Country Music Hall of Fame Sets Announcement for New 2026 Inductees
The Country Music Association will be announcing the 2025 inductee class to the Country Music Hall of Fame on Friday, March 20th at 10:00 a.m. Central. The announcement will come via a press conference from the Hall of Fame rotunda in Nashville. Hall of Fame inductee Marty Stuart will be hosting the announcement, and it will be live streamed on the CMA’s YouTube Channel. You can also see the video below.
To see Saving Country Music’s picks and predictions for the 2025 Hall of Fame class, CLICK HERE.
The Country Music Hall of Fame inductees are selected through a committee process appointed by the Country Music Association (CMA). The selection process is split up into three categories:
1) Modern Era – Eligible for induction 20 years after they first achieve “national prominence.” 2) Veterans Era – Eligible for induction 45 years after they first achieve “national prominence.” 3) Non-Performer, Songwriter, and Recording and/or Touring Musician active prior to 1980 – Rotates every 3 years. If there is a tie in voting in any category, two names can be selected, as we saw in 2021.
With a musician James Burton selected in 2024, and a non-performer in Tony Brown selected in 2025, it would be a songwriter selected in 2026. This could be someone who worked primarily behind-the-scenes writing big country hits. But it also can be someone also known for performing, while also being known for writing songs for themselves and others.
Since the Country Music Hall of Fame process is secretive, we do not know who is being considered for induction in the three categories. 2025 inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame were Kenny Chesney in the Modern Era category, June Carter in the Veteran’s Era category, and producer Tony Brown.
Does the fact that Marty Stuart will be the emcee give us any indications? Could he be there to induct his fellow “No Hat” act from the early ’90s in Travis Tritt, or because his long-time advocacy for the Maddox Brothers and Rose is finally paying off? Or is is just Marty Stuart’s time to host after recently making a large donation of memorabilia to the Hall of Fame?
Check back on on Friday, March 25th as Saving Country Music covers the announcement and new inductees in real time.
March 18, 2026 @ 6:43 pm
I was thinking about Travis. Maddox and Rose would be great
March 18, 2026 @ 7:36 pm
What is the hold up with The Maddox Brothers and Rose? They belong in the CMHoF.
March 18, 2026 @ 11:10 pm
Probably because they’re identified with the west coast rather than Nashville.
March 19, 2026 @ 4:53 pm
Vern Gosdin or Wynn Stewart ,Dwight Yoakam
March 18, 2026 @ 6:53 pm
With all due respect to Travis Tritt, Dwight Yoakam and Clint Black should be inducted first
March 18, 2026 @ 7:03 pm
I think Travis Tritt is still a long shot at this point, but you never know. I would put my money on Dwight Yoakam, or someone that makes sense following up Kenny Chesney with like Tim McGraw. I’m just spitballing of who might be close to Marty Stuart that’s in the running. For the Modern Era, Tritt’s about the only one. Or who knows, maybe Marty’s just hosting, and he has nothing to do with the inductees.
March 18, 2026 @ 6:54 pm
When I saw Marty was the host, I thought about his advocacy for The Maddox Brothers and Rose. Vince Gill hosted last year when his former bandmate and producer tony Brown deservedly got the nod.
Travis Tritt seems less likely to me given that Dwight and Clint Black aren’t in yet and they’re a bit less controversial than Travis given some of his political statements. His opinions don’t bother me; I just think Dwight and Clint should get in there first. Just don’t put Tim McGraw in before them, ugh…
March 18, 2026 @ 7:27 pm
Honestly looking at his discography Travis Tritt is less worthy than a handful of his peers. Dwight Yoakam, Mark Chesnutt, Clint Black, Tracy Lawrence, Joe Diffie all have better bodies of work.
March 19, 2026 @ 7:39 am
I agree. I loved Travis’s early stuff but it seems like he was a one trick pony who ran out of steam after a few years.
March 19, 2026 @ 8:54 am
I think Travis is worthy of consideration. I think Mark Chesnutt and Joe Diffie, in particular, haven’t gotten enough credit. Joe Diffie had two platinum albums and two others go gold in a four-year span. Mark Had three platinum albums and two gold.
March 18, 2026 @ 7:32 pm
In a Vintage Guitar article that appeared in April of 2023, Marty Stuart was asked who are a few of the artist that he would like to see in the Hall of Fame. His reply:
“How about the Maddox Brothers and Rose, Johnny Horton, the Stanley Brothers, the Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Tanya Tucker, John Anderson, Dwight Yoakam,
Dallas Frazier, Lloyd Green, Ralph Mooney, and Tommy Jackson for starters, with several more in the wings?”
(Tanya Tucker and John Anderson have been inducted since the article appeared. I don’t expect a trifecta, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Dallas Frazier, Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Horton or the Maddox Brothers and Rose could be among the class of 2026):
March 18, 2026 @ 8:17 pm
I’ll go with Dwight, Linda Ronstadt and Sonny Throckmorton.
(As much as I like Johnny Horton, Jack Greene, Dallas Frazier et al, I lean toward artists who could conceivably show up for the honor.)
