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

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 is comprised of the top country acts. Inductees were determined by looking at the DMDB list of the top 100 country acts, ranking them by overall points in Dave’s Music Database, and then inducting the ten highest-ranked acts not previously inducted. See the full list of music maker inductees here.

Alabama (active 1969-2006) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 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 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 Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 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 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 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 At Folsom Prison album is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time. That album, as well as At San Quentin and American Recordings rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Alan Jackson (1958-) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 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.

George Jones (1931-2013) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 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.

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

Country singer born in Abbott, TX. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, and received 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 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. His albums The Gambler and his 1980 compilation Greatest Hits rank in the top 1000 albums of all time. Read more.

Hank Williams (1923-1953) Inducted September 2021 as a “Top 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.