News and Press Releases for Nashville's Music City Walk of Fame

MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES

Tootsie Bess, Charlie Daniels, Dolly Parton, Kid Rock and Ernest Tubb Earn Stars on Nashville's Music Mile

Nashville, Tenn. - Music City, Inc. today announced the seventh class of inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame, presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: Tootsie Bess, Charlie Daniels, Dolly Parton, Kid Rock and Ernest Tubb. The honorees will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on Sunday, November 8, beginning at 2 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), is free and open to the public.

The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc., the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), and is produced with the support of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar and sponsors GAC, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks. Additional sponsors include Makers Mark and Hard Rock Cafe Nashville.

"We are pleased to honor the amazing accomplishments of this class of inductees," said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Each honoree represents the immense talent, creativity and diversity that have made Nashville, Music City."

Created in the fall of 2006, the Music City Walk of Fame, on Nashville's Music Mile, is a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration. With the induction of this new class of honorees, there will be 42 total stars along the Walk of Fame.

Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree's name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile. The plaques for this class of inductees will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

Nominations were open to the public and accepted in the categories of Artist, Musician, Songwriter, and Producer/Music Industry Executive. Application forms were reviewed by the Music City Walk of Fame anonymous selection committee.

"Gibson Guitar is a proud sponsor of the Music City Walk of Fame which continues to celebrate the vast wealth of talent that originates in Nashville," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "This class of inductees is no exception. From Dolly Parton to Charlie Daniels, from Tootsie Bess to Ernest Tubb and Kid Rock, all of these exceptional artists have helped solidify Nashville’s place in music history."

The November inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame:

Tootsie Bess
Hattie Louise "Tootsie" Bess was a well-known and well-loved member of Nashville's music scene. She purchased Mom's bar in 1960. The bar backed up to the legendary Ryman Auditorium and was popular among those who performed there. Tootsie credits a painter with helping to re-name the bar when he painted her place orchid…thus the name Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.

Without her, musicians and performers like Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Roger Miller, Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings or Hank Williams may not have reached the heights of stardom that they did. Willie Nelson got his first songwriting job after singing at Tootsie's.

She would hire down on their luck writers and pickers so they could support their families, feeding them while they worked and often slipping $5 and $10 bills in their pockets as they left for the night. She kept a cigar box full of IOUs from those very same artists under the counter, and it's said that, at the end of every year, grateful Opry performers would band together to pay off those IOUs so that Tootsie could afford to stay in business. Charley Pride gave her the jeweled hatpin that she used to stick unruly patrons.

A singer/comedienne herself, Tootsie performed with "Big Jeff & The Radio Playboys" lead by her husband Jeff Bess. She recorded "My Little Red Wagon" and "Tootsie's Wall of Fame."

Grant Turner, the Opry announcer, said, "You could leave Tootsie's at 7:58 and still be on stage at the Opry at 8 o'clock." So many did just that.

"She ran a beer joint," said Tom T. Hall, "but to young songwriters and musicians, she was a small finance company, a booking agent and a counselor.

Maybe Ernest Tubb put it even better: "Tootsie," he said, "was the softest touch in town."

Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels is partly Western and partly Southern. His signature "bullrider" hat and belt buckle, his lifestyle on the Twin Pines Ranch, his love of horses, cowboy lore and the heroes of championship rodeo identify him as a Westerner. The son of a lumberjack and a Southerner by birth, his music - rock, country, bluegrass, blues, gospel - is quintessentially Southern.

It hasn't been so much a style of music, but more the values consistently reflected in his music that has connected Charlie Daniels with millions of fans. For decades, he has steadfastly refused to label his music as anything other than "CDB music," music that has helped elect an American President, is sung around the fire at scout camps, and has been popularized on a variety of radio formats. It's music that spans 50 years of record-making and represents more than 20 million in sales.

Daniels was raised on a musical diet that included Pentecostal gospel, local bluegrass bands, and the rhythm & blues and country music emanating respectively from Nashville's 50,000-watt mega-broadcasters WLAC and WSM. He graduated from high school in 1955 and enlisted in the rock n' roll revolution ignited by Elvis Presley. Already skilled on guitar, fiddle and mandolin, Daniels formed a rock n' roll band and hit the road.

While on the road the band recorded "Jaguar," an instrumental produced by Bob Johnston, which was picked up for national distribution by Epic. It was the beginning of a long association with Johnston. The two wrote "It Hurts Me," which became the B side of a 1964 Presley hit. In 1969, at the urging of Johnston, Daniels moved to middle Tennessee to find work as a session guitarist in Nashville.

Among his more notable sessions were: the Bob Dylan albums of 1969-70, Nashville Skyline, New Morning, and Self Portrait; the Youngbloods albums of 1969-70, Elephant Mountain and Ride the Wind; and records with artists as different as Al Kooper and Marty Robbins.

Daniels broke through as a record maker himself with 1973's Honey in the Rock and its hit hippie song "Uneasy Rider." His rebel anthems "Long Haired Country Boy" and "The South's Gonna Do It" propelled his 1975 collection Fire On the Mountain to Double Platinum status.

Following stints with Capitol and Kama Sutra, Epic Records signed him to its rock roster in 1976. The contract was the largest ever given to a Nashville act up to that time. In the summer of 1979 Daniels rewarded the company's faith by delivering "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which became a platinum single, topped both country and pop charts, won a Grammy Award, became an international phenomenon, earned three Country Music Association trophies, became a cornerstone of the Urban Cowboy movie soundtrack and propelled Daniel's Million Mile Reflections album to triple platinum sales levels.

The album's title was a reference to The Charlie Daniels Band's legendary coast to coast tours. Including two drummers, twin guitars, and a flamenco dancer, the CDB often toured more than 250 days a year and by this time had logged more than a million miles on the road. By 1981, the Charlie Daniels Band had twice been voted the Academy of Country Music's Touring Band of the Year.

Daniels' annual Volunteer Jam concerts always featured a variety of current stars and heritage artists and are considered by historians as his most impressive contribution to Southern music. Artists featured at the mega-musical samplers inlcude: Roy Acuff, Don Henley, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, James Brown, Pat Boone, Dwight Yoakam, Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers, Ted Nugent, Billy Joel, the Marshall Tucker Band, Little Richard, B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Bobby Jones and the New Life Singers.

His resume includes recording sessions with artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Flatt & Scruggs, Pete Seeger, Mark O'Connor, Leonard Cohen and Ringo Starr. His songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley and Tammy Wynette. This touring legend has been documented by ABC Newsmagazine 20/20.

In April 1998, top stars and two former Presidents paid tribute to Daniels when he was named the recipient of the Pioneer Award at the Academy of Country Musi''s annual nationally televised ceremonies. And, in January 2008, Charlie's life long dream became a reality. He was inducted as a full-fledged member into the Grand Ole Opry.

Dolly Parton
An internationally-renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Parton has contributed countless treasures to the world of music entertainment, penning classic songs such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and her mega-hit "I'll Always Love You." With 1977's crossover hit "Here You Come Again," she successfully erased the line between country and pop music without noticeably altering either her music or her image.

Making her film debut in the 1980 hit comedy 9 to 5, Dolly earned rave reviews for her performance and an Oscar nomination for writing the title tune, along with her second and third Grammy Awards. Roles in Steel Magnolias, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, and Straight Talk followed along with two network television series, made for television movies, network and HBO specials and guest-starring roles in series television. In 2006, Dolly earned her second Oscar nomination for "Travelin Thru," which she wrote for the film Transamerica.

Dolly Parton's remarkable life began very humbly. Born on a farm in Sevier County, Tenn. Dolly is the fourth of twelve children. Her parents, Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton struggled to make ends meet in the impoverished East Tennessee hills. This hard rural life was the foundation of Dolly’s career, as she began singing almost before she could talk according to her father. By age 10, she was performing on local television and radio shows in nearby Knoxville.

Dolly left for Nashville the day after her high school graduation. On her first afternoon here, she met a man, Carl Dean, who would become her husband. Two years later, in May 1966, there were married.

In 1967, Dolly's career took off when country music superstar Porter Wagoner began featuring her on his popular syndicated television show, exposing Dolly to over 45 million people in more than 100 markets and attracting the attention of record executives at RCA. Dolly and Porter have 14 Top Ten hits together and Dolly quickly blossomed into one of the best-selling country artists in music history. By 1974, Dolly ended her working relationship with Wagoner. She was voted the Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year two years in a row, and in 1978 she was named the CMA Entertainer of the Year.

Dolly saw a cherished dream become reality in 1986 with the opening of her own theme park called Dollywood at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The state's number one attraction, Dollywood was selected by the theme park industry as one of the top three theme parks in the world in 2006.

In 1988, she began the Dollywood Foundation to inspire children in her home community to dream more, learn more, do more and care more. Currently, the Foundation funds the Dolly Parton Imagination Library across America and in Canada, by giving every preschool child a book each month from the time the child is born until he or she reaches kindergarten. The Library has given away 6.1 million books in 2009 and 23 million books since its inception.

Also, in 1988, Dolly founded a group of dinner attractions called Dixie Stampede and in 2001 she built Dollywood's Splash Country. Dolly's entertainment businesses draw 4.5 million visitors annually and employ more than 3,000 people.

Long respected for her business savvy, Dolly established Velvet Apple Music (BMI) early in her career. She also owns her own successful record label, Dolly Records.

Dolly Parton transitioned her flair for making hit music into producing hit movies and television shows when she established Sandollar Productions with former manager, Sandy Gallin. Sandollar has produced feature films such as Father of the Bride I and II, Straight Talk, Sabrina, Shining Through, IQ, and the Academy Award-winning Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt along with television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Babes.

Dolly Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time. She has had 25 songs reach #1 on the Billboard Country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 41 career top ten country albums, and 10 career charted singles. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hit collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during her career have topped a staggering 100 million records world-wide.

She has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 CMA Awards, five Academy of Country Music Awards, three American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year award.

Always dreaming and always looking forward, Dolly is busier than ever. A Broadway musical of her life story is in the works, and she is working on various children’s projects, but these are just a few of her interests at this moment. The phenomenon of Dolly Parton continues to flourish, as she remains one of the world’s true superstars.

Ernest Tubb
The incomparable Ernest Tubb became a legend as much for what he was personally as for the half-century career that stretched from his first radio date in 1932 to his death in 1984. Tubb is country music personified. He was among the first of the honky tonk singers and the first to achieve national recognition.

