West Virginia Music Hall of Fame

The nonprofit West Virginia Music Hall of Fame was established in 2005, to honor the legacies of the state's performing artists in multiple music genres. This hall of fame is the brainchild of its founder, musician Michael Lipton, who was inspired by a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. The first exhibit was records from his personal collection.^[1]

The organization is staffed and governed by volunteers, and also offers their Music Career Counseling Program.^[2] Nominations for artist inclusion into the hall are currently submitted by the public, but the first class of inductees was selected by the hall of fame's board members. Criteria for selection is primarily the nominee's cultural impact on state and national levels. They must either have residency, or place of birth, in West Virginia.^[3] The first ten honorees inducted were the class of 2007, and all six of the then-living inductees made a personal appearance at the ceremony. The number of inductees varies by year, but so far have been fewer than the initial class.

Biennial festive induction ceremonies normally take place as a live event at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, and are aired on television by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. During the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, that year's induction ceremonies were taped at Nashville, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield, California, and broadcast at a later date, as well as posted on the West Virginia PBS Facebook page.^[4] The Hall of Fame takes its traveling museum across the state,^[5] and works in tandem with the West Virginia Department of Education as part of a West Virginia music history curriculum for the state's elementary schools.^[6]

Inductees

Class of 2007

• Leon "Chu" Berry (1908–1941) Jazz tenor sax player.^[7]
• George Crumb (b. 1929) Composer of modern classical and avant-garde music.^[8]
• Hazel Dickens (1935–2011) Socially conscious Bluegrass singer-songwriter.^[9]
• Little Jimmy Dickens (1920–2015) King of the novelty song, the first country musician to tour the world. He was member of the Grand Ole Opry for 67 years.^[10]
• Johnnie Johnson (1924–2005) Self-taught Rock and Roll piano player, who played with Chuck Berry for two decades, later with many top Rock and Roll artists. Keith Richards brought him out of retirement in 1986.^[11]
• Clark Kessinger (1896–1975) Fiddle player.^[12]
• Molly O'Day (1923–1987) Columbia Records recording artist.^[13]
• Blind Alfred Reed (1880–1956) Musician, songwriter.^[14]
• Billy Edd Wheeler Songwriter, musician, visual artist. Composer of plays and musicals. Author of humor books and novels.^[15]
• Bill Withers (1938–2020) Singer, songwriter, musician.^[16]

Class of 2008

• Ann Baker (1915–1999) Jazz vocalist.^[17]
• Stoney Cooper (1918–1977) and Wilma Lee Cooper (1921–2011).^[18]
• Phyllis Curtin (1921–2016) Operatic soprano, vocal instructor at Yale School of Music.^[19]
• Robert Drasnin (1927–2015) Clarinetist, film and television composer.^[20]
• The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover A collaboration of Bluegrass musicians Lilly Brothers, and banjo player Don Stover.^[21]
• Charlie McCoy Bluegrass and Country harmonica player. Inductee of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.^[22]
• Maceo Pinkard (1897–1962) Lyricist and music publisher, who composed "Sweet Georgia Brown".^[23]
• Red Sovine (1917–1980) Country music vocalist and songwriter associated with truck-driving songs.^[24]
• Frankie Yankovic (1915–1998), Known as "America's Polka King".^[25]

Class of 2009

• The Bailes Brothers

Homer Bailes (1922–2013)

Johnnie Bailes (1918–1989)

Walter Bailes (1920–2000)

Kyle O. Bailes (1915–1996)

Grand Ole Opry performers who also helped launch the Louisiana Hayride.^[26]

• Larry Combs, Grammy Awards winning orchestral clarinetist.^[27]
• Frank De Vol (1911–1999) Academy Award for Best Original Score nominated as music arranger and composer on Pillow Talk (1959), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), Cat Ballou (1965), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967).^[28]
• Hawkshaw Hawkins (1921–1963) Country music artist, member of the Grand Ole Opry.^[29]
• Don Redman (1900–1964) Jazz music band leader, arranger, composer, musician.^[30]
• Nat Reese (1924–2012) Blues singer.^[31]
• Doc Williams (1914–2011) and Chickie Williams (1919–2007).^[32]

Class of 2011

• Billy Cox bass guitar player for Jimi Hendrix.^[33]
• Kathy Mattea Country music Bluegrass singer.^[34]
• Diamond Teeth Mary McClain (1902–2000) Blues, vaudeville, gospel.^[35]
• Butch Miles (Charles J. "Butch" Miles) jazz drummer. Drummer with the Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and numerous other bands and performers. Past president of the Austin Jazz Society Board of Directors.^[36]
• Walter E. "Jack" Rollins (1937–2003) Songwriter who wrote "Here Comes Peter Cottontail," and "Frosty the Snowman". Also wrote numerous songs for country artists.^[37]
• Connie Smith Vocalist and songwriter, member of the Grand Ole Opry.^[38]
• Tommy Thompson (1937–2003) Founder of the Hollow Rock String Band and the Red Clay Ramblers.^[39]

