Country Legends Get Walked On

Posted by amyclark on 08/24/2008

4/21/2008 Webb

 
 
 
 
The Music City Walk of Fame, in downtown Nashville across from the Country Music Hall of Fame, inducted six new members yesterday. Garth Brooks made a surprise appearance to honor old friend Steve Wariner. The new nominees included:
  • Legendary Hank Williams;
  • Long-time Williams associate Merle Kilgore, who started as a singer and songwriter and later was Hank Jr.’s manager
  • Christian star Steven Curtis Chapman
  • The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
  • Grammy-winning country singer, songwriter and producer Steve Wariner;
  • Jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum.
"When it comes to jazz, R&B and soul music, it's sort of the rest of the story," Whalum said at the ceremony. "This is another thing to make this tangible. This is what Tennessee music is all about."
Wariner — who has collected a healthy group of country hits, including "Your Memory," "The Weekend," "Tips of My Fingers" and "Where Did I Go Wrong" — was understandably moved by the idea of having his star placed alongside those of masterful country musicians such as Williams, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell.
"I know there are other people more deserving of this honor, but I don't think there's anyone more thankful than I am about being inducted," Wariner said. "I'm very, very blessed."
"He showed me how to treat people on the other side of the radio," said Brooks, who signed autographs for more than 30 minutes after the show. "That's a lesson for life."
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's country achievements include the famous Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, which teamed the touchstones of those styles and brought together country icons including Maybelle Carter, Roy Acuff and Earl Scruggs."I guess somebody thought the thousands of hours on the road was for a reason," said John McEuen, a founding member of the band. Chapman, a millions-selling and multiple Grammy-winning contemporary Christian powerhouse, joins fellow CCM kingpin Michael W. Smith (who was honored with a Walk of Fame star last year) in representing the Middle Tennessee-centered Christian music industry.
"It's such an honor to be recognized by your hometown," Chapman said of the honor, "especially when your hometown is America's Music City."With the new class, 24 stars now line the Walk of Fame, created to honor the lasting contributions to Nashville's musical heritage by artists from all genres. 
Source: The Tennessean