March 18, 2026 @ 8:43 pm
Hoping for Dwight – he did things his own way and still puts out great music (although radio pays no attention).
March 19, 2026 @ 9:10 am
Radio doesn’t matter anymore, it’s all streaming for those under 50.
So unless you actively search for Yoakam or Horton, it’s unlikely that they will show up in the stream.
March 18, 2026 @ 9:14 pm
Hoping for Tim McGraw or Dwight Yoakam for modern era
Earl Thomas Conley for veteran era
March 19, 2026 @ 6:28 am
My thought is more that Marty is available to host it because he pushed his shows to April due to his wrist injury after falling on ice the other month.
It did cross my mind though that if Marty’s hosting maybe it is Travis’s year.
I’m really hoping for Dwight Yoakam and Dallas Frazier. I have no idea for Veteran’s though. The Gatlins, maybe.
March 19, 2026 @ 6:44 am
Gene watson should be included.
March 19, 2026 @ 8:33 am
Absolutely
March 19, 2026 @ 7:28 am
What on earth has Travis Tritt ever done to qualify for HOF induction? Surely it isn’t from telling his fans to not to protect themselves during the Covid epidemic by not wearing masks at his concerts or discouraging vaccines or Covid tests?
I’m sure that Charley Pride & Joe Diffie would disagree with Twitt..
Clint Black & Dwight Yoakam would both be excellent choices.
March 19, 2026 @ 7:41 am
Calm down. Travis Tritt won’t be inducted for his COVID-19 stance any more than Jerry Lee Lewis was inducted for marrying his 14-year-old cousin. I don’t expect Tritt to go in this year, but I do think his name would be in a Top 10 of contenders in the Modern Era if you drafted one.
My picks would be Clint Black or Dwight Yoakam.
March 20, 2026 @ 8:15 am
Not responding to the original point but to your Top 10 contender point.
He’s in my potential top 10 right now. The real issue for Tritt is I don’t think he’s in the top 5, which would push him out 5 more years minimum. He’s got 9 more years before he flips into the veteran category. He’s going to be a close one I think as names like Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Keith Urban (the late 90’s/early 2000’s front runners) become more prominent candidates. They’re already eligible and I think in around 5 years time we’ll start to see that era enter the hall.
TLDR I think Tritt will always be stuck behind bigger names in the Modern category. (watch him get in this year now haha)
Personally Dwight is my pick for Modern. No reason to let him fall to the veteran category.
I’d pick Lynn Anderson as a big fan for the veteran, but historically and impact wise there’s bigger names who deserve. They almost can’t make a mistake in the veteran. It just sucks we can’t see more to clear some back log.
March 19, 2026 @ 7:44 am
Speaking on behalf of people you do not know, let alone are dead, is wild.
Your mask is on too tight, Deej.
March 19, 2026 @ 12:02 pm
Here’s a quarter…
March 19, 2026 @ 3:16 pm
Brevity is, indeed, the soul of wit. You win today’s prize.
March 19, 2026 @ 3:18 pm
Sounds more like Country TDS. I doubt Travis will be the one getting the nod this year.
March 19, 2026 @ 6:36 pm
You are insufferable. And still wrong.
March 19, 2026 @ 7:28 am
Three words is all I want to hear… THE STANLEY BROTHERS
March 19, 2026 @ 7:47 am
Dan Da Hootenanny, you are not alone when it comes to folks hoping for Carter and Ralph.
March 19, 2026 @ 7:49 am
Jeanie Stanley (daughter of the late Carter Stanley of The Stanley Brothers) has been posting Stanley Brothers songs twice a day on Facebook for nearly two weeks now and they are:
March 6: How Mountain Gals Can Love
March 7: The Lonesome River and The Fields Have Turned To Brown
March 8: The White Dove
March 9: Who Will Sing For Me and I’m A Man Of Constant Sorrow
March 10: Bound To Ride
March 11: Think Of What You’ve Done and I’ll Never Grow Tired Of You
March 12: Loving You Too Well and How You’ve Tortured My Mind
March 13: Ridin’ That Midnight Train and Hey, Hey, Hey
March 14: I Just Got Wise and Angels Are Singing (In Heaven Tonight)
March 16: This Weary Heart You Stole Away (Wake Up, Sweetheart) and Harbour Of Love
March 17: I’m Lost, I’ll Never Find The Way and A Vision Of Mother
March 18: A Life Of Sorrow and Prayer Of A Truck Driver’s Son
Also, Tim McGraw has been looking back on his career with talking about his past albums in a series of posts on Facebook this week as well and they are:
March 16: Set This Circus Down
March 17: Tim McGraw & The Dancehall Doctors
March 18: Everywhere
So Jeanie and Tim are hinting at big news tomorrow (Friday) because of it.
March 19, 2026 @ 8:36 am
Richie coming with the deep research. I like it.
March 19, 2026 @ 5:40 pm
Trigger,
Jeanie posted this Stanley Brothers song on Facebook today and it is:
March 19: Little Glass Of Wine
March 19, 2026 @ 9:26 am
I saw Jeannie’s posts and wondered the same thing, Richie.