Class of 2013

• The Goins Brothers – Melvin Goins (1933–2016) Ray Goins (1936–2007). Legendary Bluegrass musicians, who were part of the International Bluegrass Music Museum's oral history project.^[40]
• Claude Jeter gospel singer, and founder of the gospel group Swan Silvertones.^[41]
• Peter Marshall entered show business as a band singer. He appeared in numerous stage musicals, including 800 performances in La Cage aux Folles and a London production of Bye Bye Birdie. Also known as the Emmy Award-winning game show host.^[42]
• Wayne Moss songwriter, session guitarist, and proprietor of Cinderella Sound recording studio in Nashville.^[43]
• Tim O'Brien Grammy-winning bluegrass/country/folk artist.^[44]
• Ada "Bricktop" Smith (1914–1990) dancer, singer, vaudeville performer, nightclub owner.^[45]
• Eleanor Steber (1914–1990) operatic soprano, recording artist.^[46]

Class of 2015

• John Ellison musician, vocalist, songwriter.^[47]
• Ed Haley (1885–1951) blind fiddle player.^[48]
• Russ Hicks pedal steel and dobro player.^[49]
• Buddy Starcher (1906–2001) recording artist and TV host.^[50]
• Bob Thompson jazz musician.^[51]
• Vann "Piano Man" Walls (1918–1999).^[52]

Class of 2018

• Hasil Adkins (1937–2005) singer.^[53]
• The Morris Brothers, John and David, brother musicians who organized the first Morris Family Old-Time Musical Festival.^[54]
• Frank Hutchison (1897–1945) Blues musician.^[55]
• Ann Magnuson, all-around performer.^[56]
• Fred "Sonic" Smith (1948–1994) rock music guitarist.^[57]
• Michael W. Smith (born 1957) – Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician and actor.^[58]

Class of 2020

• Ethel Caffie-Austin, West Virginia's "First Lady of Gospel Music".^[59]
• Larry Groce singer, songwriter, and radio host.^[60]
• The Davis Twins^[61]

Honey Davis (1926–2019) – Mandolin, vocals

Sonny Davis – Guitar, vocals, disc jockey

• Mayf Nutter songwriter, lead singer of The New Christy Minstrels.^[62]
• The Hammons Family^[63]

Edden Hammons, (1876–1995)

Pete Hammons, (1861–1955)

Maggie Hammons Parker, (1899–1987)

Sherman Hammons, (1903–1988)

Burl Hammons, (1907–1993)

Lee Hammons, (1883–1980)

Currence Hammons, (1898–1984)

Mintie Hammons, (1898–1987)

Dona Hammons Gum, (1900–1987)

Class of 2023^[64]

• Buddy Griffin (1919–1981) member of The Griffin Brothers.
• Fuzzy Haskins (born 1941) musician, record producer
• Calvin Simon (1942-2022) founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic of Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
• Barbara Nissman (born 1944) classical pianist
• Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (1938-1966)
• Seminal bluegrass pioneers:

Ezra Cline

Charlie Cline

Curly Ray Cline

Larry Richardson

Bobby Osborne

Paul Williams

Jimmy Martin

Ray Morgan

• Winston Walls (1943-2008): Hammond B-3 organ player

References

1. Deutsch, Joni (June 25, 2016). "Take Out Your Notebook! It's Time for a #WVmusic History Lesson with Michael Lipton". WVPB. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
2. "West Virginia Music Hall of Fame – Inductees Tell Their Stories & Sing Their Songs". FestivALL. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
3. Lilly, John (January 21, 2016). "West Virginia Music Hall of Fame". West Virginia Encyclopedia. West Virginia Humanities Council. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
4. "West Virginia Music Hall of Fame 2020 Class Includes Larry Groce, Mayf Nutter". WOUB Public Media. November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
5. Burnside, Mary Wade. "WV Music Hall of Fame traveling museum set for stop here". WV News. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
6. "WV Music Hall Of Fame Brings Traveling Museum To Harr. Co. Schools". Shinnston News & Harrison County Journal. September 25, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
7. "Leon "Chu" Berry". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
8. "George Crumb". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
9. "Hazel Dickens". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Remembering Hazel Dickens". Smithsonian Folkways Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
10. "Little Jimmy Dickens". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Country Music | Little Jimmy Dickens Biography". PBS.org. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
11. "Johnnie Johnson". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; Fricke, David (April 15, 2005). "Keith Richards Remembers Johnnie Johnson". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
12. "Clark Kessinger". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Clark Kessinger, Fiddler – Old-Time Country Music". Smithsonial Folkways Recordings. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
13. "Molly O'Day". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "July 9, 1923: Singer Molly O'Day Born in Pike County KY". WVPB. July 9, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
14. "Blind Alfred Reed". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Blind Alfred Reed's family honors late singer before mural is moved in downtown Princeton". WVNS. November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
15. "Billy Edd Wheeler". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Billy Edd Wheeler". Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
16. "Bill Withers". West Virginia Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; Greene, Andy (April 3, 2020). "Bill Withers, Hall of Fame Soul Singer, Dead at 81". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
17. "Ann Baker". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.
18. "Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
19. "Phyllis Curtin". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "In memoriam: Phyllis Curtin, soprano". Yale University. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
20. "Robert Drasnin". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; Burlingame, Jon (May 15, 2015). "Robert Drasnin, 'Twilight Zone' Composer, Dies at 87". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
21. "The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "The Lilly Bros & Don Stover: Bluegrass at the Roots, 1961". Folkways Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
22. "Charlie McCoy". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Charlie McCoy Biography". PBS.org. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
23. "Maceo Pinkard". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Maceo Pinkard". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
24. "Red Sovine". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Red Sovine". Country Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
25. "Frankie Yankovic". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Frankie Yankovic". National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
26. "Bailes Brothers". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Bailes Brothers | 74 min. – OHC201". Country Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
27. "Larry Combs". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "LARRY COMBS". Centerstage. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
28. "FRANK DE VOL". Vintage Music Fan. Vintage Music. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Frank DeVol". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
29. "Hawkshaw Hawkins". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "March 5, 1963: Country Music Star Hawkshaw Hawkins Killed in Plane Crash". WVPB. March 5, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
30. "Don Redman". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Don Redman (1900–1964) – The Red Hot Jazz archives". The Syncopated Times.com. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
31. "Nat Reese". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "March 4, 1924: Blues Musician Nat Reese Born in Virginia". WVPB. March 4, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
32. "Doc & Chickie Williams". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Doc Williams". The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
33. "Billy Cox". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; Bass Player Staff (January 8, 2020). "Billy Cox: "Jimi and I were locked together spiritually... that doesn't happen so much nowadays"". Guitar World. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
34. "Kathy Mattea". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Kathy Mattea Biography". Country Music – a film by Ken Burns. PBS. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
35. "August 27, 1902: Blues Legend 'Diamond Teeth Mary' Born in Huntington". WVPB. August 27, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2021.; "Diamond Teeth Mary McClain". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
36. "Butch Miles". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.;"Miles, Butch". Austin Jazz Society. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
37. "Jack Rollins". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
38. "Connie Smith". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.; "Connie Smith". Grand Ole Opry. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
39. "Tommy Thompson". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.; "January 24, 2003: Musician Tommy Thompson Dies". WVPB. January 24, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
40. "The Goins Brothers". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.; "Interview with Ray and Melvin Goins, May 10, 2005". Kentucky Oral History. University of Kentucky. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
41. "The Swan Silvertones". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.; Ricci, Michael. "Jazz news: Claude Jeter Gospel Singer with Wide Influence Dies". All About Jazz. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
42. "Peter Marshall". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.; "Peter Marshall". Music of Your Life. April 14, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
43. "Wayne Moss". West Virgniia Music Hall of Fame.; "Wayne Moss". Country Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
44. "Tim O'Brien". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.; "Tim O'Brien Sings of American Life, Then and Now, on 'He Walked On' (Part 1 of 2)". The Bluegrass Situation. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
45. "A Night at Bricktop's: Jazz in 1930s' Montmartre". The Jim Cullm Riverwalk Jazz Collection. Stanford University.; "Ada Bricktop Smith". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
46. "Eleanor Steber collection, ca. 1920–1990". Harvard University.; "Eleanor Steber". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
47. "John Ellison". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
48. "Ed Haley". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
49. "Russ Hicks". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
50. "Buddy Starcher". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
51. "Bob Thompson". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
52. "Harry Vann Walls". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
53. "Hasil Adkins". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
54. "The Morris Brothers". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
55. "Frank Hutchison". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
56. "Ann Magnuson". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
57. "Fred "Sonic" Smith". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
58. "Michael W. Smith". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
59. "Ethel Caffie-Austin". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
60. "Larry Groce". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
61. "The Davis Twins". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
62. "Mayf Nutter". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
63. "The Hammons Family". West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
64. Lawrence, Chris (September 7, 2022). "W.Va. Music Hall of Fame announces 2023 inductees". WV MetroNews. Retrieved December 9, 2022.

External links

• The West Virginia Encyclopedia
• West Virginia Music Hall of Fame