The youngest of five children, Tubb was born in Ellis County, Tex. Early in his adolescence, Tubb was attracted to the music of Rodgers. By his late teens he had picked up the guitar on the advice of a friend and fellow guitarist named Merwyn Buffington. Following Rodgers' death in May of 1933, Tubb decided that he wanted to pursue a musical career and emulate his idol. He hooked up with Buffington, who convinced his employers the Castleman Brothers to let Tubb sing as a guest vocalist, and soon Ernest had his own regular early-morning show.

Decca Records agreed to record him in April of 1940, and one of the resulting singles was, "Blue Eyed Elaine." Decca agreed to sign him to a longer contract by the end of the year, by which time he had also had a regular radio show sponsored by the flour company Gold Chain.

Early in 1941, he cut several new songs, this time backed by Fay "Smitty" Smith, a staff electric guitarist for KGKO radio. The first single released from these sessions was "Walking the Floor Over You." Over the next few months, the single became a massive hit, eventually selling over a million copies. "Walking the Floor Over You" was the first honky tonk song, launching not only Tubb's career but also the musical genre itself.

By the end of 1942, he was headed to Nashville. Upon his arrival in January of 1943, he joined the Grand Ole Opry and became the first musician to use an electric guitar in the Opry.

Early in 1947, he opened the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville, which he promoted through the Midnight Jamboree, a radio program he designed to fill the post-Opry slot on the radio. That year, he also became the first country star to play Carnegie Hall in New York, signaling just how much he had done to increase country music's popularity across the U.S.

During 1949, he hit the height of his popularity, charting an astonishing 13 hit singles during the course of the year which is even more remarkable considering that the chart only had 15 positions each week. Most of those songs were classics, including "Have You Ever Been Lonely? (Have You Ever Been Blue)," "Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello," "I'm Biting My Fingernails and Thinking of You" (a collaboration with the Andrews Sisters), "Slipping Around," and "Blue Christmas." The following year, he had 11 hit singles, including "I Love You Because" and "Throw Your Love My Way," plus several hit duets with Red Foley, including "Tennessee Border No. 2" and the number one "Goodnight Irene."

Beginning in 1964, Decca had him record a series of duets with Loretta Lynn, and over the next five years he made three albums and had four hit singles: "Mr. and Mrs. Used to Be," "Our Hearts Are Holding Hands," "Sweet Thang," and "Who's Gonna Take the Garbage Out."

In 1966, Tubb was diagnosed with emphysema and in spite of the doctors' warnings, he continued to tour and record actively. Tubb became the sixth member to be inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1965, and in 1970, he was one of the first artists inducted to the Nashville Songwriters International Hall of Fame.

Tubb succumbed to emphysema on September 6, 1984, leaving behind an enormous legacy that helped shape the face of contemporary country music.

Kid Rock
Detroit rap-rocker Kid Rock shot to superstardom with his fourth full-length album, 1998's Devil Without a Cause. What made it so shocking was that Rock had recorded his first demo a full decade before, been booted off major label Jive following his Beastie Boys-ish 1990 debut, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, and toiled for most of the decade in obscurity, releasing albums to a small, devoted, mostly local fan base while earning his fair share of ridicule around his home state. Nevertheless, Rock persevered, and by the time rap-metal had begun to attract a substantial audience, he had perfected the outlandish, over-the-top persona that gave Devil Without a Cause such a distinctive personality and made it such an infectious party record.

Bob "Kid Rock" Ritchie (born Robert James Ritchie, January 17, 1971) grew up in Romeo, MI, a small rural town north of the Detroit metro area. Finding small-town life stiflingly dull, Ritchie immersed himself in rap music, learned to breakdance, and began making the talent-show rounds in Detroit.

Moving to Brooklyn, Rock hooked up with the small Continuum label, and moved his brand of rap further into hard rock with The Polyfuze Method, released in 1993. The EP Fire It Up followed in 1994, appearing on Rock's own Top Dog imprint. Rock eventually returned to the Detroit area and began work on another album; recorded on a shoestring budget, Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp was released in 1996. Rock set about forming a full-fledged backing band, which he dubbed Twisted Brown Trucker.

As rap-metal acts like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Rage Against the Machine began to dominate the hard rock landscape, Atlantic Records decided to take a chance on signing Rock. Devil Without a Cause didn't do much upon its initial release in August 1998, but a big promotional push from the label and MTV helped make the album's second single and video, "Bawitdaba," a nationwide smash. The follow-up, "Cowboy," achieved similar success, and suddenly, after a decade of trying, Kid Rock was a superstar with a Top Five, seven-times-platinum album and a gig at Woodstock '99. While pondering how to follow up Devil, Rock acquired the rights to his indie label recordings and remixed or re-recorded the best material for The History of Rock, which was released in the summer of 2000 and featured some new songs as well.

Rock continued work on his follow-up to Devil Without a Cause. His DJ, Uncle Kracker, had a successful solo career during the spring and summer of 2001, leaving Rock without one of his most frequent collaborators. Still, by the winter of that year he had completed work on Cocky and had released "Forever" to success on rock radio. In fall 2003, Kid Rock returned with a self-titled effort. A cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love" marked the first single. The cover art to his 2006 live album, Live Trucker, paid tribute to Bob Seger's Live Bullet. Just a year later the studio record Rock N Roll Jesus came out.

About the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVB’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar, the Gibson Robot Les Paul and the Gibson Dark Fire guitar represent the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com or www.gibson.com/press

About Great American Country
Great American Country is America’s main street for the widest variety of country music, its artists and the lifestyles they influence. In addition to country music videos, GAC features original programming, special musical performances and live concerts, and is the exclusive television home of the Grand Ole Opry. GAC is available in more than 44 million households and online at www.GACTV.com .

About Hard Rock International
With a total of 157 venues in 53 countries, including 127 cafes and 12 Hotels/Casinos, Hard Rock International is one of the world's most globally recognized brands. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. In addition to the two flagship Seminole Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., Hard Rock Hotels/Casinos are located in Las Vegas, Biloxi, Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, Pattaya, Bali, Macau and Penang. Additional hotel and casino projects have been announced in; Singapore and Punta Cana, scheduled to open in 2010; Atlanta and Panama, both scheduled to open in 2012; and Hungary, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in 2013. Hard Rock International is owned by Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, Inc. For further details on Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, visit www.hardrockhotels.com. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

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MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES

Dr. R.H. Boyd, Cowboy Jack Clement, Mike Curb, Marty Stuart, Josh Turner and CeCe Winans Earn Stars on Nashville’s Music Mile

Nashville, Tenn. – Music City, Inc. today announced the sixth class of inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame, presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: Dr. R.H. Boyd, Cowboy Jack Clement, Mike Curb, Marty Stuart, Josh Turner and CeCe Winans. The honorees will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on Sunday, April 19, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), is free and open to the public.

“It’s a privilege to honor the great accomplishments of this impressive class of inductees,” said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Each honoree represents the immense talent, creativity and diverse musical styles that have made Nashville, Music City.”

Created in the fall of 2006, the Music City Walk of Fame, on Nashville’s Music Mile, is a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration. With the induction of this new class of honorees, there will be 37 total stars along the Walk of Fame.

Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree’s name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile. The plaques for this class of inductees will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

“The Music City Walk of Fame continues to celebrate Nashville as one of the most exciting cities in America with exceptional musical talent on every corner,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “It continues to be an honor to be involved with the Walk of Fame program and the many artists it represents.”

The April inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame:

Dr. R.H. Boyd
Dr. Richard Henry Boyd (1843-1922), a former slave, founded the National Baptist Publishing Board (NBPB; 1896-Present) in Nashville, Tennessee. One of the chief accomplishments of this Renaissance man was his effort to preserve the music of former slaves and their descendants. Boyd sought to develop church materials that allowed Negroes to tailor the church services to their understanding and culture. In addition, he was a leader in the collection, production, and preservation of African-American church music.

Boyd began publishing hymns, tunes, and song books as early as the NBPB’s first full production year, 1897. The NBPB developed the National Baptist Hymnal (1903) and sold thousands of copies to the churches by 1905. The NBPB also published Golden Gems: A Song Book for the Church Choir, the Pew, and Sunday School (1901). Boyd and the NBPB developed Christian music, including Hail the Baptist Congress (1912), for the annual National Baptist Sunday School Congress and trained the Boy and Girl Cadet units to march into the Congress hall singing that song and chanting Bible verses. Boyd also created the National Church Supply Company, which sold, among other items, church organs to the churches. The NBPB’s newspaper, The National Baptist Union Review, advertised such church items and printed sermons and songs.

By 1921, under the leadership of Richard Henry Boyd, the NBPB had more than twenty-five songbooks—including The National Baptist Hymnal, old meter songs, old plantation jubilee and folk songs from slavery days, and contemporary music. The NBPB became the first company to set the old slave melodies to music, and Boyd asked the church pastors to advertise the books among the members and the choir directors. The year before Boyd’s death, the NBPB produced 7,526,522 pieces of literature including music. Boyd was also responsible for starting the National Baptist Choir and the National Baptist Marching Brass Band, which graced the annual (“Marching for Jesus”) parades that preceded the annual National Baptist Sunday School Congress that was held in a different city of the United States every June. Boyd’s influence in Christian music continues through his great-grandson, Dr. T. B. Boyd III, who published The New National Baptist Hymnal (1977) and The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition (2001), both of which continue to be among the best-selling hymnals in the nation.

In 2000, the NBPB was renamed the R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation in honor of its founder Richard Henry Boyd. After four generations, Dr. R.H. Boyd’s legacy continues to influence Christian music across the world.

Sources: A Black Man’s Dream: The First Hundred Years, The Story of R. H. Boyd (1996); How It Came to Be: The Boyd Family’ Contribution to African American Religious Publishing from the 19th to the 21st Century (2007).

Cowboy Jack Clement
During a career of treading thin lines between folk singers, polka bands, outlaw songwriters, and the commercial music industry, Cowboy Jack Clement was the visionary maverick that combined song publishing, music and film production, a record company and recording studios decades before it became an industry trend. He has scored major musical success as a songwriter, producer, recording studio pioneer, publisher, artist and executive.

Born April 5, 1931, in Whitehaven, Tenn., Clement enlisted in the Marines as a teenager. After four years of service to his country, he toured in a bluegrass band, then returned to Memphis in 1954. He found work at Sun Records and worked at the mixing board for recording sessions with Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich and Jerry Lee Lewis. Another Sun artist, Elvis Presley, even opened for Clement at the Memphis club The Eagle's Nest. In those years, he wrote two of Cash's most enduring songs, "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" and "Guess Things Happen That Way."

