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Just announced John Anderson, Toby Keith, and guitarist James Burton are joining the Country Music Hall of Fame. Congratulations to the 2024 members-elect.
1. John Anderson -Veteran Era Artist
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Twenty-time top-10 charting Academy of Country Music and Country Music Award-winning star John Anderson, will be the Veteran Era Artist inductee. Known for his distinctive voice (and writer) behind hit songs such as “Swingin,'” “Seminole Wind,” and “Wild and Blue.” While having five No. 1 singles, releasing more than 20 albums, being a member of the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame are huge accomplishments Anderson says being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is unreal.
“I am certainly very honored and extremely proud,” he told The Tennessean after hearing the news. “I’m still trying to really Just get a grip on all of it. The Hall of Fame and the great people that are in it … Many of them were dear friends and heroes of mine. It’s certainly a statement of one’s career. To be honest, I’m still just trying to get a grip on the reality of it actually happening.”
2. Toby Keith-Modern Era Artist
20-time chart-topper Toby Keith is the 2024 Modern Artist Era Inductee. The two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2022, passed away on Feb. 5, 2024 (Just days after the vote was finalized Feb 2nd). Keith’s son Stelen was there to accept the honor for his father. He briefly thanked the Hall of Fame.
Toby Keith’s multiplatinum, No. 1 albums include Unleashed and Shock’n Y’all from the early 2000s. Among his most popular songs are “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “Red Solo Cup,” and the Grammy-nominated duet “Beer For My Horses” with Willie Nelson. Keith is also known for his support of the troop and his patriotism on post 9/11 songs like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
The 2017 National Medal of Arts recipient and 2015 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee was also renowned as a businessman and humanitarian.
3. James Burton- Recording/Touring Musician
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Country, pop and rock guitarist James Burton is the 2024 Recording/Touring Musician Inductee. His friend Keith Urban called him before handing over the phone to the Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern to share the big news with Burton. Burton was speechless. He hung up and redialed the number and said to Trahern, “Is this a prank call?”
Burton developed his own trademark style of playing guitar. His method includes a flat pick between his thumb and index finger and a finger pick on his middle finger. Burton became the band leader and lead guitarist for Elvis Presley in his “Taking Care of Business Band,” which he played in from 1969 to 1977, the year Elvis Presley died.
Other artists Burton collaborated with include Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner and Joni Mitchell.
