Launched in the l960s as a fundraising tool, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s Walkway of Stars provided an opportunity for fans, record companies and families to memorialize a favorite star by making a donation to the building fund for the fledgling not-for-profit educational organization’s original $750,000 building, which was located on Music Row at the corner of 16th Avenue S. and Division St.
When the Walkway was unveiled during the Museum’s grand opening gala, April l, 1967, it included 78 bronze and terrazzo tiles forming an exterior path leading to the Museum’s 16th Avenue public entrance. In 1978, following a building expansion and the relocation of the public entrance, the Walkway of Stars was moved to an area inside the building that eventually became known as the Walkway of Stars Lobby. By this time, too, the cash donations were being earmarked for the Museum’s Library and Media Center, which had already been established as the foremost archive and research center for country music in the world.
Candidates for the Walkway of Stars had to be performers of national reputation, who had recorded performances available through national distribution, and who had achieved substantial national recognition as country performers. Election required a majority vote of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.
For many years, the induction ceremonies were held during Fan Fair, the event now known as the CMA Music Festival. Registrants swarmed the Museum to meet and greet their favorite stars, including the Country Music Hall of Fame members who often showed up. The stars who donated career memorabilia as part of their induction ceremonies helped to build the Museum’s unparalleled collection of costumes, instruments, manuscripts, photographs and other historically important artifacts. By 1997, there were approximately 300 Walkway of Stars honorees.
In August 2006, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau announced that it would recognize members of the Walkway of Stars with a commemorative marker on the new Music City Walk of Fame. We’re grateful to the NCVB for recognizing our Walkway honorees and their many significant contributions to country music and to Music City. NCVB officials have indicated plans to have the memorial in place by November 2007. In addition, this Web site has been established to honor the members of the Walkway of Stars and to remember their contributions to the Museum and to country music.
The Museum’s past and present Board of Officers and Trustees, Director and staff are eternally grateful to the Walkway of Stars’ donors and honorees that, from 1967 to 1997, helped to fund the bricks and mortar where the present institution was born. Thank you.
1967
Roy Acuff
Bill Anderson
Eddy Arnold
Chet Atkins
Johnny Bond
Owen Bradley
Rod Brasfield
Boudleaux & Felice Bryant
Carl & Pearl Butler
Johnny Cash
Patsy Cline
Hank Cochran
Cowboy Copas
Floyd Cramer
Jimmie Davis
Skeeter Davis
Jimmy Dickens
Dave Dudley
Flatt & Scruggs
Red Foley
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Howard “Howdy” Forrester
Glaser Brothers
Billy Grammer
Bobby Gregory
Dewey Groom
George Hamilton IV
Freddie Hart
Al Hirt
Jan Howard
Ferlin Husky
Burl Ives
Stonewall Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Sonny James
Grandpa Jones
The Jordanaires
Merle Kilgore
Pee Wee King
Pete “Oswald” Kirby (Bashful Brother Oswald)
Hugh X. Lewis
John D. Loudermilk
Loretta Lynn
Rose Maddox
Joe & Rose Lee Maphis
Jimmy Martin
Leon McAuliffe
Roger Miller
Bill Monroe
Jimmy C. Newman
Buck Owens
Minnie Pearl
Webb Pierce
Elvis Presley
Boots Randolph
Del Reeves
Jim Reeves
Jimmy Riddle
Don Robertson
Tex Ritter
Jimmie Rodgers
Fred Rose
Hank Snow
Hank Thompson
Mel Tillis
Johnny Tillotson
Merle Travis
Ernest Tubb
Justin Tubb
Leroy Van Dyke
Porter Wagoner
Kitty Wells
Dottie West
Wilburn Brothers
Bob Wills
Mac Wiseman
Johnny Wright
Faron Young
1968
Lenny Dee
Jack Greene
Tom T. Hall
Homer & Jethro
Jeannie Seely
Slim Whitman
1969
June Carter
Maybelle Carter
Roy Drusky
Bobby Goldsboro
Merle Haggard
Skeets McDonald
Roy Orbison
Luther Perkins
Jerry Reed
Jeannie C. Riley
Jimmie Skinner
Conway Twitty
T. Texas Tyler
Hank Williams
Hank Williams Jr.