After leaving Sun Records, Clement moved to Nashville to work for Chet Atkins, then while in Texas, he met George Jones and convinced him to cut the song, "She Thinks I Still Care." In 1965, Clement returned to Nashville and financed a demo by then-unknown Charley Pride and persuaded Atkins to sign him to RCA. Clement also wrote Pride's first two hits, "Just Between You and Me" and "I Know One," and produced Pride's first 13 albums for the label.

Clement launched the solo career of Don Williams through his JMI record label, a project that also introduced Allen Reynolds as a record producer. Reynolds later produced Garth Brooks, Crystal Gayle, Emmylou Harris, Bobby Bare and Kathy Mattea. In addition, Clement was Townes Van Zandt's first publisher, and Bob McDill also wrote for Clement's publishing company. Clement released his own album, All I Want to Do in Life in 1978.

Beyond country music, Clement produced three tracks for U2's Rattle and Hum sessions in Memphis and also produced an album for Louis Armstrong. In other ventures, he built four of Nashville's leading studios, produced a cult classic horror film and made perhaps the world's first music video on Don Williams in 1972, nine years before MTV launched. Clement now operates out of his spacious Nashville home -- with a fully equipped studio upstairs, a pool in the side yard, hammock out back and all the rooms wired for filming.

Mike Curb
Mike Curb, California's former lieutenant governor and acting governor, is one of the most prominent figures in the entertainment world and presides over his own independent record label, one of the largest in the nation, that has launched the careers of numerous stars. During a distinguished career spanning more than 45 years, Curb has earned multi-faceted success as a songwriter, producer and record company owner, covering a wide range of musical styles.

As an individual, he has written more than 400 songs, and received countless music industry awards, including the prestigious Overall Producer of the Year Award from Billboard magazine in 1972. Curb's songwriting credits include songs for Roy Orbison, Sammy Davis Jr., Hank Williams Jr., The Osmond Brothers, Donny & Marie Osmond, Freddie Jackson, Andy Williams and Eddy Arnold among others.

Some of Curb's early success also came in composing and producing songs and soundtracks for movies, including the 1966 hit "Wild Angels" staring Peter Fonda and Nancy Sinatra, the music for the 1967 Billy Jack movie "The Born Losers," and "Burning Bridges," the theme for the 1970 Clint Eastwood movie "Kelly's Heroes." In all, Curb has composed or supervised music for more than 50 motion picture soundtracks.

As the founder and Chairman of Curb Records, Curb's company has produced more than 300 No. 1 records and been honored by Billboard magazine as 2001 Country Music Label of the Year and Radio & Records magazine as 2005 Overall Gold Label of the Year.

In the 1960s, Curb's record label became an important part of the rock 'n' roll music scene. In 1969, Curb merged his company with MGM Records and became president of the MGM Co.

He boosted MGM's standing, and when MGM was sold in 1974, Curb went on to build Curb Records and the Curb/Warner label, which released numerous top-selling singles. Within a short time, the company had five No. 1 records on the Billboard Chart.

After a successful stint in government, Curb returned to records and his label’s success has continued. In 1997, Curb Records was Billboard's No. 1 country label in four major categories for albums and singles, and the No. 1 country label, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Curb serves as chairman of the Mike Curb Family Foundation which supports music education and works to restore historic music industry locations, in addition to supporting many Nashville community projects. He is also chairman of gospel music powerhouse Word Entertainment, which was Billboard magazine's Overall Top Imprint in that genre for 2006.

In 2007, Curb was honored as Nashvillian of the Year for his continued work to benefit the city, including establishing The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, the largest college at Belmont University. Curb also has endowed the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University, and serves on the governing board of Nashville's Fisk University. Curb was recently honored by Belmont University as Trustee Emeritus and Belmont’s Curb Event Center recently hosted the historic Presidential Debate between John McCain and Barack Obama.

CeCe Winans
A seven-time Grammy Award winner, CeCe Winans has been blessed with one of the music industry’s greatest voices. She has crossed all stylistic barriers with her inspirational delivery and powerful music, and has an endless list of accolades, best-selling albums, widespread industry recognition, and vast amounts of press coverage to confirm it.

She’s garnered multiple awards including GRAMMY®, Stellar’s, and Dove’s over the years, along with numerous gold-and platinum-certified albums as a solo artist and with brother BeBe as part of the hit-making duo BeBe & CeCe Winans.

She has graced the covers of high-profile publications such as Essence, Jet, CCM, and Today's Christian Woman, among countless others, and has made her rounds in the talk-show circuit, making appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah, Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, and more.

CeCe began her solo career with the Platinum certified album Alone in His Presence, released in 1995 and earned her a Grammy Award and two Dove Awards including Female Vocalist of the Year, an award she earned again in 1997. Winans' next release, Everlasting Love was released in 1998.

In 1999, Winans started her own recording company, PureSprings Gospel. Her first album on the label was Gold certified Alabaster Box, and in 2001 Winans released her next album, the self titled CeCe Winans and in 2003 Throne Room CD and live DVD all of which are Gold certified.

Purified, CeCe's chart-topping 2005 release, saw the singer entertaining her pop sensibilities, proving once again that she excels at interpreting buoyant, life-affirming songs that a wider audience could embrace. But her newest release and eighth solo album, Thy Kingdom Come is different: it finds the gospel veteran going back to what she does best, namely, lavishing honor and glory upon the King of Kings, while rallying His people to live like royal priesthood.

Thy Kingdom Come is one of the most empowering, moving collections of songs CeCe has recorded thus far. To make sure she reached the summit, she wrote or co-wrote 8 of the 14 songs on the project and she enlisted a who's-who of producers to help her get there, including Tommy Sims, Luther "Mano" Hanes, Percy Bady, new comer Christopher Capehart and his production partner Brannon Tunie, Cedric & Victor Caldwell, and even her own son, Alvin Love III.

CeCe is the visionary for the Always Sisters Conference which has taken place in Nashville for the last 3 years. This inspirational conference has helped to motivate and re-direct the life choices of thousands of teens and young women. This year, the conference name has been modified to Always Sisters/Forever Brothers and will include young men in the journey of learning and discovery.

Josh Turner
Real life - including heartaches, happiness, fishing holes, and everything in between - has had a way of finding itself in the middle of Josh Turner songs since he first burst onto the national country music scene. It's those life experiences that keep drawing him back to what has become his unique yet easily identifiable country sound.

Nashville's first taste of that style came with his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in December 2001. The moment has become somewhat legendary in Opry storytelling circles. "When the curtain opened that night," the proverbial storyteller would begin, "no one holding a ticket to the show had ever heard of Josh Turner. But by the end of that chilly Nashville evening, the young singer was all anyone in the audience could talk about." Turner wowed the crowd with his self-penned "Long Black Train", the song that would eventually become his first hit. During this performance, the unknown baritone was showered with several standing ovations. Josh Turner's star began shining that night and hasn't dimmed.

Fast forward nearly six years: Turner has become a husband to wife Jennifer and a father to a two-year-old son Hampton, all while quietly ascending the path to country music superstardom.

Turner can also celebrate the success of first-class album sales. His debut album sold more than one million copies and his sophomore album, Your Man, was one of only four country albums to reach double-platinum status in 2006. His is also continuously heralded by critics as one of the brightest young stars in country music today and his voice has been compared to the legendary Johnny Cash. This status is marked by his invitation to be one the youngest members of the famed Grand Ole Opry.

Marty Stuart
The journey began in Philadelphia, Miss. where Stuart spent quality time with his dad watching the syndicated country-music shows on TV. Even on the family's small, black-and-white set, the stars’ costumes sparkled and dazzled, exerting a magnetic pull on a small-town kid with big ambitions.

At age 12, Stuart began playing mandolin with the Sullivan Family, and at age 13, Stuart moved to Nashville and joined Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass.

After brief stints with Vassar Clements and Doc Watson in the wake of Flatt's death, Stuart landed the job he’d always wanted, playing in the Johnny Cash Show. Cash, Stuart knew, was the professor who could complete his education. And, away they went, down the road for tours that included June Carter, the Carter Family, and the Tennessee Three.

After six-plus years with the Johnny Cash Show, Stuart pulled together his own band and hit the road. The first single, “Arlene," snuck into the Top Twenty, and the second, “All Because of You," snuck into the Top Forty.

Later, Stuart launched on his new label, MCA, with the 1989 album, “Hillbilly Rock.” The title track became a Top Ten single. The next album, 1991’s “Tempted,” used that approach to put four more singles into the Top Twelve. Fueled by success, Stuart started writing songs as fast as he could come up with them.

He co-wrote “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’," but he didn’t need the song, so after hearing a young singer named Travis Tritt on the radio Stuart decided to send a demo of “Whiskey” to him. Not only did Tritt want to record the song, but he wanted Stuart to recreate the guitar part he’d put on the demo.

“The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’” became a #2 smash, and it was followed by such duets as 1992's #7 hit, “This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)," and 1996's #23 hit, “Honky Tonkin’s What I Do Best." In 1992, they hit the road on the “No Hats Tour,” an irreverent rebuke to the many “hat acts” dominating Nashville at that time. Stuart contributed songwriting to Tritt's next three albums, played guitar on two of them and sang a duet vocal on “Double Trouble” from the last one.

Meanwhile, Stuart continued to rack up hits of his own. The 1992 album, “This One's Gonna Hurt You," yielded not only the title-track duet with Tritt but also three other Top Forty singles: “Now That's Country,” “High on a Mountain Top," and “Hey Baby." Stuart produced three more albums on MCA “Love and Luck," in 1994, the 1996 disc, “Honky Tonkin’s What I Do Best," and “The Pilgrim.”

In 2002, Stuart formed The Fabulous Superlatives. Since then he has released 6 CDs: “Country Music,” “Souls’ Chapel,” “Badlands,” “Live at the Ryman,” “Compadres” and “Cool Country Favorites.”

Marty Stuart is country music’s Renaissance man. His energetic enthusiasm has gone outside music, yielding impressive work as a photographer, writer, collector and arts executive. Stuart recently launched his own television show, THE MARTY STUART SHOW on the RFD network and published his second book of photography titled “Country Music: The Masters.” Stuart’s collection of music memorabilia, “Sparkle & Twang” is currently on display at the Autry National Center of the American West, after having been exhibited at the Tennessee State Museum and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Keen to broaden the scope of his life-long passion to uncover the depths and eccentricities of Southern culture, Stuart now finds himself in the opening stages of combining music and the arts to continue his ambitious story. In all his endeavors -- much including his songwriting, singing, playing, and producing -- there is a storyteller at work, a man who listens to and translates the world he knows.

