearted jests about the innocence of rockstar life. When accepting his invitation to join the Hall of Fame, Moore stated that he had since left the "milk and cookies" found on the road behind, retiring instead to family life and exclaiming that "when it comes to home, [there's] nothing like Kentucky." With deep gratitude, he also expressed that the honor means so much more coming from his home state as he emotionally proclaimed that "it don't get no better!" Next up, in one of the more humorous yet passionate moments of the evening, members of The Kentucky Headhunters headed to the stage to truly keep it in the family as they inducted Fred Young's son's band, Black Stone Cherry. Eleven years separated both band's inductions into the Hall of Fame, and it was clear just how much the prestigious honor made them all feel after years of hard work and dedication to stages in both the Commonwealth and beyond. Ahead of the induction ceremony, Black Stone Cherry did a bourbon bottle signing of their Three Chord bourbon with 100% of proceeds going back into the Hall of Fame to fund music education programming across the state. Following those touching moments, restauranteur and bar owner Jeff Ruby stepped up to induct his longtime friend Bobby Mackey, showcasing just how friendship could blur the lines with kinship as he detailed his long history of knowing the honkytonker with the famed Bobby Mackey's Music World. Before bringing Mackey out, Ruby reflected on a Kris Kristofferson tune as he referenced the famous line in "Me & Bobby McGee" summing up his emotions behind the monumental moment Mackey asked him to join him on his own stage by saying "Well, there's me & Bobby Mackey!" In addition to thanking Ruby and the Hall of Fame for the meaningful accolade, Mackey profusely thanked his family for standing behind him the entire way, joking that if he "could teach [his wife] to sing, [he] wouldn't have to do nothin'!" After all the love for Kentucky and family flowing alongside all the laughter erupting on stage, the induction ceremony was undoubtably off to a good start.

Black Stone Cherry performs at Renfro Valley for the 2024 KYMHOF Induction Ceremony

Bobby Mackey performs

Continuing the family affair, inductee Ruble Sanderson's wife took the stage with a passioned monologue about her husband's momentous impact on the country music world as he and his family worked to revitalize Broadway in downtown Nashville, to which Sanderson expressed being inducted felt "like receiving an award for all the original honkytonks." Giving back is irrefutably woven into the family's nature: it was revealed that the Sanderson Fund was established at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame to provide financial aid for musicians, further supporting his belief that none of his accomplishments would be possible without musicians while giving back to some of the very musicians who have benefitted from his endeavors. Unfortunately, inductee Charlie Sizemore was unable to attend the ceremony due to illness, so his son Patrick both inducted him and accepted the honor on behalf of the country and bluegrass singer-songwriter. With obvious respect for his father and a healthy dose of humor, Sizemore humorously thanked Paul Martin for providing studio time and "being the reason [they] could get name brand cheese." All jokes aside though, Sizemore turned his tune more serious to leave the audience with one of the most meaningful moments of the evening as he shared a message he felt his father would endorse: "lift up others because you never know what someone is going through." As evidenced with the major impacts of the previous inductees on music throughout the years, the power of music is undoubtedly uplifting, and Kentucky has certainly seen its share of artists that have touched people's lives—the late Gary Stewart for example. On the same meaningful wavelength witnessed throughout the evening, Stewart's daughter Shannon had the crowd both spirited and moved with her rousing induction and acceptance of her father's award. As she expressed just how much the award would have meant to Stewart because he never forgot where he came from, she told the audience to give themselves a round of applause because without them his music would not still be alive. Without all of the key players in Kentucky's music scene inducted this past October, listeners wouldn't have as many wonderful works to enjoy—or exhibits to visit down in Mount Vernon!