March 19, 2026 @ 4:23 pm
Interesting. Up to a few weeks ago, a lot of her posts were political (conservative). The Stanleys belong there and I’d be happy to see that.
Tim McGraw’s posts for past few days aren’t quite as much like the trail of bread crumbs Jeannie left. I just don’t want him inducted yet. Dwight and Clint first.
March 19, 2026 @ 5:41 pm
Todd Peterson,
but Tim has sold more albums and has had more hit records than both Dwight and Clint. so I see him getting in before Dwight and Clint.
March 19, 2026 @ 7:03 pm
I know he’s sold tons and all of that. I’m just not a fan of his.
I don’t think he’s a very good singer, and he’s didn’t do any good acting until the Yellowstone spinoff – I think he learned from Sam Elliott. He’s overrated, quite mediocre (and woke), but he became a star. Luke Bryan is basic as hell and became a big star as well. Kenny Chesney? I couldn’t care less about him. All of them couldn’t carry Vern Gosdin’s bags, IMHO.
Tim could get in first. But he’s not Vince, King George or Reba. I’m surprised Patty Loveless and John Anderson got in as soon as they did – I love them both,
March 19, 2026 @ 8:23 am
Here’s my “bunch of” list I’d like for HOF. Maddox Brothers & Rose, Skeeter Davis, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Stringbean, Jack Greene, Stoneman Family, Jan Howard, Jeannie Seely, Wilburn Brothers, Dwight Yoakum or K.T. Oslin.
March 19, 2026 @ 8:32 am
I just seen where Vince Gill supported Taylor Swift and it triggered my gag reflex. Veteran Era should be Stony and Wilma Lee Cooper or Stonewall Jackson. Everyone wants to talk down about Travis Tritt, because of his political statements. That’s the problem the CMHOF got WOKE real fast along with the Grand Ole Opry. I’ve not been happy with the ACM/CMA/CMHOF for years, but I do donate to them so I feel I can comment.
March 19, 2026 @ 9:28 am
Brian Willis-Burgamy, please explain how the CMHoF became woke? Please cite specific examples.
March 19, 2026 @ 8:59 am
Anne Murray and Earl thomas conley need induction
March 19, 2026 @ 9:17 am
Asleep at the Wheel deserved an induction a couple of decades ago.
But since they operate outside of Nashville and includes some twin fiddles in their music now and then, I won’t bet on them.
March 19, 2026 @ 9:29 am
Brian Willis-Burgamy, please explain how the CMHoF became woke? Please cite specific examples.
March 19, 2026 @ 1:27 pm
Skeeter Davis has been unfairly passed over for too long.
March 19, 2026 @ 2:19 pm
Veteran era: Johnny Horton
Modern era: Dwight Yoakam
Songwriter: Dallas Frazier
March 19, 2026 @ 2:50 pm
It should be Clint Black or Johnny Horton.
It likely won’t.
I expect garbage picks tomorrow.
March 19, 2026 @ 4:11 pm
CK
I am a Johnny Horton fan. I’ve got most of his albums on vinyl. The Spectacular Johnny Horton is my favorite though the 1962 album Honky-Tonk Man is a close second. As great as the historical saga songs are, I like his rocking Honky-Tonk material even more. You keep bringing his name up
and I’m curious if you have a well thought out argument as to why you believe everyone but Horton is a garbage pick as you say. What is it about Horton that should merit a HOF induction? Really curious. Personally I could go either way with it. He was definitely a star on The Louisiana Hayride but maybe not as much on The Opry. I remember talking to Sleepy Labeef years ago and him mentioning what a big deal Horton was on The Hayride. Labeef knew as he was also a performer there. Aside from only a few hits, his legacy was cut short by an incredibly macabre death, which is quite the story.
March 19, 2026 @ 6:55 pm
His induction is long overdue. He passed away in the 1960s yet hasn’t made it. Numerous classic songs still remembered and played today. Multiple #1s. Unlike Maddox & Rose.
But hey, maybe they can induct another person whose biggest hit is sleeping with Johnny Cash.
March 20, 2026 @ 6:29 pm
It will be a while before Horton gets in, if ever; he was never part of the Nashville scene nor an Opry member, making Shreveport LA and the Louisiana Hayride his base of operations. The unpardonable sin in Nashville and the Hall Of Fame powers that be; same reason Dwight’s having so much trouble getting in….politics you know
March 19, 2026 @ 6:58 pm
Johnny Horton was my first introduction to real country, growing up in the 90s. It was the only country tape my mom had; not sure what album it was but it included some historical songs and some honkey tonk songs. That tells me he had staying power outside the country world even though he was hard traditional country for the most part. I can’t understand why he was passed over when there was the mass induction 25 years ago.
March 19, 2026 @ 5:32 pm
I am just preparing to be let down. Simply.
March 20, 2026 @ 5:17 pm
Can’t believe Lloyd Green isn’t in …..