About Gibson Guitar:
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com or www.gibson.com/press

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MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES

Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, Michael McDonald, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Randy Travis and Jo Walker-Meador Earn Star on Nashville's Music Mile

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Music City, Inc. today announced the fifth class of inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame, presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, Michael McDonald, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Randy Travis and Jo Walker-Meador. The honorees will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on Sunday, November 9, beginning at 2 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), is free and open to the public.

"The Music City Walk of Fame is a celebration of the talent and creativity which continues to have its origin in Nashville, said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "It is so exciting to watch the project grow as the Walk of Fame extends itself through various portions of downtown Nashville where tourists and residents have already made it a required stop for any visit. We congratulate all of the inductees and pay tribute to their enormous contributions to Music City."

The November inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame:

Trace Adkins
Multi-platinum selling country star Trace Adkins has achieved success as a performer, musician, author and actor and has clearly earned his place among the most identifiable and important country artists of his generation.

An esteemed member of the Grand Ole Opry, Adkins has built a solid twelve-year career full of chart-topping hits, national TV appearances and highly successful tours. More than 25 of his singles have appeared on Billboard's country charts, including "Every Light In The House Is On," "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing," "I Left Something Turned On At Home," "Songs About Me," "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," and "You're Gonna Miss This" that recently received three 2008 CMA Award nominations.

Earlier this year, Adkins became even a bigger household name thanks to his strong showing on NBC's hit reality series, "The Celebrity Apprentice." He ultimately became one of the show's two finalists and raised more than $300,000 for his charity, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). On November 25, Adkins will release TRACE ADKINS "X" (TEN), his tenth album for Capitol Records Nashville. The album's lead single is "Muddy Water," the soul-stirring ballad that has already cracked country's Top 30 and is still heating up the charts. PR Contact: Schatzi Hageman (615) 782-0078

Martina McBride
Martina McBride has sold 16 million albums, released 22 top 10 singles, including six number ones with crossover success in multiple genres, won numerous CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and ACM Top Female Vocalist awards and has appeared on a slew of national television shows in her illustrious 15-year career. To this day Martina continues to scale new artistic heights.

Born in small-town Kansas, McBride began her singing career in the family band "The Schiffters" where she sang and played keyboard in the band until she finished high school. After completing a semester of college, she left to join another band and soon began to play music full-time.

In 1988, she married sound engineer John McBride, and the couple moved to Nashville in 1990. McBride signed with RCA in 1991 and her debut album, "The Time Has Come", was released in 1992. Her 1993 follow-up album, "The Way That I Am", featured lead single My Baby Loves Me which zoomed up the country charts to number two. The story-song Independence Day became something of a signature number, and another single, Life #9, also reached the Top Ten.

McBride released "Wild Angels" in 1995 and garnered a second Top Five hit with Safe in the Arms of Love, and its title track became her first-ever number one single. 1997's "Evolution" became her first Top Ten country album, and the Jim Brickman duet Valentine not only went Top Ten, but crossed over to become a huge hit on the adult contemporary charts. "Evolution" went on to spawn two number two hits (Happy Girl and Whatever You Say) and two number one hits (A Broken Wing and Wrong Again), and sold over two million copies, launching McBride into the top rank of country stardom.

She returned with "Emotion" in 1999. Its lead single, I Love You, hit number one on country charts and also crossed over to adult contemporary radio, and the follow-ups Love's the Only House, There You Are, and It's My Time were all successful as well. 2001's Greatest Hits compilation was her first album to top the country charts, and sold well enough to make the pop Top Five as well. It contained four hits including Blessed which hit number one, When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues and Where Would You Be both which reached the Top Ten. McBride released "Martina" in 2003 and "Timeless" in 2005; both became Top Ten album hits, the latter reaching number three.

McBride produced her current album released in 2007. "Waking Up Laughing" marks her evolution as an artist: from a small-town singer with a big voice to a country music icon who commands not only the stage but every facet of her career. McBride, along with fellow inductees, Elvis and Michael McDonald, has also participated in a Tennessee ad campaign aimed at promoting state tourism.

Michael McDonald
A prominent part of the soundtrack to our times, over the course of his career, Michael McDonald has maintained incredible popularity and has been awarded numerous accolades and honors in both personal and professional arenas. He has won an impressive five Grammys and earned innumerable chart successes and sales feats, yet all the while McDonald remains the artist's artist and an enduring presence in popular music.

Born in St. Louis in 1952, in 1975 Michael McDonald began a long association with Steely Dan, adding his unique timbre songs like "Peg" and "Time Out of Mind," and also touring with the band, singing backup as well as playing keyboards onstage. One year after the release of Steely Dan's Katy Lied, Michael got a call from the Doobie Brothers to join them on the road and by 1977 McDonald was welcomed into The Doobie Brothers as a full member.

In the years that followed, McDonald and the Doobie Brothers enjoyed tremendous commercial and creative success. Their sound evolved from guitar-driven rock to a sultry, tight R&B feel, with McDonald writing and singing lead on "Takin' It to the Streets," "What a Fool Believes," "Minute by Minute," and other signature songs.

Meantime, McDonald began to build his own career. And since the 1982 release of If That's What It Takes, he has completed a series of solo projects, each distinguished by its high production value, well-crafted songs and sultry, full-throated vocals. The success of his singles speaks for itself: "Yah Mo B There," with James Ingram, won a Grammy Award in 1984, "Sweet Freedom" was used as the theme for the film Running Scared, "On My Own," with Patti LaBelle, reached #1 on the Pop and R&B charts and #3 on the AC charts in March of 1986. And "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" reached the top 5 on the Pop charts and the top 10 on both the R&B and AC charts.

In 2003, Michael paid tribute to the music that inspired him so early on by releasing his album titled Motown which went on to earn a platinum sales certification, as well as two Grammy nominations. He followed it up by releasing Motown 2 in 2004, which debuted at #9 on the Billboard Top Ten and #8 on Billboard's Hip-hop and R&B chart.

Noting an almost matchless consistency through more than 25 years of recording and performing, Warner Brothers celebrated McDonald's career in August 2005 with, Michael McDonald: The Ultimate Collection, which highlights the wide breadth of his career from his days with The Doobie Brothers to his solo hits.

McDonald's most recent effort, 2008's Soul Speak is a unique blend of cover songs and his own new original compositions. The album effectively illustrates Michael's ability to transcend genres with three different singles from the record debuting - and charting - at three different radio formats in the same week. McDonald has lived in Nashville for more than 10 years.

Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley, in the humblest of circumstances, was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.

Elvis' musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. In 1954, he began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor which brought him to Nashville to record some of his biggest hits, including "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and "Its Now or Never" at Historic RCA Studio B. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.

He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards for 150 different albums and singles, far more than any other artist. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.

His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis' legacy lives on in exhibits and collections like the one on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville and at Graceland in Memphis.

Little Richard
Little Richard blew the lid off the Fifties, laying the foundation for rock and roll with his explosive music and charismatic persona. On record, he made spine-tingling rock and roll. His frantically charged piano playing and raspy, shouted vocals on such classics as "Tutti Frutti," "Long Tall Sally" and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" defined the dynamic sound of rock and roll. Onstage, he'd deliver wild, piano-pounding epistles while costumed in sequined vests, mascara, lipstick, and a pompadour that shook with every thundering beat. His road band, the Upsetters, has been credited by James Brown and others with first putting the funk in the rock and roll beat.

His frenzied approach to music was fueled by a genuinely outrageous personality. He was born Richard Penniman during the Depression in Macon, Georgia, one of 12 children who grew up in poverty in the Deep South. As a youngster, he soaked up music - blues, country, gospel, vaudeville - which was part of the fabric of life in the black community. He learned to play piano from an equally flamboyant character named Esquerita.

Little Richard first recorded in a bluesy vein in 1951, but it was his tenure at Specialty Records beginning in 1955 that made his mark as a rock and roll architect. Working at Cosimo Matassa's now-legendary J&M Studio in New Orleans with producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell and some of the Crescent City's finest musicians, Little Richard laid down a stunning succession of rock and roll sides over the next several years, including "Rip It Up," "Slippin' and Slidin'," "Lucille," "Jenny Jenny" and "Keep a Knockin'," in addition to the songs previously mentioned. He also appeared in rock and roll-themed movies such as Don't Knock the Rock and The Girl Can't Help It (both from 1956).

The bubble burst in late 1957 when, succumbing to the rigors of fame and personal conflicts engendered by his religious upbringing, Little Richard abruptly abandoned rock and roll to enroll in Bible college. However, he was lured back by the British Invasion in 1964, regaining his popularity as a concert performer and a living embodiment of the music's roots in the Fifties. He has launched successful comebacks in every decade since and remains an active performer and icon - and an inimitable reminder of the joyful frenzy that galvanized rock and roll into being more than 40 years ago. Little Richard lives and records in Nashville.

Randy Travis
Few careers have produced as many country classics as that of Randy Travis. In addition to "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "Three Wooden Crosses," Randy Travis has introduced "On the Other Hand," "1982," "Diggin' Up Bones," "He Walked on Water," "Look Heart, No Hands" and his self-composed "I Told You So." His 1990 smash "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" has recently been recast as a bluegrass staple. "Point of Light" was the theme song of President Bush's Volunteerism Campaign of 1991 and Carrie Underwood covers "I Told You So" on her current CD.

And when the roll is called of the greatest country albums of all time, such Randy Travis collections as Storms of Life, Old 8x10, Always & Forever, High Lonesome, This Is Me and Full Circle will surely be there. Now Around the Bend becomes an achievement to stand alongside them.

His heartfelt vocals are the envy of his industry. His singing strikes home with fans as well. To date, he has sold more than 21 million records and is one of the 10 top-selling solo country artists of all time.

During the past five years, his music has brought him some of the highest accolades of his career. In 2003-04 his gospel collection Rise and Shine won both a Grammy Award and a Gospel Music Association (GMA) honor. Its single, "Three Wooden Crosses" became a No. 1 smash and was named Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.

The years 2004-2007 were good. His Worship & Faith album earned a Grammy Award and GMA accolade. He was honored with a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. His 2006 traditional-gospel CD Glory Train won a GMA award and garnered Travis his sixth Grammy Award in 2007.

In addition to having a phenomenal recording career, Randy Travis has appeared in many films, TV movies and drama series. His movies include Fire Down Below with Steven Seagal, Black Dog with Patrick Swayze, Frank and Jesse with Rob Lowe and The Rainmaker with Danny DeVito, Jon Voight and Matt Damon. He also appeared in White River Kid opposite Antonio Banderas, Ellen Barkin and Lily Tomlin. His costars in Texas Rangers were Dylan McDermott and Usher.

