Musicians Hall of Fame: 2007-2026

The Musicians Hall of Fame formed to honor musicians of all instruments and genres. As the website explains, nominations are made by current members of the American Federation of Musicians as well as various music industry professionals. There is no indication of how these nominees are whittled down to determine who is inducted. After its formation in 2007, the Hall inducted three classes before closing, reopening, and then sporadically inducting new classes in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2026. See other Hall of Fames. Richard “Pistol” Allen (2007) Jerry Allison (2008) Jack Ashford (2007) Chet Atkins (2009) Bob Babbitt (2007) Randy Bachman (Bachman-Turner Overdrive, 2014) Eddie Bayers (session drummer, 2019) Barry Beckett (2008) William “Benny” Benjamin (2007) Bob Berryhill (2019) Bill Black (2007) The Blue Moon Boys (2007) Booker T. & the MG’s (2008) John Boylan (2026) Lou Bradley (2016) Owen Bradly (producer, 2019) David Briggs (2019) Garth Brooks (2016) Eddie “Bongo” Brown (2007) Harrison Calloway (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019) Jimmy Capps (2014) Pete Carr (2008) Jerry Carrigan (2019) Felix Cavaliere (songwriter/keyboardist with the Rascals, 2019) Gene Chrisman (2007) Dennis Coffey (2007) Tommy Cogbill (2007) Pat Connolly (2019) Jeff Cook (keyboardist/fiddle player with Alabama, 2019) Billy Cox (2009) The Crickets (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldlin, 2008) Steve Cropper (2008) Mike Curb (2014) Sonny Curtis (2008) Dick Dale (2009) Charlie Daniels (2009) Ronnie Eades (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019) Duane Eddy (2008) Bobby Emmons (2007) Don Everly (2019) Don Felder (guitarist, 2016) Victor Feldman (2009) D.J. Fontana (2007) Fred Foster (2009) Peter Frampton (2014) Paul Franklin (2019) Jim Fuller (Surfaris drummer, 2019) The Funk Brothers (Richard “Pistol” Allen, Jack Ashford, Bob Babbitt, William “Benny” Benjamin, Eddie “Bongo” Brown, Dennis Coffey, Johnny Griffith, Joe Hunter, James Jamerson, Uriel Jones, Joe Messina, Earl Van Dyke, “Wah Wah” Watson, Eddie Willis, 2008) Teddy Gentry (bassist and singer with Alabama, 2019) Billy Gibbons (guitarist with ZZ Top, 2022) Vince Gill (country singer, 2022) Marshall Grant (2007) Johnny Griffith (2007) James William Guercio (2022) Buddy Guy (2014) Roger Hawkins (2008) John Hobbs (2019) Buddy Holly (2008) David Hood (2008) Nicky Hopkins (2026) Dan Huff (2026) David Hungate (2009) Joe Hunter (2007) Clayton Ivey (2008) Al Jackson, Jr. (2008) Wayne Jackson (2008) James Jamerson (2007) Jimmy Johnson (2008) Booker T. Jones (2008) Uriel Jones (2007) Ben Keith (2014) Al Kooper (2008) Will Lee (2014) Mike Leech (2007) Andrew Love (2008) Steve Lukather (2009) Barbara Mandrell (2014) Brent Mason (2019) George Massenburg (2022) Joe B. Mauldin (2008) Randy McCormick (2008) Michael McDonald (2026) Will McFarlane (2008) Don McLean (2022) The Memphis Boys (Gene Chrisman, Tommy Cogbill, Bobby Emmons, Mike Leech, Bobby Wood, Reggie Young, 2007) The Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, 2008) Joe Messina (2007) Mark Miller (2016) Earl Peanutt Montgomery (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 2019) Scotty Moore (2007) The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (Barry Beckett, Pete Carr, Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Clayton Ivey, Jimmy Johnson, Randy McCormick, Will McFarlane, Spooner Oldham, 2008) The Nashville “A” Team (2007) Corki Casey O’Dell (2014) Spooner Oldham (2008) Roy Orbison (2014) Randy Owen (singer/guitarist with Alabama, 2019) David Paich (2009) Dolly Parton (2026) Luther Perkins (2007) Jeff Porcaro (2009) Mike Porcaro (2009) Steve Porcaro (2009) Norbert Putnam (2019) Jerry Reed (country singer/guitarist, 2016) Allen Reynolds (producer, 2016) Ron “Snake” Reynolds (engineer, 2016) Michael Rhodes (2019) Paul Riser (2009) Charlie Rose (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019) Billy Sharrill (recording engineer, 2019) Billy Sherrill (2008) Sigma Sound Studios (2016) Ricky Skaggs (2016) Leland Sklar (2026) Velma Smith (2014) Joe South (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 2019) Ray Stevens (2022) Marty Stuart (country singer, 2022) Joe Tarsia (engineer, 2016) Bob Taylor (2019) The Tennessee Two (Grant Marshall, Luther Perkins, 2007) Harvey Thompson (Muscle Shoals Horns, 2019) Terry Thompson (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 2019) George Thorogood (2026) Toto (David Hungate, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, 2009) Keith Urban (2026) Earl Van Dyke (2007) Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (2014) Steve Wariner (country singer, 2019) “Wah Wah” Watson (2007) Eddie Willis (2007) Ron Wilson (2019) Bobby Wood (2007) The Wrecking Crew (2007) Reggie Young (2019) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Hall of Fames” Musicians Hall of Fame Wikipedia: Musicians Hall of Fame First posted 1/28/2014; last updated 4/28/2026.

On This Day in Music (1942): The American Federation of Musicians’ Strike

August 1, 1942 The American Federation of Musicians Strike

On August 1, 1942, the American Federation of Musicians went on strike against the major American recording companies over disagreements regarding royalty payments. This meant no union musician could record for any record company, WK but it did not prohibit performances on live radio shows or in concert. WK While the move was seen as advantageous for musicians who wanted payment each time their songs were played in jukeboxes or on radio, PBS FCC chair James Fly suggested the 60% of the country’s radio stations could go out of business. DB As the ban approached, numerous artists rushed to get in last-minute recordings in July 1942. Among them were Count Basie, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Judy Garland, Benny Goodman, Guy Lombardo, and Glenn Miller. WK When this stockpile was exhausted, record companies turned to older recordings – some as far back as the dawn of the recording era in the mid-1920s. One of the most successful releases was Harry James’ “All Or Nothing at All”, which featured Frank Sinatra before he became famous. WK After October 27, 1943, special recordings known as V-Discs were exempt as they were intended for the armed forces and not the general public. WK In addition, some record companies, including Decca and Capitol, caved that 1943 while Victor and Columbia, the two largest companies, held out until November 11, 1944. WK One unintended consequence of the strike was the hastening of the swing era’s decline and the rise of the “sing era” as the music industry shifted from a focus on big bands to singers. WK The ban only applied to musicians; singers were not union members. Therefore, they could still record a cappella songs consisting of vocal quartets or soloists backed by choruses. PBS As historian Peter Soderbergh put it, “Until the war most singers were props. After the war they became the stars and the role of the bands was gradually subordinated.” WK For more important days in music history, check out the Dave’s Music Database history page. Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “History Index” DB Down Beat All Recording Stops Today by Mike Levin (8/1/1942). As posted on SwingMusic.net. PBS PBS.org Recording Ban (exerpted from Jazz: A History of America’s Music SM SwingMusic.net Big Band Era Jazz History: The 1942 Recording Band WK Wikipedia.org 1942-44 musicians’ strike First posted 8/1/2011; updated 8/24/2023.