Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” “Trio” Album to Grammy Hall of Fame
The Grammy Awards have announced their annual inductions into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and a few of them have deep ties to country music.
Kenny Rogers passed away earlier this year, and as one of the most recognizable artists in country music history, it’s not a surprise the Grammys would tap one of his most recognizable songs for induction.
Written by Don Schlitz, “The Gambler” is so synonymous with Kenny Rogers, it later became his nickname, and launched a movie franchise starring Rogers. It might be one of the most recognizable country songs of all time, along with winning the Grammy for Best Male Solo Performance in 1980. That’s why the song makes for a pretty easy induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame for 2020.
Speaking of Grammy-winning works, that was the fate for the first record from the country music supergroup simply known as Trio. Combining the powers of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt, their 1987 debut album went down in history as one of the most critically-acclaimed albums of all time, won the 1988 Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group, and was nominated for the all-genre Album of the Year. Now it will also be enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame as well.
And speaking of Linda Ronstadt, her Spanish-speaking album also from 1987 Canciones de Mi Padre has also been selected for Grammy induction in 2020. And finally from the country world, The Recording Academy went all the way back to what many consider to be the first commercially successful country recording of all time. Vernon Dalhart’s “Wreck of the Old 97” released in 1924 will also be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2020.
Find all of the 2020 Grammy Hall of Fame inductions below.
“Au Clair de la Lune,” Edouard-Leon Scott De Martinville, single (c. 1853-61)
“Blues Breakers,” John Mayall with Eric Clapton, album (1966)
“Canciones de Mi Padre,” Linda Ronstadt, album (1987)
“Clean Up Woman,” Betty Wright, single (1971)
“Copenhagen,” Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra, single (1924)
“Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey, single (1981)
“Freight Train,” Elizabeth Cotton, single (1958)
“Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.,” Bruce Springsteen, album (1973)
“Horses,” Patti Smith, album (1975)
“Hot Buttered Soul,” Isaac Hayes, album (1969)
“In the Right Place,” Dr. John, album (1973)
“Licensed to Ill,” Beastie Boys, album (1986)
“Mad Dogs & Englishmen,” Joe Cocker, album (1970)
“Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at ‘The Club’,” The Cannonball Adderley Quintet, album (1966)
“Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major,” Leonard Bernstein with the Philharmonia Orchestra Of London, album (1948)
“Schoenberg: The Four String Quartets,” Kolisch String Quartet, album (1937)
“So,” Peter Gabriel, album (1986)
“Solitude,” Billie Holiday, single (1952)
“Ten,” Pearl Jam, album (1991)
“Texas Flood,” Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble, album (1983)
“The Cars,” The Cars, album (1978)
“The Gambler,” Kenny Rogers, single (1978)
“The Low End Theory,” A Tribe Called Quest, album (1991)
“Time Is On My Side,” Irma Thomas, single (1964)
“Trio,” Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, album (1987)
“We Are The World,” USA For Africa, single (1985)
“When the Levee Breaks,” Kansas Joe And Memphis Minnie, single (1929)
“Wreck of the Old 97,” Vernon Dalhart, single (1924)
“Y.M.C.A.,” Village People, single (1978)
December 31, 2020 @ 9:21 am
How many country music albums have been enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame?
Trio is well deserving.
December 31, 2020 @ 10:41 am
If you are just asking about albums, I believe I have counted 15 inducted into the Hall Of Fame.
Anthology Of American Folk Music
Foggy Mountain Banjo
Foggy Mountain Jamboree
Heart Like A Wheel
John Prine
Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash At San Quentin
Kristofferson
Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music
Okie From Muskogee
Red Headed Stranger
Stardust
Trio
Wanted! The Outlaws
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
December 31, 2020 @ 1:05 pm
I personally enjoy Greetings more than the rest of Bruce’s work other than Fire on the Fingertips, but there is no way whatsoever that it belongs in any hall of fame, period.
December 31, 2020 @ 7:44 pm
Glendel,
It might be recognized because it was his first album and of course he is an all-time great. The record that got the the whole thing going. However, the others on the list don’t appear to have that as the reason so what do I know?
December 31, 2020 @ 6:12 pm
Re. TRIO: A huge case can be made that this album helped to set the stage for the huge influx of female country artists that happened during the 1990’s, as well as helping the growth of what became the alt-country/Americana movement. What’s so ironic is that the album, which had its roots in Linda first meeting Dolly at the Grand Ole Opry back in 1971, was universally loathed by the Nashville establishment upon its release in March 1987 because it leaned so heavily traditionalist…until it started selling in the millions and being a huge crossover smash.
As for CANCIONES DE MI PADRE–well, I think it is highly unlikely that the sales totals for this album, which a lot of folks at Linda’s label Elektra were worried wouldn’t sell well, but instead sold 2.7 million, will ever be matched. Its status as the highest-selling foreign-language album by any American artist in history is, in my opinion, extremely safe.
December 31, 2020 @ 6:59 pm
Much credit to Trio and the Gambler, but the company its in isn’t all that inspiring. Well, I don’t think so anyway, but might be wrong.
I mean, the list includes ‘YMCA’…
December 31, 2020 @ 9:44 pm
Hey I’ll have you know YMCA deserves its place for being a good song to annoy the fans of Florida-Georgia Line, Jason Andean Sam Hunt and/or Luke Bryan with, particularly if you don’t have a copy of Jim Nabors doing a spot on impression of Luke Bryan singing the Marine Corp hymn from the Season 4 Andy Griffith Show episode Gomer Pyle USMC. Every time I play I say “and now for the song from (artist who just assaulted my ears) honeymoon to (insert one of the artist). It never fails to make these guys and gals rage which is shocking considering the fanfics some of these people have written about things like Sam Hunt getting the Florida Georgia Line guys pregnant after they both get Luke Bryan pregnant with twins.
January 4, 2021 @ 12:22 pm
Haha! “From the hawls of Montezoomer…” I still laugh when I hear it.
January 2, 2021 @ 7:23 pm
YMCA is pretty iconic. Donald Trump shimmies to it at MAGA rallies, and it seems to be the most popular (non-flag-related) song at baseball games, after “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and John Fogerty’s “Centerfield.”
January 1, 2021 @ 12:35 pm
Very worthy list as always and I’m glad Linda R is still with us to enjoy this.
I’ll cover the country entries tonight.
January 2, 2021 @ 7:17 pm
Nobody highlighted or made mention that the original 1924 Vernon Dalhart recording of “Wreck of the Old 97” is on the Grammy list. That’s one of the most iconic–and dramatic–country songs of all-time, though it’s mostly known from versions by other artists like Roy Acuff, two Hanks–Snow and Thompson–, the Seekers and Johnny Cash.
January 2, 2021 @ 8:15 pm
Well, I did. But yeah, it’s one of the most overlooked portions of country music history. Everyone’s obsessed with Ralph Peer and the Bristol Sessions.
January 4, 2021 @ 8:41 am
Trigger,
I emailed the Hall of Fame again last night regarding when will an announcement be made regarding the Medallion Ceremonies for both 2020 and 2021 and in their reply back to me this morning, they said:
There has been no decisions made regarding Medallion Ceremony for 2020 and 2021 inductees. They will plan to honor these inductees when it is safe to do so.
What do you think?.