Randy Travis will release his first holiday DVD, CHRISTMAS ON THE PECOS, November 4, 2008 from Image Entertainment. The new special includes live performances shot at the historic Carlsbad Caverns in Carlsbad, New Mexico plus homespun stories and a look at Carlsbad's beautiful "River of Lights" Christmas tradition.

Jo Walker-Meador
As Executive Director of the Country Music Association (CMA) from 1961-1991, Jo Walker-Meador played a direct and influential role in the remarkable growth of the Country Music industry. One year before she took the helm at the CMA, full-time Country radio stations numbered fewer than 100 nationwide. Today there are more than 2,000 full-time Country Music radio stations across the nation, more than any other musical format.

Born Edith Josephine Denning, she was educated at Peabody College in Nashville and Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn. When industry leaders organized the CMA in 1958, they hired Walker-Meador as office manager. She was to do bookkeeping, typing and general office duties, while former WSM manager Harry Stone served as executive director. After Stone's departure, Walker-Meador stayed on and soon assumed his role. Under her direction, the staff eventually grew to more than 20 employees.

CMA prospered under Walker-Meador's gracious and skillful leadership. Among the organization's well-known programs adopted during her tenure were the launching of the national fundraising drive to build the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMA created the Hall of Fame in 1961) and the creation of the annual CMAl Awards , which began in 1967 and was televised nationally for the first time in 1968. The CMA Awards have become one of the top-rated annual televised awards programs.

Also during Walker-Meador's tenure, Fan Fair was inaugurated in 1972 as an annual gathering where Country Music artists performed and interacted with their fans. Now known as CMA Music Festival, it has become Nashville's signature music event, drawing thousands of fans from around the globe to Nashville each June. CMA Music Festival has also produced an annual, nationally televised special during the last five years.

CMA celebrates its 50th anniversary as an organization this year. Thanks to the efforts of Walker-Meador and others, CMA has grown from about 200 members to a membership of more than 7,000 individuals and organizations. Today it is the most important trade organization on the Nashville music scene and among the most active in the world. Walker-Meador has remained involved in the events on Music Row since her retirement in 1991. She was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson's HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's website at www.gibson.com or www.gibson.com/press

About Great American Country
Great American Country is America's main street for the widest variety of country music, its artists and the lifestyles they influence. In addition to country music videos, GAC features original programming, special musical performances and live concerts, and is the exclusive television home of the Grand Ole Opry. GAC is available in more than 44 million households and online at www.GACTV.com .

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MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR INDUCTS FOURTH CLASS

Steven Curtis Chapman, Merle Kilgore, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steve Wariner, Kirk Whalum and Hank Williams Cemented in Nashville's Music Mile

Nashville, Tenn.- Music City, Inc. today inducted the fourth class to the Music City Walk of Fame, presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: Steven Curtis Chapman, Merle Kilgore, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steve Wariner, Kirk Whalum and Hank Williams Sr. The honorees were recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The induction ceremony, sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), was free and open to the public.

"It's a pleasure to honor the accomplishments of this talented class of inductees," said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Each honoree represents the immense talent, creativity and diverse musical styles that have made Nashville, Music City."

Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree's name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, were installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile. The plaques for this class of inductees were inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

"The Music City Walk of Fame continues to celebrate the enormous talent which has originated from Nashville over the years," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "It continues to be an honor to be involved with the Walk of Fame program as it continues to grow and recognize the rich tradition and heritage that only Nashville can claim as its own."

The April inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame:

Steven Curtis Chapman
In his iconic musical career, Chapman has won five GRAMMY Awards, most recently in 2005 for his release All Things New. Chapman has sold over 10 million records including two RIAA certified platinum albums and seven RIAA certified gold albums. Along with his Dove and GRAMMY awards, Chapman has won an American Music Award, has recorded 44 No. 1 US radio hits as well as receiving numerous other honors. Chapman has also been awarded 51 Dove Awards, more than any other artist to date. Since his recording career began in 1987, Chapman has recorded sixteen projects with Sparrow Records. He has performed at the White House and has appeared on: CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, CMT, FOX News, Hallmark, E! as well as the CBS Sunday Morning, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, among many others.

On a personal note, in a response to the miracle they saw in their own family through adoption and with a desire to help eliminate the obstacle of finances for families they knew, Chapman and his family established the Shaohannah's Hope ministry in 2000. In 2002, as opportunities to financially assist families ready to adopt far outpaced the Chapman's personal abilities to fund, the ministry began accepting donations to raise further financial grants for willing families. In 2003, Shaohannah's Hope became an official 501c3 non-profit organization. Arriving at a milestone in October 2006, Shaohannah's Hope announced the 1,000th grant awarded. To date, they have impacted over 1600 families with grants and receive approximately 125 adoption assistance applications a month, and with current funding capacity awards 30-40 grants each month with an average amount of $3,000.

Chapman has become a voice for this cause, with fans, and strangers, and has mobilized hundreds of donors giving to the foundation, with a great need for thousands more. His message has impacted others, and a web of influence has been created through the ministry. For more information, please visit www.showhope.org.

Merle Kilgore
Merle Kilgore's illustrious career involved every facet of show business, beginning at age 14 with his first gig carrying Hank Williams Sr.'s guitar at the Louisiana Hayride. He entered professional show business at age 18 as a disc jockey and penned his first million-selling song at age 22. Named one of Billboard magazine's Top 10 songwriters, Kilgore wrote hit after hit, including "Wolverton Mountain," "Ring of Fire" which he co-wrote with June Carter-Cash, "Johnny Reb," and "More and More."

As a performer, Kilgore released multiple Top 10 records including his self-penned "Dear Mama" and "Love Has Made You Beautiful." Kilgore's acting career featured him in box office hits Coal Miners Daughter, Robert Altman's Nashville and Roadie. Kilgore also had the rare opportunity to portray himself in NBC-Telecom's Living Proof, the life story of Hank Williams, Jr.

Kilgore began his management career at Shapiro-Bernstein Music in 1962 and in 1969 became the general manager of Hank Williams Jr.'s music publishing companies. He continued his affiliation with Hank Williams Jr. Enterprises for more than 30 years, serving as Williams personal manager for the last 16 years.

Kilgore served as Vice President of the Country Music Association and as a member of its Board of Directors. He also served as president of both the Nashville Songwriter's Association International and the Nashville Songwriter's Foundation. Kilgore was voted by his peers CMA's first Manager of the Year in 1990 and in 1998 he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band formed in Southern California during the spring of 1966 as a scruffy, young jug-band. Forty-two years later, the quartet (Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter and John McEuen) is still going strong.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's self-titled debut album, released in 1967, included the pop hit "Buy For Me The Rain." But it was their 5th record, 1970's Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy, that would become band's breakthrough project, yielding 3 pop hits including their version of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles." Among the many outstanding tracks on Uncle Charlie was a version of Earl Scruggs' "Randy Lynn Rag." That cut set into motion what would become the Will the Circle be Unbroken album, a veritable summit of talent which included NDGB's heroes: Scruggs, Doc Watson, Merel Travis, Roy Acuff and Mother Maybelle Carter. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Circle... album, a three-LP set, recorded live in the studio in Nashville over six days in 1971, became a landmark event and a multi-platinum success. Circle remains such a significant effort that 30 years later it was one of 50 recordings to be honored and preserved by the Library of Congress.

In the early 80s, after a few more pop hits, the band returned to Nashville once again and began what would become a highly successful career in mainstream country music. Hits that included "Dance Little Jean," "Workin' Man", "Long Hard Road", "Baby's Got A Hold On Me" and "Fishin' in the Dark" put them at the top of the country charts for over a decade. In 1989, the group revisited the Circle concept, gathering another impressive roster of performers (including Johnny Cash, EmmyLou Harris, Levon Helm, Chet Atkins, Bruce Hornsby, John Hiatt and Roseanne Cash) for sessions that had a pronounced country-gospel feel. Circle II would go on to win three Grammy Awards and the Country Music Association Album of the Year. In 2002 Circle III (with many current artists added to the previous cast) received similar accolades and attention, garnering the International Bluegrass Music Association Recorded Event of the Year award as well as leading to a 2005 Grammy for Country Instrumental Performance (with Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Jerry Douglas and the late Vassar Clements). With a career that spans five decades, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has gone from a hippie jug-band to pioneers of country rock, and their influence is still being felt today.

Steve Wariner
Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and Grand Ole Opry member Steve Wariner has made indelible contributions to the world of country music, starting when he joined Dottie West's band as her bass player at the tender age of 17.

Seven years later, in 1980, after working for Bob Luman and his musical hero, Chet Atkins, Wariner scored his first top-10 hit, "Your Memory," on RCA Records. Over 30 additional top-10 singles would follow, including 14 #1's—songs like "The Weekend," "Small Town Girl," "Some Fools Never Learn," "Tips of My Fingers" and "Where Did I Go Wrong."

Wariner has also written many hit songs recorded by others, including Garth Brooks' "Longneck Bottle" and "You Can't Help Who You Love," Keith Urban's "Where the Blacktop Ends," Clint Black's "Nothin' But The Taillights" and "Been There," and Bryan White's "One Small Miracle." His formidable songwriting skills have earned him 16 BMI Country Awards and 10 BMI Million-Air Awards (for songs receiving over one million on-air plays).

In addition to his songwriting awards, Wariner has won two Grammy Awards - in 1992 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration and in 2000 for Best Country Instrumental. He won the Country Music Association's Single and Song of the Year awards in 1998 for his #1 hit, "Holes in the Floor of Heaven," which was also the Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year in 1999. Wariner has three gold albums to his credit - I Am Ready (Arista), Burnin' the Roadhouse Down and Two Teardrops (Capitol). He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1996. In 2002 he started his own label, SelecTone Records, for which he has released three albums - Steal Another Day, Guitar Christmas and This Real Life.

Known for his humanitarian efforts, Wariner has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, earning the 2006 JDRF Angel Award from the Los Angeles Chapter, and the 2004 JDRF Mike Coleman Award from the Knoxville Chapter. He was also the recipient of the 2002 Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award.

Kirk Whalum
From his beginnings in Memphis, where he played in his father's church choir, Kirk Whalum drew inspiration from the rich musical traditions of that city, including gospel, R&B, blues, and eventually jazz. He received a scholarship to attend music school where he formed a band in 1979. Whalum opened for Bob James in 1984 and impressed him so much that he invited Whalum to play on his album 12. The following year, Whalum signed with Columbia and released his first solo album.

