Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Music Maker Inductees (September 2021)

Music Maker Inductees: September 2021

Top 20 Country Acts Originally posted 9/22/2021. January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog! To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This eleventh class of music maker inductees focuses on the top country acts of all time (see the full top 100 list here). These are the top 20 from that list, minus previous inductee Dolly Parton. See the full list of music maker inductees here.

Alabama (active 1969-2006) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

This group from Fort Payne, Alabama, has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. “Love in the First Degree” and “Mountain Music” rank amongst the top 200 country songs of all time. They won the Academy of Country Music Album of the Year award for Feels So Right, The Closer You Get (which also won the Country Music Association Album of the Year), and Roll On. They also won American Music Awards Country Album of the Year Awards for The Closer You Get, 40 Hour Week, and their first Greatest Hits collection. Read more.

Eddy Arnold (1918-2008) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Henderson, TN. He has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He ranked as the #1 country artist in the 8th edition of Joel Whitburn’s Billboard: Hot Country Songs book. “Cattle Call,” “Bouquet of Roses,” and “Make the World Go Away” all rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. The latter is also in the Grammy Hall of Fame and National Recording Registry. Read more.

Garth Brooks (1962-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Tulsa, OK. He has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. As of 2020, he has – according to the RIAA – sold more albums (156 million) than any other solo artist in the United States. “The Dance” and “Friends in Low Places” both rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. The latter song also ranks in the top 1% of all time. He has seven albums, including No Fences and Ropin' the Wind, which rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Glen Campbell (1936-2017) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Billstown, AR. He has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. “Gentle on My Mind,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” and “Rhinestone Cowboy” rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. The latter two songs also rank in the top 1% of all time. “Gentle on My Mind,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” and “Wichita Lineman” are in the Grammy Hall of Fame. “Rhinestone Cowboy” won Single and Song of the Year from the Academy of Country Music as well as Song of the Year from the Country Music Association. Read more.

Johnny Cash (1932-2003) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Kingsland, AR. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. “Folsom Prison Blues,” “I Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire” and “Hurt” rank in the top 1% of all time. His live Live at Folsom Prison album is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time and is a DMDB Hall of Fame inductee. That album, as well as At San Quentin and American Recordings rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Patsy Cline (1932-1963) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1932 in Winchester, Virginia. Her recording of ““Crazy” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era. It tops the list of the top 200 country songs of all time. That list also includes “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces,” She’s Got You,” and “Sweet Dreams of You.” Her album 12 Greatest Hits ranks as one of the top 1000 albums of all time, one of the top 100 country albums of all time, and one of the top 100 compilations of all time. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Read more.

Merle Haggard (1937-2016) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1937 in Oildale, California. He reached the country chart more than 100 times from 1963 to 2005, including 38 #1’s. “Mama Tried” and “Okie from Muskogee” both rank in the top 200 country songs of all time and are in the Grammy Hall of Fame “Mama Tried” is also in the National Recording Registry while “Okie” won Academy of Country Music’s Song of the Year and Country Music Association’s Single of the Year. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Read more.

Alan Jackson (1958-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Newnan, GA. He has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Chattahoochee,” “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning,” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” rank in the top 200 country songs of all time and each has won at least won award for Single or Song of the Year from the Academy of Country Music and/or Country Music Association. The latter two also won Grammys for Country Song of the Year. He won the Academy of Country Music Album of the Year award three times for Don’t Rock the Jukebox, A Lot About Livin' and a Little 'Bout Love, and Drive. Read more.

Waylon Jennings (1937-2002) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1937 in Littlefield, Texas. He reached the country charts 96 times from 1965 to 1991, including 15 #1’s. His songs “Good Hearted Woman,” “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love),” and “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” were all named Country Song of the Year by Billboard magazine and rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Read more.

George Jones (1931-2013) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Saratoga, TX. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. “She Thinks I Still Care” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. The latter also ranks in the top 1% of all time. According to the 8th edition of Joel Whitburn’s Billboard: Hot Country Songs book, he has more entries on the country charts than any other performer. Read more.

Loretta Lynn (1935-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer/songwriter born in 1935 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Reached the country charts 79 times from 1960 to 2010, including #1 16 times. “Don't Come Home A-Drinkin’ with Lovin’ on Your Mind” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. The latter is in the Grammy Hall of Fame and National Recording Registry. The 1980 soundtrack for Coal Miner’s Daughter won the Country Music Association Award for Album of the Year and Van Lear Rose won the Grammy for Country Album of the Year. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Read more.

Reba McEntire (1955-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1955 in Chockie, Oklahoma. Reached the country chart 99 times from 1976 to 2011, hitting #1 24 times. “Fancy” ranks as one of the top 200 country songs of all time. She won the American Music Award for Country Album of the Year 3 times with Reba Live, For My Broken Heart, and Read My Mind. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Recipient of the ASCAP Golden Note Award and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Read more.

Willie Nelson (1933-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Abbott, TX. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. His version of “Always on My Mind” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, as is “Crazy,” which was written by Nelson and recorded by Patsy Cline. The latter tops the list of the top 200 country songs of all time. That list also includes “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “On the Road Again,” and “Always on My Mind.” Red Headed Stranger is one of the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Kenny Rogers (1938-2020) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee was born in Houston, TX. His songs “Lucille,” “The Gambler,” “Coward of the County,” “Lady,” and “Islands in the Stream” rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. The latter two also rank in the top 1% of all time and “Lady” is a DMDB Hall of Fame inductee. His albums The Gambler and his 1980 compilation Greatest Hits rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

George Strait (1952-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1952 in Poteet, Texas. He reached the country charts 117 times from 1981 to 2012, going to #1 44 times. His song “Love Without End, Amen” was Billboard magazine’s Country Song of the Year. Three of his songs (“Check Yes Or No,” “Give It Away,” and “Murder on Music Row”) have won Academy of Country Music and/or Country Music Association awards for Single or Song of the Year. He won Album of the Year awards from the Academy of Country Music (3 times) and the Country Music Association (5 times) as well as a Grammy for Country Album of the Year. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Recipent of the Medal of Arts and ASCAP Golden Note Award. Read more.

Shania Twain (1965-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1965 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Reached the country charts 33 times from 1993 to 2011, including seven #1 hits. “You’re Still the One” ranks in the top 1% of all time. Her album The Woman in Me won the Album of the Year from both the Grammys and the Academy of Country Music. Come on Over is one of the top ten bestsellers of all time with more than 40 million copies. Read more.

Conway Twitty (1933-1993) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1933 in Friars Point, Mississippi. Reached the country charts 98 times from 1966 to 2004, including 40 #1 songs. One of those, “Hello’ Darlin’,” is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Read more.

Hank Williams (1923-1953) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in Mount Olive, AL. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Nine of his songs rank in the top 200 country songs of all time. Among them are “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Cold, Cold Heart,” and “Your Cheatin' Heart,” which also rate in the top 1% of all time. His 40 Greatest Hits compilation is one of the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Tammy Wynette (1942-1998) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 20 Country Act”

Country singer born in 1942 in Tremont, Mississippi. Reached the country charts 72 times from 1966 to 1998, including 20 #1 hits. One of those, “Stand by Your Man,” ranks in the top 1% of all time and is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Read more.