The Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame Announces Inaugural Inductee Class
The Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame in cultural-rich Bakersfield, California has announced their inaugural class of inductees to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in correlation with the one year anniversary of opening its doors to the multi-use facility. Not your average Hall of Fame, it includes two professional recording studios, and a 250-seat performance hall among other facilities in the 100 year-old building located at 2230 Q Street in Bakersfield.
The inaugural class of inductees are Bakersfield legends Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Red Simpson, singer and steel guitar player Billy Mize, and Bonnie Owens. According to the Hall of Fame, a total of 17 individuals will eventually be recognized in the inaugural class, with the rest of the inductees to be named later. Each inductee will be honored with a life-sized commemorative vinyl portrait along with a summary of their musical achievements to be hung on the wall of the hall of fame, as well as a star to be placed in the concrete walkway of the building.
The induction ceremony will occur on Friday, January 27th, with two additional shows later in 2017 also commemorating the inductees.
Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame founders Kimberly McAbee-Carter and Kyle Carter purchased the property at 2230 Q Street and started the Hall of Fame to revive Bakersfield’s great musical heritage to its former grandeur and help the next generation of local artists propel forward to achieve greater accomplishments in the future. The facility is not a museum, though they may have displays from time to time. Instead the purpose is to support local artists through the facility to continue the legacy of Bakersfield music and performing arts.
The inductees to the Hall of Fame are nominated by a six-person advisory board that elects potential nominees, and then votes on those nominees for induction.
January 4, 2017 @ 8:37 pm
Might as well add Bob Wills to their list, don’t know if he ever recorded in .CA, but he was a huge influence on Merle. And the playboys had the basic sound aswell. I would bet Jean Shepherd will also make this list, being from Bakersfield and the tragedy that has befallen her family. Gonna watch for the Merle tribute, if they don’t broadcast I’m sure it will be on YouTube. I can already see Dwight Yoakham and Marty Stuart doing something for Merle & Buck. At least that’s how I envision it.
January 4, 2017 @ 9:20 pm
Growing up in Bakersfield, I don’t think we ever thought it was cultural rich, but I do remember some of these artists being like country royalty around town. Buck always loved Bakersfield, and they loved him back.
Would be nice to see a resurgence of country music coming back to the area.
January 5, 2017 @ 10:41 am
Ha! Yea, my girlfriend, who was born in Bakersfield and lived there almost 40 years, got a good laugh out of the “culturally-rich” reference! 🙂
January 5, 2017 @ 4:16 am
I think Wynn Stewart, Tommy Collins and of course Jean Shepard almost certainly deserve spots in the inaugural class and probably Maddox brothers and Rose as a huge early influence.
January 5, 2017 @ 4:52 am
Can’t leave out Wynn Stewart in this discussion. He’s the other Bakersfield guy of note and Merle loved him.
January 5, 2017 @ 6:24 am
Agree 100%. I’d be disappointed if he was not included among the inaugural 17.
January 5, 2017 @ 7:46 am
You can hear Wynn’s vocal influence on some of Hag’s songs, especially the ones that are sung in a high register (Sing A Sad Song for one). Merle also had a framed 8×10 of Wynn on the wall of his bus.
January 5, 2017 @ 5:13 am
Hopefully The Derailers get recognized at some point–maybe more appropriate in the later rounds?
January 5, 2017 @ 7:52 am
Yeah they are Bakersfield sound for sure and devotees to Buck Owens. I don’t know the criteria , do the inductees have to be from Bakersfield?
I sure do miss Tony since he left. I’ve seen em with and without him and he was key to their success IMO. My two favorite albums, Reverb Deluxe and Full Western Dress.
January 5, 2017 @ 9:15 am
echo the mentions of Wynn Stewart and Tommy Collins. Tommy should get a nod just for “High on a Hilltop.”
January 5, 2017 @ 9:36 am
Red Simpson’s guitar guy Gene Moles.
January 5, 2017 @ 4:21 pm
This sounds very cool.
It’s about time these artists and this genre got special recognition.
January 6, 2017 @ 4:50 pm
Don Rich should certainly be included. Buck Owens wouldn’t have been Buck without him.
January 6, 2017 @ 8:32 pm
Lewis Talley, Cousin Herb Henson, Dallas Frazier and Tommy Collins would be appropriate for first recognition. Kay Adams, Susan Raye, and Bobby Durham would be good choices down the line. I would love to see a resurgence of new Bakersfield country artist coming out. Right now the only ones I know is the group Korn and they are nowhere near country. Although the lead singers Dad played in Buck Owens band. It doesn’t seem young Bakersield folks embrace their heritage like they should, their always been a bad stigmatism attached to being Okies. Only the older folks in Bakersfield embrace it.
January 6, 2017 @ 9:48 pm
Can’t wait to visit next time I’m in LA.
January 10, 2017 @ 10:08 am
Can’t forget about Dwight Yoakam either, he definitely deserves to be in there by Buck Owens
March 30, 2017 @ 5:21 pm
I agree with Danny Hacker ^. Can’t forget about Dwight Yoakam!