The early '90s brought two more Columbia albums, each of which brought Whalum increasing commercial attention. A duet with James titled "Joined at the Hip" took Whalum's career to a new level with his first Grammy nomination. In 1997, Warner Brothers released Colors and the following year, Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter 1. The '90s also brought Whalum an amazingly diverse series of session and touring jobs, working with artists like Whitney Houston, Babyface, Yolanda Adams, Take 6, Bebe & Cece Winans, Barbra Streisand, Edwin Hawkins, Quincy Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Al Green and Luther Vandross. He worked on a number of film scores, including those for The Prince of Tides, Boyz in the Hood, Grand Canyon, and Cousins. Whitney Houston's hit song "I Will Always Love You," which appeared on the hit movie soundtrack The Bodyguard featured a sax solo by Whalum. And, his 1998 release, For You, spent nearly two years at the top of the Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart and yielded four Top Ten NAC hits.

In 2000, Whalum released a self-produced album, Hymns in the Garden, which earned him a second Grammy nomination. Since 2001, Whalum has released four studio albums, including his second volume of gospel songs The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter 2 and Kirk Whalum Performs the Babyface Songbook released on Rendezvous Music in 2005. Kirk's current release, ROUNDTRIP garnered him his eighth Grammy nomination in 2008. He is currently putting the finishing touches on CHAPTER III of the GOSPEL ACCORDING to JAZZ series. Since 2005, Whalum has hosted Music City's Labor Day jazz festival. He's also served as an ambassador for Music City, telling the world of the city's rich musical heritage and diverse music offerings.

Hank Williams
Hank Williams's legend has long overtaken the rather frail and troubled man who spawned it. Almost singlehandedly, Williams set the agenda for contemporary country songcraft, but his appeal rests as much in the myth that even now surrounds his short life. His is the standard by which success is measured in country music on every level.

Born in rural southern Alabama, Hank formed the first of his Drifting Cowboys bands in 1938 and the second, more successful, following the war. He quickly became the biggest hillbilly music star in Montgomery. In 1946, Hank signed with the famed Acuff-Rose publishing company and landed a recording contract with MGM the next year. His first MGM release, "Move It on Over," was a hit in the fall of 1947.

In 1948, Hank moved to Shreveport, La. to appear on a new radio jamboree, the Louisiana Hayride. In Shreveport, Hank began performing "Lovesick Blues," a show tune that dated back to 1922. It reached #1 in May 1949, and stayed there 16 weeks. The success of "Lovesick Blues" and its follow-up, "Wedding Bells," convinced the Grand Ole Opry that Hank should be hired. Hank moved to Nashville in June 1949 and swiftly became one of the biggest stars in country music. Increasingly, he decided to perform his own songs, and, after the success of his own "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" in the spring of 1950, virtually all of his hits were his own compositions.

He was one of the most successful touring acts in country music. Every one of his records charted. His songs began finding a wider market than his own recordings of them ever could. Starting with "Honky Tonkin'" in 1949, his songs had been covered for the pop market, but it was not until Tony Bennett covered "Cold, Cold Heart" in 1951 that he began to be recognized as an important popular songwriter.

In six short years, Hank Williams lodged almost 40 chart hits, including the country chart toppers "Lovesick Blues," "Long Gone Lonesome Blues," "Why Don't You Love Me," "Moanin' the Blues," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," "Jambalaya" and "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive." Williams was the first artist elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, a tribute indicative of his impact.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson's HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's website at www.gibson.com or www.gibson.com/press.

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MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES

Rodney Crowell, Bob DiPiero, Vince Gill, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Killen, and Barbara Mandrell
to be Honored November 5 on Nashville's Music Mile

Nashville, Tenn. - October 11, 2007 - Music City, Inc. today announced the third class of inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: Rodney Crowell, Bob DiPiero, Vince Gill, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Killen and Barbara Mandrell. The six honorees will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on Monday, Nov. 5, beginning at 3 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC), is free and open to the public.

"This class of inductees showcases the immense talent, creativity and diverse musical styles that make Nashville, Music City," said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Each honoree has left an indelible mark on our city's musical heritage and music worldwide. It is a privilege to pay tribute to their great success."

Created in the fall of 2006, the Music City Walk of Fame, on Nashville's Music Mile, will be a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration. With the induction of this new class of honorees, there will be 18 total stars along the Walk of Fame. A new brochure promoting the Walk of Fame is now available in Visitors Centers, hotels and venues across the city.

Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree's name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile, the roughly one-mile stretch of Demonbreun Street from 4th Avenue South to the Buddy Killen Circle at 16th Avenue South. The plaques for this class of inductees will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

"This outstanding third panel of inductees showcases enormous talent which has its roots in our great city, Nashville," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "We are honored to sponsor the Music City Walk of Fame and look forward to celebrating Nashville's rich musical heritage for many years to come."

The November 5th inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame:

Rodney Crowell
Although many of his songs became hits for other singers, Rodney Crowell was the first to record nearly all of them. His highly influential records have spawned dozens of classic country songs.

The Houston, Texas native became a musician in his father's band at the young age of eleven. He made the move to Nashville in August of 1972 with his college roommate and in 1977, Crowell formed his own group, The Cherry Bombs which included music greats Vince Gill and Tony Brown. In 1978 he released his first album.

A Grammy Award winner, ASCAP Lifetime Achievement award recipient and member of the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame, Rodney Crowell has left an indelible mark on Nashville's music scene. He began his professional career as a musician playing guitar for three years in Emmylou Harris' "Hot Band." As a songwriter he has penned hits for Tim McGraw, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yokam, Keith Urban, Patty Loveless, Crystal Gayle, Lee Ann Womak, Waylon Jennings, Bob Seger and the Oak Ridge Boys, just to name a few. As a producer, Crowell produced the first five studio albums for Rosanne Cash and has produced other artists such as Guy Clark, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Chely Wright and others. As an artist he has recorded 11 solo records and garnered eight Top 10 singles, five of which were No. 1 songs all from his 1988 album Diamonds & Dirt.

Bob DiPiero
For the past 20 years Bob DiPiero has helped define the best that is Music Row. He has been a musical ambassador and bridge-builder having written with legendary performers of all genres including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Johnny Van Zant and Delbert McClinton, among many others.

DiPiero's list of songs cuts a varied and impressive swath through modern country and speaks volumes about his versatility. Although his first cut, Reba McEntire's "I Can See Forever In Your Eyes," climbed into the country top 20, The Oak Ridge Boys' "American Made" put his name on the music map. Not only did the song win numerous awards, but it was also used in major ad campaigns for Miller beer and the Baby Ruth candy bar. Through the years he has crafted 14 No. 1 hits recorded by country giants including Vince Gill, Faith Hill, George Strait, Montgomery Gentry, Brooks & Dunn, Travis Tritt, Martina McBride and others.

He has received three dozen BMI Country and Million-.Air honors; CMA's Triple Play Award in 1995 and 1996. "Song of the Year" for "Worlds Apart" at the Country Radio Music awards in 1997 and Songwriter of the Year awards in 1998 at the Nashville music Awards and in 2000 from Sony/ATV Nashville. He is also a recent inductee to the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame.

Vince Gill
Born in Norman, Okla., Vince Gill enjoyed acclaim in the bluegrass and pop worlds before actively pursuing a career in mainstream country during the '80s.

In 1975 Gill joined the Bluegrass Alliance and moved to Kentucky. His brief stint there also allowed him to play in Ricky Skaggs' bluegrass band, Boone Creek. In 1976, Gill moved to Los Angeles where he eventually became the lead singer in the country-rock band Pure Prairie League in 1979. After a few years he returned to sideman work in the Cherry Bombs, backing Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash. During their tenure in the Cherry Bombs, Gill and keyboardist Tony Brown began a friendship that led to Gill being signed to both the RCA and MCA labels.

A move to Nashville in 1984 coincided with Gill's recording contract after Brown, an RCA executive, signed him to the label. Gill's output at RCA resulted in three Top 10 singles. However, Gill's early singles didn't propel him to immediate stardom.

After leaving the RCA roster, Gill moved to MCA, where Brown was then a producer and label executive. His 1989 debut album for MCA, When I Call Your Name, sold 1 million copies and his breakthrough at radio came with the title track. It went on to win single of the year honors at the CMA Awards. Gill's subsequent albums in the '90s were huge hits providing a string of No. 1 singles including "I Still Believe in You," "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away," "The Heart Won't Lie," "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You."

Gill has sold more than 22 million albums. He has earned 18 CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1993 and 1994. He is tied with George Strait for having won the most CMA Male Vocalist Awards (five), and is currently second only to Brooks and Dunn for accumulating the most CMA Awards in history. Gill is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and has received 18 Grammy Awards to date, the most of any male Country artist. Besides being known for his talent as a performer, musician and songwriter, Gill is regarded as one of country music's best known humanitarians, participating in hundreds of charitable events throughout his career.

Last month The Country Music Association announced that Gill will become one the newest members of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame.

Jimi Hendrix
Perhaps no other rock-and-roll artist has been as original or as influential in such a short span of time as Jimi Hendrix, and Nashville was where he spent important formative years.

Hendrix moved to Nashville in 1962 after completing military service at nearby Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was in Music City that he honed his stage craft and began performing professionally on a regular basis. Hendrix and army friend Billy Cox formed the band The King Kasuals which served as the house band at the Club Del Morocco on Nashville's Jefferson Street. During his time in the city he was mentored by local R&B guitarists such as Johnny Jones and George Yates and also made his first-ever television appearance in 1965 on Night Train, produced at WLAC-TV in Nashville.

In addition to clubs on Jefferson Street, Hendrix and Cox were also regular players in Printers Alley, located in the heart of downtown Nashville. For three years, he made a living on the Chitlin Circuit, performing in black-oriented venues throughout the South with both the King Kasuals and in backing bands for various soul, R&B and blues musicians.

Hendrix left Nashville and headed for New York City and eventually moved onto London. After initial success in England he achieved worldwide fame following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival.

In 1992 Hendrix was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Preservation Board's National Recording Registry. Rolling Stone named Hendrix No. 1 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time in 2003.

Buddy Killen
One of the music industries most diversified and enduring founders, Buddy Killen has literally left his fingerprints on every facet of the business - creatively touching its entire spectrum while making his mark as a musician, song-plugger, songwriter, publisher and record producer.

Killen began his career by playing bass for two comedians which soon led to road show tours with such artists as Hank Williams, Sr., Jim Reeves, Ray Price and Eddy Arnold among others. After Opry manager Jack Stapp took notice of Killen's work ethic he offered him a job pitching songs for a new publishing company called Tree. In the beginning, neither of them knew what a music publishing company was all about, but by the time they had their first international hit, "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis, they had turned the corner to solid gold success. Killen's keen eye for talent brought such songwriters to the Tree family as Bill Anderson, Roger Miller, Harlan Howard, Bobby Braddock, Dolly Parton and countless others.

