Kenny Chesney, Tony Brown, and the late June Carter Cash are the latest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. For most country artists, becoming a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame is a lifelong goal, and the epitome of their career success.
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Unfortunately, as is the case with Cash, some artists pass away before they can see their biggest dream fulfilled. These three country artists, already deceased, definitely belong in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Jeannie Seely
One of Jeannie Seely’s biggest goals was to become a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Seely, a true trailblazer in country music, passed away earlier this year.
Seely had plenty of success as a country artist, with a career that spans 60 years. She also played on the Grand Ole Opry an atonishing 5,397 times, more than any other artist in history. In addition, Seely is the first female artist to host a segment of the Opry. She is also the first woman to wear a pantsuit, defying the antiquated dress code.
Sadly, it’s a dream Seely never saw come to fruition.
“I think being inducted into the Hall of Fame validates your life’s work, and that you did contribute something,” Seely tells FiftyForward.org. “And if it could happen for me, I would like for it to happen while I can still be active and use that platform to be a living example, if you will, of passing that on to younger people. I would make friends and network everywhere you go, and be aware of what your industry needs, as well. I would be tremendously honored to be there with my peers.”
Earl Thomas Conley
Earl Thomas Conley was 77 years old when he passed away in 2019. Fortunately, his legacy in country music lives on. Conley’s Fire & Smoke album came out in 1981. It began a career that continued for the next almost 30 years, uncil he passed away.
What makes Conley unique is that he was in his late 30s when he started, more than a decade past some of his peers. But that does little to diminish his influence in country music. Conley still has numerous hit singles, like “Holding Her And Loving You”, “Angel In Disguise”, “Once In A Blue Moon”, and more.
Several years ago, a petition was started to get Conley into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
John Denver
John Denver was just 53 years old when he passed away in 1997. Still, he left an indelible mark in country music. Denver is the singer and songwriter behind hits like “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, “Rocky Mountain High”, “Thank God I’m A Country Boy”, and more.
Denver had the rare ability to be successful in both country and pop music, without sacrificing his own unique sound for either genre. Decades after Denver passed away, his music is still revered as some of the best. It’s a distinction that deserves to be celebrated in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
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