Kenny Chesney, Tony Brown, and June Carter Cash Officially Inducted Into the Country Music Hall of Fame
The unforgettable evening celebrated country music’s highest honor and three of its most influential figures.
(L-R) Honoree Tony Brown, John Carter Cash, Carlene Carter and honoree Kenny Chesney; Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
It was a special night in Nashville on Sunday evening as Tony Brown, June Carter Cash, and Kenny Chesney were formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during the star-studded Medallion Ceremony in the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s CMA Theater.
Dozens of Country Music Hall of Fame members, special guests, family, friends, and members of the country music community gathered in celebration of the 156th, 157th, and 158th members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, country music’s highest distinction.
June Carter Cash
The evening began with a portion honoring the late June Carter Cash, who was welcomed into the Veterans Era Artist category. Her segment featured a series of moving tributes, beginning with Kacey Musgraves and Daniel Tashian performing “Ring of Fire,” followed by Keb’ Mo’ and Ruby Amanfu with “Keep on the Sunny Side,” and Lukas Nelson closing the set with “It Ain’t Me Babe.”
Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris then took the stage for the Medallion presentation.
“It’s really truly a privilege to stand before you this evening as we honor my beautiful friend June Carter Cash,” Harris began.
She went on to remember June’s kind-hearted, nurturing spirit (and her often competitive side!) recalling a few intense Scrabble games they once played together.
“June was of course, the ultimate southern hostess attending to our every need and comfort. That is until she brought out the Scrabble board and then all bets were off,” she laughed.
Harris said she was thrilled to take part in the “long-awaited” opportunity to celebrate her dear friend and welcomed John Carter Cash and Carlene Carter to the stage to accept the Medallion on their mother’s behalf.
“Mom would love this. She’s here…I know in everyone’s heart here tonight because I know she made a difference in this world. I know she made a difference in Nashville and in the music community,” they collectively shared.
Tony Brown
Music executive and famed record producer Tony Brown was welcomed into the Non-Performer category following a string of stunning tributes. Lyle Lovett honored him with a performance of “If I Had a Boat,” Steve Earle followed with “Guitar Town,” Trisha Yearwood performed “Perfect Love,” and Country Music Hall of Fame member George Strait closed the segment with “Troubadour.”
Strait delivered a short speech prior to his performance, telling Brown, “Tony, you are the man. I appreciate all the records that we were able to make together. I had so much fun with you in the studio and a lot of these guys up here played on a bunch of ’em too. And you are just an amazing producer, Tony, and a friend…”
Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill brought both laughs and heartfelt moments during Brown’s Medallion presentation, reflecting on their decades-long friendship and Brown’s impact on his life and career.
“I was trying to get a pop record deal out in LA and nobody wanted to hire an overweight high singer to a record deal, and every time I would talk to Tony about wanting to be an artist, it never really crossed my mind before that, he said, ‘you should be a country singer,’” Gill recalled. “He said, ‘everything you do is country. You talk country. Everything you say is country.’ He said, ‘and you would never fit in leather pants.’”
With Brown’s encouragement and guidance, Gill later went on to sign with MCA Nashville under Brown’s reign, and the two enjoyed a stellar run on the charts together. It was only fitting that Gill was the one to welcome Brown into the Hall.
Brown kept his speech short and sweet but incredibly impactful.
“Well, needless to say, I’ve had some big things happen in my life. This is by far the biggest. For years, everybody thought my life, my career, was defined by playing for Elvis Presley. Now my career is defined by being elected into the Country Music Hall Fame,” he stated.
Kenny Chesney
Modern Era Artist category inductee Kenny Chesney sat between his mother and father in the front row as three of his dear friends and former tourmates delivered surprise performances in his honor. Kelsea Ballerini performed “Somewhere with You,” Megan Moroney offered a heartfelt rendition of “Knowing You,” and Eric Church, who was called just 12 hours before the event to fill in for another performer, took the stage for a medley of “I Go Back,” “Anything But Mine,” “El Cerrito Place,” “Never Wanted Nothing More,” and “The Boys of Fall.”
Eric Church joked with the crowd about getting the last-minute call, admitting he was “winging it.” He went on to share a memory of the first time he saw Kenny Chesney live, during the George Strait Music Festival in Clemson, South Carolina, and how it left a lasting impact. “I watched reality change,” Church recalled, describing how Chesney’s performance transformed the entire crowd.
Chesney’s longtime friend and former label president, Country Music Hall of Fame member Joe Galante, was on hand to present the East Tennessee native with the Medallion, officially welcoming him as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
An emotional Chesney called the moment “overwhelming” as he delivered a nearly 15-minute heartfelt speech reflecting on his journey and the people who made it possible: his friends, family, road crew, manager, publicist, and more. It was clear this honor meant the world to him.
“The truth is, I’ve never really let myself sit in accomplishment very much. I’ve always been very creative, very driven. But tonight, I can tell you, walking into that rotunda and taking the group shot with a lot of my heroes and a lot of my friends, it was the first time that I have ever felt accomplished in my life,” he shared, later adding, “It’s an unbelievable feeling to stand here in this moment. And with every cell in my body, I feel the gravity of this moment.”
Standing at the podium, a humble Chesney expressed gratitude to the many people who helped him along the way before closing his speech in a fitting way.
“The thing that I am very thankful for is the fact that I got to do this with so many people. I’m standing up here at night because of all the people I got to play music with and all the people that I got to live this life with,” he explained. “And several years ago I wrote a song called ‘I Didn’t Get Here Alone,’ and I’m going to leave you guys with this. It goes: To everyone who helped pave my way/ If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here today/ To all my friends, the girls, the broken hearts/ All the critics, cynics and doubters/ Y’all know who you are/ Because I didn’t get here alone/ This road’s just too rough and long/ I might be the one the spotlight’s on/ But I didn’t get here alone.”
As applause filled the room, Chesney shared, “I know I didn’t get here alone, and I’m honored tonight to be in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Thank you guys.”
The Medallion ceremony wrapped up with a moving performance of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” led by Country Music Hall of Fame member John Anderson.
The Medallion All-Star Band provided the music for the evening, featuring an impressive lineup of musicians: Paul Franklin (steel guitar), Jen Gunderman (keyboards), Tania Hancheroff (vocals), Brent Mason (electric guitar), Jerry Pentecost (drums), Alison Prestwood (bass), Deanie Richardson (fiddle and mandolin), Mica Roberts (vocals), Biff Watson (bandleader and acoustic guitar), Jeff White (acoustic guitar and vocals), and Charlie Worsham (guitar and vocals).
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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