In 1959 the Tree family of writers were doing so well that one week they owned 7 out of the Top 10 hits on the country charts. In 1964 the company had its first million dollar year. Eleven successful years later Killen was named President. In 1980, when Stapp passed away, Killen purchased sole ownership of Tree and continued to nurture its growth as Chief Executive Officer, until 1989 when he sold the company to CBS (now Sony/ATV) and began building what has become the Killen Music Group.

Today, the Killen Music Group (KMG) publishes music recorded by the multi-platinum sensation OutKast, as well as songs recorded by many country artists including Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Lonestar, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire and Rascal Flatts, as well as many gospel artists.

Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell is a true star in the very best sense of the word. Born on Christmas Day in 1948, Barbara learned to read music before she could read words. Over the years, she added steel guitar, alto saxophone, bass, banjo, mandolin, and Dobro to her arsenal of instruments. At age 11, her father took her to a music trade show in Chicago where she performed and caught the attention of legendary country guitarist, "Uncle" Joe Maphis and became a regular cast member on the "Town Hall Party" TV show in California. At age 13, her first touring dates were with The Johnny Cash Show, which included Cash, Patsy Cline, George Jones and June Carter. Mandrell signed with CBS Records in 1969, debuting with Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," and unveiling her trademark blue-eyed soul style that was an instant hit with radio stations. In 1972 she fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Her first No. 1 hit, "Midnight Oil," came in 1973.

Barbara's music career, spanning nearly four decades, earned her over 75 major awards, including two consecutive CMA Entertainer of the Year awards (1980 & 1981, making her the first artist ever to win two years in a row), CMA Female Vocalist of the Year (1979 and 1981), ACM Top Female Country Music Vocalist (1980 and 1986), NARAS Grammy Award for the Best Inspirational Performance (1983), Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance (1984), Dove Award for Gospel Album of the Year (1983) and nine People's Choice Awards (1983-1987).

She is one of only six artists to have received the "Triple Crown" by winning all three of the most coveted awards, Top New Female, Top Female and Entertainer of the Year. Her NBC variety show, "Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters" drew nearly 40 million viewers weekly and introduced a nation to country music. Her autobiography, "Get to the Heart: My Story" debuted on The New York Times Best Sellers list and remained there for six months. In the year 2000, the Academy of Country Music honored Barbara with their most prestigious award, The Pioneer Award. Her illustrious career was nothing short of stellar and is still making an impact on country music today.

Last year, country music greats Randy Owen of Alabama, Sara Evans, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Lorrie Morgan, Willie Nelson, Shelby Lynne, Dierks Bentley, Terri Clark, LeAnn Rimes, Blaine Larsen, and CeCe Winans came together to honor Barbara with the BNA album, "She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute to Barbara Mandrell." GAC also aired several specials surrounding the album release, further bringing attention to the remarkable career of this living legend.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson's HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's website at www.gibson.com or www.gibson.com/press

MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR
ANNOUNCES SECOND CLASS OF INDUCTEES

The Crickets, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Wynonna Judd, Frances Preston and Michael W. Smith
to be Honored April 22 on Nashville's Music Mile

Nashville, Tenn. - March 27, 2007 - Music City, Inc. announced today the names of the second class of inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame presented by founding sponsor Gibson Guitar: The Crickets, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Wynonna Judd, Frances Preston and Michael W. Smith. The six honorees will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on Sunday, April 22, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The public is invited to attend the induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC).

The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc., the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), and is produced with the support of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar, sponsor GAC, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

"This class of inductees continues to showcase the diversity of the music that thrives in this city," said Butch Spyridon, President of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Each honoree has left an indelible mark on music worldwide and on our city's musical heritage. We're privileged to pay homage to their great success."

The April 22nd inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame are:

The Crickets
In a career that has spanned nearly five decades, and with millions of records sold, The Crickets are unquestionably "The American Rock and Roll Band." The group was formed in 1957 in Lubbock, Texas by Buddy Holly, J. I. Allison, Niki Sullivan and Joe B. Mauldin. After Sullivan and Holly left the group, Sonny Curtis joined to form the ever-popular trio. Their hits "That'll Be The Day," "Peggy Sue," "Maybe Baby" and "I Fought The Law" are rock classics considered by many to be primary lessons in how rock music should be written and played. In the mid '70s, the three moved to Tennessee where they continued their long association with Waylon Jennings and began touring and recording with him. Their latest release, The Crickets and Their Buddies, was partly recorded in Nashville and features Eric Clapton, Rodney Crowell, Nanci Griffith, Waylon Jennings and John Prine, to name a few. This induction is a fitting tribute to a band who literally defined rock and roll music, and who today, after 50 years, continues to set the standard of excellence by which it should be judged.

Emmylou Harris
Twelve-time Grammy Award winner and Billboard Century Award recipient, Emmylou Harris has been admired since her major label debut in 1975 with "Pieces of the Sky" for her talent as a musician and singer. But it was with her 2000 album, "Red Dirt Girl," that she revealed her gift for songwriting. Continuing the trend with her September 2003 album, "Stumble Into Grace," Emmylou wrote ten of the album's eleven tracks. Though Emmylou is the most admired and influential woman in contemporary country music, her scope extends far beyond it. She has recorded with such diverse artists as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Tammy Wynette, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Roy Orbison, The Band, Willie Nelson and George Jones. With her crystalline voice and her restless creative spirit, Emmylou has been a part of many musical genres over the years, from bluegrass and traditional folk to contemporary folk and rock. Fittingly, Billboard magazine called Harris a "truly venturesome, genre-transcending pathfinder," A longtime social activist, Harris has lent her voice to many causes. She is active in cultural preservation issues, notably the Country Music Foundation and the Grand Ole Opry. As an animal rights activist, a dog foster mother running a rescue facility (Bonaparte's Retreat) and the owner of several dogs and cats, Emmylou also supports her local humane shelters, the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Association and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Since 1997 she has been the most visible spokesperson for the Concerts for a Landmine Free World, drawing public attention and notable musical artists to the cause.

John Hiatt
John Hiatt wrote his first top-40 hit, "Sure As I'm Sitting Here," while working as a songwriter for Tree-Music Publishing in Nashville. The song was covered by Three Dog Night, and in 1974 the band took the song to No. 16 on the Billboard chart. Since then, Hiatt's songs have been recorded by a number of artists including Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffet and Roseanne Cash, to name a few. Hiatt has released 18 studio albums and two live albums, and he has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards. His 1987 hit "Have a Little Faith in Me" brought him national attention and was covered by several artists, with the most notable versions being recorded by Jewel, Mandy Moore and Joe Cocker. Hiatt has written and recorded duets with respected vocalists like Bonnie Raitt ("Thing Called Love"), Emmylou Harris ("Icy Blue Heart"), Roseanne Cash ("The Way We Make a Broken Heart"), Suzy Boggus ("Drive South") and B.B. King & Eric Clapton ("Riding with the King"). A musician's musician, Hiatt has proven to everyone that he has what it takes to be an all-around great singer/songwriter.

Wynonna Judd
As a child, Wynonna has said that her primary source of entertainment was listening to country music on the radio; so it naturally followed that after receiving a guitar as a gift, she began playing and singing harmonies with her mom, Naomi. In 1979, the family moved to Nashville to try their luck in the music business, and in 1983, Naomi and Wynonna landed a contract with RCA. The rest, as they say, is history. Within just six short years, the Judds sold more than 20 million records worldwide. They also won over 60 industry awards including five Grammys, nine Country Music Association Awards and eight Billboard Music Awards. In 1992, Wynonna signed her first solo record deal, and with classics like "Mama He's Crazy," "I Know Where I'm Going," "No One Else on Earth" and "Grandpa," she has gone on to enjoy 20 No. 1 hits throughout her career. A world-renowned singer and entertainer, Wynonna has been awarded Top Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music, and as a solo artist, has accumulated sales totals in excess of 10 million units.

Frances W. Preston
Frances W. Preston has come a long way since her position as receptionist at WSM radio station, which she left in 1958 to open a southern regional office of Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) in Nashville. There Preston issued performing rights licenses for songwriters and music publishers, and she quickly led BMI to a position of preeminence in the south. In 1964, the year the BMI building opened on Music Row, Preston became a Vice President. Quickly moving up the ranks, she served as President and CEO of BMI from 1986 to 2004, during which time the company's revenue more than tripled to over $673 million. Under her leadership, BMI enjoyed a consistent record of increasing revenues and royalty distributions to its more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. She has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and was the recipient of the NARAS Heroes Award from the New York Chapter of the Recording Academy, the President's Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the President's Award from the National Music Publishers' Association, and the City of Hope "Spirit of Life" Award. She has twice received a Humanitarian Award from the International Achievement in Arts Awards in New York.

Michael W. Smith
Starting out as a songwriter and keyboard player for Amy Grant, Smith has since enjoyed 31 No. 1 hits, three Grammys, an American Music Award, five platinum records, 16 gold records and 40 GMA Dove Awards. With record sales numbering more than 15 million throughout his career, Smith is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In 2006, he received an official White House appointment to serve as Vice Chair to the President's Council for Service and Civic Participation. Smith believes in affecting culture by getting involved and giving of yourself. He serves through his church New River Fellowship in Franklin, TN, and through the work of Rocketown, a teen club, coffee house and skate park which he founded in downtown Nashville whose mission is to foster vital relationships between disenfranchised adolescents and Christian mentors. He recently released his 19th studio album for Reunion Records titled Stand.

Created in the fall of 2006, the Music City Walk of Fame on Nashville's Music Mile will be a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration.

Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree's name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile, the roughly one-mile stretch of Demonbreun Street from 4th Avenue South to the Music Row Roundabout at 16th Avenue South. The plaques for this class of inductees will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

Nominations, open to the public, were accepted in the categories of Artist, Musician, Songwriter, and Producer/Music Industry Executive. Application forms were reviewed by the Music City Walk of Fame selection committee, who chose the final six.

"The outstanding second panel of inductees showcases the enormous talent which has its roots in Nashville, the world's true Music City," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "Gibson Guitar is honored to sponsor the Music City Walk of Fame, an extraordinary project which will give tourists and residents another reason to celebrate Nashville's rich musical heritage for many years to come."

About the Music City Walk of Fame
The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc., the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau's 501(c)(3) foundation; Sandra Fulton, chair. The Music City Walk of Fame is produced with the support of Gibson Guitar, Great American Country, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

Nomination forms are currently being accepted for future honorees, with the next induction ceremony set for November 2007. For more information, including submission guidelines and forms, please go to www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson's HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Kramer, Steingberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Baldwin, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's website at www.gibson.com.

