Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash, Tony Brown Join Country Music Hall of Fame: ‘I Feel the Gravity of This Moment’

The Country Music Hall of Fame added three to its membership on Sunday night (Oct. 19)—stadium headliner and hitmaker Kenny Chesney, the late multi-faceted singer, songwriter, actress, comedian and author June Carter Cash, and revered producer, musician, and label executive Tony Brown.

The trio joined 155 previously-inducted members when they were formally welcomed as members of the Country Music Hall of Fame during an invitation-only evening held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater. The evening featured performances and tributes from artists including George Strait, Eric Church, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney, Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett.

A five-time Grammy winner, and co-writer (with Merle Kilgore) of one of country music’s most enduring songs, “Ring of Fire,” Carter Cash was lauded for her indelible contributions to country music, and joined four immediate family members already enshrined in the Hall of Fame: The Carter Family (A.P. Carter, Maybelle Addington Carter, Sara Dougherty Carter) was inducted in 1970, while June’s husband, Johnny Cash, was inducted in 1980.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum chief executive officer Kyle Young called it “the most complete family reunion in the Hall of Fame’s history.”

By the age of 10, Carter Cash had joined her mother and sisters in performing as The Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle; they joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1950 and became regular performers. Through those performances, Carter Cash became known for her prowess as an entertainer and comedian. Later on, her talents as an actress would shine in roles on Gunsmoke and and in the 1997 film The Apostle. Beyond her Grammy-winning collaborations with Cash, including “Jackson” and “If I Were a Carpenter,” Carter Cash also wrote several songs that were recorded by Cash, including 1963’s “The Matador.” Her 1999 album Press On and her 2003 posthumous album Wildwood Flower both won Grammys for best traditional folk album. Along the way, Carter Cash also encouraged and supported numerous artists in Nashville’s music community, including Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.

Honoring Carter Cash, Kacey Musgraves and Daniel Tashian teamed up to perform “Ring of Fire.” Keb’ Mo’ and Ruby Amanfu sang The Carter Family classic “Keep on the Sunny Side,” while Lukas Nelson sang “It Ain’t Me Babe.”

Emmylou Harris formally inducted Carter Cash, while Carter Cash’s children Carlene Carter and John Carter Cash accepted the accolade on behalf of their late mother, who died in 2003.

“June was a friend to everyone she met,” Harris said, “as if she’d known them all her life… June thrived on the laughter of an audience, but she was one of them and never put herself above her fans… We prefer sometimes to think of ourselves as artists.. .but June was proud to be an entertainer. I believe her lifelong pursuit of that calling is why she’s being recognized here tonight.”

“She is a great artist and a great entertainer, but it is her love that put her there… the undying belief that the circle would endure,” John Carter Cash said.

“Mom would love this…. I know she made a difference in this world,” Carlene Carter said. “I know she made a difference in Nashville and in the music community. And everybody that’s in [the Hall of Fame], mama’s here now and she’s gonna make sure everybody’s feelin’ good.”

Musician, producer and music executive Tony Brown served as a keyboard player in road bands for Elvis Presley and Harris early in his career. But it has been the music mogul’s work as a producer, as well as his label roles at MCA Nashville (he joined as MCA Nashville’s vp of A&R in 1984 and rose to the company’s president in 1993), that saw Brown become an essential musical architect in fashioning the sound of modern country music and as well as Americana music. His work has included producing and/or signing artists including Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, Wynonna, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Patty Loveless, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, the Mavericks and more. Along the way, Brown was key in helping artists to sell 100 million units. Brown was also named Billboard’s top country producer from 1990-1993.

One of the artists Brown worked with was Strait, as the two co-produced 20 albums together. Strait took the stage and said, “Congratulations to Tony Brown, Kenny Chesney and… I thought June Carter Cash was already in, but I’m glad I’m here tonight. Tony, you are the man. I appreciate all the records we were able to make together. I had so much fun with you in the studio… you are an amazing producer, Tony, and a friend and I just remember all the fun we had. The martini listening parties were outrageous. I’m honored to be here to do this tonight.”

Strait added, “I think this was one of our best efforts,” before performing “Troubadour,” the title track to Strait’s 2008 project. Meanwhile, Lovett offered up “If I Had a Boat,” Steve Earle performed “Guitar Town,” and Trisha Yearwood sang “Perfect Love,” while Gill formally inducted Brown into the Hall of Fame.

Brown said in accepting the honor, “I’ve had some big things happen in my life, and this is by far the biggest. For years, my career was defined by playing with Elvis Presley, but my career is [now] defined by being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. This tonight, to me, is validation and at the end of the day, that’s what we all want, is to be validated… I love what I do, I love this business.”

In his surge to country music superstardom, East Tennessee native Chesney has earned the entertainer of the year accolade four times each from the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. He’s notched 23 No. 1s on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, and has become a consistent stadium headliner — turning his concerts into more than mere shows, but high-energy, tropical-tinged parties that also forged a tight-knit, music-filled community.

Chesney’s roles as music hitmaker, touring kingpin and songwriter were highlighted during the evening, but also his commitment to philanthropy and to supporting the next generation of music artists.

Before she offered a rendition of Chesney’s “Somewhere With You,” Ballerini spoke of the joy of watching her fellow Knoxville, Tennessee-area native Chesney “go from hometown hero, to collaborator, to family.” Before leaving the stage, she took a moment to hug Chesney, who was joined for the elite ceremony by his parents.

Moroney performed “Knowing You,” while Eric Church performed a medley of Chesney’s songs, among them “I Go Back,” “Anything But Mine” and “The Boys of Fall.” Chesney was inducted by music industry titan Joe Galante, who called Chesney “a songwriter, a storyteller at heart.”

Chesney accepted the Hall of Fame accolade, saying, “Joe told me it was going to be overwhelming, and you were right — it’s overwhelming.” He also thanked Galante “for taking a chance on me years ago. We are family. You are the Don Corleone of the music business in my opinion.”

Chesney thanked many members of his team and touring crew who have helped guide and support his career through the years. He also related a question Moroney had asked him while on tour: if Chesney ever let himself feel accomplished.

“I thought that was a very smart question… the truth is, I’ve never let myself sit in accomplishment very much,” Chesney said. “I’ve always been creative, very driven. But tonight, I can tell you, walking into that rotunda and taking that group shot with a lot of my heroes and a lot of my friends, it was the first time that I ever felt accomplished in my life…. with every cell in my body, I feel the gravity of this moment.”

2024 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee John Anderson closed out the evening with a performance of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”