The Country Music Hall of Fame has finally announced the inductees for their 2025 class. The three country music giants who entered the institution this year include Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash, and Tony Brown. Vince Gill announced the news on Tuesday morning, March 25, during an event inside the Hall of Fame.
Videos by American Songwriter
June Carter Cash joins the Veterans Era Artist category, and Tony Brown is the 2025 inductee for the Non-Performer category. Lastly, Kenny Chesney is the Country Music Hall of Fame’s 2025 Modern Era Artist pick. In light of the selection, Kenny Chesney took the stage and divulged the personal importance of his induction.
Kenny Chesney takes his place among the country music legends as the 2025 Modern Era inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame – what a milestone in his legendary career! #kennychesney #cmhof #countrymusic pic.twitter.com/NSifUBe5WU
— No Shoes Radio (@noshoesradio) March 25, 2025
Kenny Chesney’s Sweepingly Sentimental Speech
After Vince Gill announced the inductees for the class of 2025, Kenny Chesney took the microphone and took the time to express his gratitude in a lengthy speech. When he took the stage, Chesney started his speech by stating, “You don’t dare dream of being in the Country Music Hall of Fame, alongside legends including George Jones, Willie Nelson, Alabama, even Dean Dillon.” “But hearing the news I’d been voted into the Hall, I can honestly say beyond my wildest dreams, it’s an honor that defies words…”
Expanding on his gratitude and general joy, Chesney added, “I’ve always felt that country music told a lot of truth” and “And it’s also fuelled by a lot of dreams. I had a really big dream that not a lot of people saw coming, and I can promise you I did not see this coming.” Subsequently, Chesney went on to list the names of some of his fellow Hall of Fame members and the inspiration they provided him.
Chesney concluded, “I had a really big dream, and I’m still pushing that dream as far as I can. I just wanted to record and write songs that reflected the lives of a lot of people that came to our shows, and I just wanted to spread as much positive energy and love as I possibly could. Standing up here, I know it’s not a dream, it’s real and it feels so real… This is beautiful. Thanks for having me, guys.”
Kenny Chesney’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame has been a long time in the making. Thanks to his 33 No. 1 hits and 12 CMA Awards, it was just a matter of time until he received an induction. Now, that time has finally come.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.