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The Promise of Nashville, where the music is inspired, created, recorded and performed, is to provide the ultimate musical entertainment experience, celebrated throughout our diverse cultural and entertainment offerings, and presented in an authentic, unique, friendly and unpretentious atmosphere.

MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME PRESENTED BY GIBSON GUITAR
ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL INDUCTEES

Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Roy Orbison,
Songwriters Boudleaux & Felice Bryant
and Maestro Kenneth D. Schermerhorn
To Be Honored November 5 on Nashville’s Music Mile

Nashville, Tenn. – October 16, 2006 – Music City, Inc. announced today the names of the inaugural inductees to the Music City Walk of Fame presented by (founding sponsor) Gibson Guitar: Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap and the Fisk Jubilee Singers with posthumous recipients the songwriters Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, Roy Orbison and Maestro Kenneth D. Schermerhorn. The six honorees will be recognized officially with the unveiling of commemorative sidewalk markers on Sunday, November 5, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The public is invited to attend the induction ceremony, which is sponsored by Great American Country (GAC).

The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc, the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), and is produced with the support of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar, sponsor GAC, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

“This debut class of inductees powerfully illustrates the diversity of the music that calls Music City home,” said Butch Spyridon, President of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Each honoree wields a unique influence through achievements that have ultimately entertained and inspired audiences all over the world. We’re privileged to acknowledge these creators and celebrate their legacies.”

The 2006 inductees for the Music City Walk of Fame are:

Reba McEntire – The leading lady of country music for over 20 years has fashioned a career that is the picture of longevity and consistency. Her stellar recording efforts have included 33 #1 songs, 30 albums with sales of 50 million, countless shows and performances and a slew of awards, including multiple honors from the American Music Awards, the Grammys and the Country Music Association (among them CMA Entertainer of the Year). While her catalog is filled with songs that incorporate classic country attitudes and emotions, she is unmatched in her selection of socially conscious material. Reba McEntire is also highly regarded as an actress, enjoying acclaim for performances on Broadway and in her self-titled WB sitcom, plus feature films, videos and network television specials.
Ronnie Milsap – The pre-eminent country soul singer of his generation, he provided country music with one of its most important voices as the genre was moving beyond its rural roots into the mainstream of modern entertainment. Even as he mastered classical piano as a young boy, his heart belonged to hardcore country and rhythm-and-blues. Eventually, he forged his myriad of influences into a cosmopolitan style of country music that helped revolutionize Nashville. His track record speaks loud and clear: 40 # 1 singles, over 25 million records sold, seven Grammy Awards, four Academy of Country Music Awards, and eight Country Music Association Awards. Together, they underscore Ronnie Milsap’s position as one of the best-loved and most enduring artists in country music history.
Boudleaux & Felice Bryant – This husband and wife are generally considered the first writers to move to Nashville to make their living solely as songwriters, relocating in 1950. The diversity and quantity of the Bryants’ catalog is staggering, with 800 unique songs recorded by thousands of artists. They wrote some of the most enduring songs of the 1950s and 1960s, including many of the Everly Brothers’ biggest hits (“Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream” and “Love Hurts”) as well as the Tennessee anthem “Rocky Top.” Among their many honors are membership in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Boudleaux Bryant died in 1987, Felice Bryant in 2003.
Fisk Jubilee Singers – Since their founding in 1871, the young men and women of this a capella ensemble – students of Fisk University in Nashville – have served as cultural ambassadors, transcending time and race through their stirring performances. The nine original Jubilee Singers introduced ‘slave songs’ to the world via landmark tours in the US and abroad, and were instrumental in preserving this unique American musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals, songs that became cornerstones of the next century’s music. Presenting a new public image for African-American music, they broke racial barriers in the late 19th century as they entertained American presidents and European royalty. The Fisk Jubilee Singers, currently numbering 20 members, are celebrating their 135 th anniversary this year.
Roy Orbison – A founding father of rock and roll, he became one of the most distinctive voices in popular music with his four-octave range and lyrically sophisticated, rhythmically advanced songs. One of the original Sun Records artists alongside Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, he moved to Nashville in 1960 and signed with Monument Records. Over four decades he created the soundtrack for millions of lives with songs like "Only The Lonely,” "Running Scared,” "Crying" "Oh Pretty Woman,” "Handle With Care" and "You Got It.” He enjoyed incredible success all over the world: tour mates included Patsy Cline and the Beach Boys, among others, as well as opening acts the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. In tribute to his wide-ranging influence are multiple Grammy Awards and memberships in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. When Roy Orbison died in 1988, he had two albums in the top 5, one with the Traveling Wilburys and a solo effort.
Maestro Kenneth D. Schermerhorn – The Nashville Symphony’s music director and conductor led the orchestra to national and international prominence during a remarkable 22-year tenure. A professional musician by the age of 14, he studied with, and served as assistant to, Leonard Bernstein, leading to positions with orchestras and performance companies around the world. Maestro Schermerhorn joined the Nashville Symphony in 1983; under his leadership, the Symphony recorded Grammy-nominated CDs that broke international sales records and undertook its first East Coast tour, which culminated in a stunning debut at Carnegie Hall in 2000. The NSO recently dedicated the world-class Schermerhorn Symphony Center in his honor. Maestro Schermerhorn died in 2005.

Created earlier this year, the Music City Walk of Fame on Nashville’s Music Mile will be a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration.

Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree’s name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile, the roughly one-mile stretch of Demonbreun Street from 4th Avenue South to the Music Row Roundabout at 16th Avenue South. The first plaques will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

“The outstanding display of talent with these inaugural inductees is a perfect example of why Nashville is known as Music City,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “Gibson Guitar is proud to sponsor the Music City Walk of Fame and hope that everyone who visits Nashville has a chance to experience the great history and tradition it will exemplify for many years to come.”

About the Music City Walk of Fame
The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc., the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s 501(c)(3) foundation; Sandra Fulton, chair. The Music City Walk of Fame is produced with the support of Gibson Guitar, Great American Country, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

Nomination forms are currently being accepted for future honorees, with the next induction ceremony set for April 2007. For more information, including submission guidelines and forms, please go to www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Kramer, Steingberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Baldwin, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com.

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Photo L-R

Butch Spyridon (Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau ), Pam Tillis, Sam Bush, Henry Juszkiewicz (Chairman and CEO, Gibson Guitar), Earl Scruggs, Mayor Bill Purcell, Megan Mullins, Steve Cropper, Sandra Fulton (Music City, Inc) and Gunnar Nelson

Photo Credit: Sandy Campbell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Nashville Announces Music City Walk of Fame Project Honoring
Musical Heritage of the City

Gibson Guitar Named Founding Sponsor of Permanent Induction Project

Nashville, Tenn. - August 10, 2006 - The City of Nashville today announced the creation of a Music City Walk of Fame and unveiled the exclusive design for induction plaques. The announcement took place at Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun Street between 4 th and 5 th Avenues South, which will serve the location of the first plaques of the Music City Walk of Fame. The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau Foundation (Music City, Inc). The Music City Walk of Fame is being produced with the support of Gibson Guitar, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

The Music City Walk of Fame will feature permanent sidewalk medallions with each honoree’s name. The inductions will be open to all singers, musicians, songwriters, producers and music industry executives/contributors who have played a significant role in preserving the musical heritage that is Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration.

Inductees will be announced throughout the year and honored at a special ceremony with the permanent platinum-and-granite, star-and-guitar plaque. The Music City Walk of Fame will begin at Hall of Fame Park and proceed down the newly named Music Mile (from Schermerhorn Symphony Center to Music Row on Demonbreun Street). The first induction announcement is planned for November 2006 which will coincide with CMA Music Week prior to the 40 th Anniversary of the CMA Awards.

“The Music City Walk of Fame strongly reinforces the tie between our city and Music Row,” Mayor Bill Purcell said. “The induction ceremony this November will be one of the key events of Celebrate Nashville as we focus on the special role this industry plays in Music City.”

The Music City Walk of Fame is the first project of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s newly formed 501 C-3 charitable foundation Music City, Inc. The foundation was established to further the education, research and training for Nashville’s hospitality industry and to produce events and projects in association with the City of Nashville.

“This initiative may be one of the most important efforts we have ever undertaken,” said Butch Spyridon, President, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The Music City Walk of Fame reinforces the music brand, creates a new attraction, illustrates the diversity of the music in Music City and is the first building block in the development of the Music Mile. All of that collectively makes this project extremely important.”

Music City, Inc. has established an anonymous committee for the Walk of Fame project.
Each inductee of the Music City Walk of Fame must be nominated via the nominations process and then voted on by the committee, made up of various members of the entertainment and music community. The official nomination period will begin August 10 with the announcement and a sponsorship fee of $7,500 is required. The money will be used to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame. Nomination of an individual or group does not guarantee induction. Those nominees not selected the first year will automatically roll over for a second review the following year. If it is not approved in the second year, nominees must be resubmitted.

Nomination forms with all guidelines can be found on-line at
www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame or picked up in one of the Nashville Visitor Information Centers, located in the arena tower at Fifth Avenue and Broadway, or at the Fourth Avenue and Commerce Street location. Inductions will take place one to three times a year as deemed appropriate by the committee and the Foundation Board.

Sponsors supporting a nomination must submit a photo, a bio and the nominee’s qualifications as well as a list of contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation. Applications can be made by anyone, including a fan, as long as the celebrity or his/her management is in agreement with the nomination. If there is no letter of agreement included from the celebrity or his/her representative, the committee will not accept the application. For nominations of deceased individuals there is a two-year waiting period after death. The Committee does not necessarily select posthumous honorees each year.

Gibson Guitar, the world’s premiere musical instrument manufacturer headquartered in Nashville, is the presenting sponsor of the Music City Walk of Fame, funding the launch and marketing campaigns.

“Gibson Guitar has played an integral role in so many musicians’ lives for over 100 years. It was only fitting that we support such an exciting initiative which will help to preserve the history and tradition of the great music originating from this great city,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO Gibson Guitar. “We hope the many people who visit Nashville every year enjoy seeing their favorite stars represented on the Music City Walk of Fame. Hollywood may have the Hollywood Walk of Fame but ours will be the only one that truly sings.”

In addition to the new inductees, all honorees of the Walkway of the Stars from the former Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will be recognized with a commemorative marker on the Music City Walk of Fame.

The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination.

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The Promise of Nashville, where the music is inspired, created, recorded and performed, is to provide the ultimate musical entertainment experience, celebrated throughout our diverse cultural and entertainment offerings, and presented in an authentic, unique, friendly and unpretentious atmosphere.