Shannon Stewart inducting her late father, the King of Honky-Tonk Gary Stewart

Hailing from the Fiddle Capital of Kentucky, Jimmy Mattingly was the next 2024 inductee honored, with Steve Wariner doing the honors while sharing heartwarming memories about his friend's trajectory in the business. Mattingly was choked up not only as he expressed sincere appreciation for all his friends in the business who gave him a chance, but also as he gave the glory to God, expressing that "[He] opened a lot of doors, and it was in His plan." With the help of God and country music's resident angel Dolly Parton, he was taken seriously as a fiddle player with opportunities to travel the world, yet he never strayed too far from his roots. As Wariner said, Mattingly is "Kentucky through and through." Along with the depths of devotion to home, what stood out the most from the evening was how truly humbled each inductee and/or their family was to have the honor bestowed upon them. The late Karl Shannon's son, as well as the recipient of the Karl Shannon Legacy award—and award that recognizes both philanthropic efforts and radio craft—Deidre Ransdell, were both exemplary of this notion. Both spoke on Shannon's legacy of kindness and helping others, and his son expressed how extremely proud, deeply moved, and gracious he would have been to accept the invitation while leaving people with a statement that summed up Shannon's mission for his life: "Leave people better than you found them." Speaking of leaving the world a little better in the name of music, The Whites, a bluegrass band, came on stage next to induct The McLain Family Band and share stories about their time spent touring together over the past several decades. It was an evening of full circle moments for many, but certainly KYMHOF Director Jessica Blankenship, as Karl Shannon once encouraged her to chase her dreams and take the position at the Hall of Fame and Al White (of the McLain Family Band) taught her Appalachian Music at Berea College, further cementing her love of the sounds of Kentucky, and leading her to that very stage where they both stood forever immortalizing the history of Kentucky music. The world-renowned band spoke heavily of the influence of family throughout their career and how "serious [they were] about pouring music into the next generation" as they were "overflowing with gratitude" for the achievement. There is no doubt that they, along with the other eleven inductees and the Hall of Fame will continue to make a difference as they pave a path for future generations to learn and play music, potentially finding their own way into the esteemed hall.

The Whites introduce 2024 inductees The McLain Family Band

As he was inducting his father Paul, March Martin (of Rockland Road) stated that "Kentucky produces some of the most talented musicians and artists the world has to offer," and judging by the caliber of talent on the list of 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, he was right on the money with that thought. Paul Martin is undeniably a man of many talents who has lent them to the Kentucky music scene and beyond in a number of ways, being a former member of Exile, Marty Stuart's Fabulous Superlatives, and the current Hall of Fame bandleader since 2002, as well as involved in both personal and family projects. As he reminisced, he shared how in awe he was of the musicians he has played with over the years, with many helping to chart his course. Martin talked about how everything was connected in his long tenure as an artist—he summed it up best when he stated "Kentucky's on the map, folks!" Indeed, it is. Christian artist and member of the 2024 class Rodney Griffin took his love of Kentucky and the gospel all over that map, sharing both the love of his home state and the Lord with eager audiences. His co-writer and fellow Greater Vision group member, Gerald Wolfe, spoke nostalgically of Griffin's start in music, speaking in depth about his deep faith and the Lord's blessing on Griffin's career. When he accepted his induction, Griffin was very thankful to his family for supporting his calling and left the audience with an insightful thought to ruminate on: "If we're honest, none of us can take credit for this ourselves!" In a way, his statement ties into the belief that the final inductee of the evening, Sturgill Simpson, expressed when he declared "One day it's gonna get in you and it ain’t never gonna get out." Whether the inductees believed their journeys were a calling, destiny, or merely something they happened into: one thing is for sure—at some pivotal moment in each of their lives, music took a hold of their hearts and souls and they never looked back. Comedian Danny McBride celebrated this conviction whilst adding some comic relief to such an emotional evening as he inducted his good friend Simpson, yet he was entirely serious as he expressed that everyone was in attendance to "celebrate an artist who redefined what it meant to be a musician." Not only did Simpson do that, but each inductee recognized redefined in their own ways what music—and success—looked like for people born into of a myriad of situations in Appalachia and Kentucky as a whole, effectively changing the face of music for generations to come. In recent years, Sturgill Simpson certainly led the way with putting Kentucky both on a national and worldwide musical map with his various styles of music, but as McBride said—"genres don't matter when the music is honest." When it comes to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, truly does not matter because all the music, and the work behind it, is honest to the core and has made for such a rich and diverse music scene: music is truly the heart of the Bluegrass.