Lulu Belle & Scotty Wiseman
1970
Original Carter Family
Roy Clark
Pete Drake
George Jones
Lonzo & Oscar
Red Sovine
Billy Edd Wheeler
Tammy Wynette
1971
Lynn Anderson
Gene Autry
Barbara Mandrell
Bonnie Owens
Dolly Parton
Ray Price
Charley Pride
Statler Brothers
Glenn Sutton
1972
Glen Campbell
Tommy Cash
Jerry Clower
Don Gibson
Mayf Nutter
Tommy Overstreet
Susan Raye
Ray Stevens
1973
Dick Curless
Waylon Jennings
Clayton McMichen
Stanley Brothers
Ernest V. “Pop” Stoneman
1974
Penny DeHaven
Johnny Dollar
Barbara Fairchild
Ray Griff
Melba Montgomery
Anne Murray
Charlie Rich
Johnny Rodriguez
1975
Billy “Crash” Craddock
Jess Easterday
Donna Fargo
Jim & Jon Hager (Hager Twins)
Shot Jackson
Brenda Lee
Robert Lunn
Don Rich
1976
Bob Atcher
Hoyt Axton
Jim Ed Brown
Vernon Dalhart
Mac Davis
Mickey Gilley
Joe E. Lewis
C. W. McCall
Red River Dave McEnery
Ronnie Milsap
Ramblin’ Tommy Scott
Ray Whitley
1978
Narvel Felts
Jimmy Heap
Paul Howard
Jerry Lee Lewis
Willie Nelson
Ronnie Prophet
Ramblin’ Lou & Joannie
Kenny Roberts
Joe Stampley
Red Steagall
Gene Watson
1979
Roy Acuff Jr.
Elton Britt
Charlie Collins
Lefty Frizzell
Jim & Jesse
Bob Luman
Gene Martin
Jody McCauley
Mary K. Miller
Moon Mullican
Johnny Paycheck
Curly Rhodes
T. G. Sheppard
Margo Smith
Rachel V. Watson
Onie Wheeler
Joe Zinkan
1980
Randy Bethune
Sonny Day
Doyle Holly
Tommy Magness
Ronnie McDowell
1981
Armstrong Twins
Moe Bandy
Boxcar Willie
Louise Mandrell
Stoneman Family
1983
Bailes Brothers
R. C. Bannon
Alcyone Bate Beasley
Reba McEntire
Riders in the Sky
Carson J. Robison
Billie Jo Spears
B. J. Thomas
1984
Larry Butler
Ralph Emery
Felton Jarvis
Oak Ridge Boys
Al Rogers
Leona Williams
1985
David Allan Coe
The Kendalls
Shorty Lavender
Mel McDaniel
Gary Morris
Ricky Skaggs
1986
Alabama
John Anderson
Crystal Gayle
Sam & Kirk McGee
1987
Earl Thomas Conley
Jeanne Pruett
Randy Travis
1988
Rosanne Cash
Highway 101
O. B. McClinton
George Morgan
Eddy Raven
Dwight Yoakam
1989
Lacy J. Dalton
Desert Rose
Vern Gosdin
Patty Loveless
Irlene Mandrell
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Billy Joe Royal
Ralph Sloan
Texas Ruby & Curly Fox
Keith Whitley
1990
Fruit Jar Drinkers
Johnny Horton
Tommy Hunter
Lorrie Morgan
Southern Pacific
1991
Emmylou Harris
Shenandoah
Travis Tritt
Lawton Williams
1992
Billy Ray Cyrus
The Four Guys
Janie Fricke
Patti Page
Gram Parsons
Marty Stuart
Tanya Tucker
Steve Wariner
Trisha Yearwood
1993
Connie Smith
Doc & Merle Watson
1994
Mark Collie
Holly Dunn
Sammy Kershaw
Ronna Reeves
Wynonna
1995
Joe Diffie
Tracy Lawrence
Kathy Mattea
Martina McBride
John Michael Montgomery
Ricky Van Shelton
1996
Suzy Bogguss
Lane Brody
James Burton
Tracy Byrd
Yodeling Slim Clark
Marcel Dadi
Sawyer Brown
Toby Keith
Lucille Starr
Bryan White
1997
Billy Byrd
Lee Roy Parnell
Gordon Terry