(Watch Sturgill Simpson's acceptance speech by clicking on the link below):

In addition to the touching speeches, the ceremony was packed full of fantastic performances from both from prior inductees and the 2024 Class themselves, shining a bright light on exactly why everyone was gathered down in Mt. Vernon: the music! Following a spinetingling rendition of the National Anthem by Rockland Road as well as a heartfelt tribute to the late Norah Lee Allen—who was inducted in 2022–in addition to several other Kentuckians who have passed on with "His Eye is On the Sparrow", Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Artist in Residence, the Donovan Howard Trio, opened the show with a rousing blues performance—showcasing why the HOF believes not only in them, but also in the variety of music Kentucky has to offer, so much. 2022 Class member Tee Dee Young let his star shine bright as he played his brand of electrified soul-food blues, and Black Stone Cherry treated attendees to an impeccable acoustic performance following their acceptance speech. During the band's introduction, the Kentucky Headhunters relayed to all "Cherry Heads" in attendance—both from the USA and overseas—that "they woulda liked to play electric for ya but would probably blow a fuse in this place!" All jokes aside, the stripped-down version of their hard rock sound with "Like I Roll" was a perfect nod to the night ahead, spent reflecting on all the roads the inductees rolled down their dreams on. After professing that it's "always been about the music, gonna keep it country," Bobby Mackey took the crowd back to the honkytonk as he performed "Let Me Drink About It" alongside a beautiful pedal steel and a rockin' band. In honor of the late Gary Stewart, his former cowriter and duet partner, the legendary Dean Dillon, left all nostalgia and scores of emotion on the stage while performing one of Stewart's hits, "Empty Glass." Class of 2011 inductee Steve Wariner joyfully joined Jimmy Mattingly on stage on guitar to perform a sublime instrumental number alongside a percussionist and Mattingly on fiddle. The McClain Family band showcased their harmonious vocals with a song they wrote long ago about the power music possesses to bring people together, "Kentucky Wind," and it was certainly quite impressive how the Kentucky wind blew many music fans together to the Bluegrass on that iconic evening. Paul Martin joined his family band to sing an abbreviated version of his first single as well as a moving ode to his beloved birthplace, "My Old Kentucky Home." The final performance of the evening came from inductee Rodney Griffin when he took every single soul sitting in the New Barn to church as he performed his song "Faces," a prayerful tune paying homage to the "little guys" in ministry who do not think they had done anything for the Lord, assuring them that their faces will be seen in Heaven as much as the ones in the limelight. Perhaps that was a beautifully poetic way to sum up the impacts of the various dynamics and backgrounds of the 12 inductees' careers—those front and center on stage, like the singers and musicians, and those who keep the wheels rollin' behind the stage as well as keep the music moving in other musical entities, such as radio or revitalizing music epicenters from Broadway all the way to tiny Wilder, Kentucky. Big or small, their impact is felt by all and is definitely worthy of being exhibited in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. Congratulations to the 2024 Class of Inductees!

The Hall of Fame’s tribute to beloved Kentuckians who have passed on

The McClain Family Band performing “Kentucky Wind”

Rodney Griffin performs with Greater Vision

WATCH BLACK STONE CHERRY PERFORM “LIKE I ROLL” HERE: https://youtu.be/KdNDTKKdH50?si=ERWZNFvWrPtrmmpB

From Hillbilly Hippie Music Review founder N: “The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame recognizes that Kentucky is a special place. There are small towns, big cities, businesses and restaurants that use some rendition of the age old cliche “come and you’re family, come as friends leave as family, etc.” The caveat to that is that is it true in Kentucky, especially within the music scene. Every few years, the induction ceremony builds on that saying. Instead of being dry and having some random celebrity or simply a previous class's inductee read off something about the new inductee that a publicist probably wrote, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame adds a family touch to it. They have life long friends, significant others, children and mentors introduce each inductee. Each speech adds a personal touch and most of them are authentically Kentucky. I mean, having Richard Young and Fred Young of the Kentucky Headhunters tell stories of Black Stone Cherry starting out in the practice house, to the McLain Family Band talking about what that meant to every member on stage; you don’t get more Kentucky than that. Y’all, we may be a little southern, a little Appalachian, and a little Midwestern, but one thing is for certain, we are all Kentucky when we meet at Renfro Valley to celebrate those Kentuckians who have made an impact on the music industry, whether that be an artist or a honky-tonk owner: the folks down there at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame recognize that impact."

More information along with biographies about each inductee can be found by visiting https://kentuckymusichalloffame.com/inductees/. Pictures of each inductee with their case can be viewed on Facebook at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AhH8LYVeC/?mibextid=WC7FNe

We hope you enjoyed reading Hillbilly Hippie Music Review's recap of the 2024 Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and we are looking forward to seeing who will join the Hall of Fame family in 2026.

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